Taking the 13 ATPL exams
 

Hi, just want to confirm I can write the 13 ATPL exams while having a CAA (Canadian) CPL.

The idea is to work in Canada until I get my ATPL, then hopefully already having most of my EASA ATPL exams written, I can do a straight conversion from Canadian ATPL to EASA ATPL. But I want to start writing these exams before I have my Canadian ATPL first

Possible?

Yup. The only prerequisite is an ICAO PPL.
You will need to be on a course at an approved training organisation (ATO) which can be distance learning or residential.

An easier option would be to study now but don't take the exams until you have your Canadian ATPL. The ATPL will exempt you from having to do the course (you can self-certify for the exams) and will save you the £2000ish course fee.

After the exams you have two options:

1) To do a straight ATPL conversion you will need a multi crew type on your Canadian ATPL and 500 hours on type. You can't get a UK/EASA ATPL without those 500 hours multi crew time. Also, provided those 500 hours are on a single type and you have a Canadian type rating then it's just a single sim session to get the ATPL and Type Rating.

2) If you have 500 multi crew hours but not on one type, you can do a full type-rating course and get an ATPL.

3) With less than 500 hours multi crew you'll need to do a CPL/MEIR which means training and separate skill tests on a piston aircraft. If you get 50 hours PIC under IFR you'll be able to self certify for the MEIR.

Basically you need to get yourself an airline/multi crew job in Canada to go straight to the ATPL, but if you do is the fastest, easiest and cheapest option.

I believe you need 1000 hours as PIC on an aircraft that requires two pilots to self-certify. It might have reduced since I last looked.

Thank you for your reply. I'm not actually looking to self certify because I'm sure the exams are a lot more in-depth than what I would know from the 2 ATPL exams that Canada requires, considering there are 13 of them. Not to mention EASA specifics that would be different than Canada. So I'd rather pay for the online resources to study for all 13 exams. I'd also like to start doing these 2-3 at a time, therefore starting before I would have my Canadian ATPL. Happy to hear I can do that.

Regarding your points, can you confirm that if I have 500hrs on type as an FO I no longer need to take a type rating flight test (on a SIM)? Or by "full type-rating course" you meant having to take additional flight hours before I can take the flight test?

If I do need to take a flight test, does EU have any simulators for Dash 8 / CRJ where I can take the test in?

You need to take a test to get a licence. For CPL that's in an airplane, for an ATPL it would be done in a SIM.

If you have 500 hours on the same type you can just do an ATPL skills test which will give you the ATPL and the Type Rating.

With less than 500 on type you'd need to do a full type rating course of 48 sim hours or whatever, but could still get an ATPL at the end.

Less than 500 multi crew and you'd need to do a CPL/IR before you could do the type rating course, then get 500 multi crew before you can take the ATPL test. (Unlike Canada there is an ATPL test in a multi crew SIM)

You can find an EASA sim for pretty much any aircraft you can think of. They have electricity and running water too.

You may also need to be current in addition to having 500 hours, but again check with a flight school.

The exams are seriously different from Canadian ones. They might ask what an inverter is, but EASA will want you to know how it works :) There are many subjects the Canadians would not even ask a flight engineer.