Airline Transport Pilot Licence

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to getting a frozen ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot Licence) at Lanseria Flight Centre (LFC) in South Africa:

1. Meet Basic Requirements
   • Be at least 17 years old
   • Have a Grade 12 (Matric) certificate with Maths and English
   • Pass a medical exam (Class 1 Medical Certificate)
2. Enroll at Lanseria Flight Centre
   • Apply for the full-time integrated ATPL program or modular training
3. Get Your PPL (Private Pilot Licence)
   • About 45–50 hours of flying
   • Ground school and exams
   • Solo and dual flight training
4. Build Flight Hours
   • Fly more to reach the required hours (typically at least 200 total hours by the end of CPL)
5. Do CPL (Commercial Pilot Licence) Training
   • Includes night rating, instrument rating, and more advanced flying
   • Additional theory exams
6. Complete ATPL Theory Exams
   • 14 theoretical subjects (done during or after CPL training)
   • Once you pass all 14, your ATPL becomes “frozen”
7. Get Your CPL with Frozen ATPL
   • You now hold a Commercial Pilot Licence with frozen Airline Transport Pilot Licence status
   • You’re eligible to start applying for airline jobs as a First Officer
8. Unfreeze Your ATPL (Later)
   • Gain 1500 total flight hours including specific requirements
   • Then you can apply for the full ATPL and become a Captain
     With a frozen ATPL (i.e., you’ve passed all 14 ATPL theory exams but don’t yet meet the flight hour requirements for a full ATPL), pilots can do quite a lot. Here’s what you can do:What You Can Do with a Frozen ATPL:
     1. Work as a First Officer (Co-Pilot)
        • You can fly for an airline as a First Officer on multi-crew aircraft (like a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320).
        Gain Flight Hours
        • Build hours toward the 1500 required to “unfreeze” the ATPL and qualify for Captain positions.
        Fly Commercially
        • You hold a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), so you can get paid to fly—charter flights, cargo, instructing, or even bush flying.
        Train for Type Ratings
        • You can do type rating training for specific airline aircraft if you get hired (e.g., Airbus A320, Boeing 737).
        Instruct (Optional)
        • With additional training, you can become a flight instructor to help others earn their licenses, as well as building hours yourself.
     In short, a frozen ATPL qualifies you for most professional pilot jobs—except for being a Captain of a large airline aircraft, which requires the full ATPL (unfrozen).