Conversion of a South African Pilots licence to another country
 

With an South African ATPL is it possible to fly in Asia and Middle East? What are the requirements for the conversion?

I am about to start my license at a flight school in Cape Town and want to know with this license would it be recognized outside of South Africa?

Some flight schools offer the choice of an SA or EASA course;
In either case you will have issues converting your licence somewhere in the world so you should do your research before deciding.
What licences are accepted by the countries where you intend to fly ?.

It is fairly easy to convert an EASA licence into just about any other ICAO licence - all that is generally required is to take a single multi-choice exam with the new authority and sometimes but not always take a skills test.

However, to convert another ICAO licence into an EASA licence is much more difficult - almost without exception you have to follow a prescribed course of study (expensive) then take several multiple choice exams, and then take at least one, if not two skills tests.

So if you are sure that you are going to pursue a career outside of SA, and have an opportunity to do an EASA licence in SA at similar cost to an SA licence, then take the EASA option.

Hiya,

An EASA license is only required if you want to work for an EU AOC holder - or to fly on any EU-reg airframe...

As long as your goal is the Middle-East, Africa or Asia, an SA license is just as good in my opinion, especially if you are from SA and you are about to get a validation (subject to the validity of your original license and medical) in a foreign country .

Just makes things easier by skipping an EU ATO or examiner or the EU at all for your yearly LPC, by rather doing it in SA.

I can say that i had a way more pleasant time dealing with the SAACAA for a few years than a few EU CAAs...