OZ CPL to JAA CPL

[ac hoon]

Hi guys,

Could someone advise me on the requirements for conversion of an Australian Commercial licence to a JAA Commercial.

I hold:

ICAO PPL
Australian CPL (550 hours)
Night Rating
Multi CIR
Instructor Rating

Right of Abode in the UK

I am currently slogging it out at the UK ATPL subjects, however, I would like to get the actual conversion done as quickly as possible and get back into some sort of flying again.

Also, what schools would you recommend for the conversion and what sort of costs am I up for?
Am I better off looking at going to the states for the conversion (cost wise).

Thanks

[redsnail]

I can't really help you I'm afraid. I converted an ATPL to ATPL and it's slightly different.

I believe Tayside up in Scotland have done a few of these conversions.
You'll be up for an IR (min of 15 hours, some can be done in a sim) and a CPL check (I think).
I think you need to budget around £300/hr for a twin.
Remember to add on the CAA's charges. I think they're around £600 at the moment.
You'll need to budget for an MCC. Possibly £2,000.

[GusHoneybun]

As I don't have anything better to do today, I think I will field this one.

The main thing that gets everyone who wants to convert an ICAO to JAR licence is always the ATPL exams. As you don't already have a bona fida ATPL, you have to sit them. Which you obviously already know as you are slogging you way through them. Good on ya.

One thing you haven't mentioned is do you have a JAR Class 1 certificate? If not, then I would see about getting that sorted before you do any flying. I don't know whether you can convert an existing convicts class 1 to a european one, but if not, try and find £400+ for the initial examination

You will also need a Radio Telephony licence (FRTOL) as well. As you have an aussie licence this is just a paperwork exercise.

All your night flying will count, however, for the JAR Night Qualification, you must have in your logbook a minimum of 3 hours dual, 2 solo and 5 solo take off and full stop landings.

Anyway, once you have completed all your exams and have a class 1, then can start the flying.

To convert your CPL, it is training hours as required, this is normally decided by the CFI of the school. Then you need to sit a pre skills test (called a 170A). This is a dummy test which lasts about 2 hours and covers everything in the actual proper skills test. You must pass this before you are allowed anywhere near a CPL exmainer. Then, obviously, is the actual skills test itself. All CPL skills tests in JARland must be in a complex aircraft and you must also have at least 5 hours complex time.

Whether you can convert a ICAO MEP to a JAR MEP is a good question. You have to have completed training under a syllabus recognised by JAR of which 2.5 hours must be normal 2 engines and 3.5 hours asymmetric. Then you need to pass the theory test and a skills test with an examiner.

Next, comes the biggy. The grande fromage, the top dog, the big uno. The dreaded IR. Converting an ICAOIR is a well documented and travelled route. Assuming you are in reasonable currency on instruments you need the following. A minimun of 15 hours tuition (5 hours can be on an FNPT1 or 10 hours on an FNPTII). Any other training as deemed necessary. Pass a 170A (I will come back to this is a minute). Pass all the theory. And finally pass a JAR IR Skills test.
Now, some people bend the rules a tad and allow your IR 170A test to also be used as your MEP test. Once the instrument flying part is completed you take the screens down and do the visual upper air work required on an MEP test. This does save quite a bit of money as a seperate MEP test is somewhere in the region of £600 (inc aircraft hire). Your paying that anyway for the 170A so it does save a bit of time and money. Plus you will be much more current in a twin after 15 odd hours of instrument instruction, so I would recommend getting your twin rating that way.

Finally, to convert your instructors rating, you need to do a 30 hour theoretical course plus a 15 hours flying course and then pass a skills test with an FIE.

All the information you will need about this is easily obtained in LASORS, which you can find on the CAA website. This will also list all the pre course requirements which I have not listed as someone with around 500 hours should have the necessary P1 and XC time required.

Good luck and I hope your pockets are deep enough.

[ac hoon]

Thanks for your help GusHoneyBun,

That's everything I was after. I wish the documents were that easy to understand.;)