EASA Conversion, Valid ICAO license?
 

I am embarking on the conversion of ICAO ATPL license to EASA in the UK.

I have read through CAP804.

My ICAO license, ratings, endorsements ARE all valid and current, i.e not cancelled, suspended or expired (they don't expire), however when I do the flight test(s) I may not necessarily be 'proficient' in respect of my original ICAO license, does this matter? I will be training and demonstrating proficiency to the relevant EASA standards but using my existing license and experience, I just don't want to find myself in a 'computer says NO' moment with the CAA.

Any advice?

No it does not matter, you either have the skill to pass the ATPL Skills Test or not.

You will still be required to pass a Proficiency Check on each rating you transfer over anyway, so training may be required

I guess you have done/passed all 14 exams? Would you for how long the credits are valid for, provided the ICAO ATPL remains current/valid?

On this website Airline transport pilot licence (ATPL) common requirements | UK Civil Aviation Authority it states that the credit for the theoretical knowledge exams towards the issue of an ATPL remains valid for 7 years from the expiry date of an IR.

No haven't passed the exams yet. In my case I don't know if the exams last longer than 7 years, I am applying for the initial issue of an EASA license.
I hope it takes less than 7 years...

However this may help, I found this in CAP 804, but it's in reference to revalidation and renewal.

Section 5 in CAP 804 refers to UK National Licences and I think the conversion of an ICAO ATPL does not fall into this category. Relevant for conversion is 'Section 4 Part Q, Subpart 2'.

I only posted that as I thought perhaps you already had an EASA IR, Section 5 in CAP 804 allows you fly abroad on a valid ICAO IR, and maintain your IR credits for the purpose of revalidation or renewal.

I understood your ATPL credits remain valid, while you hold an EASA IR, these are of course two different things, but not unrelated. So perhaps that is of some help to you.

In my case seven years to get my initial EASA ATPL should be sufficient.

I do not hold an EASA IR (or licence) but I do hold a current ICAO ATPL. Trying to find out whether the exam credits remain valid for 7 years as long as I keep my ICAO ATPL current, or if they expire after 3 years from the date of last exam pass.

Why do you think that you have 7 years to get your initial EASA ATPL? From your post I gather you are in a similar situation to me i.e. not holding any EASA licence/rating.

My mistake, the 7 years is correct if your coming through the normal EASA pathway. ie. you have to hold a CPL/IR/MCC in order to get the ATPL. I believe the 3 years your talking about refers to CPL and IR.

So I don't know for sure how long I get to convert my license, it doesn’t appear to be in CAP 804 but I would assume it's at least 3 years:p

Can anyone please clarify this for me. My understanding is that to convert an ICAO IR to EASA that it must be valid in order to receive the credit to only require 15 hours training (10 Sim 5 aircraft). I am looking at moving to the UK at the end of May from Australia where my ME Command IR is valid until 31/7/16 and I have a perpetual ME Private IR. By the time I finish the EASA ATPL subjects my Command IR will have expired. Will I still be eligible for the credit on the basis of my Private IR?
Thanks.

Hey ODP, i'm doing the same thing.

I came back to Aus to get an IPC. 3000$… :mad::ugh:

For all the others that are confused on here about the 7yrs or the 3 years, this is how I understand it.

Exam credits are valid for:

7 years if you are transitioning directly to an EASA ATPL, as in you have an ICAO ATPL as well as 500hrs on a multi pilot acft (min req for EASA atpl)

3 years if for all other conversions. Which means even if you have a ICAO ATPL, but not the '500 multi pilot' hours, then you got 3 years to finish your EASA CPL.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but this is how I interpreted it.

PS. what flying schools are some of the other Aussies on here looking at to convert their licence.

You have three years to attain an EASA professional licence from the date of last exam pass. It does not matter whether it's an ATPL or a CPL, so multi crew hours do not matter here - at this stage.

An ICAO IR (current) will keep the ATPL theory credits valid for seven years, after issue of the EASA licence.

500 hours on a certified multi crew aircraft will exempt you from the MCC course. Certain proviso's exist for single pilot aircraft operated multi crew.

Section 4, part A, Paragraph 3 of CAP 804:

(c) Validity period

(1) The successful completion of the theoretical knowledge examinations will
be valid:

(i) for the issue of a light aircraft pilot licence, a private pilot licence, a
sailplane pilot licence or a balloon pilot licence, for a period of 24
months;

(ii) for the issue of a commercial pilot licence or instrument rating (IR), for
a period of 36 months;

(iii) the periods in (i) and (ii) shall be counted from the day when the pilot
successfully completes the theoretical knowledge examination, in
accordance with (b)(2).

(2) The completion of the airline transport pilot licence (ATPL) theoretical
knowledge examinations will remain valid for the issue of an ATPL for a
period of 7 years from the last validity date of:

(i) an IR entered in the licence; or

(ii) in the case of helicopters, a helicopter’s type rating entered in that
licence.

You just made my day! Do you have a reference for the 7 years rule? Just in case CAA UK wants to argue😉 Cheers!

https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-ind...-requirements/

Just to be clear Sahni, you have 3 years from date of last exam pass to gain an EASA CPL and IR. After this time frame, your NZ IR (if current) will keep the EASA ATPL theory credits for 7 years. If you exceed this 7 year time frame, you will have to complete the ATPL theory exams again. As long as you keep the Kiwi IR on the go, the EASA ATPL theory will remain valid.

It is not very clear at all, the section of the CAA publication you have quoted is specifically for the Issue of a CPL and IR, you can't normally obtain an ATPL without first gaining a CPL and IR. A license conversion at the ATPL level is something different.

I don't think you will find anything 100% definitive in a regulation, as for each 'State' the concepts around license validity aren't the same, and they are NOT directly transferable.

I have been told as far as the CAA in the UK are concerned you will need to show proof that your license/rating are valid, and they will looking to see a date.

My advice is to get a stamp/signature with a date in your license or logbook that shows the license/rating your application is based on is valid.

It is 7 years, but the IR has a separate validity. You will only need to refresh 4 exams.

Can you quote that?

I made some progress with my licence conversion and have the skill test booked. Now a new question came up: Do I have to re-do English Language Proficiency and Flight Radio Licence? My current ICAO ATPL is valid and endorsed with ELP level 6.

Any advice? Cheers!

I just had to deal with this myself with my conversion. From what I can gather the English Language Proficiency must be done by an EASA approved English assessor. They do not accept ELP endorsements from ICAO. But any EASA assessor will work regardless of country. The Irish accept a Danish ELP assessment and vice-versa.

As for the radio licence, it varies between countries. The UK requires a new radio licence, as does Denmark. Although one former Danish CAA employee told me the ATPL can be issued without the radio licence, but you need the radio licence to exercise the ATPL privileges. Clear as mud? The Irish, however, do not have a separate radio licence - "Radiotelephony privileges are included within IAA pilot licences, rather than being issued as a separate document. There are no additional technical requirements to be met – you will be assessed on use of RT during the ATPL skill test." So check with the country you will be making the ATPL application with as the radio licences are different for each country. The UK and Denmark for sure require a new licence, Ireland for sure does not.

Hope that helps.