Not necessarily true about needing a CRP5 flight computer. A Jepp. CR or equivalent works just as well. I'd argue better, because some of the Mach No. problems require an extra step with a CRP5 compared to a CR type. One trap with a CR is using the normal method of ignoring Effective TAS until drift is greater than 10 deg. Don't. Always adjust for Effective TAS, interpolating as necessary if drift is less than 10 degrees.

The CRP5 is notorious for not being a particularly accurate whiz wheel. The examiners answers have to allow for the accuracy of computing devices. It's so common in the UK because most instructors there have no experience with other whiz wheels. They use what their instructors used who, in turn used what their instructors used.

I did my UK ATPL using my CR5 (the smallest and therefore least accurate of the CR series) and had no problem, scoring highly in Nav. Of the people in my course around 8 or 10 of us were converting from an overseas licence (most of us with Australian or New Zealand CPLs or ATPLs) and all of us bar one used CRs (he used a Kane E6B ie no Mach scales, + Temp ratio tables & memorised formula for Mach No. calcs). Most were CR2s ie the 4" model). Without fail, our CRs always provided a tighter cluster of (correct) answer variability than the CRP used by the rest of the class. Both Oz & NZ exams are more similar to UK/JAR than FAA so maybe that's a factor.

My conversion was to the UK ATPL (last UK exams just prior to JAR implementation) so slightly different to current JAR requirements but would give you an idea of what's involved. At the time I held Australian & FAA ATPLs with ~ 3700 hrs TT, no type ratings & was a current multi & instrument instructor in Oz with quite a bit of charter (ie part 135) time in the outback and cities.

It took 14 exams studied via two full time courses (8 weeks each, timed to end in time for when the exams are held plus an extra 'Performance' exam. NO sit-on-demand in Europe!) for the two exam groupings, and flight training as required for the required two flight tests (initial issue of a professional licence and an instrument rating). The flight tests were done on the same day, same examiner, same flight, with the first half of the flight the CPL/ATPL licence and the 2nd half the IR). The tests must be done with a CAA examiner (equiv. to an FAA inspector). All up I did 9.5 hours from start of flying to end of flight tests.

Exemptions:

Because I held a *current* instrument rating I was exempt the radio practical test ie no sitting with an RT examiner testing my ability to use standard phraseology.

To avoid the exorbitant fees charged by the CAA for the initial issue of a UK Class 1 medical I went to the UK with a fresh Class 1 medical (from Oz) + an opthalmologist's (not optometrist!) report and a fresh chest X-ray. Otherwise I would have had to attend a full initial issue medical at the CAA's headquarters in Gatwick (the 'Belgrano'. Its namesake was sunk in the Falklands war. The current one is large, painted grey, full of bureaucracy & procedure and difficult to sway from course. How appropriate). Having all of those things meant I only had to go to the Belgrano's medical section to have my paperwork processed.

Differences now with JAR if you do it in the UK:

Varies with experience and with licences. Unless you're in the 'lots of experience on heavy jets' category it will typically mean that you'll have the 14 exams to do, a CPL flight test (no minimum training, just recommended by an instructor), an IR test (minimum 15 hours training), and an initial Class 1 medical at the Belgrano. I don't know if they still allow the foreign Class 1 medical short cut.

If going for a JAR ATPL then you will have to do the test in an aircraft that required two flight crew. If you don't already have 500 hours in a multicrew type then you will also have to do a Multi Crew Cooperation course (MCC) - an introduction to multi-crew concepts type of thing. No pass mark for the MCC just satisfactory attendance. Typically two weeks & a couple of thousand UK pounds.

The extra performance exam I had to do is now included within JAR's 14 exams so no longer required.

The best thing to read is the UK CAA's 'LASORS', downloadable from their website www.caa.gov.uk. LASORS is a publications that distils the current requirements into a single document. Also www.pprune.org has *heaps* of information. PPRuNe is a UK based bulletin board. Go to the 'Wannabe's' section for licencing & training info.