FAA ATP to EASA ATPL

[Kapo0]

Hello everybody!

I do apologize for opening a brand new thread on something that has probably been discussed plenty before.

I am a US regional guy with a little more than 3,000 hrs Tot and about 1,500 hrs as FO on a RJ, and having an European passport I was looking forward to convert my FAA ATP to an EASA ATPL. (why not!)

Now, I have read/heard plenty of times that having more than 500 hrs jet/multicrew time I wouldn't need to enroll in ATPL theory exam groudclass or DL with a ATO.
The fun part comes whenever I try to get details from most of these Organizations.

My experience so far has been of most schools/training centers quoting me for a DL Atpl, with or without exam fees (depending on the country) and afterwards the rental of a FFS of the type of my RJ in order to pass a skill test with an approved Examiner that should then release me a full ATPL.

Numerous times though, the company would either ask me to show up for a brush up (even if I should be exempt from one) or come over to complete a mock test that gets eventually sent to the authority (like most Greek flight school) before being able to be scheduled for the actual test.

Unfortunately, dealing with the commute from the US I am trying to streamline and simplify the process the most I can for me to use the minimum amount of days and get the exam sessions.

For now, I have considered Greece, the UK (Bristol DL), Italy, Spain and Poland, although it seems that everybody does stuff slightly different and they always try to turn the tide in their favor, by saying that the regulation with their own Authority is not quite the same as the other ones.

Now, to wrap it up:
- does anybody happen to have some legislative reference to the claim of being able to self certify for the ATPL theory and not needing to go through an ATO (and if it's the case, is there any EU state that does not allow it?)

- I cannot quite figure out how long will the Atpl received after the skill test on the FFS and the ATPL theory is valid for and how would I have to keep it current. ( I have heard a lot of different answers on this one, can anybody shine some light on it?)
Also, the FFS to be used for the skill test has to be located in the same EU country in which I would be taking the medical and Atpl theory?

- Last, do you have any suggestions or any good ATO to recommend for the process (I have been suggested to stay away from the UK because of Brexit and possible related trade issues in the future and from the Greeks because of how slow the burocracy is.)

Thank you in advance for the help. It is pretty frustrating to pass from the FAA's way of handling things to that EASA kind of "standardized" process. :ugh: Not quite sure who to trust anymore!!!

[Lepo]

Hi, Kapo. I'm going to try to help you out on this one as I am in the same situation. I have a EU passport and am converting my ICAO ATPL into an EASA one. All my answers are based on the UK CAA, which I think is by far the most organized for doing this. My pesonal belief if that, even with Brexit, the UK licence will still be accepted throughout Europe and, if necessary, the conversion of a UK issued licence to another EU country should just be a matter of very simple paperwork. I do believe that the UK will still be part of EASA after Brexit, so I think it's worth trying to do the process with the CAA.

With your experience you are exempt from an ATO. You can do the studying and book the exams on your own. All you have to do is register in the UK CAA website and they'll request some documents proving that you have the requisites to be exempt from an ATO. Usually no more than a week after sending theses docs you'll be approved to book and sit your exams.
One big advantage of doing the process through the UK CAA is that you can sit your exams in different venues throughout the world and there's one available in Orlando, which would certainly make your life much easier and save you a lot of time and money.

Your theory ATPL exams are valid for 7 years from the expiry date of your IR.
After doing the skill test in the FFS you'll receive the ATPL licence with the rating on the aircraft in which the test was done. Usually it's valid for one year. If you don't get to start flying for an European carrier in the meantime you'd have to do a skill test in a FFS again after a year to keep you licence/rating current.

You can do the skill test in any approved EASA FFS in the world. One place in the US that I know you can use is Pan Am Training Center in Miami, but I believe there are other training centres also approver by EASA, you just have to check it. Doing the skill test out of the UK just requires additional paperwork, but it's quite simple.

As you live in the US you actually would just have to go to the UK once for the initial medical exam. At least in the UK the initial medical exam must be made at an accredited AME, so you'd have to go to London for the initial class 1 medical. After that you can renew your medical using approved doctors/clinics in the US.

As for the studying material, I am using the following:

- Bristol Full ATPL conversion material (CBT + Question Bank).
- Phil Croucher's EASA Professional Pilot Studies book.

I'm sorry for any typos or mispelling. I am typing from my cell phone. When I get back home I can send some links with theory reference from the UK CAA and where you can buy all the study material.

Hope this helps and let me know if you have additional questions.

[paco]

The self-certifying for ATPL comes in when you have 1500 PIC on multicrew aeroplanes and an ICAO ATPL, but there are variations.

Brexit won't affect anything (if indeed it happens at all) because we are still going to be in EASA.

Your theory exams are valid for 7 years as mentioned above, but fresh out of the exams without an IR, the IR bit runs out after 36 months.

[Kapo0]

Thank you for the answers guys.

I will message tomorrow the UK CAA and figure out what they need for me to comply with the exception and be able to self certify.

@Lepo: you wrote about the Bristol Atpl + Database question bank.
That should be around 2,500 $ right? Somebody else was suggesting me to go on websites like aviationexam.com and use their database (it should be updated regularly and it includes more than 14k questions)
Any particular reason on why should I not go with that method (way cheaper than Bristol?)

And also, you all pointed out that the ATPL is valid for 7 years after the expiration of my IR: does that mean from the date I get my skill test and I convert ATP into Atpl? And how long do I have between the completion of the ATPL theory and the skill test?(not sure if the 36 months that paco was writing about is that term).

@paco: do you happen to have some kind of reference on the fact that the 1,500 hrs have to be PIC by chance?

