converting an african (zimbabwean) licence to JAA

[moo]

Hi guys, excuse my ignorance on this subject, I hold a JAA licence and fly for BA so my knowledge on these issues isn't what it used to be!

A friend of mine flies the MA60 for Air Zimbabwe and would like to convert her licence to JAA. She has around 1100 hours. Obviously she needs to sit ATPL exams but surely there are exemptions? Also, what flight tests would be required?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

Cheers

[springbok234]

Hi....

I have just gone through this process, so I will only be able to give you advice from my experience. For anything official, you should contact

[email protected]

that said, I have just finished the conversion from SA CAA CPL ME/IR to JAR fATPL (CPL effectively) ME/IR.

She will have to do ALL 14 the JAA ATPL Theory exams. On completion of those, you can then go onto doing the flight tests for the licence.

Firstly, she will do the ME/IR test, typically on a seneca. By law, you have to do this in a minimum of 15 hrs (10 sim 5 on a/c), although typically its about 20-30 hrs at least.

Secondly, she will do the VFR CPL on a SE complex piston, ussually the arrow or C172RG. There is no minimum training requirement, and this is ussually completed in 10-20 days if the weather is kind.

To get a job in the EU, as I am sure you are aware, she will need to do an MCC (minimum 20hrs) course as well.

I can recommend from personal experience only the following organisations:

ATPL Theory - Bristol Ground School(if distance learning) or London Met. University(if full-time)

Conversion Training - Bristol Flying Centre

MCC and/or JOT - Oxford Aviation Training

I would advise she do the theory in her own time through Bristol GS while continueing to fly, then only come over for the flight training.

Also, does she have an EU passport? If not, will be very hard to find any airline willing to give work permit (I am told ? )

Hope this helps, contact me if you want some more information.

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[Solid Rust Twotter]

Wouldn't her time on the MA60 negate some of the MCC requirement, as it's a certified multi crew machine AFAIK?

[Roger Copy Charlie]

Having also gone through the process, I can confirm the above. Please note that she can't just sit the exams but MUST register for a course. Distance learning is then the cheapest and easiest.

I then did (in the Netherlands) a skills test on a Seminole (after 10 hours of training which the Dutch CAA agreed to) and got my JAA licence with MEP and IR (mind you, I'm not allowed to fly SE!). Since then I got my current type and IR.

With at least 500 hours experience in a multicrew environment (on your zim licence) you can then apply for a MCC exemption. It doesn't have to be experience gained on a multi pilot aircraft! I got my MCC exemption with a letter of the SA operator stating their Caravans (nogal!) were operated as multi crew and submitted a copy of the SOPs just to make sure.

[springbok234]

yeah...i had same problem as I did the IR and CPL on the seneca, then they wouldnt let me fly SEP. So I quickly phoned some friends and found an airfield near the CAA at Gatwick and did a quick SEP skills test!! Submitted it the same day then as my licence application.

Not neccesary though, as you will only obviously need this to fly SEP commercially. You can still fly privately on an ICAO licence.

As for the MCC, try get the exemption! I am admittedly not sure as I had to do the MCC.

GOOD LUCK :)

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