Converting EASA PPL to Australian equivalent.
 

Hey folks,

Just moved to Australia, just wanted to ask how hard is it to get certified to fly here? I already have a basic EASA PPL, I flew Cessna 152 & 172's in the UK. What is involved in converting/certification? And how hard is it to go back to the UK EASA licence should I return to the UK? I'm based in WA (Kalgoorlie) and would be keen on meeting some fellow aviators in the local area should any stalk these forums!

Thank you all.

SS

This is where you need to start:

CASA: Converting Overseas Licences

You don't need to give up your UK/EASA licence, but to keep it current you will need to either re-validate your EASA Class Rating(s) every 2 years (and you'll need an EASA instructor to fly an hour with - a CASA instructor won't do) or if you can't do that then you can Renew by proficiency check when/if you return to the UK.

Last year I tried to get a Validation for a 2 month visit to Australia. I went through all the requirements OK. in the end I was stumped by a CASA lady informing me that i would have to attend an interview on arrival Australia in Sydney, for a Security Pass. This could then take up to six weeks for issue!! I wasn't planning to visit Sydney, staying in Perth, a 4/5 hour flight away, and at this point I gave up.
So impossible requirements for short stays.

I learned to fly in Australia when I was working there, but that was a while ago (2000/2001) - so things have probably changed a bit. With that said:

I'm not sure how much the requirements for airside security passes have changed, but you only needed an ASIC (the fully blown pass) for major airports. They were being introduced in 2002 just after I did my PPL in Australia, I got one initially and never bothered to renew it.

Australian class 2 medical is very similar to the EASA one - I renew both of mine at the same time in the same appointment in the UK; I'm sure this is do-able in major cities in Australia too.

One useful thing I discovered when using my Australian PPL as a base to get an EASA PPL is that there is some reciprocal agreement re: RT licenses - so that is something that may be useful for you (no requirement to do any additional RT tests).

Most of the AU air law is very similar to the UK's.

Australian license requires a BFR every two years - so no revalidation by experience, but the BFR flight test is similar to the "one hour instructional flight" so it is pretty similar.

There's far more emphasis on things like submitting flight plans even for short-ish VFR flights (mandatory if you're going into a remote area which can be surprisingly close to the main cities), and my personal experience is that in Australia, people learn to fly because its a damned big place and they want to get from A to B. Coming back to the UK, it felt like people fly to mimble around on a Saturday afternoon - generalisation, I know, but I think there's truth in it.

Paul.

As has already been suggested, converting the licence is pretty easy. You'll sit the Air Law exam, which is open-book but you'd really better know your way around the books if you're going to use that technique. You'll do a test (probably with the CFI) and that will count as your biennial check as well. CASA can be pretty okay with this sort of thing and will transfer endorsements, such as tailwheel etc. If you've got wobbly prop and/or up and down wheels endorsements then it is likely the CFI will want you to fly an aircraft with those facilities so he/she can see you'll be right. Finally you'll fill in all sorts of forms, pay CASA a bunch of money (they're worse than the CAA for charging for everything) and sit and wait an age while they phaff around with paperwork. Truly, Australia and India took the knowledge of bureaucratic procrastination from the English and improved upon it.

The BIGGEST pain in the arse is the ASIC. It is true that you only need one for airfields that have RPT (read scheduled services) and I reckon Kalgoorlie will count. However, you will also need an ASIC for your initial licence issue, no matter RPT airfield or not.....even if you let is lapse later on. I'm not going to say how it used to be because the bureaucrats have recently made it even worse and you now have to attend some ridiculous interview process, but only in certain places. You can bet your bottom dollar that your interview will be in Perth somewhere. It's a bloody nonsense and I certainly won't be bothering again, however you'll have to in order to get your licence. If anything I'd start that process ahead of all the others because nothing gets done quickly in Australia, even less quickly in WA and, Kalgoorlie, forget it :}

I converted my FAA PPL to an Australian part 61 licence last year. You don't need an ASIC if you're not flying into a security controlled airfield, but you will need an AVID (similar process, but lasts for 5 years, rather than 2 for the ASIC). Air law exam not required anymore. You may need to do an English Language proficiency test.

Well that's good news that an Air Law exam is no longer required and the process seems to have been simplified under Part 61. Obviously CASA recognise the CAA training and qualifications as being up to standard, so there should be no problem in having the EASA licence recognised. The BFR is still a requirement and obviously no club is going to let you fly one of their aircraft without a check-out, so these can be combined under the judgement of the CFI. I think they would likely ask (quite) a few pertinent questions specific to Oz air law regulations during the oral but anyone in their right mind would have read up on those anyway, instead of just blundering around with differing rules. The EASA licence should have the English proficiency on it and this is recognised by CASA, so long as it is 4 or better. Cirrus is correct about AVID or ASIC but, unfortunately, Kalgoorlie is an RPT airport so an ASIC is required, with all the attendant nonsense. CASA talk about 4 to 6 weeks for the issue of an initial ASIC but I think we all know the truth and, of course, they will not issue a licence without either an AVID or ASIC.

I also converted EASA to CASA a few years ago, not particularly strenuous. Mostly a paperwork exercise (you'll need various photocopies certifying by a notary public, which is free at most libraries etc in Australia).
As mentioned above, no written exams, just a review with an examiner.

Personally I love flying over here and found the conversion worthwhile.

Did you need a flight review also?