Gaining a UK and EASA CPL at the same time?

[4535jacks]

I am planning on doing a SE IR and CPL next year to 'lock in' my ATPL exams while I wait for the aviation job market to pick up again.

I have a UK National PPL and an EASA PPL which I am SOLIing to IAA. Since many UK ATOs are seeking approval to continue to deliver EASA training once the UK is out of EASA, is it feasible that by using a school approved to deliver both EASA and UK CAA commercial training, I could do a single CPL course and get both a EASA CPL and UK issued CPL at the end?

Furthermore if the CPL examiner is approved for both EASA and UK tests, could I even get away with a single skills test for the two licences?

I recognise I would still have to pay two licence fees but having both an EASA and UK CPL would be worth as it would increase my employment options.

[Dan Winterland]

When I converted my JAA ATPL to EASA, there was a box to tick if you wished for a UK ATPL to be issued at the same time - at no extra cost.

[LastStandards]

Welcome to the big unknowns! As it happens, the CAA and a liaison group are having a chat through this and other issues tomorrow morning... Current policy (rightly or wrongly) is that UK non-EASA full licences will not be issued alongside UK issued EASA licences - the NPPL is separate since it is not an ICAO compliant licence. Those who held UK National licences pre-JAR retain them as a privilege, while those of us who started with JAR and progressed to EASA licences on JAR expiry do not. It is rather unclear at the moment whether UK policy will be to allow the issue of UK National licences on the basis of EASA licences from next year onwards, or whether the 2 systems will separate in their entirety - ultimately it is a political decision rather than a CAA or EASA one.

As an existing UK EASA licence holder I will be able to gain a National licence next year if I choose to change state this year, on the basis of existing UK tests passed etc. It is therefore logical that if you train with an ATO holding both UK and EASA approvals, and test with an Examiner holding both EASA and UK licences and Examiner authorisations - assuming the two do split next year - with paperwork and applications to both then your training and tests will be recognised by both the UK and the IAA. I and my colleagues (and indeed our Ops Inspector, poor man!) started having these conversations this morning about how best to protect future licensing without jeopardising what we do at the moment, not easy times.

[4535jacks]

Really? I was issued a UK-PPL alongside my UK issued EASA PPL when I did an over the counter service to add a rating a few months ago. Both my licences are valid.