EASA instructor requirements....

[BEagle]

I understand that, for principally political reasons, EASA is intending to change the requirements for the way a number of European training organisations conduct ‘JAA’ flight training outside Europe.

Many of such training organisations employ FIs holding only national licences of their country in which they instruct, in particular US FIs with FAA licences. However, some of these have been approved by some National Aviation Authorities such as the UK CAA, in order to act as ‘JAA-authorised’ FIs at such organisations.

The UK even has a record of approving non- European organisations who have no FIs at all holding either UK or JAA Licences to conduct flight training for JAR-FCL licences.

Under EASA, all FIs will be required to hold the appropriate professional European licence and FI rating. Similarly, those carrying out Type Rating training will also be required to hold the appropriate European licence and TRI rating.

It seems that EASA intends to take this stance due to the refusal of the FAA to recognise the qualifications of any non-FAA Licence or Rating holder who wishes to instruct for a FAA Licence.

Maybe there’ll be a significant return to European-based airline training programmes for European licences and ratings? Time for the airlines to become involved in cadet training once more?

[RVR800]

It would be good to have an international organisation for aviation that greed on common training and licencing standards so that one could do it anywhere.

[Say again s l o w l y]

Well, this could be a really big thing for the flight training industry.

This won't just affect the professional training world, but also the PPL industry. People will still go abroad, but we'll be doing a lot more conversions as a result of this.

I wonder how schools such as CTC in New Zealand will cope with this? Their primary business is to train European pilots. Hmm, maybe a move out there would be nice!

[VFE]

This won't just affect the professional training world, but also the PPL industry. People will still go abroad, but we'll be doing a lot more conversions as a result of this.
Show me one UK school who'll authorise someone who got their PPL in the USA after the usual one hour club checkout. Most need about 5 hours conversion regardless!

VFE.

[Say again s l o w l y]

What I'm saying, is that people will be training for an FAA PPL in the States, rather than for a JAA licence, so we'll have to get them ready for a flight test, rather than just bringing them up to speed with local procedures.

[BackPacker]

True, but those five hours don't necessarily have to be done in the air.

When I got back from my JAA PPL in Florida, I first scheduled a two-hour ground school session with an instructor. We spent those two hours essentially planning and then flying a mock flight, covering everything from obtaining MET and NOTAMs, submitting flightplans, club rules regarding reservation of aircraft, ATC services/clearances and R/T, airspace, navigation, to how to pay the bill at the end. We even squeezed in a visit to the MET/NAV briefing room at the tower.

A week or so later (this was in the winter period), we flew a one-hour local flight to get familiar with the area and do the usual club checkout things like stalls and steep turns. An another few weeks later we flew to a short grass strip some 20 minutes away for a few touch and gos there. In Florida, landing on grass runways was forbidden due to insurance reasons... :-(

Total instruction time: 6 hours. Total time of flight: 2 hours. Then she let me loose on the club aircraft. I recommend doing something similar to everybody. And the cost of this is peanuts if you compare it to your savings by going to the USA.

[VFE]

What I'm saying, is that people will be training for an FAA PPL in the States, rather than for a JAA licence, so we'll have to get them ready for a flight test, rather than just bringing them up to speed with local procedures.

Sorry mate, I missed your point there!

Like most places we ain't looking at the latest possible new rules tho - we just get on with what we know - I must confess to liking it that way but needs must.....!

But unless I've got the total wrong end of the stick... it's all money in the UK FTO's coffers ennit, ergo good news, no? Again, I'm, not up on these things - we just get on and fly.

Note to ones self: Christ, I need to pay more attention to this sorta stuff! :bored:

VFE.