The FAA PPL and DGCA CPL problem.
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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The FAA PPL and DGCA CPL problem.
So I have the FAA PPL. And over 227 hours. All requirements (excluding mutli engine) completed for Indian CPL. I was flying in San Diego.
Now here is the problem -
1) I am in India and I want to get the Multi Engine CPL in India.
2) Will I have to convert my PPL or can I get an SPL and directly start CPL training as I have enough hours and requirements (all excluding multi req. of course) done?
3)All the flying I have done is in USA on the FAA PPL. Will it count if I do what is mentioned in (2)?
I encountered some rude behaviour and hostility earlier in the forums. To those people - Yes, I did search for answers everywhere. On the forums, DGCA website, the DGCA babus, google and my friends. I did not get any answers. Hence, I am asking all of you here.
HELP!
Now here is the problem -
1) I am in India and I want to get the Multi Engine CPL in India.
2) Will I have to convert my PPL or can I get an SPL and directly start CPL training as I have enough hours and requirements (all excluding multi req. of course) done?
3)All the flying I have done is in USA on the FAA PPL. Will it count if I do what is mentioned in (2)?
I encountered some rude behaviour and hostility earlier in the forums. To those people - Yes, I did search for answers everywhere. On the forums, DGCA website, the DGCA babus, google and my friends. I did not get any answers. Hence, I am asking all of you here.
HELP!
Join Date: Jan 2010
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hello, im new to this thread.
i am currently doing my FAA single engine commercial. i have few hours on multi engine ( DA-42 ), 10 hours to be exact. is there any way i can get a multi engine endorsed on my indian cpl without giving a multi commercial checkride.
the dgca conversion form says to have 10hrs and GFT to endorse multi engine airplane on indian cpl.
im confused, pls help
i am currently doing my FAA single engine commercial. i have few hours on multi engine ( DA-42 ), 10 hours to be exact. is there any way i can get a multi engine endorsed on my indian cpl without giving a multi commercial checkride.
the dgca conversion form says to have 10hrs and GFT to endorse multi engine airplane on indian cpl.
im confused, pls help
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@wolverine56;
Are you trying to bypass FAA multi commercial checkride because you don't want to pay for another checkride & 3 hours of checkride prep or you don't feel confident that you will pass the Multi checkride. Either way, this saving will not help you either in the long or short run......
CAN U DO IT, of course you can do it.... Does it make sense, that's a differnt question. Conveting FAA to DGCA is a different ball game.
Remember, when you are converting, whatever is on your FAA lic will come to your DGCA lic.
If you want to bypass the multi commercial checkride by FAA & If you have the 10 hrs, you can find a DA42 in India, you can do the DGCA requirement of a GFT & 3 t/o & Ldgs, by Day & Night & make sure you have the written test on DA42 done before the GFT.
A GFT day & night plus 3 landings will be approx 3 hrs in India, it will be much more expensive than the FAA checkride plus wait for written exam.
Also, remember, FAA lic is valid for LIFE, they never expire...... Just do a BFR & IPC & you are good.....
People do it from abroad for a reason, they don't have to pass the DGCA written exam & it is less expensive.
Are you trying to bypass FAA multi commercial checkride because you don't want to pay for another checkride & 3 hours of checkride prep or you don't feel confident that you will pass the Multi checkride. Either way, this saving will not help you either in the long or short run......
CAN U DO IT, of course you can do it.... Does it make sense, that's a differnt question. Conveting FAA to DGCA is a different ball game.
Remember, when you are converting, whatever is on your FAA lic will come to your DGCA lic.
If you want to bypass the multi commercial checkride by FAA & If you have the 10 hrs, you can find a DA42 in India, you can do the DGCA requirement of a GFT & 3 t/o & Ldgs, by Day & Night & make sure you have the written test on DA42 done before the GFT.
A GFT day & night plus 3 landings will be approx 3 hrs in India, it will be much more expensive than the FAA checkride plus wait for written exam.
Also, remember, FAA lic is valid for LIFE, they never expire...... Just do a BFR & IPC & you are good.....
People do it from abroad for a reason, they don't have to pass the DGCA written exam & it is less expensive.
