FAA ATPL to EASA
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FAA ATPL to EASA
Hello,
I currently live in the states and I would like to convert my FAA ATPL license. (3000 hours flight instruction). I know I will have to take those 14 exams and it seems there is no way out of it. I am just looking for the most convenient way/ place that I can get this thing done. I travel in Europe 2-4 times a year and any location will work for me. Again, im looking for convenience! Im married with full time job and two kids at home. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Also, a friend of mine mentioned that there are few easa member countries that they only require you to take the Air Law exam only. Doesn't make sense to me but doesn't heard to ask. Thanks in advance.
I currently live in the states and I would like to convert my FAA ATPL license. (3000 hours flight instruction). I know I will have to take those 14 exams and it seems there is no way out of it. I am just looking for the most convenient way/ place that I can get this thing done. I travel in Europe 2-4 times a year and any location will work for me. Again, im looking for convenience! Im married with full time job and two kids at home. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Also, a friend of mine mentioned that there are few easa member countries that they only require you to take the Air Law exam only. Doesn't make sense to me but doesn't heard to ask. Thanks in advance.
Best thing to do is sign up for a distance learning course (I used CATS because they were the cheapest at the time) It'll be about $3000 plus $100 per exam. You can take as many exams as you like in a 'sitting' (4 day period twice a month) but you only get 6 sittings in an 18 month window. You can't just study then test one at a time. Many do two sittings of 7 exams each, others 5/5/4. I did 4/4/3/3 as I find it easier to study fewer subjects in bite sizes chunks.
You're looking at about a year for the theory. I wouldn't even think about finding somewhere to actually fly until you've got 14 passes. You might decide you have better things to do.
With your flight time - From memory the minimums are 7 hours to convert a CPL and 15 hours to convert an IR. You can convert an FAA ATP to a Frozen ATPL (CPL/IR with ATPL theory credits), but in Europe an ATPL actually means something - you can't get one in a cessna like back home - you need 500 hours multi crew. If by chance you have 500 hours multi crew, you can convert ATP > ATPL but you'll need to google that one for yourself.
Either way, get started on those 14 horrendous exams. You'll need to know who attended the Convention of Chicago, who sat where, who walked their dog and what they had for breakfast. You'll need to know about GPS: Satellite orbits, heights, slant angles, frequencies, atomic clock accuracies, azimuth angles etc - just not how to turn it on and use it. You'll need to know the local name of a wind that blows down just one valley on the other side of the planet, and the prevailing winds at any point of the globe at any given time of year.
In short, you'll love it!!
You're looking at about a year for the theory. I wouldn't even think about finding somewhere to actually fly until you've got 14 passes. You might decide you have better things to do.
With your flight time - From memory the minimums are 7 hours to convert a CPL and 15 hours to convert an IR. You can convert an FAA ATP to a Frozen ATPL (CPL/IR with ATPL theory credits), but in Europe an ATPL actually means something - you can't get one in a cessna like back home - you need 500 hours multi crew. If by chance you have 500 hours multi crew, you can convert ATP > ATPL but you'll need to google that one for yourself.
Either way, get started on those 14 horrendous exams. You'll need to know who attended the Convention of Chicago, who sat where, who walked their dog and what they had for breakfast. You'll need to know about GPS: Satellite orbits, heights, slant angles, frequencies, atomic clock accuracies, azimuth angles etc - just not how to turn it on and use it. You'll need to know the local name of a wind that blows down just one valley on the other side of the planet, and the prevailing winds at any point of the globe at any given time of year.
In short, you'll love it!!
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"I wouldn't even think about finding somewhere to actually fly until you've got 14 passes."
You are allowed to do your training while you study - you just can't take the skill test until you've done all the exams. With an ICAO ATP, it will typically take less than 6 months, here, at least, even with a full time job and two kids. It's 1500 hours as PIC on multipilot aircraft to self certify - 500 hours to avoid the full type rating course.
You are allowed to do your training while you study - you just can't take the skill test until you've done all the exams. With an ICAO ATP, it will typically take less than 6 months, here, at least, even with a full time job and two kids. It's 1500 hours as PIC on multipilot aircraft to self certify - 500 hours to avoid the full type rating course.
Sorry - I got a bit carried away! They are all achievable, obviously. Given you're presumably a CFII, you should find the flying the easy bit. (As long as you know your NDBs)
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Just to prove it's not impossible, from one of our students:
"If you are going to succeed as an instrument-rated commercial pilot, you need to be self-motivated and capable of making your own decisions and adapting to a high workload. Oddly enough, these same skills and mindset are needed if you are going to have any chance of passing your exams. In that respect, it's not the quantity of the information that ultimately will get you across the line, it's quality and the attitude you develop towards your training.
In my case, I started the course in November 2013 and completed in July 2014, passing all 14 exams on the first try over three sittings whilst being a 49 year old father of two and working full time."
"If you are going to succeed as an instrument-rated commercial pilot, you need to be self-motivated and capable of making your own decisions and adapting to a high workload. Oddly enough, these same skills and mindset are needed if you are going to have any chance of passing your exams. In that respect, it's not the quantity of the information that ultimately will get you across the line, it's quality and the attitude you develop towards your training.
