Converting a ICAO licence to a JAA pilot licence

Converting to a JAA licence can be somewhat involved and, in some instances, hard and time consuming. In this page we will try to guide you through the maze of information that is available to best get you a JAA pilots licence. Do not call us for more info...for more up to date info contact the CAA in the UK.

Please note before you read on: this information is given as a guide only, it is constantly being changed. Should you wish to have your particular case clarified please complete the form below, and we will review your qualifications and respond with the appropriate conversion options.

I hold a Commercial Pilots Licence and wish to convert to a JAA Commercial Pilots Licence

To convert to a JAA Commercial Pilots Licence you need to:
1. Attain a Class 1 JAA Medical examination (needed for flight test, attainable only in Europe); PLUS
   
2. Undertake a course of tuition as determined by the Head of Training of an approved JAA Ground School and sit all 9 commercial level examinations (plus 7 Instrument rating exams should you wish to attain a Instrument rating); OR
   
3. Undertake an approved groundschool course of tuition for the ATPL theoretical knowledge exams (14 of them and they cover, CPL, IR and ATPL) and Undertake flight training as required and determined by a Head of Training of an Approved CPL school; PLUS
   
4. Attain a Flight radio telephony operators certificate
   

I hold an Airline Transport Pilots Licence and wish to convert to a JAA Airline Transport Pilots Licence

• Option 1

  1. Hold 1500hrs of which 500hrs is in FAR25 or FAR23 certified multi crew aircraft, of which you need 250hrs in any aircraft type as PIC or 100 PIC under supervision

  2. Hold a medical class 1 JAA

  3. Pass ALL 14 ATPL exams

  4. Undertake training as recommended by a Approved school’s Chief Ground Instructor (in other words you can do it quickly or over a long time, you have no requirement to sit through the 770 hr long course)

  5. Undertake a type rating course at a JAA approved training provider

  6. Complete a ATPL skills test with a United Kingdom CAA examiner

     So in summary you can do it this way to get rid of the 770hr classroom requirement if you have the experience and do the type rating and flight test on a FAR25 or 23 type aircraft.

• Option 2 - If you hold 500 hrs multi crew experience on a FAR 25 /23 type, hold a type rating on that type, and will be doing your ATPL skills test on that type, you are exempt from the Type rating course and doing any type of training for the ground examinations. You can simply just enter and sit them without any help, then go and do the skills test.

• Option 3 - Special terms for Pilots meeting the experience criteria below * have been agreed as an interim measure for the grant of the above licence until the Joint Aviation Authority have agreed appropriate new conversion terms.

  1. * A minimum of 3,000 hours as pilot of public transport aircraft over 30,000 kgs MTWA on scheduled international or similar routes, a minimum of 1,500 hours of which must have been as Pilot-in-Command.

  2. The restriction to fly UK registered aircraft only, may be removed when the final terms have been agreed, subject to any additional requirements being completed.

  3. To apply for a written assessment you will require a 'JAR-FCL 680 pack'.

     Option 3 is rarely used by persons wishing to convert.
     

• Option 4 - Now of course you may not have any of the above requirements, then you will need to complete a Ground school course, undertake the examinations, and then complete the Commercial Skills test and complete a 15hr conversion course for a Instrument rating following by the Instrument rating skills test.

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