Frequently asked questions re Aust ATPL to JAR ATPL
I have just recently completed the 14 exams required for the JAR ATPL and I thought I would post this to help others.
I am thinking about going to the UK. What Should I do?
Have you been there before? If not, go there for a holiday. See if you like the place before selling every thing in Oz. Find out when a big Bash is on and time your visit to coincide. You’ll meet some useful people there. However, please don’t shove a resume at them unless asked for.
How do you emigrate there?
No idea, I am fortunate to hold a British passport. If you father was born in the UK, then you qualify for one. If you mother or grandparents were born there, then you qualify for Right of Abode and the right to work. (Please check your details with the British Consulate here. I am not an expert on this.)
I have heard that people with 200 hours get jet jobs.
Yes, they
used to. I know a couple of guys that have got jet jobs and the like with 250 hours. However, they were on a very intensive course that costs approx £50,000 and they are trained to fly airliners. Also, that was before Sept 11. There is a recruitment ban on at the moment and only 2 companies I know are recruiting. They are looking for people with at least 1000 hours, preferably on jets. (737’s especially) (BALPA conference Oct 2001)
Someone coming from Oz with 250 hours will be faced with a very long wait to get a job right now, let alone a jet job.
I have an Aust ATPL with 500 hours 2 crew time. What do I have to do?
Firstly, get your employer to write you a letter stating that you have the 2 crew time and the dates that you worked for them, hours gained, etc. If you time was on a Bandeirante or Twin Otter, technically they are single pilot aircraft. However, if you operated them under CAO 82.3 that is acceptable. Again, get a letter stating your hours, when flown, the CAO reference. This is acceptable to the UK CAA.
Do the Class One medical. This will cost
£189. (Not £400) This
must be done at Gatwick
Do a groundschool for the JAR ATPL. Time is 650 hours. If you hold an ICAO ATPL (ie Aust) then you can get the hours reduced. However, unless you are a genius I wouldn’t advise it. Besides, it is up to the theory provider to reduce the hours. Cost ~
£3600 Note, time can be as FO or Captain.
Here’s the fun part. Reference Doc Policy update 1/4/2001 pg 16.
The applicant is exempt any formal training (ground or flight), provided that he holds a current type rating for the type on which he will complete the Skill Test and has logged 500 hours on that type. If he does not, he must complete the appropriate TRTO (type rating training organisation-UK) course to obtain that rating. Note, you must pass the 14 exams. This check ride must be observed by a CAA examiner.
If the holder of an ICAO ATPL is not in current flying practice on a multi pilot aircraft, he may be issued with a JAR-FCL ATPL provided that the experience requirements of JAR-FCL 1.280/2.280 have been met. The licence will be issued on the basis of:
1. Holding a valid Class One medical
2. Completed the theoretical knowledge instruction as determined by the provider and have passed all 14 exams.
3. Undertaking a multi pilot type rating course at an approved TRTO.
4. Passing the type rating/ATPL skills test
(including Initial IR ) This checkride must be observed by a CAA examiner.
I have over 1500 command hours on +30 tonne aircraft
I haven’t had this confirmed. If the operation was international ops, then you need to do Air Law and Human Performance and Limitations only to convert your licence. From what I can gather, the CAA haven’t really made up their mind over this.
I don’t have the 500 hours 2 crew?
Now it gets very expensive. You can only qualify for a JAR CPL. You must do the full Instrument Rating again (-5 hours I think). This course is ~55 hours long and must be done in the UK.
Also, many companies require what is known as the MCC. Multi Crew Certificate or something like that. The IR will set you back ~£13,000-£15,000. The MCC £2 - 4,000.
I don’t have any turbine or RPT experience.
Sadly, you will have to wait a long time before you’ll get a job in the UK now. There are many instructors over here already. Turbine time is what the employers look for if they are going to hire a “foreigner”. Also, they want airline experience as well. They are looking for someone that they can upgrade fairly quickly to command. Fortunately, many operators like Australian and New Zealand pilots. Also, if you don’t have any turbine experience then the cost of conversion will be astronomical.
Is the JAR ATPL theory hard?
Well, remember the workload for the Australian one? Keep that up for 6 months solid. Plan at least 2-4 hours a night and at least 5-8 hours on the weekend on top of the class time to get through it all. Flight planning and the practical Nav is much harder in Oz. However, the JAR ATPL requires you to remember a lot more “stuff”. Not particularly useful stuff but it needs to be remembered for some reason. The biggest difference is probably that JAR looks at the world where as Oz tended to worry about Oz stuff, eg Met, Airlaw etc. Also, CASA publishes a syllabus and a reference guide. JAR/CAA doesn’t.
There is no negative marking.
You get 4 attempts per subject
You get 6 sittings.
You have 18 months to pass all the exams after your first sitting.
Cost £718. (for the CAA)
How much will it cost?
I’ll leave the figures in £.
Medical £189
Ground school £3600
Exams £718
Living expenses. Budget £100/week for 6 months. It's a bonus if you have a generous relative. (I didn't)
Cheapest type rating (Shed 330) £8,000
Instrument Rating £13,000 - £15,000
MCC £2-4,000
The future?
Good question. A few operators are quietly tipping that come the Northern Spring hiring will take place. However, quite a few pilots from Virgin Atlantic and possibly BA will be on the market as well. Although, the very quiet word on the street is that the boom will be bigger than the last one. When that will occur is any ones guess. (I have my fingers crossed for that one)
I have found that the CAA are very helpful so long as you have done your homework. If you need any more info either ring them or send them an email. Their website is
www.srg.caa.co.uk
[ 26 October 2001: Message edited by: redsnail