So I know that if you have aviation college credit hours you can get a reduction in the number of total required hours to get your R-ATP. I just completed my undergraduate in Actuarial Science, but am still interested in taking advantage of this opportunity.
Some university programs allow you to use your licenses/certifications to get college credits. Must I complete a degree from the school I am getting the aviation credits from to be eligible for the reduction? All I have seen is that you need x number of credit hours and then also have a degree. It doesn’t specify that the degree has to be from the same school where you got these credits.
I have no idea if this would work, but I would ideally like to start an aviation program online and use my certifications to gain credits. Since I already have my degree, I don’t see a need to complete the program. I would just take enough credits to get the 250 hour reduction and then stop. I have calculated the costs from multiple schools and found that this is a quicker and more cost effective way to do training even though it would be way unconventional. If anybody knows if this would work I’d love to hear back from ya.
The line you missed in CFR 61.160 for BOTH a Bachelor or Assoc hour reduction is: “Hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate that was EARNED through the university’s part 141 training program”
meaning you must do your flight training as part of the degree program.
Further it says: "Graduates from approved four-year universities with a Bachelor’s degree (or two-year Associates) and an AVIATION MAJOR need only (x-hours)"
Unfortunately you need to complete the hours in conjunction with ground school courses from the same university you fly at. To qualify for any kind of reduction, you’d have to go back for a minimum of 2 years at an accredited college program (1250) or a 4 year (1000). If you already have a BA, just go to an accelerated course like ATP. You’ll have your ratings in 9 months vs 2 or 4 years.
Think timeline:
ATP 9 months + about 1.5 years instructing = just over 2 years to 1500
2 year college program + 1 year instructing = 3 years to get to 1250
4 year program + 1 year instructing = 5 years to 1000 (some do it before graduation, but still makes it a 4 year commitment)