Hi
Apologies all if this is an old/already covered topic but here goes:
I'm in the middle of completing a CPL MEIR in New Zealand and at the end of the year will be returning to good ol' Blighty to convert it to a JAA licence.
Clearly realising now that I should have researched all this a bit more thoroughly before trekking half way round the world, but having had a dozen or so conversations with different flying schools my understanding has amounted to this:
- NZ CAA CPL Licence converts automatically to a UK JAA PPL Licence and no requirement for any further flight tests/theory exams are required. The day I land back on UK soil I can theoretically go flying in UK airspace (subject to medical etc etc).
- To convert my NZ CPL to a UK CPL I need to pass a flight test (which incorporates both cross country and general skills) and also sit the 6 CPL exams: Air Law, Human Factors, Air Tech, Met, PofF and Nav.
- To convert the Multi Engine Instrument Rating it is then a minimum of 15 hours of flying that must be done in the UK.
- Whilst all this is happening, most people start their ATPL papers (14 in total). Once those are passed I end up with a shiny new JAA frozen ATPL.
- With this I can go to the airlines, have them laugh in my face at my pathetic 300 hours (mainly on PA38s) but hopefully get a job in a right hand seat, building up to 1500hrs.
Any one able to confirm/correct/expand on the above please? Any clarification greatly received at this point as my brain is about to go into meltdown.
Also if anyone has actually been down this route I'd be interested to hear how it worked out for you/where you went for the conversion & rough costs etc.
Cheers.