Is German license worth the effort?

[Solaris27]

Hello Community,

I wonder - what would be your feedback on the subject of going through ATPL study in Germany?

From the talks to several schools' students in that country it appears that, apart from added costs of flying in a not so cheap a country, the LBA (analogue of CAA) is keeping itself busy with overcomplicating the actual exams/licensing process. There is no option of splitting those 12 subjects into chunks - one has to sit the whole lot of them in one go. The schools are under extreme beaurocratic pressure from the same authority and the price for every bit of activity from that authority appears to be extortionate.
There seems to be an inofficial claim that 'German' licences rate higher than others from JAR/EASA space. This, I believe, is an unfortunate through-back to some not so distant history, which should make international students question the attitude towards them.

So I'd appreciate your thoughts on the subject.

[what next]

Hello!

There is no option of splitting those 12 subjects into chunks - one has to sit the whole lot of them in one go.

Not any more since a couple of years. You can go as often as you need as long as you stay within the timeframe of two years. But they charge you the full examination fee every time you go. Be advised that some employers want to have a look at your training records and taking too long (and/or too many attempts) for the exams will not be your best recommendation.

The schools are under extreme beaurocratic pressure from the same authority...

Not more than in other countries (in my previous company we operated Italian owned aircraft under our German AOC because the owners wanted to avoid Italian bureaucracy...). I go to a training organisation in the UK every year for my sim refresher and compared to what they have to endure from the British CAA our LBA is easy-going!

...and the price for every bit of activity from that authority appears to be extortionate.

Really not more expensive than in other large western european contries. And as before, rather cheap compared to the CAA.

[hvogt]

There seems to be an inofficial claim that 'German' licences rate higher than others from JAR/EASA space.

I've heard a lot of marketing rubbish from my German flight school, but I've never heard this one.