Best EASA member state for pilot licence

[greg765]

Hello everybody,

I am about to start my modular CPL/IR/ME training in a flight school which gives the possibility to choose the EASA member state to issue your licence (the examiners are approved by different states).
For example, I could be issued with a "French" CPL, a "Swedish" CPL or an "Irish" CPL...

I am French so I can speak for what I know: In France the national aviation authority (the DGAC) is quite slow and not very reactive, so I would prefer not to be issued with a "French" CPL.
Another drawback with the French aviation authority is that if you have an ICAO level 6 in English they will transform it in level 5 if the test wasn't performed with them. So if you were issued with a level 6 in England for example, the DGAC will consider (despite the fact that most of them only speak French...) that you are not good enough at English.

This was only an example to introduce my question... as I get to choose the EASA member state for my CPL, I would like to:
- Find a member state which doesn't charges you huge amounts of money for everything you do;
- Find a member state which doesn't add many "country-specific rules" like the one I gave as an example;
- Find a member state which is efficient;

Simply put: What is the best EASA member state for pilots ?

I know that it may not be an easy question to answer as the tarification may vary, the rules are changing, etc... But what are your thoughts ? Is there a place where I could find more information to be able to compare ?

Thank you very much !

[turbopropmike]

Hungary not expensive at all, efficient and fast

[cavok_flyer]

Stay away from Germany. I've heard that Austria is good, but expensive.

[flugas]

Austria is excellent but indeed relatively expensive. Hungary seems to be more bureaucratic here and there but they are cost-efficient and effective. I heard that the Polish CAA is slow and another flight student told me that the Romanian CAA is "complicated". A pilot I know mentioned a few months ago that the Swiss CAA is difficult to deal with when when someone's practical training was conducted in EASA countries "which are different from them" and the Swiss are requested to issue a license or rating based on that. These are all rumours, but I can myself confirm that Austro Control is doing a good job.

[TheSkylander]

Each CAA has got his own problem, it may be cheaper but slower or expens. but faster.
Keep in mind that everytime you need something you either go there or send everything by mail (and hope that they reply cause somewhere they don't).
Here everyone hears something different, actually I heard that the Netherlands one it's quite fast and not so expensive.
It isn't an easy choice, it depends.

Cheers

[greg765]

Thank you all for your answers. Much appreciated !
At least I know which countries I should consider and which ones I should try to avoid

From what has been said:
- I should avoid Germany, Switzerland, France, Romania, Poland. I will also avoid the UK CAA because of the Brexit (I doubt they will leave the EASA but who knows...).
- Ireland would be a good option, Hungary, Netherlands and Austria too (but expensive for Austria).

I've also been told by a friend that Baltic states (even though I don't remember if he was talking about Estonia or Lithuania) are very reactive compared to bigger countries.

Has anyone got any feedback about Sweden ?

Originally Posted by TheSkylander

Keep in mind that everytime you need something you either go there or send everything by mail (and hope that they reply cause somewhere they don't).

+1: I should try to consider the ease to get there in case "things would go wrong" with mails !

[selfin]

Originally Posted by TheSkylander

... the Netherlands one it's quite fast and not so expensive.

The Dutch ILT does not extend the privileges of an IR-SP-ME to single-engine aeroplanes without an additional test.

[Lexsis]

Dutch CAA not expensive? Well actually its not them issuing the license, but the ''KIWA''. And the charge you 525 euro's for a Part FCL license tranfer. Also don't forget about the 54 euro's the ILT asks for the processing of your medical records once they recieve this from the other country CAA.

[tescoapp]

Has anyone got any feedback about Sweden ?

Expensive and don't allow the examiner to sign your rating off for another year you have to go pay some cash and they give you a new license.

There is also some weird stuff to do with medicals that they will let you get a medical done in another state but then want to reissue the certificate and if they think you have missed out on any checks which they normally do in Sweden you have to go and do them.