Join Date: Apr 2011
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@KARBINE
Applying through FAA conversion falls under different rules, applying a fresh Indian CPL route will be under different rules.
They both have their Pros & cons...
If you have the ability or means to return to USA, I would still recommend coming back to USA & giving an FAA Cpl checkride This route will be much cheaper & definitely, a lot LESS painfull.
If you want to apply for DGCA CPL directly, you have to make sure that you fulfill DGCA requirements like cross country, 250 NM & 300 NM & Night flying & such things, etc etc. Remeber DGCA X-C is 100 NM & FAA is 50 NM, so you will have to find out which X-C is 100 NM or more.
If you want to do this, then I would recomend that you go to an Indian Flying club or school, as you need someone to sign your forms & verify that you have met all the requirements. Trying to do it your self will be super hard, if not impossible.
You don't need to get a PPL first, you can just get a 1st class medical & an SPL issued on the basis of DGCA CPL exams that you have already cleared & it can be issued by any flying school.
Write the requirements for issue of CPL from DGCA website or CARs on a paper, then Go through your log book & find out if you have all the requirements or you are missing some. You will know that you are missing atleast some requirements because FAA is different than DGCA. Then have a CFI go over your logbook & the list to make sure that you did noty miss anything. (MOST LIKELY NOT HAPPENING IN INDIA)
TIP ... (BUY A GIFT TO A FLIGHT CLERK & HE WILL MOST LIKELY DO IT FOR YOU & ALSO MAKE SURE YOU PAPERS ARE IN CORRECT ORDER )
If any requirements are missing, just fly those in India & apply for a LIC.
At minimum, you will have to fly a GFT & 3 T/O & Lgds by day & Night & an Inrstrument rating Flying Test.
That is 4 hrs min, if you meet all the requirements.
Applying through FAA conversion falls under different rules, applying a fresh Indian CPL route will be under different rules.
They both have their Pros & cons...
If you have the ability or means to return to USA, I would still recommend coming back to USA & giving an FAA Cpl checkride This route will be much cheaper & definitely, a lot LESS painfull.
If you want to apply for DGCA CPL directly, you have to make sure that you fulfill DGCA requirements like cross country, 250 NM & 300 NM & Night flying & such things, etc etc. Remeber DGCA X-C is 100 NM & FAA is 50 NM, so you will have to find out which X-C is 100 NM or more.
If you want to do this, then I would recomend that you go to an Indian Flying club or school, as you need someone to sign your forms & verify that you have met all the requirements. Trying to do it your self will be super hard, if not impossible.
You don't need to get a PPL first, you can just get a 1st class medical & an SPL issued on the basis of DGCA CPL exams that you have already cleared & it can be issued by any flying school.
Write the requirements for issue of CPL from DGCA website or CARs on a paper, then Go through your log book & find out if you have all the requirements or you are missing some. You will know that you are missing atleast some requirements because FAA is different than DGCA. Then have a CFI go over your logbook & the list to make sure that you did noty miss anything. (MOST LIKELY NOT HAPPENING IN INDIA)
TIP ... (BUY A GIFT TO A FLIGHT CLERK & HE WILL MOST LIKELY DO IT FOR YOU & ALSO MAKE SURE YOU PAPERS ARE IN CORRECT ORDER )
If any requirements are missing, just fly those in India & apply for a LIC.
At minimum, you will have to fly a GFT & 3 T/O & Lgds by day & Night & an Inrstrument rating Flying Test.
That is 4 hrs min, if you meet all the requirements.
Last edited by pilotbaba; 14th Oct 2011 at 17:07.
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I really dont understand why one would want to skip the FAA practical test especially on the DA-42. I have instructed on the twinstar and it is by far the easiest plane to ever take a checkride in. As someone mentioned earlier in the thread it would be far cheaper (and less complicated) by completing the multi engine rating with the FAA and then just converting this license to DGCA like 90% of folks have. Cutting corners with the DGCA makes you go into a mind killing maze of babudom. 
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@pilotbaba
Thank you for your response. To make it more clear, here is a list of what I have right now -
1) DGCA CPLG (Air Met, Air Regs, Air Nav) papers CLEARED and VALID.
2) RT(R) cleared. Licence in hand.
