icarosF1

Here is a little info for those who are interested on converting their licences to JAA.
CONVERTING FAA / ICAO LICENSE TO JAA LICENSE
If you hold a pilot license issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 1 (e.g. FAA license) and wish to fly an aircraft registered in JAA-member country, you will need to obtain a JAA pilot license. It is not an easy process - it can be quite complicated and time + money consuming, but it can be achieved. There are 2 ways how you can go about it. First possibility is to have your current non-JAA license validated by the Aviation Authority of the JAA country where you intend to do the flying. Second possibility is to convert your current non-JAA license into JAA license. The information outlined in the following paragraphs is trying to describe the process of license validation and license conversion.

Please, treat this info as a guide only as the applicable regulations change quite often. For the latest status of applicable legislation, please, refer to the applicable sections of JAR-FCL (open in PDF - 1.96 MB) , which is a document that governs the aspects of issuing pilot licenses and pilot training in Europe. Refer to chapter JAR-FCL 1.015 + the applicable Appendixes to this chapter.

The license conversion process can be somewhat complicated. We reccommend that you contact an approved Flight Training Organization and discuss your conversion requirements with them. They will be able to provide you with more up-to-date information on the latest legislation changes and provide you will all the required training involved in the process.

VALIDATION OF YOUR NON-JAA LICENSE
JAR-FCL-1, chapter 1.015, section (b) allows the Aviation Authority of a JAA-member country to approve a validation of a non-JAA pilot license for a period not exceeding 1 year. This validation is however completely at the discretion of the Aviation Authority. Most likely the only time when the Aviation Authority would approve such validation would be an immediate need of qualified and type-rated professional pilots by one of the aircraft operators (airlines) in that respective country. If your validation is approved you will receive a time-limited JAA "national" license that will be valid only for flight operations on aircraft registered in the respective country that granted you the validation. You will not be able to fly aircraft registered in other JAA countries. Conditions for license validation are:

- Your current non-JAA license must be valid
- Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 1 medical certificate
- Meet the requirements of Appendix 1 or 3 to JAR-FCL 1.015 (open in PDF - 0.1 MB)
- Pass a skill test / type or class rating revalidation
- Demonstrate knowledge of relevant sections of JAR-OPS + JAR-FCL regulations



CONVERSION OF YOUR NON-JAA LICENSE
JAR-FCL-1, chapter 1.015, section (c) describes the legislation involved in converting your non-JAA (ICAO) license to JAA license. The conversion process requirements are greately dependant and vary with your pilot experience and license type you hold. The following sections outline the basic conversion requirements for different experience levels and license types:

ICAO ATPL >>> JAA ATPL (experience >3000 hrs on aeroplanes over 30t MTOW, including >1500 PIC hrs on these)
If you hold a non-JAA ATPL license and have 3000 hours on multi-pilot certified aeroplanes (PIC or co-pilot) with maximum takeoff weight of 30.000 kg or more and have at least 1500 hours as PIC (Captain) on these aircraft you qualify for the exemption in the widest scope. Your experience will be evaluated on individual basis and conversion requirements will be setup for you by the Civil Aviation Authority of the state where you intend to do the flying.

ICAO ATPL >>> JAA ATPL (experience >1500 hrs on multi-pilot aeroplanes; including >500 hrs on type)
If you hold a non-JAA ATPL license and have 1500 hours on multi-pilot certified aeroplanes (PIC or co-pilot), including 500 hours on the multi-pilot aeroplane type on which you will be doing your final JAA skill test, the following requirements apply to you. You are not required to undergo a formal structured JAA ATPL groundschool training for your theoretical examinations and you do not need to undergo the Type-Rating/MCC training. - Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 1 medical
- Obtain a Radio Telephony Operator License
- Pass all 14 JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations
- Pass the ATPL skill test - must be with or observed by a CAA Flight Operations Inspector

ICAO ATPL >>> JAA ATPL (experience >1500 hrs on multi-pilot aeroplanes; including <500 hrs on type)
If you hold a non-JAA ATPL license and have 1500 hours on multi-pilot certified aeroplanes (PIC or co-pilot), but less than 500 hours on the multi-pilot aeroplane type on which you will be doing your final JAA skill test, the following requirements apply to you. You are not required to undergo a formal structured JAA ATPL groundschool training for your theoretical examinations, but you will need to do the Type-Rating/MCC training. - Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 1 medical
- Obtain a Radio Telephony Operator License
- Pass all 14 JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations
- Undergo and pass Type-Rating/MCC course in approved TRTO (Type Rating Training Organization)
- Pass the ATPL skill test - must be with or observed by a CAA Flight Operations Inspector


