Converting to fixed wing

[bosher]

I think i've now ticked the helicopter box (6000 hours), and decided to sell my sole for the money, and go fixed wing.

Ive got an ATPL (H) + IR and a CPL (A) + IR (ALL UK licences)

The problem starts that when I did my written exams (10 years ago) I only did CPL level (helicopters) with the fixed wing POF paper add on.

In the old days I only had to do the ATPL nav extra exams, but Gatwick is informing me that I have to do THE WHOLE BLOODY LOT AGAIN!!!!!


The same amount of exams as a man on the street, who has never sat in an aircraft!

IS ANYBODY ELSE IN THIS BOAT , SO THAT WE CAN BURN DOWN THE BELGRANO TOGETHER!!!!

[Nick Lappos]

bosher,

It is a shame that the judgement is being made by the guys who get paid by the exam, isn't it?

If you seek a second opinion, take mine = with 6,000 hours you know the sky, the nav and the basic rules. Convince me you know the few differences and I am happy. I will give you an ATPL(A) endorsement valid for airline operations in Lapposland after a few successful beers and a few successful questions! If you have a nice female friend, the questions are optional....

[Woolf]

just curious: how did you get your ATPL(H) without the ATPL exams :confused:

[bosher]

cos in my day, you only needed CPL level knowledge to get an ATPL (H)

[Paul McKeksdown]

Rumor, just rumor!!!

The military wobbleheads are in the same quandry as yourself, with the issue of an ATPL (H) against helo hours but carrying forward no dispensation against and ATPL(A).

The CAA has mumbled something about 'up and coming' ATPL(H) to ATPL(A) bridging exams which I am led to believe will consist of the Perf exams and the fixed wing P of F.

Talk to the CAA about it because the more pressure we can bring to bear against them the quicker we get the results.

An ATPL is an ATPL regardless of how the machine flys!!!

[Aesir]

Actually in JAR country a CPL/IR (H) fulfills the requirements for the issue of ATPL (H) i.a.w. JAR-FCL 2.285

"The holder of CPL (H) & IR (H) satisfies the knowledge requirements for the issue of ATPL (H)"

Thats at least how the Danish SLV sees it!

However I guess this does not help anyone converting to F/W since there are still no bridge exams (H) to (A)!

[Say again s l o w l y]

I've recently gone the other way, ATPL (A) to CPL(H) and the only g'school exam I needed was the Principles of flight paper for Heli's. I made sure that I got it written in blood from the vampires at Cash And Aggro HQ. Try sending an e-mail to Simon White ([email protected]) at the Belgrano. He is the guy looking after the bridging exam planning.

Nobody seems to know what on earth is going on in there at the moment. Talk to 5 different people and you will get 5 different answers.

I just got stiffed tho'. I was asking about getting a dispensation for an FI(H) and the wording of FCL2. "300 hrs flight time req'd before commencing and FIC" Since I have well in excess of 300 hrs flight time and an FI, IRI etc on F/W I was told that I would definately only need about 200hrs heli before stating the FIC. Now 6 months later I am being told that this is now not the case and it MUST be 300 Hrs heli time. To say I am p***ed off is an understatement.

So Bosh anytime you fancy a quick napalm session, let me know!:mad: ;)

[Wibbly P]

Roger that... Standby... Absolute Bargain

[SASless]

For Duck Mate! Ya must be a lucky bunch over there! But would ye nay be having to hold an Engineers ticket to tackle that bridging thing on yer way to the other side of the circuit? Maybe Nick can find a good Philadelphia lawyer hanging around one of his old haunts he used to frequent ( before he swore off the grape!) to help you figger out the writs and such you will have to be doing. Sounds like using the fax machine might be best for both sides of the conversation.....thus get them into writing on such promises of relief! But then dear chaps....what's a hundred hours of helicopter time between fellow professionals?

Had a pint in the Six Bells with a couple of Big Al's former TRE/IRE types now gone to the employ of the Cash and Aggro bunch, and they never even suggested such fun was to be had there! They reported they did a fair bit of ops flying with unwashed heathens and found it to be good fun.....maybe those Ppruners who share the office with them on a flight can shine a bright light into their eyes, shout real loud, and maybe bounce a London "Talking Bone" tome off their noggins.....and enlist their assistance in these matters.

Nick must have figgered the scheme out....eliminate needless exams....remove the bureaucratical bovine fecal matter from the system and why heck....those civil service rockets might get a match shoved under them afterall. The shame of it all....they might even have to find a real job and produce a useful meaningful product at a cost effective rate.

[nonradio]

Bosher, really. I should think that with your experience that you would have no difficulty passing the exams, so what is the problem - remember we're talking about safety through knowledge, and people's lives depend on it here.

It has been stated before: there is one rule for all, and there are no short cuts to the System. Sorry.

As for the ex mil types - they should not be insulted by being asked to take these exams at all!

PS Thanks to those chaps who put in all that Sterling work to give us Skywatch. If but one life can be saved, then it's all worthwhile.

[SASless]

Non-Radio....you skipped over a couple of very small minor and quite trivial issues called "Time and Money". How long do you think it will take to schedule all the exams....and just how much is it going to cost for that stack of papers he must buy from the Cash and Aggro bunch ....even assuming there are no hiccups on grades? You are not talkin about the USA where exams cost nothing if done at the FAA office. You are talking about Blighty where you have to cough up the firstborn's college tuition before you are done.

[nonradio]

SAS: gotcha. :D

hang on, maybe you just got me on a double bluff. No, wait, maybe...

[the wizard of auz]

I am in the process of doing it the other way around.....CPL(A) to CPL(H) in the great land of Auz, and am happy to anounce that we are better at the bolloks rules bit over here than you are over there,I only have to sit four of the seven exams. I get credits in the other three subjects from the CPL(A). God I love AUZ. :D