3) FAA PPL with IR.
4) All my X-countries are more than 100NM minimum with most being over 250NM.
5) Total hours 220
So, according to your post, I should go ahead and apply for the Indian CPL directly by gathering/obtaining the required documents for my flight time?
Still, will my hours flown abroad be counted if I apply for a CPL in India?
I was under the impression that I have to train and give a checkride for CPL on single engine here, because I already fulfill the hour, cross country, landings, approaches etc requirements. Then I can proceed to get a Multi Engine endorsement on it.
According to you, do I not have to train but just apply for the license directly?
I am sorry if I sound idiotic here. My brain is fried because of the DGCA rules and I am unable to finish my training abroad.
Thank you for replying to this thread everyone.
Thank you for your response. To make it more clear, here is a list of what I have right now -
1) DGCA CPLG (Air Met, Air Regs, Air Nav) papers CLEARED and VALID.
2) RT(R) cleared. Licence in hand.
3) FAA PPL with IR.
4) All my X-countries are more than 100NM minimum with most being over 250NM.
5) Total hours 220
So, according to your post, I should go ahead and apply for the Indian CPL directly by gathering/obtaining the required documents for my flight time?
Still, will my hours flown abroad be counted if I apply for a CPL in India?
I was under the impression that I have to train and give a checkride for CPL on single engine here, because I already fulfill the hour, cross country, landings, approaches etc requirements. Then I can proceed to get a Multi Engine endorsement on it.
According to you, do I not have to train but just apply for the license directly?
I am sorry if I sound idiotic here. My brain is fried because of the DGCA rules and I am unable to finish my training abroad.
Thank you for replying to this thread everyone.
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@ Karbine
The DGCA will give credit for all the flying hours flown in the U.S
Since you are not converting a license you will atleast need to hold an Indian SPL ( no need for a PPL )
To get the SPL you will need a valid RTR , FRTOL and valid class 1 medical .
Since you cleared your CPL papers you wont have to give the oral exam
Another thing you will have to do is clear the CPL Technical General and CPL Technical Specifc papers ( for the aircraft you need )
This is because you dont hold a foreign license
For technical specific you will need a ground class certificate to apply for the exam .
After that you will need to meet the 6 month recency requirements as well as the skill checks etc and other requirements given on the CPL application form
http://dgca.nic.in/forms/crew-d/cpl_a.PDF
You can use it as checklist to see which all requirements you have and which all you dont have
I still think its better if you finish off your training in the U.S . Because the aircraft rental rates in India are very expensive when compared to the U.S
The DGCA will give credit for all the flying hours flown in the U.S
Since you are not converting a license you will atleast need to hold an Indian SPL ( no need for a PPL )
To get the SPL you will need a valid RTR , FRTOL and valid class 1 medical .
Since you cleared your CPL papers you wont have to give the oral exam
Another thing you will have to do is clear the CPL Technical General and CPL Technical Specifc papers ( for the aircraft you need )
This is because you dont hold a foreign license
For technical specific you will need a ground class certificate to apply for the exam .
After that you will need to meet the 6 month recency requirements as well as the skill checks etc and other requirements given on the CPL application form
http://dgca.nic.in/forms/crew-d/cpl_a.PDF
You can use it as checklist to see which all requirements you have and which all you dont have
I still think its better if you finish off your training in the U.S . Because the aircraft rental rates in India are very expensive when compared to the U.S
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@karbine : were you able to convert your license
Just wanted to know if you were able to convert the license or not...
I am in a same sticky situation right now. Have a canadian PPL with more than 200 hours. Cleared my DGCA exams, have SPL and frtol too.
Are the hours valid in India. can i go ahead with the six month recency requirements in india ?
I am in a same sticky situation right now. Have a canadian PPL with more than 200 hours. Cleared my DGCA exams, have SPL and frtol too.
Are the hours valid in India. can i go ahead with the six month recency requirements in india ?
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@karbine
Hi @karbine specially addressing this to you ... I have the same issue you had in 2011 200 hours and an FAA PPL .. I want to get a dgca cpl ... Please tell me what did you do ... Urgently need help ... Dgca papers nav met and regs cleared ... Help
