EASA ATPL(H) to Frozen ATPL(A)
 

Hi All

Has anyone out there converted from rotary to fixed wing?

Specifically looking at the requirements to convert from EASA ATPL(H) to Frozen ATPL(A).

I have made the token call to the CAA and this isn't as clear cut as it seems?

I understand there are ground and flight elements to consider here and would like to know what others have done to achieve this?

I would also be interested to know of any decent ATOs worth considering for said conversion.

Cheers PP👍

It was a well trodden path from the N Sea to an airliner in the mid 80s.
I can't help you with the process now, it was an abridged course or sufficient P1 fixed wing hours, a fixed wing twin IR, a GFT ( 2 in fact instrument and GH) and a few ground exams (performance, variable pitch props, air con and P of F ).

Bottom line in practical terms is that an experienced multi crew Helicopter IR pilot can transition quite easily. It was not unknown for a pilot with 2 years N Sea experience to be flying passengers ( with a training captain) with only 15hours multi engine fixed wing time.

The fixed wing market is buoyant at the moment so do it now.

It was my plan...
 

I had a plan to do just this but a better offer came along so didn't do it. However....

Assuming you have a valid ATPL(H) with valid IR you'd need to do the following:

A. Do 5 exams (PoF, instrumentation, AGK, Perf and Op Procedures)
B. Get a PPL(A) and hours build to 100 hrs PIC (also grab a night rating in there - 5 hrs)
C. Get an MEP (5 hrs), ME IR (10 hrs because of heli IR), and CPL (15 hrs)
D. You'll have MCC credit so then it depends on the job offered.

This is all assuming you want to go the fully modular route as I assume you'll keep working the current job. There are integrated ways to do the same. All this is in CAP804 of course.

I did mine a long while ago under national procedures, pretty similar to above.

5 Exams, (PoF, instrumentation, AGK, Perf and Op Procedures)
1 Bridging exam comprising of 100 random questions taken from the ATPL syllabus covering fixed wing specific areas.
1 CPL/Multi/IR (Multi/IR was done first in 10 hours followed by CPL in 15 hours)
If you don't have them already (I mostly did) 100 hours PIC fixed wing and a night rating.

I, like most of my colleagues, did mine in the states. Cheap as chips.

If the above structure still stands under EASA it's pretty straight forward.

If not then you would have to contact the CAA licencing department to get their views or any of the distance learning ground school places.

Good luck.

I have just completed the transition myself. I had 200 hours fixed-wing and an FAA ME CPL (A) from a few years ago, so my case was not straight forward.

Basically I had to do the 5 ATPL exams, training as required to pass the CPL test which must include a full MEP course (min 6 hours) and a 10 hour IR conversion.

This course of training had to approved by my licensing authority after receiving a training recommendation from an ATO.

Hope it helps.

It's no longer a composite exam, but 5 separate ones as described above. For those who are interested, there are a lot of FW pilots required this year (350 here, 200 there....). Yes, I know there are tons of them out there, but they don't have as many hours as the N Sea guys who are potentially available. And instruments is instruments.....

Phil

For someone with say 4-5k hours, offshore multi-crew time, who not only did the National CPL exams, then also had to do the 7 IR exams, would the requirement still be for all 5 exams? I'm pretty sure I went through instruments exam twice now, but nothing surprises me with the system anymore.

I guess to hold the frozen atpl(a) the hours requirement for fixed wing flying has to be completed too? Or would it be a different scenario if you were offered a co-pilot position with just a frozen atpl(a) ?

The joys of aviation

Don't quote me but I think the ATPL(A) exams are kept current by your ATPL(H) IR.

Thank you everyone. CAP804 is written based on acquiring a full ATPL A not a frozen one...

helimutt - yes, you do have to take the 5 :(

phil

Helipilot1982, were you successful in finding work after conversion?

Some of you guys seem to know a bit about bridging - lets say you have a PPL(A) and a PPL(H). You pass all 14 ATPL(A) exams. You then take the required 5 ATPL(H) exams. Can you now rock up and start a CPL(H) course? Or do you have to do CPL(A) first and get the licence issued?

Common sense tells me that ATPL(A)+5(H) = ATPL(H)+5(A) in terms of theory.

Common sense - what's that? :)

phil

PP

Not yet - but I am one of the fortunate ones to still have a North Sea job.

Thank you. Can't see my feeble brain being able to cope with 5 more exams now. I reckon 21 is enough aviation exams in anyone's lifetime.

Oh well. It seemed like a good idea at the time. :ugh:

Assuming you have a valid ATPL(H) with valid IR you'd need to do the following:

A. Do 5 exams (PoF, instrumentation, AGK, Perf and Op Procedures)
B. Get a PPL(A) and hours build to 100 hrs PIC (also grab a night rating in there - 5 hrs)
C. Get an MEP (5 hrs), ME IR (10 hrs because of heli IR), and CPL (15 hrs)
D. You'll have MCC credit so then it depends on the job offered.

Couldn´t you then do a PPL(A) in the US or Canada (where it is less expensive to fly), fly the 100hrs, then come back to Europe, do a PPL followed by a CPL?

You need 100 hours of aeroplane time, but you don't need 100 hours pic - you can credit helicopter time.
You can get an ICAO PPL and skip straight to CPL, but what I'd recommended is this: book a 2 week package to Florida and get an FAA PPL, then do an EASA PPL test. That will give you something to hang the IR on, so you can do the IR before the CPL. Then night, the rest of the cross country pic for the IR, then MEP training, then IR. Once you've got 85 hours, the 15 hour CPL course.

Quite right, I was badly advised about the 100 hrs PIC in aeroplanes. Agree with plan above. Just remember credit for exams only works from issued ATPL not ATPl theory credit.

It does in UK. That is, if you have taken the ATPL(H) exams but have a CPL(H), you can do the (A) exams, which are 60% what you know already. We do it all the time here.

phil