Dear experts, I'm looking for some advice while I'm trying to work out a solution with the Dutch Aviation Authorities concerning the ATPL skills test.
I'm about to leave the military and working towards getting my civil licenses. The ATPL is the last on my list and I meet the JAR/EASA requirements to apply for the skills test. As I have an EC135 type rating I want to take the test with Bond who are authorized for this by the UK CAA.
The DAA however claims I can only conduct an ATPL skills test with an AOC and only when I am an employer for that particular AOC..
I find this hard to believe as I've seen multiple TRTO's advertise they conduct ATPL checks. So I just wrote to flightsafety, eurocopter and agusta to check if they indeed conduct ATPL skill tests in combination with the type rating check, independent of the AOC holders. Can anyone tell me from their experience if this is correct?
They also had issues with the EC135. According to them the EASA type certificate states this aircraft is single pilot. I claimed Bond's have the dual pilot IFR kit installed and also that nearly all helicopters are designed single pilot IFR. I provided some brochures of the AW139, 189 and 101 that states all of these are single pilot IFR. The only helicopter I could find that is not single pilot IFR certified is the EC225, is this correct?
After multiple phone calls today they mentioned that if I can prove there are other pilots that pursued this path and also other JAR/EASA CAA's that allow independent FTO's/TRTO's to conduct ATPL skills tests they would be willing to accept as there would be jurisprudence...
Hope to read some of your views/experiences on this.
Thanks!
