Licensing Matters (jaa/faa, Etc)

[Phil Croucher]

In answer to some queries by PM, and to save me typing the same stuff over and over, here is some current info.

 

There is a push to have JAA/EASA compliant licensing for flying offshore, because of the perceived safety from having more in depth knowledge in pilot's heads. This means that, to be employable world wide, you really need an FAA and a JAA licence, and possibly an Australian one (an Australian one is a straight swap to or from a New Zealand licence, and I believe that you only need to turn up with a JAA licence and take the law exam to get the Oz one in the first place).

 

The agreement for an exchange arrangement between the FAA and Transport Canada (for helicopter licences) is expected to be signed early in 2010, to become effective around 3 months later. So, if you have a Canadian licence, you will shortly be able to get an FAA one, and if you have a JAA one, you can get an Australian (and an NZ one) with very little extra effort.

 

For those who are not already aware, the Joint Airworthiness Authorities (JAA), who are shortly to be replaced by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) make the aviation regulations for Europe - in fact, EASA is intended to be the equivalent of the FAA for all of Europe, so if you have an EASA licence you can fly anywhere in Europe, subject to immigration.

 

However, many other countries that are not in Europe require an EASA licence - Mauretania is one, and even in Dubai, they have the same rules by another name (CAR OPS instead of JAR OPS - all they did was change one paragraph).

 

Yes, the JAA exams are much more in depth (there are 13 of them for the ATP, and 9 for the CPL(H)), but they are not entirely irrelevant, as the rumour mill would have you believe (I have used all the stuff I learned in Europe flying around N Alberta). The problem is the question database which is done by committee. For example, the French handle Principles of Flight and the Brits handle the radio stuff (in fact the ICAO radio annex tends to follow the amendments in the CAA publications). Those that have dealt with committees or who have been trained as a Microsoft engineer will already know the problem - the exam questions bear no relation to reality, and you would be very unwise to go into them without special preparation, even if you are exempt formal training.

 

So what, you may ask? Well, we are the only school in Europe approved to do the training by distance learning for the ATPL(H), the CPL(H) and the IR(H). You can gain a European licence from Bristow Academy in Florida, but that course is residential and you have to attend their classrooms for a period.

 

We will have an ad on the front page in a week or so, but more information is available from the website at Caledonian Advanced Pilot Training. Of course, you can always PM me through here as well.

 

In short, it is a bit of a minefield, but it is not impossible. And believe it or not, you may even find it interesting!

 

phil

[Elan Head]

Thanks for the interesting post, Phil! I have FAA, Australian, and now Canadian licenses, and found your book quite helpful in preparing for the Canadian written. Maybe I'll have to tackle JAA/EASA when I can stand to take another test again... won't be anytime too soon! :-)

[Ryan]

I remember a lot of concern and questions regarding the agreement between TC and the FAA. Any idea how it will work Phil? Just fill out some forms, write the FAA written exams and presto?

 

 

[Phil Croucher]

Not too many details as yet - I am in correspondence with them about the new syllabus and I'm still waiting for further details. I would imagine it will work rather like the fixed wing side of things. There may be an exam because the new syllabus will be out when the agreement is signed, and there is some stiff to be included. I've incorporated most of it already.

 

Phil