Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP CTP)

If you hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating and an airline career is the goal, this program is built for exactly where you are right now.

Ideal candidates:

• Commercial pilots planning to apply to a regional or legacy airline.
• Pilots who are approaching the ATP flight-hour minimum.
• Military pilots transitioning into civilian airline careers.
• Foreign license holders converting their credentials to an FAA ATP.
• CFIs preparing for their next career move.

Don't just prepare to pass the test. Prepare to get hired.

The Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP CTP) is a §61.156-compliant ground and simulator course delivered by Acron Aviation Academy in partnership with Bell Murray Aerospace. Ground instruction takes place at our Sanford campus in Florida, with simulator training conducted near Orlando International Airport. 

• Prerequisites: A Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating is the practical starting point. The FAA's minimum eligibility is broader - a Private Pilot Certificate, qualifying military experience, or a foreign ICAO license - plus English proficiency.
• Cost: $3,950 - includes 30 hours of ground instruction, 4 hours of FTD training, and 6 hours of FFS training (accommodation and ATM knowledge test fee not included).
• Length: Approximately 6-7 days.
• Outcome: ATP CTP graduation certificate is your authorization to take the Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane Written exam (ATM). The ATP CTP graduation certificate does not expire.

ATP CTP is one of several pilot training programs at Acron Aviation Academy, each mapped to a different stage of the journey to the flight deck.

This course meets the requirements of 14 CFR §61.156 and satisfies the prerequisite under §61.35(a)(2) for the ATP Multi-Engine knowledge test.

To enroll, you must:

• Be at least 17 years old
• Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English
• Meet one of the following:
  • Hold an FAA Private Pilot Certificate (PPL)
  • Meet the military experience requirements under §61.73 for an FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with an Instrument Rating
  • Hold a foreign pilot license issued by an ICAO country

Our Pilot Careers Advisors will walk you through the enrollment process and what to bring, making sure you're fully prepared and confident on your first day.

Don't yet hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating? Our Professional Pilot Program takes students from zero experience to that point and beyond. 

The ATP CTP operates in a small-cohort format, which allows for personal instruction from our dedicated instructor team. The seven days are broken down into three steps.

Step 1: Ground instruction (30 hours). Instructor-led classroom training at Acron Aviation Academy in Sanford (Central Florida, approximately 30 minutes north of downtown Orlando) covering four FAA-mandated modules:

• Aerodynamics (8 hours)
• Meteorology (2 hours)
• Air Carrier Operations (14 hours)
• Leadership, Professional Development, CRM & Safety Culture (6 hours)

Step 2: Flight Training Device (FTD) - 4 hours. Non-motion simulator practice covering navigation, flight management systems (FMS), and air carrier automation/autoflight workflows.

Step 3: Full Flight Simulator (FFS) - 6 hours. Full-motion (Level D) Airbus A320 simulator training at Avenger Flight Group facilities near Orlando International Airport. In these flight simulator sessions, the pilots will train in the following areas of flight:

• Low energy states and stall recovery
• Upset prevention and recovery
• Runway safety and ground operations
• High-altitude operations
• Adverse weather (icing, thunderstorms, gusting crosswinds)

By the end of the simulator block, pilots leave with practical confidence in high-altitude operations, transport-category aerodynamics, adverse-weather decision-making, and CRM for multi-crew flight decks - the core competencies that carry directly into Part 121 indoc and airline interviews.

Knowledge test: The ATP CTP graduation certificate does not expire. After the course, you can sit the ATP knowledge test (ATM) at FAA-approved testing centers nationwide, and Acron Aviation Academy can assist with scheduling. ATM results are valid for 60 months (five years).

Acron Aviation Academy is the largest flight academy campus in the world, with more than 40 years of experience producing pilots who are immediately employable. This ATP CTP course is delivered in partnership with Bell Murray Aerospace, another leader in the professional aerospace training industry. Ground instruction and full-motion simulator training are combined in one of the most active commercial aviation environments in the Southeast.

Pilots who train with us benefit from:

• Instruction from former fleet managers and chief pilots with major U.S. airline backgrounds.
• A small-cohort format that prioritizes individual feedback and discussion.
• Full-motion D-level Airbus A320 simulator training near Orlando International Airport.
• Established relationships with regional and legacy airline partners that recruit at our Sanford campus.
• You bring the flight hours. We provide the instruction, the simulators, and the airline connections to put them to work.

Completing ATP CTP puts you one step closer to the flight deck.

Acron Aviation Academy's Pilot Careers Advisors support graduates throughout the ATM knowledge test, hour-building, and airline application stages, with direct access to the airline partners that recruit on our Sanford campus.

The typical progression after ATP CTP looks like this:

1. Take the FAA ATP Multi-Engine (ATM) knowledge test - 125 questions, 70% to pass. Results remain valid for 60 months.
2. Build remaining hours toward the ATP flight-hour minimum - 1,500 hours on the standard path, or as few as 1,000 for qualifying graduates of approved degree programs (1,250 for associate programs, 750 for qualifying military pilots). Most pilots build hours through CFI work.
3. Complete your ATP checkride - either in a light twin (ATP non-type) or combined with a type rating such as the B737.
4. Apply to regional and legacy carriers - our Sanford campus regularly hosts hiring events and recruiting visits from airline partners, including American Airlines, Delta, United, Envoy, and SkyWest. Many regional partners offer sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement, or pathway placements for qualifying candidates.

Foreign-license holders pursuing a U.S. airline career should speak with our Pilot Careers Advisors about the conversion pathway from an ICAO license to an FAA ATP. 

From the knowledge test to the airline interview, this is the path Acron Aviation Academy helps you navigate.

The ATP CTP is a focused, cost-efficient step toward ATP certification, and financing options are available to help you get there.

• Course cost: $3,950
• Accommodation: Not included; hotel recommendations and transport provided
• Knowledge test fee: Available as an add-on
• Financing: Sallie Mae and Stratus Financial