Dual CAA/EASA Licence - Have I got This Correct?
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Dual CAA/EASA Licence - Have I got This Correct?
I understand it's possible to obtain dual licences for both the UK CAA and an EASA member state. From a bit of research, I understand the route to take to obtain this, but I wanted to check I understand the benefits correctly. I am a UK Citizen and have no right to live or work in the EU. Am I correct in understanding that the only real benefit in having a dual licence would be if I intended to work for an operator with EU registered aircraft running flights out of the UK and looking to employ UK-based crew? The only ones I can immediately think of are:
EasyJet
RyanAir
Wizz
DHL maybe?
Basically, thinking ahead, how much am I restricting myself if I just stick with a UK CAA licence?
EasyJet
RyanAir
Wizz
DHL maybe?
Basically, thinking ahead, how much am I restricting myself if I just stick with a UK CAA licence?
That is basically true, but it depends upon how useful your skillset is.
If you have experience and skills that are rare in the EU - say a training captain on a rare type, or a test pilot, you may well still be employable and a company will help you get permissions to work there. If you're a 300hr fATPL with type ratings on common stuff like 737s and A320s (or none at-all) frankly, that's probably not you. Same applies to a European with an FAA licence (of which there are many).
On the other hand, the study and training are the same, you can do the flight tests with a single examiner: plenty are dual qualified, ditto medicals, and the only real differences if you plan it right are two sets of very similar written exams, duplicated paperwork, and a few thousand in additional authority fees. And the position may change going forwards about rights to work.
So I would still do it (and whilst I got my licences before the UK left EASA so it was a bit easier for me) and did do, in my case I fall somewhat into the rare skillset category, although to be frank the extra time and effort hasn't paid for itself yet. My personal decision is that I'm keeping dual licences and ratings current until the end of 2023, after which I'll re-assess, and if the EASA licences haven't actually been very useful by then, will probably let them lapse and keep them in my back pocket to revalidate if reasons re-emerge why I need a current EASA licence.
If you have experience and skills that are rare in the EU - say a training captain on a rare type, or a test pilot, you may well still be employable and a company will help you get permissions to work there. If you're a 300hr fATPL with type ratings on common stuff like 737s and A320s (or none at-all) frankly, that's probably not you. Same applies to a European with an FAA licence (of which there are many).
On the other hand, the study and training are the same, you can do the flight tests with a single examiner: plenty are dual qualified, ditto medicals, and the only real differences if you plan it right are two sets of very similar written exams, duplicated paperwork, and a few thousand in additional authority fees. And the position may change going forwards about rights to work.
So I would still do it (and whilst I got my licences before the UK left EASA so it was a bit easier for me) and did do, in my case I fall somewhat into the rare skillset category, although to be frank the extra time and effort hasn't paid for itself yet. My personal decision is that I'm keeping dual licences and ratings current until the end of 2023, after which I'll re-assess, and if the EASA licences haven't actually been very useful by then, will probably let them lapse and keep them in my back pocket to revalidate if reasons re-emerge why I need a current EASA licence.
Educated Hillbilly
Beaker your information is incorrect,
All the Easyjet, Wizzair and DHL UK based aircraft are on the G Reg, so will need a UK Part FCL license after 2022.
Easyjet have the three AOCs, UK, Austrian and Swiss. But the UK AOC is all G Reg.
Wizz Air UK (clue UK) is all on the G register.
DHL have the UK based aircraft on the G Reg.
So Ryanair is the only one that has EU registed aircraft based in the UK in any numbers.
So unless you want to work for Ryanair you probably aren't missing out on much by only having a UK license.
All the Easyjet, Wizzair and DHL UK based aircraft are on the G Reg, so will need a UK Part FCL license after 2022.
Easyjet have the three AOCs, UK, Austrian and Swiss. But the UK AOC is all G Reg.
Wizz Air UK (clue UK) is all on the G register.
DHL have the UK based aircraft on the G Reg.
So Ryanair is the only one that has EU registed aircraft based in the UK in any numbers.
So unless you want to work for Ryanair you probably aren't missing out on much by only having a UK license.
Just for clarity/pedantry you won’t get a dual licence. You will get an EASA licence and a UK licence each of which will have their own validity and medical requirements. Medical validity is easy enough as there are AMEs that will do both at once. Licence validity less so. I think it will be easier to get both ab ibinitio rather than convert/acquire later, whether it is worth it, who knows?
Good luck
Good luck
Last edited by deltahotel; 22nd Nov 2021 at 06:04.
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portsharbourflyer
incorrect. Most of the EasyJet fleet is Austrian registered now. Only the internal,U.K. fleet is G reg and that’s tiny. Anyone banking on a U.K. licence getting them a job in the current climate is a fool.
incorrect. Most of the EasyJet fleet is Austrian registered now. Only the internal,U.K. fleet is G reg and that’s tiny. Anyone banking on a U.K. licence getting them a job in the current climate is a fool.
Educated Hillbilly
Lastman, show me your information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EasyJet_UK
https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Easyjet
161 or 162 Aircraft (slight differences in the info sourse) of the Easyjet Fleet out of 342 is on the G Reg, So about just under half of the Easyjet fleet is on the G Reg.
So after 2022 that means approximately 45% of the Easyjet fleet can only employ UK Part FCL holders when the EASA validations cease to be valid.
Doesn't seem that small to me. Infact as some of the EU Easyjet fleet is on the Swiss AOC, the UK AOC is still Easyjets largest fleet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EasyJet_UK
https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Easyjet
161 or 162 Aircraft (slight differences in the info sourse) of the Easyjet Fleet out of 342 is on the G Reg, So about just under half of the Easyjet fleet is on the G Reg.
So after 2022 that means approximately 45% of the Easyjet fleet can only employ UK Part FCL holders when the EASA validations cease to be valid.
Doesn't seem that small to me. Infact as some of the EU Easyjet fleet is on the Swiss AOC, the UK AOC is still Easyjets largest fleet.
Last edited by portsharbourflyer; 22nd Nov 2021 at 15:19.
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Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure the extra cost of sorting an additional licence is going to be worthwhile given what I perceive to be a limited number of UK-based employers requiring an EASA licence. In short, my expenses would likely be more than the extra exams...
Genghis the Engineer I don't have any particular skill sets that will make me much more in demand then the average cadet, although I'm a career charger rather than a fresh faced cadet! Perhaps a positive/negative depending on the recruiter.
Booglebox You mention there are many such cases of where having an EASA and CAA licence are useful. Can you think of many more over and above the examples I've given?
Thank you 🙂
Mind you, as a follow on thought, is there any reason why someone can't just take the EASA written exams and skills tests at a later date if decided it would be worthwhile, or is a change of licence state, conversion etc. then required?
Genghis the Engineer I don't have any particular skill sets that will make me much more in demand then the average cadet, although I'm a career charger rather than a fresh faced cadet! Perhaps a positive/negative depending on the recruiter.
Booglebox You mention there are many such cases of where having an EASA and CAA licence are useful. Can you think of many more over and above the examples I've given?
Thank you 🙂
Mind you, as a follow on thought, is there any reason why someone can't just take the EASA written exams and skills tests at a later date if decided it would be worthwhile, or is a change of licence state, conversion etc. then required?
There will be a time limit after completion of the last exam but I have no idea what it is. It wouldn’t need a change of SOLI because the UK licence is non EASA. At some point you would need an initial medical for each licence.