Getting a ATPL is a right pain in the bum as well they have weird rules about PICUS and command courses. if you have an ATPL but no Multicrew command time they will only give you a CPL if your trying a swap into them.

Not as fast to respond as the Baltic states but not as slow as the UK/Spain or France.

Its a very inbred setup, everyone knows everyone in aviation in Sweden. And of course their way is the correct way everyone else is doing it wrong.

[XPDR7700]

Does anyone have any clue on a Lithuanian CAA? Any info would be much appreciated. Planning to check out BAA training

[P40Warhawk]

Originally Posted by XPDR7700

Does anyone have any clue on a Lithuanian CAA? Any info would be much appreciated. Planning to check out BAA training

Lithuanian CAA is really helpful. And most of all not expensive. To get my revalidated rating on license will cost you around 17 eu.

Initial CPL license costs around 180 eu.

Contact goes also very well via e mail. They react rather quick.

When you do examination for extending rating with non lt. Examiner is also a non big issue. He needs to send credentials. This will be approved quickly. Then you do your prof check. After that you send scan of forms and original to LT CAA and your license. Like a week or so later you get back your license. Totally uncomplicated.

[Officer Kite]

Originally Posted by XPDR7700

Does anyone have any clue on a Lithuanian CAA? Any info would be much appreciated. Planning to check out BAA training

They are very responsive to queries I've had and quite efficient in their exam set up. Most of all, they are very inexpensive. It costs 5eu for example to take an ATPL exam, it costs around 100eu in some other EU states per exam.

[XPDR7700]

Thanks a lot for the extensive info guys!!

[Archer4]

Originally Posted by Officer Kite

for example to take an ATPL exam, it costs around 100eu in some other EU states per exam.

Make that 100 euro per exam for PPL and 150 euro per exam for ATPL/CPL in the Netherlands. A lot of people do their exams in Belgium instead for 445 euro for all 14 combined.

[RedDragonFlyer]

This is something I have also been wondering. My prospective school offers examiners from a number of different authorities. While it seems sensible to use my home one (UK CAA), the price difference between them and others is making me think.

It's just really shocking how different aviation authorities can charge fees that are completely incomparable. From five to one hundred and fifty euros per exam for essentially the same thing...

I'll be keenly reading.

[Nurse2Pilot]

I've been wondering about that. If one aviation authority can charge 32EUR per exam, surely the other country isn't 4-5x more expensive in terms of cost of living to justify the 4-5x increase in price. Why are the fees so different?

[Nurse2Pilot]

I don't think there's 4-5x less demand in Belgium, is there?

[XPDR7700]

So the only difference are price differences due to supply and demand in the region. All standards are the same across all EASA licenses?

Say if I were to obtain 1500h on a type licensed by Lithuanian CAA, I'd have equal chances with conversion as to a UK CAA?

Many thanks guys

[Nurse2Pilot]

From what I understand, some licenses are viewed upon more favorably than others for one reason or another. Some state licenses are *better because they process the paperwork much quicker than others, other states are percieved to be superior to others due to some more stringent requirements, although I cannot understand the second point as shouldn't all licenses be equal under EASA? Anyway, that's just how I understand it and could well be wrong so would be great if someone straightened that out.

[Mustapha Cuppa]

Just to add to Nurse2Pilot's post above, a consideration may be whether the NAA permits the issuance of a temporary certificate in accordance with ARA.FCL.215(d). Specifically, this means that after a skill test or assessment of competence for the issue of a rating or certificate, the examiner may issue a temporary certificate for up to 8 weeks validity to allow the candidate to exercise those privileges immediately after said test or AoC whilst the NAA gets round to adding the rating or certificate to the licence.

Note this would also apply to a renewal of a rating or certificate where the examiner is not able to sign the licence. Also note that this does not apply to the initial issue of a licence.

Not all NAAs permit this. Those that I know who do includes the UK, Norway and Denmark. Those who don't include Ireland and Austria, the implication being that for these countries you will have to wait for the licence to be reissued before exercising the new privileges.

Anyone wish to add to these lists?