License conversions

[alapt]

Hello everybody and every one.
Can anybody state the ACTUAL laws and regs concerning the conversion of a Canadian ATP to an Irish ATP? Some say a validation can be issued for twelve months.
(This time being taken to study and write the exams I think.)
Need the info from somebody who HAS done it and not speculation, please!

keep the blue side up

[mutt]

Catch 22, the Irish Authorities have stopped issuing Irish licences, they are issuing semi-JAR licences under the JAR requirements (Ireland isnt fully JAR compliant at this time) You therefore have to go the JAR route which at this present moment in time is unavailable in Ireland.

You may as well look at another European country that has the proper infrastructure in place.


Mutt :)

[watford]

You won't find anybody who has converted Canadian to JAA because it can't be done. Under JAR-FCL 1, licence conversion (that is the issue of a JAA licence based solely on the possession of an ICAO licence) is permitted only when an agreement exists between the JAA and the ICAO state issuing the licence. So far, no such agreements exist.

Licence validation is different. When a non-JAA licence is validated by a member state, no JAA licence is issued. The non-JAA licence is recognised only by the member state issuing the validation and then only for a period of 12 months.

The essential difference is that, in the case of conversion, a JAA licence is issued and the holder can, in theory, fly aircraft registered anywhere within the JAA member states. In the case of validation the licesee is restricted to aircraft registered in the member state carrying out the validation.

For the moment, however, the only way to gain a JAA licence is to pass all of the theoretical knowledge examinations and the appropriate skill test(s). In the case of the holder of an ICAO ATPL with a type rating and more than 500 hours experience in multi-crew aeroplanes, this would be the ATPL Skill Test (basically a combined type rating and instrument rating in a multi-crew aeroplane or full flight simulator).

If the ATPL holder already has a type rating on the type used for the Skill Test then there is no mandatory minimum training. If, however, the appropriate type rating is not held then it will be necessary to complete an approved type rating course.

The only countries that have implemented fully JAR-FCL 1 and, therefore, can issue JAR-FCL licences are the UK, Denmark, Iceland, France, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands. Belgium and Spain should also be on line within a few weeks.

[James Brake]

I went a different route myself a year ago. I acquired a UK ATPL first at significant cost, since the only credit I received for my Canadian ATPL was the removal of the necessity to complete an "approved" course of training. After that I converted my UK licence into an Irish ATPL. All that was invoved in this process was the completion of an Air Law exam.
The process will be quite different now with the partial advent of JAR-OPS in Ireland. I would recommend going to a UK school anyway, since it is unlikely that any Irish flight schools will be able to issue professional licences in the near future plus there are more job opportunities in the UK at present. Furthermore, most Irish companies that I'm aware of will accept EU licences from their Direct Entry Pilots. If you need any further information, e-mail me and I'll do my best.

[El Guille]

what about a few people I know personaly who have been delivered an Irish ATPL valid 10 years without any special restriction and just holding an ICAO licence (not JAA).They had to pass the airlaw exam and the medic but that was 2 years ago

[rolling circle]

You said it all in your last sentens, that was 2 years ago, before Ireland got involved in all this JAA cr@p