Dear Alex,
I finished my ATPL exams with BGS in June 2010, and they were due to be usable for a practical test until May 2013, -ie 3 years.
I am not sure whether this is still the case with the transition to EASA...
Question 27 published by the CAA on 28th February in their "frequently asked questions..." list is
"I HAVE PREVIOUSLY PASSED ATPL/CPL THEORETICAL EXAMINATIONS, BUT I HAVE NOT OBTAINED THE LICENCE YET, HOW WILL THE CHANGES AFFECT ME ?"
The CAA's answer is that the position is set out in...:
AIC W 73/2011
"EU regulations for licensing come into force on 8 April 2012. From 8 April 2012 the CAA will issue EASA Part-FCL licences. Credit
can be given for training and examinations completed before that date for the issue of EASA Part-FCL licences, but examinations taken after
that date must be to the latest standard. For this reason no examinations to the old standard will be available after March 2012; (this includes
re-sits). Where an applicant for a licence or rating has completed all of the examinations for that qualification to either the new or old standard
by the end of March 2012, those examinations will be valid for the qualification; (subject to the usual calendar expiry). However, where an
applicant who is sitting exams that are not to the latest JAR standard does not pass them all before 8 April 2012, the candidate will have to
take all remaining examinations to the new standard. In this case, where the candidate has passed any of the subjects listed below to the
old standard, the candidate will have to resit and pass those subjects to the new standard as the content of those subjects has changed"
Does it mean I need to rush and pass at least a CPL flight test before next month ? Or will I still be able to pass an EASA practical test with my "old" JAA ATPL papers ?
Please note that we are several pilots in the same situation, and that we are all getting different answers from the CAA...
Thanks for your help.