MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College's aviation program will be one of two in the Pacific Northwest authorized to award Restricted Airline Transport Pilot (R-ATP) certificates to graduates.

The Federal Aviation Administration gave final approval for the change in August, Big Bend spokesperson Doug Sly said.

The R-ATP certification allows graduates of the college's commercial pilot program to apply for airline pilot jobs with 1,250 hours of total flight experience. Other ATP certificates require 1,500 hours of flight experience, Sly said.

Fewer than 50 flight schools nationwide have the R-ATP designation, Sly said. Central Washington University is the only other Pacific Northwest school.

The R-ATP certificate allows a 25 percent reduction in the total flight time an aviation program graduate needs to become an airline pilot, Joseph MacDougall, the college's chief pilot, said. It also reduces the age at which prospective pilots can apply from 23 to 21.

"It gives our students an advantage as they build flight time to get a job with the airlines," MacDougall said.

Qualifying students must have a degree from BBCC in either arts and science or applied science, with the aviation major, according to the agreement between the college and the FAA.

The FAA authorization allows BBCC aviation students who have graduated in the last five years to receive R-ATP certification. Students can't get 1,250 flight hours at BBCC, MacDougall said. But the college does have the authorization to issue the certificate for pilots with qualifying flight hours.

People who want more information can contact BBCC commercial pilot program administrators.