EASA FCL to UK FCL

[Cabotage]

I have been in contact with the UK CAA recently about obtaining the UK part for my EASA license.

I am fresh out of training with an EASA CPL and I have been told in order to get the UK license, I will need to resit all of my ATPLs.

I am happy to do so but what is unclear is whether I will need to take ATPL ground school again as I did this with an EASA ATO.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge with this?

[redsnail]

I have had a quick check on Alex Whittingham's Bristol Ground School site (https://www.bristol.gs/atpla/icao-licence-conversions/#cpl-conversions) and as you don't have the flying experience to hold an ATPL, it looks like you'd need to do an approved course.
There are other theory providers that should be able to confirm that.

Note - I am not linked with BGS - I had been looking through their site as an Aussie mate in HKG was asking about lic conversions.

[2close]

Firstly, you don't obtain "the UK part" for your EASA licence. The UK Part-FCL licence is a completely separate licence, issued by the UK CAA.

The first question that springs to mind is when did you complete your EASA ATPL theory? Any EASA exams completed prior to 31 December 2020 are acceptable for UK licence issue (up to 31 Dec 2022) but any exams taken after this date would need to be retaken with the UK CAA. You would also need to get your skates on....the clock is ticking.

After 31 Dec 2022, EASA ATPL theory exams taken prior to 31 Dec 2020 are no longer recognised for UK licence issue. This would be the same with any other national authority - you can't claim exemption from theory training if you hold a Canadian, American, South African or any other ICAO Annex 1 licence. The only training exemption would apply to Annex 1 ATPL holders.

On the other hand, if you did your theory training with an ATO which held a UK CAA ATO approval at the time of your training, you may have an argument that you had completed the training under the regulatory authority of the UK, and you may be exempt training on that basis. However, you would also have to get your new ATO to agree to this.

Why do you need a UK licence if you are based in Germany?

All the best,

2close

[Cabotage]

Firstly, you don't obtain "the UK part" for your EASA licence. The UK Part-FCL licence is a completely separate licence, issued by the UK CAA.

The first question that springs to mind is when did you complete your EASA ATPL theory? Any EASA exams completed prior to 31 December 2020 are acceptable for UK licence issue (up to 31 Dec 2022) but any exams taken after this date would need to be retaken with the UK CAA. You would also need to get your skates on....the clock is ticking.

After 31 Dec 2022, EASA ATPL theory exams taken prior to 31 Dec 2020 are no longer recognised for UK licence issue. This would be the same with any other national authority - you can't claim exemption from theory training if you hold a Canadian, American, South African or any other ICAO Annex 1 licence. The only training exemption would apply to Annex 1 ATPL holders.

On the other hand, if you did your theory training with an ATO which held a UK CAA ATO approval at the time of your training, you may have an argument that you had completed the training under the regulatory authority of the UK, and you may be exempt training on that basis. However, you would also have to get your new ATO to agree to this.

Why do you need a UK licence if you are based in Germany?

All the best,

2close

Thanks for the correction at the beginning. Perhaps I should have worded it a bit better.

Seems like a rather complicated subject. I await the response from the UK CAA as they review my case.

As for your last question, perhaps it's time for me to move back home.