EASA fATPL to UK CAA fATPL or Duel?
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Joined: Feb 2025
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From: Staffordshire
EASA fATPL to UK CAA fATPL or Duel?
Hi everyone I just want to find an answer to this, I am currently studying to get my UK CAA PPL and want to start studying to get a fATPL in roughly a years times. I've found a family member to sponsor me to pay for a full integrated course and the only schools that are in our budget gives out EASA licenses. Obviously you can't fly G reg aircraft with an EASA license, so how does one transfer over to get a UK CAA license? or do I have to study another 13 more atpl theory tests to obtain a duel one if that's possible? I am 26 living in the UK and all the UK schools I've found are out of my budget as for some reason they're much cheaper abroad. Can anyone give me any directions to help me out as I don't want to pay a lot of money for a EASA license and not be able to use it in the UK.
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 119
From: uk
EASA is pretty much useless in the UK and unless you have right to live and work in Europe you won't be able to get a job there. If you have EASA fATPL you will need to do CAA exams to get a UK licence. Rudestuff will be along soon to give a much clearer answer as my licensing knowledge is more about the more experienced end. Just for clarity a 'dual' licence doesn't exist - you may be able to do parallel training but they are two separate licences issued by two different licensing authorities (and incidentally two separate initial Class 1 medicals).
Good luck
ps get the Class 1(s) before spending a single bean on professional training.
pps https://www.caa.co.uk/commercial-ind...-january-2023/
Good luck
ps get the Class 1(s) before spending a single bean on professional training.
pps https://www.caa.co.uk/commercial-ind...-january-2023/
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Dublin
If your uk based you could live and work in Ireland if you want with a EASA licence, Ryanair operate mostly EASA registered aircraft’s out of the uk instead of G- reg and so require either EASA or dual EASA/CAA licensing.
As far as the 13 ATPL exams the material is mostly the same, you will have to sit each exam twice if you want to obtain both EASA and CAA exam, I believe you can do the Austro control Austrian EASA exams and the CAA exams in Bristol.
All of the training will be the same but you will have the added expense of sitting the IR twice if I remember correctly, along with dual medicals. I’m not too sure if hour building on EASA registered aircraft’s is valid across for CAA validation though.
As far as the 13 ATPL exams the material is mostly the same, you will have to sit each exam twice if you want to obtain both EASA and CAA exam, I believe you can do the Austro control Austrian EASA exams and the CAA exams in Bristol.
All of the training will be the same but you will have the added expense of sitting the IR twice if I remember correctly, along with dual medicals. I’m not too sure if hour building on EASA registered aircraft’s is valid across for CAA validation though.
Joined: Aug 2022
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 240
Likes: 152
From: Edinburgh
EASA is pretty much useless in the UK and unless you have right to live and work in Europe you won't be able to get a job there. If you have EASA fATPL you will need to do CAA exams to get a UK licence. Rudestuff will be along soon to give a much clearer answer as my licensing knowledge is more about the more experienced end. Just for clarity a 'dual' licence doesn't exist - you may be able to do parallel training but they are two separate licences issued by two different licensing authorities (and incidentally two separate initial Class 1 medicals).
Good luck
ps get the Class 1(s) before spending a single bean on professional training.
pps https://www.caa.co.uk/commercial-ind...-january-2023/
Good luck
ps get the Class 1(s) before spending a single bean on professional training.
pps https://www.caa.co.uk/commercial-ind...-january-2023/
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 82
Likes: 2
From: United Kingdom
I am doing the same as you just because it is only a few grand more to do both. I got dual citizenship through my mother. Do your dual ATPL at a ground school then you can get your EASA Meir and CPL with a flying school in the UK as plenty offer it.
It is very little difference between just doing a UK licence and it opens yourself up to Ryanair and you can easily fly in Europe for a couple of years to build up hours if you struggle to get a job in the UK. It isn't a waste at all.
On current prices I got my course to 54k based on minimums. Doing the vast majority of my hours at my local aerodrome then going down to London to finish off my ratings.
As others have said you need a dual medical as well but first just get a CAA then you can do the EASA one at a later date.
Your PPL will only be valid in the UK as all you will have on your EASA licence will be an IR rating and CPL.
It is very little difference between just doing a UK licence and it opens yourself up to Ryanair and you can easily fly in Europe for a couple of years to build up hours if you struggle to get a job in the UK. It isn't a waste at all.
On current prices I got my course to 54k based on minimums. Doing the vast majority of my hours at my local aerodrome then going down to London to finish off my ratings.
As others have said you need a dual medical as well but first just get a CAA then you can do the EASA one at a later date.
Your PPL will only be valid in the UK as all you will have on your EASA licence will be an IR rating and CPL.
Joined: Dec 2005
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,970
Likes: 326
From: Hong Kong
If you can afford both, get both. If not get the one that matches where you can live and work. It also doesn't hurt to future proof yourself.
You should start by getting both Initial Class one medicals. One costs £800+ but both together only adds about £250. Initials are notoriously picky and your chances of passing one drop year by year.
You also only ever want to study the ATPLs once - so do it with a dual rated school and get both theoretical exam credits.
Once you have some kind of PPL and both exam credits you'll be on line a better place to assess the market.
As long as you build plenty of (50+) hours as PIC under IFR you'll be able to get your second IR with just a test (CBIR rules) even if you don't do to a dual rated school. You can also freeze the ATPL with only an SEIR.
You should start by getting both Initial Class one medicals. One costs £800+ but both together only adds about £250. Initials are notoriously picky and your chances of passing one drop year by year.
You also only ever want to study the ATPLs once - so do it with a dual rated school and get both theoretical exam credits.
Once you have some kind of PPL and both exam credits you'll be on line a better place to assess the market.
As long as you build plenty of (50+) hours as PIC under IFR you'll be able to get your second IR with just a test (CBIR rules) even if you don't do to a dual rated school. You can also freeze the ATPL with only an SEIR.
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 51
Likes: 61
From: Tottenham
If you can afford both, get both. If not get the one that matches where you can live and work. It also doesn't hurt to future proof yourself.
You should start by getting both Initial Class one medicals. One costs £800+ but both together only adds about £250. Initials are notoriously picky and your chances of passing one drop year by year.
You also only ever want to study the ATPLs once - so do it with a dual rated school and get both theoretical exam credits.
Once you have some kind of PPL and both exam credits you'll be on line a better place to assess the market.
As long as you build plenty of (50+) hours as PIC under IFR you'll be able to get your second IR with just a test (CBIR rules) even if you don't do to a dual rated school. You can also freeze the ATPL with only an SEIR.
You should start by getting both Initial Class one medicals. One costs £800+ but both together only adds about £250. Initials are notoriously picky and your chances of passing one drop year by year.
You also only ever want to study the ATPLs once - so do it with a dual rated school and get both theoretical exam credits.
Once you have some kind of PPL and both exam credits you'll be on line a better place to assess the market.
As long as you build plenty of (50+) hours as PIC under IFR you'll be able to get your second IR with just a test (CBIR rules) even if you don't do to a dual rated school. You can also freeze the ATPL with only an SEIR.
Joined: Dec 2005
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,970
Likes: 326
From: Hong Kong
The easiest way is to go to a dual rated school where you can do one course and two tests for each module. In all cases you need to get a minimum of CPL and SEIR to freeze the ATPL.
