On this page
- Licence
- Valid CPL (DGCA-issued or validated)
- Rating
- Current instrument rating (IR)
- Course
- Completed MCC
- ATPL?
- Not required
The short answer
Yes. An ATPL is not a prerequisite for a 737 type rating. What you actually need is a valid Commercial Pilot Licence, a current instrument rating, and completion of a Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC) course, since the 737 is a multi-crew aircraft. This is genuinely one of the more common points of confusion among CPL holders looking at their first type rating, and it is worth being precise about, because assuming you need an ATPL first can delay a candidate by a year or more for no regulatory reason.
What a type rating actually requires
- A valid CPL, either DGCA-issued or a foreign CPL that has gone through DGCA validation.
- A current instrument rating on the appropriate aircraft category.
- A completed MCC course, mandatory for any multi-crew, multi-pilot type rating like the 737.
- Whatever additional minimums the specific ATO sets, which can include total flight hours or other prerequisites beyond the DGCA baseline above.
Once training and the skill test are complete, DGCA endorses the type rating on your existing CPL. No ATPL theory papers, and no ATPL skill test, are part of that process.
Why MCC, specifically, is non-negotiable
Most CPL training happens single-pilot. A 737 flight deck is a two-pilot operation with its own coordination, communication and workload-sharing discipline, and MCC training exists specifically to bridge that gap before someone is put into a multi-crew type rating course. DGCA and training organisations treat MCC completion as a hard prerequisite for multi-crew type rating training, not an optional add-on, and it is usually the piece a first-time candidate is most likely to overlook when planning their timeline.
Why the ATPL confusion happens
ATPL and type rating both sound like senior, later-stage qualifications, and they tend to come up in conversation around the same career stage, first job hunting after a CPL. That proximity is where the confusion comes from. In reality they answer completely different questions: a type rating answers "am I qualified to fly this specific aircraft," while an ATPL answers "have I accumulated enough experience and passed a higher exam tier to hold the top civil licence." A pilot can, and commonly does, hold a type rating for years on a CPL before their ATPL is issued.
Type rating vs ATPL, the real difference
| Type rating | ATPL | |
|---|---|---|
| What it authorises | Flying one specific aircraft type | The top civil pilot licence tier itself |
| Prerequisite licence | CPL with IR | CPL with IR |
| Hour requirement | Set by the ATO, not a fixed DGCA minimum | 1,500 total flight hours |
| Exam | None separate; assessed via the type rating skill test | Separate DGCA ATPL theory papers |
| Typically obtained | Before or around the first airline job | After building hours as a first officer |
When to actually pursue the ATPL
Most pilots build the ATPL's 1,500 total flight hour requirement while working as a first officer, which happens after the first type rating in the typical sequence, not before it. Once the hour requirement and other eligibility conditions are met, the separate ATPL theory papers and skill test follow. Trying to sequence this the other way around, chasing ATPL hours before a first type rating, is not how the career path normally runs and is not required by the type rating rules themselves.
FAQ
Do I need an ATPL to get a 737 type rating?
What is the actual minimum to start training?
Why do people think you need an ATPL first?
Is the MCC course really mandatory?
When should I pursue the ATPL, if not before?
We build the B737 systems course and question bank these guides link to. Corrections welcome and credited.
Sources & references
- CAR Section 7, Series B, Flight Crew Licensing (CPL, IR and type rating requirements)
- DGCA ATPL eligibility criteria (age, hours and examination requirements)
- Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC) course requirements for multi-pilot type ratings
Licensing requirements are set by DGCA and can change. Confirm current eligibility rules directly on the DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements portal before relying on this guide for a specific decision. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.