ICAO ATPL >>> JAA ATPL (your experience not meeting any of the paragraphs above)
If you hold a non-JAA ATPL license, but you do not meet the minimum experience requirements described in paragraphs above, the following conversion requirements will apply to you. - Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 1 medical
- Obtain a Radio Telephony Operator License
- Undertake JAA ATPL groundschool training at an approved Flight Training Organization (FTO)
- Pass all 14 JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations
- Undergo and pass Type-Rating/MCC course in approved TRTO (Type Rating Training Organization)
- Pass the ATPL skill test - must be with or observed by a CAA Flight Operations Inspector


ICAO ATPL >>> JAA CPL/IR (if you do not meet JAA ATPL minimum requirements)
If you hold a non-JAA ATPL license, but you do not meet the minimum requirements for issuing JAA ATPL (mainly the 500 hrs requirement on multi-pilot aeroplanes), the following conversion requirements apply to you. - Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 1 medical
- Obtain a Radio Telephony Operator License
- Undertake full 650-hr JAA ATPL groundschool training at an approved Flight Training Organization (FTO)
- Undertake modular CPL flight training course (5 hrs on complex aeroplane) at an approved FTO
- Complete a minimum of 15 hrs of instrument flight training (5 or 10 hrs may be in a FNPT, FNPT2 or simulator)
- Pass all 14 JAA ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations
- Pass the CPL/IR skill test with a CAA Flight Examiner


ICAO CPL >>> JAA CPL
If you hold a non-JAA CPL license the following conversion requirements will apply to you. - Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 1 medical
- Obtain a Radio Telephony Operator License
- Undertake JAA CPL groundschool training at an approved Flight Training Organization (FTO)
- Undertake modular CPL flight training course (5 hrs on complex aeroplane) at an approved FTO
- Pass all 9 JAA CPL theoretical knowledge examinations
- Pass the CPL skill test with a CAA Flight Examiner


ICAO IR >>> JAA IR
If you hold a non-JAA Instrument Rating the following conversion requirements will apply to you. - Undertake JAA IR groundschool training at an approved Flight Training Organization (FTO)
- Pass all 7 JAA IR theoretical knowledge examinations
- Complete a minimum of 15 hrs of instrument flight training (5 or 10 hrs may be in a FNPT, FNPT2 or simulator)
- Pass the IR skill test with a CAA Flight Examiner


ICAO PPL >>> JAA PPL (your experience is > 100 flight hours)
If you hold a non-JAA PPL license the following conversion requirements will apply to you. - Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 2 medical
- Pass the JAA Air Law theoretical knowledge examination
- Pass the JAA Human Performance & Limitations theoretical knowledge examination
- Pass the PPL skill test


ICAO PPL >>> JAA PPL (your experience is <100 flight hours)
If you hold a non-JAA PPL license the following conversion requirements will apply to you. - Hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 2 medical
- Pass all JAA PPL theoretical knowledge examination
- Must meet the minimum JAA PPL flying experience requirements
- Pass the PPL skill test

More info can be found at aviationexam.com

mmaviator

thanks for the info. did you convert your license, just curious? im looking into converting my license soon or later after a little more research.

jsfBoat

Are there guys with JAA licenses flying in the U.S.? Just wondering if some one converts the license to JAA and decides to work in the states, or pilots coming from abroad to work here.

olympic

I doubt any JAA pilots are coming to the US for jobs. It's probably the other way round.

KDUA

I said it before and say it again, if you don't have the right to work in Europe don't even bother to go the JAA route. If you have it you are god to go!!!!

bubi352

I am a JAA/FAA/CAA pilot working in the United States. If you are young and motivated I would highly recommend to go and get your JAA licenses. It is indeed a painful process going through those 14 exams but I can say it is the best investment I have ever made. Those exams are not easy and you will need to study properly. Those are not "here baby, you will likely not pass on your own so here is the spoon feeding Gleim"

If you don't have experience to back up your FAA licenses, it surely opens a lot of doors on an international level.

saviboy

it seems to be a difficult concept to grasp for some.

willie

I have completed the 14 exams and have my LPC scheduled. Do you know anyone that may have completed this check ride so I can have a better idea of what to expect and best prepare? Thanks in advance.

Chris

captjns

It is all up to the examiner in question. As you know, in the US, you can have a reasonable guy or hard nose SOB be they from the FAA, or a Designee from a flight school, or US carrier. The same rule applies all over the world in every country.

My initial LPC and subsequent OPCs and LPCs were straight forward without any surprises... no multiple failures or tricks.

Good luck and have a good time out there.

jsfBoat

I have the right to work in Europe and am thinking about doing this. Question I have is will I still have my FAA certificates, or does the JAA send a letter to the FAA saying that the certs. have been converted and I have to surrender them?