JAA Conversions...

loopy · Post by **loopy** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 7:38 am

Has anybody done their conversions through a school in Florida? OI beleive there is one in Naples and perhaps Orlando. I beleive you can write all the exams in Orlando. Anybody have a clue how much cheaper that is than doing it in the UK?

blue_side_up · Post by **blue_side_up** » Wed Apr 21, 2004 12:56 pm

Loopy,

You are correct - your Be200 time WILL grant you a credit, but for the MCC course only. That course costs about 2000-2500 pounds, so it's worth getting the exemption. Even though it's not a 'two-crew' aircraft by typical definition, it IS for the purposes of the MCC course, as long as your operator req's 2 crew for ALL flts, including positioning and ferrying.

If you wife is Welsh (and I'll try to avoid the Welsh jokes! ), I believe you can work in the UK as long as she moves with you (of course) and is willing to sign the paperwork to 'sponsor' you under a marriage settlement visa. All done through the British consulate. I had to do the same with my wife (I have the dual citizenship, she is Cdn only), and she can now work in the UK. The only possible catch is... the Brits used to be very funny about gender when it comes to sponsorship - mothers (at one time anyway) couldn't sponsor their children for UK passport, but fathers could?! You might want to see if they still have these archaic laws in place.

Someone asked if the move was worth it / if the pay = good lifestyle. Well, I always wanted to fly heavies, so for me personally, it is worth every minute flying the whale. As for the money, no better nor worse than Canada. The money seems like much more when converted to Cdn$$, but the UK is MIND-BLOWINGLY EXPENSIVE, so any gain in terms of Cdn$ is lost just in the sheer extra cost of living. Still, you can live decently on what I get. Income tax is comparable to Canada.

Cheers

loopy · Post by **loopy** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:02 am

Thanks Blue-side. Good info.

Anybody have any feedback on the exam process, US vs UK? Can the flight tests be done at the ATPL level in the US?

loopy · Post by **loopy** » Fri Apr 23, 2004 7:06 am

Thanks Blue-side. Good info.

Anybody have any feedback on the exam process, US vs UK? Can the flight tests be done at the ATPL level in the US?

107 · Post by **107** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 11:07 am

Lots of good reading and big thanks for the web site links to everyone. The one remaining question I have however, is once you have the conversion in your hand, how hard is it for an un-married canadian to get into the UK for work? What about as a pilot? I hear things about being under 26 and being eligible for work exchange visas etc for commonwealth coutries, but would Pilot's work apply? etc? Just wondering if we're talking US / NAFTA hard or ???

Thanks a lot! Cheers!

stubble jumper · Post by **stubble jumper** » Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:00 am

As I see it, it may not help to gain work in an EU country ...but more often that not it may help you to work for a European operator in, say Africa.
Same as an American ATP ...not in the USA, but abroad.

Been thinking about it too.

mysidesdone · Post by **mysidesdone** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 4:13 pm

Well folks...

I was issued my JAA ATPL today. It has certainly been worth while... although I am glad the process is behind me. Having a Canadian ATPL and 500 hours of blessed multi-crew time from a metroliner... I have written 14 exams, a completed radio test, finished type rating and passed my LST(IFR initial/PPC).

Although the process has seemed overly complex and even chaotic, it has been cheaper and easier than I thought it would be when i started out. The total cost in Canadian dollars has been roughly $6,000. The work load has been steady and rigorous but never overwhelming. The hardest part was the flight test, but I think my own nerves made it into a bigger deal than it actually was.

I am now flying an BAE ATP(Jetstream 61) for British Airways' regional based out of Glasgow in Scotland. Four weeks after finishing the written exams, I was able to get the job without having even completed the JAA ATPL conversion(i needed the type rating for the licence).

Am I better off over here?? Well as for now, I am very happy and I must say I am in a much better place than I was a year ago. My family is English and for the most part I new what to expect as far as the cultural differences are concerned. I miss Canada but plan to spend most of my 5 weeks off a year coming back to visit. However, I will be working over here for at least a few years...

If anybody out there is converting or contemplating a conversion from an ATPL to an ATPL with the 500 multi crew and would like to know what I had to do, drop me a PM. As for any other combination of backgrounds, I have no idea... finding out the rules for licence conversion here is like translating the dead sea scrolls. I am not even sure if they have not just been making up the rules as I have been going along.

DizzyMe · Post by **DizzyMe** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 4:21 pm

Congratulations!

Metrohead3 · Post by **Metrohead3** » Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:23 am

I Am thinking of doing the convertion to the JAA ATPL I have 5000 hours 2000 as Capt on the Metro My wife is a UK passport holder. What do I have to do Mysidesdone?

International Girl · Post by **International Girl** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 7:47 am

The Moncton Flight College is the only school in Canada to offer JAA training. I am getting my Canadian licence but I have heard great things from students studying there from the UK.

mysidesdone · Post by **mysidesdone** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 7:36 am

A year on and I am now flying the embraer 145. I had a nightstop last night in dusseldorf and a quick trip to lyon this morning. Although I get homesick for canada from time to time, I have been back 4 times since christmas on staff travel. It has all be completely worthwhile.

350TT · Post by **350TT** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 11:24 am

That's great news mysideone, congrats !

If things work out for me I will be posting on this thread in the new year with some news of my own.

Cheers,
350TT

shower of sparks · Post by **shower of sparks** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 9:18 am

is it cheaper and easier to get the jaa commercial licence and multi engine endorsement (im interested in an all vfr company in europe that flys twin otters), or is it better to go all the way with the frozen atpl?

and, does anyone know anyone who has been though the jaa course they have at moncton flight centre? their experience with them?

loadshed · Post by **loadshed** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 5:03 pm

mysidesdone - check PM's

TTJJ · Post by **TTJJ** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 5:02 pm

I copied this from my post in another forum:

A son of a friend of mine did it through these guys in Florida. http://www.nacgroundschool.com/dlcourse.htm

He did his ride in Florida as well. It seems that a DFTE from the UK makes the rounds every 6 months or so.

Some food for thought IF you have a grandparent of UK descent:

You can get an Ancestery Visa which gives you the right to work in the UK if one of your Grandparents were from there. (WTF you say? Yep, I´d never heard of it either. I found it by accident on a web search)

http://www.ukimmigration.com/family/uk_ ... cestry.htm

http://www.smithstonewalters.com/ancestry.htm

g5 · Post by g5 » Sun Dec 04, 2005 8:54 am

What up. Im done my JAA ATPL conversion... currently employed and already on holiday..

Mornazinomoretuzzi · Post by **Mornazinomoretuzzi** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 10:59 am

I am currently in the middle of the 14 exams at NAC in Florida. Difficult stuff

,but I am low time,I sure hope it pays off in the long run.

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:37 am

yeah, that UK VISA is the Right of Abode and the document you get is called a certificate of entitlement. it's not hard to get as long as you have the birth certificate from the relative (mother or grandmother/father).

shower of sparks · Post by **shower of sparks** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:16 am

here's a new tidbit of info regarding jaa ground school: if you have a ICAO CPL you only have to do 375 hrs of g/s rather than the whole 750 hrs. the 750 hrs is required for PPL holders.

so can anyone support this fact?

sos

Chuck D · Post by **Chuck D** » Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:08 am

My advice to all who are going to take the plunge.....

Do your research!!! Know what exactly what you have to do and the cost before you leave Canada. It's a serious gamble with both time and money. Know what you are getting yourself into.

JAA Conversions...

congrats to mysidesdone

ATPL 2000 hours on metro British wife

JAA now in Canada

a year on...