An update from the excellent team working on this issue:
Hi everyone,
Just a very quick update as I know its been a long time since there has been any news. However we continue to try to get a successful resolution to this case.
The reason for so little news is that after a lot of correspondance with the CAA and DoT we have had to leave all the information with them and just wait to see what they will come up with. As things stood the UK were waiting for the whole of Europe to go EASA and then see what the lie of the land was. We have just received another e-mail from them saying that they are trying, with the French, to get an 'Article 14 (6)' exemption from EASA. Now, the email I received was a little unclear and I have asked whether this exemption is good or bad for us, I await the answer. It is difficult to get much info on Article 14(6), but it seems to refer to 'an equivalent level of protection' or something similar.
On another front another collegue of mine has been dealing with the DoT and has just informed me that their call to him was not negative, I'll leave it at that for the moment until we get more information. He is under the impression that there may be some news in a couple of months, which would seem sensible as everyone goes EASA on 8th April 2013.
So, we are just waiting to see. We have raised this to a european level, so hopefully the EASA states will realise that this is a global business and not some European flying school and that they recognise that we are just as proficient and current as our european collegues.
Cheers,
Also, for those of you with a UK / JAR licence that has not yet expired:
I spoke to the CAA yesterday who advised that you can convert your existing licence to an EASA licence with just a SRG 1104 form and a certified copy of your EASA Class One Medical, plus a certified copy of your UK revalidation page.
Although an IR on type is required for initial issue of an EASA licence it is NOT required for the conversion from a current UK/JAR licence as long as it hasn't expired.
The big catch is the 7-year rule on the IR test... To avoid having to re-sit all the Instr Nav ATPL exams you will have to definitely take an IR test on a type with an EASA-approved training organisation before the expiry. It is up to the training schools to decide how much training you need before proficiency, so even if you are current on a 777 you will have to prove your proficiency BEFORE you take an IR in the sim to revalidate your rating.
This is the bit that sucks obviously - as now lots of training schools will be offering (say) a 5-day course for current 777 Captains to 'renew' their rating when it's quite obvious that they are proficient already. This will be offered at great expense as an exploitation scam similar to the MCC course requirement that came into force for new licences about 12 years ago. It stinks, but I am sure most guys desperate for an EASA licence as job-security will prostitute themselves having no other option.
We can only hope that the above email quote will have some bearing on the situation