In my case, I started the course in November 2013 and completed in July 2014, passing all 14 exams on the first try over three sittings whilst being a 49 year old father of two and working full time."
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Thanks again for the info. I have no desire working for airlines. I am planning to move back to europe in the next few years and all I want to do is to teach part time or work for a small operation flying air taxi. In other words, just to be involve with flying and treat my aviation bug.
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If I may correct you, Button Push, Flybe First Officers start at £28K pa, which is roughly $30K, with a training bond but not one you have to pay back unless you leave in very short order because it reduces year by year. Flybe are one of the lowest paying 'large airlines'. Ryanai are a good example. Yes, an FO starts on £30K or so but, as their Head of Training points out, within 5 years you are likely to be a Captain on £100K plus, often in your mid 20s.
In Europe FOs hold type ratings, so there is no need to wait until your ATPl is 'unfrozen' to do this, you would get type rated on first hire.
I grant you that the US market is lively at the moment and that there are some great first hire deals to be had.
In Europe FOs hold type ratings, so there is no need to wait until your ATPl is 'unfrozen' to do this, you would get type rated on first hire.
I grant you that the US market is lively at the moment and that there are some great first hire deals to be had.
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PICUS is defined in Part FCL as "a co-pilot performing, under the supervision of the pilot-in-command, the duties and functions of a pilot-in-command." Nearly all references in AMC and GM to Part FCL refer to PICUS in the context of a co-pilot of a multi pilot aeroplane. For instance : "PICUS flight time: provided that the method of supervision is acceptable to the competent authority, a co-pilot may log as PIC flight time flown as PICUS when all the duties and functions of PIC on that flight were carried out in such a way that the intervention of the PIC in the interest of safety was not required."
There is a body of opinion that says that PICUS therefore only refers to multi-pilot aircraft but there is another (slightly smaller) body that point to a single clause in the AMC that says "the applicant for or the holder of a pilot licence may log as PIC time all solo flight time, flight time as SPIC and flight time under supervision provided that such SPIC time and flight time under supervision are countersigned by the instructor" to imply that 'flight time under supervision' countersigned by an FI is PICUS that can be logged as PIC.
It would seem to me that, if your children held a valid licence on a single-pilot aircraft and signed for it as PIC, then whether you are an 'observer' or not is irrelevant.
Nothing more definitive that I am aware of, but FIs may have a clearer view.
Not sure why you say that, if you get a frozen ATPL without a job, you have to start from scratch again to get a full ATPL. Can you explain?
There is a body of opinion that says that PICUS therefore only refers to multi-pilot aircraft but there is another (slightly smaller) body that point to a single clause in the AMC that says "the applicant for or the holder of a pilot licence may log as PIC time all solo flight time, flight time as SPIC and flight time under supervision provided that such SPIC time and flight time under supervision are countersigned by the instructor" to imply that 'flight time under supervision' countersigned by an FI is PICUS that can be logged as PIC.
It would seem to me that, if your children held a valid licence on a single-pilot aircraft and signed for it as PIC, then whether you are an 'observer' or not is irrelevant.
Nothing more definitive that I am aware of, but FIs may have a clearer view.
Not sure why you say that, if you get a frozen ATPL without a job, you have to start from scratch again to get a full ATPL. Can you explain?
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Please help
Guys i got my FAA IR with 100+ pic hours without instructor and 50 IFR hours 250TT. I wana do the cpl and the IR Conversion and MEP in europe cz going directly i guess is gona save me alot of money . Any suggestions ? Should i do the FAA cpl or just go directly? Or doing the CPL this way even possible? I am so confused 😞😞😞
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I have no idea whats gona happen because many people told me if i would do the IR and time building in the states and then go to a EASA school for the Ppl and IR conversion and go on with the CPL MEP ATPL
If anybody knows about a school they could recommend for this ?
Please help 😶😶😶😞
If anybody knows about a school they could recommend for this ?
Please help 😶😶😶😞
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"I wouldn't even think about finding somewhere to actually fly until you've got 14 passes."
You are allowed to do your training while you study - you just can't take the skill test until you've done all the exams. With an ICAO ATP, it will typically take less than 6 months, here, at least, even with a full time job and two kids. It's 1500 hours as PIC on multipilot aircraft to self certify - 500 hours to avoid the full type rating course.
You are allowed to do your training while you study - you just can't take the skill test until you've done all the exams. With an ICAO ATP, it will typically take less than 6 months, here, at least, even with a full time job and two kids. It's 1500 hours as PIC on multipilot aircraft to self certify - 500 hours to avoid the full type rating course.
Are you talking about Aeroplane or Helicopter?
I'm confused, all the jobs in UK and Europe asks for EASA licence. Does that mean that one has to convert ICAO to EASA? or can one get a commercial job with ICAO licence in the UK / Europe.?
If upgrade means sitting for all the EASA ATPL papers again? Thanks.
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Both! yes, you will have to convert - but you may be able to validate an ICAO licence for a year while you study. But you have to be enrolled on a course
phil
phil
