ICAO to UK JAA CPL Conversion in Spain?

[Jaime]

Hi friends,

I'm thinking very seriously in obtaining the JAA FI(R) in USA. Spite of European Flifgt training is an approved JAA school, I would like to be sure if I could have any problem with the Aviation Civil Authorities of my contry.
Thanks a lot,
Jaime :E

[ecj]

Simple - is your course JAR approved? Check on the regulators website for approved FTOs. Next question: Is Spain JAR compliant?

If the answers are yes, and yes, your course is valid in that JAR state, or any other JAR state.

Most important question - what about the QUALITY of the course?

The cheapest FTOs do not often give the best value.

Consider your options very carefully.

[Jaime]

Thank you for your reply ecj,

I have been searching in the net , but I haven't been able to get any information about EFT (European Flight Training).
Could you give me some more help about getting the regulators website for approved FTOs?

Regards from spain

[ecj]

The UK CAA website www.caa.co.uk is a useful starting point.

Specifically, a list of approved FTOs etc can be found at:

www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/srg_fcl_ApprovedFTOs.pdf

Why not try Jerez?

[cortilla]

that website just provides a list of CAA approved FTO's, is there a site that provides a list of all the FTO's approved by all the member states. Then you can check these things very quickly. If it's approved in one then it must be approved in the rest.

[Jaime]

I have seen in www.caa.uk that European Flight Training is a recognised JAR flight school. I phoned yestercay to the Civil aviation Authorities of Spain and what they told me was that EFT could be authorised by anothes JAA state, but there could exist dificulties because of my licence was issued in Spain!!!
Thanks a lot and sorry for my english mistakes...

[ecj]

As a starting point only try www.jaa.nl

Let me know if you find the answer.

Convert your national licence to a JAA licence?

[miss magenta]

Hola Jaime

I did my FI (R) at EFT in Florida last summer. The course was excellent and I learnt a lot. I realize how much now that I am instructing myself. It was hard work but fun. As for the validity of the course, all I can say is that I am presently working in Mallorca as a flight instructor and have had no problems whatsoever. E-mail me if you need any specific info. that I might be able to help you with.

Un saludo.

[Jaime]

Hello ecj and miss magenta,

I've looking for EFT in www.jaa.nl and I couldn't find anything. I found lists of FTO's from several JAA countries, but not from USA.
Regarding with www.caa.co.uk I found EFT in the list of FTO's allowed to give JAA licences and ratings.
Now the problem is the Civil Aviation Authorithies of Spain ("con la iglesia hemos topado";))
*Miss Magenta, I've sent you a private message.
Regards,
Jaime

[ramshorn]

Hi

Sorry to raise this point again but i'm having a dilemma deciding on wether to do my conversion here or in spain?
Have not flown IFR for about 3 years so will obviously go over the 15 hour conversion course time.
General consensus seems to be about average of 30 hours to convert.
This will set me back about £ 4- 5000 if done in spain, and if done here will be almost double that.Painful!!
I am probably going to have to instruct in UK anyway so i will get the experience in UK airspace through that.
If i stay in UK i will probably only do 10-15 IR training hours in the actual aircraft anyway.
How much of an effect will it have when it comes to applications and HR departments see that i've done all my training in USA and JAA IR in Spain,Though i will have amassed instructor hours in the UK.
By saving on training costs am i shooting myself in the foot??
Please help me with my decision!Do i go to spain or stay in the UK?
Your thoughts would be really appreciated as i have to come to a final decision on this immediately.(Does anyone work in airline recruitment!)
Thanks :ok:

[porridge]

I thought only the UK allowed the 15 hour conversion course and places like Spain required the completion of the 55 hour course even if you have a ICAO IR. I may be wrong but it is worth checking on.

[Telstar]

I know the search function is broken so I can't give out to you!, check out my post on page 2:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=204653

Its all in there, but if you have any additional question ask away!

[Permafrost_ATPL]

Depends what you mean by "In Spain". Some outfits are quite good, others fairly awful. Guy I know had a NIGHTMARE time in Spain (instructors who barely spoke English was a major issue). He gave up halfway through and went to a school in the UK. There he realized both the airspace and CAA examiners were a different beast and he ended up spending a fortune with failed 170As and retraining.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure some Spanish schools are fine. Do the research.

I also had not flown IR (FAA) for 3 years when I started my JAA IR training. The combination of being rusty, the MEP side of things and the airspace made it pretty challenging. But your 30 hours estimate is probably about right. I would thing twice about the UK "big" schools if yoiu're going to do an ad hoc transition training. From what I've seen, they find IR conversion students a nuisance because they like to have students paired up and following a strict curriculum (i.e. IR50 or IR55). You'll end up with a different instructor on every flight, which is not going to help. Sorry to sound a bit gloomy!

This is what I did: I signed up for IR50 (which means I had the same instructor the whole way) and after 40 hours I told them I was ready (could have stopped a bit earlier but I wanted to pass first time). The gave me the money back for the remaining 10 hours.

P

[ant1]

I'm almost sure porridge is right. Have you checked Flight Training Europe (http://www.flighttrainingeurope.com/) in Jerez?
:ok:

[JS3]

Hi Ramshorn,

Im in the same situation as you. I am also trying to make a decision about where to do my conversion flight training this summer.

There is a lot of choices across Europe, but from my extensive searches and questions it has lead me to believe that the UK is definitely not an option for me personally because of the high prices for aircraft rental and even the CAA exam fee which by itself is about €1000!!! You have to pay this twice!! One for the IR exam and one for the Commercial exam.

Now I am looking at options in both Germany and Spain. There are some very reasonable prices and quality FTO's in both countries such as Aeromadrid, FTE in Jerez, and Aerofan. In Germany I am talking to Intercockpit about conversion at the moment. But I dont have enough details to give you about them.

Please let me know what you find out and decide because I need to come to a decision soon.

[7E7Flyer]

Just wanted to ask if it is possible to convert an ICAO CPL (non FAA) to a UK JAA CPL in Spain, similar to some schools in the US. Obviously the instructors/testing officers would need to be UK CAA approved; are there any such schools in Spain? I'm thinking of Spain rather than the UK for weather/cost reasons and the trip/visa costs to the US aren't exactly cheap either just for a conversion.
thanks
7E7

[172driver]

7E7,

check out

http://www.aerodynamics-malaga.com/

Not 100% sure if they can help you with the CAA JAR license which you seem to want, but call / mail. They are a JAR school / FBO.