I appreciate all the help you are giving me!

[paco]

The reference is in CAP 804, section 4, Part Q Subpart 1, page 3, first row of the table. However, row 2 mentions co-pilot "according to operational requirements" so I guess you will need some sort of affidavit from your company stating that you fulfilled the role in a situation that required a copilot. Row c just mentions 1000 hours in commercial air transport since gaining an IR, so I guess you can get something out of all that :)

If you can self-certify you can get up to date study material for as little as $59.95 (it's briefly mentioned above). That plus Aviation exam would be enough, but there is a free flash-card type database at http://www.rtfq.org.

The 36 months is for you to get the check ride and the IR ride in. If you don't get the IR, the exams run out after 36 months. Only if you obtain at least a CPL(A) and an IR will the 7 years kick in, so you effectively get 8 years, because the IR has to expire first. Put another way, as long as you have an IR, the exams stay valid. Mysteriously, for helicopters, they also stay valid as long as you have a type rating.

[Lepo]

Kapo,

Actually I was refering to this material here: https://www.bristol.gs/product/complete-atpl-conversion-kit/

The cost is £800 (around 1000USD) plus shipping, but it's definitely not necessary to use it. This was just my option as I'd like to have the CBT with me too, but you can buy only the access to the Bristol question bank as well, which is way cheaper.

Either Aviation Exam Question Bank or the BGS Question Bank are great. I just don't recommend using only these as a source of study, because they're simple question banks. Memorizing the questions/answers might help on some subjects, but chances of failure are high. I think it's easier to have a full understanding of the syllabus. You'd better have some source of theory reference as well. Paco's book is great and much better and easier to read than the tiring CAE/Oxford books. As he mentioned above, the .pdf version costs just $59,95. I bought the paper version because I don't like reading long texts in the computer/tablet/phone. The price of the paper version with shipping was 110usd.

As for the validity of the exams credits, I think Paco has already answered above.


I have similar flying experience as yours. 3100TT with 1600h on the 737 as a F/O. The UK CAA just asked me to send a copy of my passport, my licence, my ratings, my medical and to fill a form called SRG1192 (you can download it on their website). About 5 days later they approved my exempt from training status and I was able to start booking my exams.

[cheja]

Hello Capo0.

I would definitively recommend Phil Croucher's "EASA Professional Pilot Studies" book.
Easy to read, lots of figures and charts to memorize, and its well the source for sorting out many ambiguous questions.

I am using it in combination with AviationExam.

The rest...its study time....

Good luck !

[Kapo0]

Awesome!
I will look up the book and get at least the .pdf version.

Just for general knowledge I got a new serie of answers from a couple ATO's in Greece and after mentioning the possibility of self certifying the Theory under the current regulations, it seems that I do not need to be affiliated to anybody and I can just go to the take the tests without any recommendation from ATO.

Also it seems that medical in GR is about 150 euros and single exam fees are about 10 to 15 euros. (Waaaay cheaper than the U.K.).

Do you see any drawbacks with the idea of going over there to get the the whole process taken care??

[Lepo]

The authority that holds your medical records must be the same that issues your licence. So if you do your medical in Greece and want a UK issued licence you'll have to ask the Greek Medical Authority to transfer your medical records to the UK CAA.

I don't know the pros and cos of doing the whole process in Greece. I know that Portugal is quite cheap too, but there's more bureaucracy involved. Probably the same happens in Greece.
The UK CAA is expensive for sure, but things are very straightforward.

[custardpsc]

>The authority that holds your medical records must be the same that issues your licence.
yes

So if you do your medical in Greece and want a UK issued licence you'll have to ask the Greek Medical Authority to transfer your medical records to the UK CAA.

> There is a process for renewal that allows an EASA AME to notify UK CAA, but assuming you in fact need an initial class one you can either do that in the UK ( £600) or in Greece and then do the SOLI process. Looking at what is required here:

https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-industry/Pilot-licences/Applications/Medical/How-to-obtain-a-UK-EASA-licence-if-you-hold-a-non-UK-medical-certificate-or-licence/

I am thinking you would do best just doing the initial class one in the UK, whilst more expensive, considerably easier...

[k26sea]

Lepo,

Could you please write me an email. I have questions related to ICAO ATPL-UK CAA License Conversion. I read the web of UK CAA already.

I am currently have ICAO ATPL, total time 3800 hours, A320 2100 hours

jff99m [at] gmail.com

Thank you very much for your kind help

[muntisk]

Hi all

I was just watching on youtube that, if You have Faa atp with type rating, to get easa atpl You just need checkride and you will get atpl with type. Where it comming from??? Any idea?

Story starts at forth minute.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLiNyr6QSO28PBIdtMgc9BlYVkEBz0URjT&v=LE-WZlSLd7Q

[rudestuff]

It's a little misleading. If you hold an ATP you can go straight into an ATPL checkride - but you still have to pass all 14 exams. If you've got 500 hours on type, you'll get the type rating issued, if you've got less - you'll need to do a full type rating course.

[paco]

Yeah, if you can avoid EASA, do so.... :)

[acheo]

Hi,

Did you find your answers^ I'm in a similar situation and I'd like to know what is the most efficient and cheapeast way to convert my FAA/Canadian ATPL into and EASA.

thanks

[rudestuff]

Hi,

Did you find your answers^ I'm in a similar situation and I'd like to know what is the most efficient and cheapeast way to convert my FAA/Canadian ATPL into and EASA.

thanks
Get a medical, self certify to take the 14 exams, rent an EASA SIM of the same type you're rated on and take the ATPL test. There will be CAA hoops paperwork wise, and fees obviously.