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Civilian Ratings?

ForTheBoys

Member
pilot
I apologize in advance if this isn’t in the correct sub-forum.

Can anyone give me some guidance about military equivalency and the wickets to hit to get all the FAA ratings I qualify for?

I have no flight time before flight school, and I’m about a month out from finishing helo advanced. With some time after I finish, I wanted to use the time to get rated.

I did do some searching around on old posts, but the ones I found were outdated or tailored more for people transitioning to airlines. Also some of the fixed wing vs rotary stuff didn’t make sense to me.

I just want to be able to rent a single-engine Cessna(/G), file IFR, and take my friends somewhere.

Thanks!
FTB
 

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
I apologize in advance if this isn’t in the correct sub-forum.

Can anyone give me some guidance about military equivalency and the wickets to hit to get all the FAA ratings I qualify for?

I have no flight time before flight school, and I’m about a month out from finishing helo advanced. With some time after I finish, I wanted to use the time to get rated.

I did do some searching around on old posts, but the ones I found were outdated or tailored more for people transitioning to airlines. Also some of the fixed wing vs rotary stuff didn’t make sense to me.

I just want to be able to rent a single-engine Cessna(/G), file IFR, and take my friends somewhere.

Thanks!
FTB

Traditionally, when you finished the HT's you took a FAA equivalency exam and were granted Airplane Single-Engine Land Commercial, Airplane Instrument, Rotary (Helicopter) Commercial and Rotary (Helicopter) Instrument. A Multi-Engine Airplane Commercial would be a nice add on rating since it was only a few thousand dollars, you know the airspace and the material, and it is good for life - plenty of places around Pensacola offer it. Other items that you may want to look into are knocking out your UAV license (FAA Part 107). There is a time limit (or used to be) on qualifying for your airplane ratings upon graduation from the HT's so do not delay. You will also need a FAA medical. I can not remember if a military medical counts for the FAA, someone will need to answer that. Also per regulations, you need to notify the FAA within 30 days of moving so they have a current address for you.

Once you hit 1,250 hours, you qualify for a helicopter ATP. Get to know www.sheppardair.com as it will provide all of the study gouge for whatever civilian ratings you want. If you come back as an IP in any aspect, you can take the military CFI equivalency exam.

Finally, start a spreadsheet now as every civilian company will want to see your logbook broken down in a myriad of different ways - Excel is a good way to keep track of it. Helicopter cross country time is point of departure to someplace 25 miles away and a landing. Airplanes are different: 50 miles away but no landing required.

Whiting used to have a class set up for everyone to get their ratings, you can also ask student control. Perhaps Jim123 can answer what is being given out at the schoolhouse now.
 
Last edited:

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
I apologize in advance if this isn’t in the correct sub-forum.

Can anyone give me some guidance about military equivalency and the wickets to hit to get all the FAA ratings I qualify for?

I have no flight time before flight school, and I’m about a month out from finishing helo advanced. With some time after I finish, I wanted to use the time to get rated.

I did do some searching around on old posts, but the ones I found were outdated or tailored more for people transitioning to airlines. Also some of the fixed wing vs rotary stuff didn’t make sense to me.

I just want to be able to rent a single-engine Cessna(/G), file IFR, and take my friends somewhere.

Thanks!
FTB

You will need to take the Military Competency Exam after winging - generally there is some organized activity to do this - a vendor, etc in a weekend. If not simply go get some test prep software, prepare for and take the exam at your favorite FAA testing center. Then take te results along with your logbooks and designation paper work (NATOPS Jacket) to your favorite FSDO and FAA Inspector.

Sheppard Air is a good source for this.

But I am surprised there already isnt an organized activity withing your winging class to knock this out - generally in a weekend - from study to test to certificate issuance. Talk to your classmates.
 

ForTheBoys

Member
pilot
Dude - I typed "FSDO" into the search function and a bunch of relevant and current stuff popped up, like this...

https://www.airwarriors.com/communi...ry-competency-route-to-cfi-cfii-advice.44895/

Search better - it's been discussed many times here. Make a new post in existing threads if you have a novel question.

I actually did see that one, but it seemed to be centered around CFI/CFII stuff. Also I didn’t know what an FSDO was lol

Traditionally, when you finished the HT's you took a FAA equivalency exam and were granted Airplane Single-Engine Land Commercial, Airplane Instrument, Rotary (Helicopter) Commercial and Rotary (Helicopter) Instrument. A Multi-Engine Airplane Commercial would be a nice add on rating since it was only a few thousand dollars, you know the airspace and the material, and it is good for life - plenty of places around Pensacola offer it. Other items that you may want to look into are knocking out your UAV license (FAA Part 107). There is a time limit (or used to be) on qualifying for your airplane ratings upon graduation from the HT's so do not delay. You will also need a FAA medical. I can not remember if a military medical counts for the FAA, someone will need to answer that. Also per regulations, you need to notify the FAA within 30 days of moving so they have a current address for you.

Once you hit 1,250 hours, you qualify for a helicopter ATP. Get to know www.sheppardair.com as it will provide all of the study gouge for whatever civilian ratings you want. If you come back as an IP in any aspect, you can take the military CFI equivalency exam.

Finally, start a spreadsheet now as every civilian company will want to see your logbook broken down in a myriad of different ways - Excel is a good way to keep track of it. Helicopter cross country time is point of departure to someplace 25 miles away and a landing. Airplanes are different: 50 miles away but no landing required.

Whiting used to have a class set up for everyone to get their ratings, you can also ask student control. Perhaps Jim123 can answer what is being given out at the schoolhouse now.

Awesome! Thanks! I didn’t know about the organized FAA exam, but I’ll ask some people in the next winging class about that. Some of the Skywarrior stuff I saw specifically said they don’t offer single-engine land so I was worried about that. And thanks for the CCX info. Looks like I gotta go back through my ATJ in depth. I’ll throw all the stuff in my logbook into an excel once I get it back from STUCON. Thanks again
 

BACONATOR

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
It's a written test along with your NATOPS jacket (qual letters, training records, etc) taken to the FSDO and filling out the form online via IACRA. Super simple. Any specific questions?
 
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