UK CAA Flight Examiners in Dubai
 

Hi

The title says it all, really - are there any UK CAA Flight Examiners in Dubai? I have an expired JAR PPL(A), and I'd like to get flying again. I think the easiest way would be to get some lessons and signed off herein Dubai if there is an examiner that can do that. And maybe redo some exams. Then convert my JAR PPL to, god knows, an EASA PPL? Anyway, if anyone knows of a UK approved examiner in this part of the world (or another way to resuscitate my PPL), please let me know...

You may find someone with the right credentials in the UAE. However, bear in mind that you won't be able to find an aircraft in the UAE that is suitably registered, as the expired licence that you wish to renew, never entitled you to fly A6 registered aircraft.

You might wish to consider a solution closer to Europe.

Indeed, I'm assuming I'll need to convert my licence once I've brought it back from the dead - but I'm assuming it will be easier to do this than to start afresh under the GCAA system...

You should be able to 'resurrect' your JAR licence to an EASA version with not too much drama. Also give thought to the effect that Brexit will have on UK issued licences, as it will affect individuals in different ways, depending on how they wish to use their licence. More info here:

UK CAA - Brexit - Private Pilots

A quick phone call or an email to an approved training organisation should be able to provide some clarity for what you would need to do.

If you manage to get flying here don't expect to just be able to go and have fun, as you know the airspace to very compact and most schools for insurance purposes won't let you go solo unless you are on an accredited course. So no just going for a jolly around RAK on your own I'm afraid. I was in the process of changing my GCAA PPL in to an EASA one when Covid kicked in.

I flew the Aeroprakt 22 with Jazirah aviation club in RAK, admittedly back at the beginning of 2019 before I left the UAE, so never did the conversion course. They told me it would be about 12 hrs to get a certificate to fly solo which they could issue, as it’s a microlight not an SEP. That was based on my already having a UAE licence, which I had. Probably the simplest thing would be to do some training and a licence skills test in the UK, get your licence reissued (EASA or what comes next after Brexit) then do the UAE air law exam and medical and get a UAE licence issued. To be honest I have no idea how you would do that, as I was flying commercially and the airline sorted it all out, but it would presumably involve a lot of sitting around waiting in offices, and spending lots of money.

Once the course was finished I was told you can fly solo and take passengers in the training area along the coast, and also to some other airfields in the UAE, not DXB obviously, but they did talk about being able to do cross countries to Al Ain, DWC, and possibly to Skydive Dubai’s strip on the Al Ain road, although why you would want to fly a light sport aircraft into DWC or AAN I can’t imagine, you can’t even get a bacon sarny when you’ve got there.... I would suggest that renewing your UK licence and flying in the UK when you’re on leave from whatever you do in Dubai would be better, once you’ve flown over one bit of desert you’ve pretty much flown over all of it....

But if you decide to do it I’d call the Jazirah Aviation Club first, and do the normal thing of arranging to go and see them and take your licence and log book and see what they suggest. I called in there a few times in the four years I was in Dubai and they were always very friendly and especially if you go on a Saturday you can sit and watch the aeroplanes. I have no idea, of course, as to how they’ve been affected by Covid....