Hmmm...being a bit of a screwball, I've always wondered about
getting an Airline Transport Pilot license for Gliders.

It seems this is now possible...

61.165(f) says if you have an ATP already, you can apply for a
category and class rating limited to a specific make and model of
experimental aircraft, provided:

(1) 5 hours of PIC in that make and model
(2) logbook endorsed by authorized CFI
(3) The 5 hours of flight time is between Sept 1, 2004 and Aug 31, 2005.

So who wants to be the first ATP - Glider - L13 Blanik pilot
in the world?

History: 61.31 (k)(2)(iii)(B) was changed. It used to be you could
carry a passenger in an experimental if you had SOME pilot certificate
but not category and class. As of the new revision 2005, "the rating
limitations of this section do not apply to the holder of a pilot certificate
when operating an aircraft under the authority of an experimental certificate,
UNLESS the operation involves carrying a passenger."

**********begin fiction********
So this next part I'm just making up, probably pure fiction, but...
rumor has it that some Alaska ATP complained that he was flying an
experimental floatplane for years, with passengers, without CAT/CLASS, and
this rule would mess that up. Ya'know those ol' floatplane Alaska
guys, not gonna fly the bijillion miles to go find an ATP floatplane examiner
(kinda rare, I suppose). So the federales put in 61.165(f).

Probably pure fiction, but makes a GREAT story.
**********end fiction*********

Anyway, the reg is there, and I KNOW there is somebody out there
sillier than me who wants to walk into a FSDO and present the
documents for an ATP - Glider - DG1000. I just want to know about
it so if it's near me I can be there for the picture

I've got an ATP lined up for the ATP - G - L-13 Blanik. Anybody want
to pitch in another hat for this exclusive club...?

Too bad there aren't any flying gliders from the Normandy invasion.
I'm sure there'd be some 80+ish ATP wanting (and deserving) to get
this unique ATP rating...
--

------------+
Mark J. Boyd