UAE GCAA Conversion
 

Does anyone on here know or went through converting a FAA CPL to UAE GCAA? This is for someone with only 250 hours under their belt.

also, does anyone know if the process is different if you are to be hired as a “second officer” by an airline in the UAE? Meaning does the conversion process get easier?

I think they only grant CPL conversions if you already have a job offer in the UAE.

It's a more or less standard license validation process. You'll need a Letter of License Validation from the FAA to allow for the GCAA to request validation of license, ratings and medical. You may need an FAA Accident/Incident Report too. They'll also want to see signed logbooks or certificates of your flight experience. Once that's done you'll need to do a full initial CLASS 1 medical once in the UAE and an Air Law written exam. If you already have a job offer in Dubai the airline can accelerate the process I'm sure but you will need to obtain papers from the FAA yourself.

The GCAA website has a lot of information and it's easy to navigate. You can contact them directly too.

From what I have heard and told by some, is that I would be required to take 14 ATPL exams by the UAE GCAA. By the way I only have around 250 hours on piston with no jet experience whatsoever. Any ideas?

You need a job offer from an UAE operator to convert the license. No other way around it.

As far as that second officer case for flydubai, you will only write the 14 exams. Only when they offer you a jov with the visa then only the license conversion takes place.

I'm not sure about the 14 exams. I don't know anyone who has done that when transferring an ATPL. Maybe that's exclusive to CPL. You have better chances at getting your first jet gig in Europe than in the UAE. I don't know your situation or if you already have an offer there but usually people go to the main airlines of the Middle East with 5-6 years of previous airline experience (unless you're a local of course).

The 14 exams are for CPL conversion not ned for ATPL. I think 1 or 2 exams for the ATPL. You are correct UAE is not really a place to get your first job only airline that take freshers there are air Arabia and Flydubai but it cost with a cost.

I am also considering converting my FAA CPL to GCAA CPL.. any heads pls share

How easy is it the other way round? Let’s say you have a GCAA Atpl and want to head back to your country and “activate” your former EASA license. Is it difficult?

It had been said many times in various threads that if you don't have a job offer from the UAE you can't convert your foregin license to GCAA license except if you are a UAE citizen.

You need to be employed by one of the UAE carriers for that. Period.

You leave the company - the license gets surrendered as well.

The employment part is correct but there is not such thing as surrender your licenses. It will be still valid even if you leave the UAE but the only downside is you need to be employed or sponsored to renew the license if it expires.

Could be. The pilots who joined my company after returning from the UAE had to submit their license to their employer upon exit.

First time ever I am hearing such lol guranteed that is against the GCAA's policy.

The folks I know worked for Air Arabia on a 'customized' contract.
The big guns probably don't have this policy.