ATPL - Running out of time - do I have a change?

[kurbitur]

So, to make this short.
I thought I had finished ATPL theory exams (EASA) in mid december 2020. I will go abroad on the 24th of August to finish the ATPL training at a flight school in Central Europe (I know. I´m very late and almost out of time) - I was about to send the documents to the school when I saw
I took the last exam on the 16th of October 2020 - (I misunderstood the deadline date this whole time) - That gives me less than 2 months to finish.

So, I have 3 questions:
- Would I need a miracle to finish the training in 7 weeks ?
- Is there any part of the ATPL that is enough to finish first to be safe (like IR) or is that the whole ATPL training that it calculates?
- IF I would be just 4 days over the deadline, are the rules that strict that they would make no exception and I would have to take all the 14 exams again?

[Beaker_]

I think you're really going to struggle to complete your CPL and IR in 7 weeks.

I think most places expect the IR to take 2-3 months and the CPL a month or so. However, if you do the CPL before the IR, you need to do the basic IR module as part of it, so will take just over a month. That being said, the CPL being a VFR course is more weather dependent. If you're going to a sunny climate, weather probably isn't an issue, but if you are doing it in the UK, the weather can be a bit more unpredictable.

I think I remember correctly that the UK CAA allowed an extra 6 months on top of the initial 3 years because of COVID, so other authorities may have something similar, so it would be worth checking with them.

Another thing to add, is I think if you have a CPL or IR, you might not need to re-take all of the exams. E.g. If you got the CPL before the deadline, but didn't manage to do the IR, I think there are 5ish exams you need to re-take for the IR.

Sorry it's a little vague, but I hope it gives you some kind of idea of where to go next.

[rudestuff]

You could do it in a lot less than that. You don't need a miracle, you just need an ATO that is on board and a plan. My suggestion:

1) Forget about MEP
2) Forget about MEIR
3) Get a CBIR (40 hours) and CPL (15 hours)

You have 55 hours to fly in 49 days, that's less than 1.2 hours per day. Aim to fly 1.5-2 hour training flights twice per day and you'll finish the syllabus even with half of those days unflyable. It's summer and you're IR training so weather is less of a factor. You won't go over hours because IR flying is very simple. Use a free sim to train yourself on holds, chair fly a lot, memorise the checklists and you're good to go.

Get off your ass and start calling ATOs. Tell them you want either an IRR or CBIR, you've got cash, you want to fly twice a day and you want to start TOMORROW.
Don't even consider not attempting both check rides, not having valid ATPL passes will cause you a world of pain come upgrade time.

Fly it all the way into the crash 😜

[Alex Whittingham]

What he said. Single CBIR and CPL, and get going. Not sure about Danish ATOs but in the UK, Euro Flight Training at Lee-on-Solent for EASA and UK licence on a DA40.

[Beaker_]

Go with what rudestuff and Alex said in that case :)

Definitely see if a COVID extension is available though!

I would add as an extra note, I would fly more than the bare minimum to get yourself over the line. Inevitably you'll have to wait at least a few days for an examiner. Simple things like tech issues can eat into your time as well.

[Laurapintas]

If Poland is on your radar, you can try to contact a flight school that has Adriana in the name.
They had a very intensive programme, so it might work. I did like them, although my experience was for other things (also with deadlines).