'New' Heli CPL/ATPL?

[Cron]

I have just picked up the following info from the Web Site of a well respected UK ground school and it's Sunday.

The JAA have just started to provide the national Authorities with helicopter written exams. The UK CAA will allow helicopter pilots to either attempt the new 'helicopter specific' papers or to follow what they call an 'interim procedure' where the ground exams are the JAA fixed wing equivalents, except for two subjects, Performance and Principles of Flight...

Does anyone have more information on these Helicopter specific papers? Are they just replacements for some of the ATPL exams or is it an entirely new beast?

Thank you in advance for any information.

Cron.

[helicopter-redeye]

Is there anything new here?

The helicopter specific papers are Mass & Balance (H); POF(H); Systems (H). The interim syllabus was based on the old national exams (and so had little update) whereas the JAA H would be based on submissions from JAA-land.

The mass and balance paper is different to the interim (A) paper (i.e. has heli diagrams and questions in it rather than stuff on the 737). I guess Systems and POF are much of a muchness.

Don't believe there is much different in Met, Nav, Air Law etc so some of this may also be hype.

h-r;)

[Pofman]

The helicopter specific exams,(ATPL(H), have been in use for over two years for helicopter only FTOs with exemptions for other FTOs to use the 13 F/W exams plus POF(H). These exemptions will cease, I believe, for those starting courses after the end of 2006. Then the common exams for remain the same with helicopter specific exams for:
Pof, Ops procedures, Performance, Flight Planning, Airframes and Systems. I am not absolutely certain about Instrumentation. The Airframe exam recently came on line for those taking the first time but the old exams are still available for those who had already started under the old scheme.
There are the reduced number of exams for the CPL(H) for those schools who teach it.
There are also crossover ATPL exams A to H which consist of POF,OPS,PERF, and a combined FP,A/F and Law.
Have fun.:)

[Pofman]

Quick addendum to the above.
Forgot the helicopter specific Mass and Balance exam.:)

[paco]

Next year the licences will be split into the ATPL VFR, ATPL IFR and CPL (H), with the CPL being about the same academic standard as the current CPL(A). At the moment it is higher

Phil

[Cron]

Paco: Do you have any specifics on the 'changed' CPL(H) which you mention will happen next year. Are the exams the same by name and nature etc?

Thanks

Cron

[paco]

I've got a copy of the proposed NPA 25 if it helps - just trying to make sure my new course will be right, but I'll get round to the NPA once I've got the mock exams done. PM me and I will send you a copy under plain wrapper!

phil

[helicopter-redeye]

How does the ATPL VFR/ IFR work then under this new scheme?