AFTA is approved by both the UK CAA & EASA to deliver ATPL theory and offers you the opportunity to obtain a UK CAA licence once you have your EASA licence. ATO GBR.ATO.0550 and IE-ATO-002.
Prior to Brexit, all UK and EU Pilot licences were issued under the authority of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), following Brexit this changed.
A UK CAA issued licence allows a pilot to operate UK registered aircraft (sometimes referred to as ‘G-Reg’ aircraft) and an EASA licence allows a pilot to operate EASA registered aircraft.
Many airlines such as our airline partner Ryanair require you to obtain an EASA licence or a dual CAA/EASA licence if you wish to seek employment with them as their fleet are CAA (UK) registered and IAA (EASA) registered.
At AFTA we offer programmes to become dual licenced.
Examples of syllabuses to obtain a dual licence with AFTA
Integrated Training Route
To obtain an EASA/CAA dual licence you have to pass the 13 ATPLS in AFTA for your EASA licence and travel to the UK to sit the same 13 exams under the UK CAA . Many students opt to do this after they have sat all of the EASA ATPL exams in AFTA .
You must also hold a UK CAA and EASA Class one Medical.
Route One Syllabus:
- Once you complete your EASA AFTA integrated course and have your EASA licence issued you must sit the UK CAA MEPCPL/MEIR flight tests within 36 months of your last UK/CAA ATPL exam.
- Before you complete your UK MEPCPL/MEIR flight tests you will also need to complete an additional 30 hours SEP PIC in EASA or CAA airspace (must meet modular UK CAA requirements for CPL (total time 200 hours of which 100 is PIC.
Route Two: Route to obtain dual licence with AFTA
Complete your UK CAA ATPL exams after you complete all your EASA integrated flight training in AFTA and then complete your UK MEPCPL/MEIR Flight tests.
Route Three Syllabus
- Another option is to unfreeze your EASA ATPL licence with Type Rating and use this as credit towards obtaining a UK CAA licence . To do this you must :
- Complete UK CAA ATPL exams
- Build 1500 hours total time on your EASA licence including 500 on a Multi-Pilot Aircraft (MPA). (Unfreeze ATPL)
- Hold a current Type Rating
Then you can use your EASA licence as credit towards the UK /CAA licence . In order to do this, you are required to do a licence skills test using your EASA Type Rating in a UK CAA approved FSTD with an approved UK CAA Type Rating examiner , who has been authorised to do the test. This must be completed within 36 months of your last UK CAA ATPL exam.
Examples of syllabuses to obtain a dual licence with AFTA
Course structure:
Phase One: Ten days PPL theoretical tuition – Subjects include: Meteorology, Human Performance, Aviation Law. Join the flight line: Dual Flight Training on our Cessna 172 building to your first Solo Flight. In house PPL Exams.
Phase Two: 13 ATPL theory subjects and examinations. Subjects include: General Navigation, Flight Planning, VFR/IR, Communications, Principles of Flight. On completion of ATPL theory students will be introduced to basic Single Engine Aircraft Instrument Flight and Upset Prevention and Recovery Training. Long Briefs on Basic Instrument and Navigation, Dual Flight Training, PIC training.
Dual Licence students: Travel to the UK to sit your 13 ATPL CAA theory exams : ATPL Exams are £35 per CAA exam (£35*13=£455).
Phase Three: This phase of training involves covering multi engine handling and VFR navigation.
Phase Four: This phase of training involves Multi Engine Instrument Rating Training.
Phase Five: The final 4 week phase of training covers the APS MCC inclusive of a Threat and Error Management Course (TEM) and Cockpit Resource Management (CRM).
EASA Licence Issued
Dual Licence: Ensure you have total time 200 hours of which 100 is PIC, then choose a CAA ATO to complete your CAA MEP CPL and MEIR flight tests. You can complete this with our partner L3 in the UK . If you choose L3 you will complete 2 hours FNPT II, 2 hours flight training + movements, Skill Test (aircraft, movements and CAA fee) + RT test. The price for the above CAA training is £8,550 + VAT. (price correct at time of publication).
Example Two : Route to obtain dual licence with AFTA
Course structure:
Phase One: Ten days PPL theoretical tuition – Subjects include: Meteorology, Human Performance, Aviation Law. Join the flight line: Dual Flight Training on our Cessna 172 building to your first Solo Flight. In house PPL Exams.
Phase Two: 13 ATPL theory subjects and examinations. Subjects include: General Navigation, Flight Planning, VFR/IR, Communications, Principles of Flight. On completion of ATPL theory students will be introduced to basic Single Engine Aircraft Instrument Flight and Upset Prevention and Recovery Training. Long Briefs on Basic Instrument and Navigation, Dual Flight Training, PIC training.
Phase Three: This phase of training involves covering multi engine handling and VFR navigation.
Phase Four: This phase of training involves Multi Engine Instrument Rating Training.
Phase Five: The final 4 week phase of training covers the APS MCC inclusive of a Threat and Error Management Course (TEM) and Cockpit Resource Management (CRM).
EASA Licence Issued
Dual Licence students: Travel to the UK and sit 12 ATPL CAA theory exams : ATPL Exams are £35 per CAA exam (£35*13=£455). Leaving one to sit closer to the end of the 18 month validity window. For example Communications.
Then complete Route Three: Fly for an airline (with your Type Rating) building up to the 1500 hours requirement towards unfreezing your ATPL. Sit your last UK CAA ATPL exam within the 18 months therefore giving you a further 36 months before you sit your UK CAA licence skills test in the simulator.
CAA to EASA conversion.
For the conversion of a 3rd country, ICAO compliant CPL(A), which UK licences are now treated as,
applicants must meet all of the requirements pertaining to the issue of an EU Part-FCL CPL(A) via
the modular route, including the 100 hours PIC requirement. The only concession that the European
Commission has agreed to at present, is in regard to the acceptance of previously passed EASA ATPL
theory exams.
With regard to the MEP & IR ratings, if the applicant is additionally converting MEP and IR ratings,
then Article 3(b) of reg. 2020/723 can be applied and the respective training courses can be reduced
based on a recommendation from an ATO, followed by 2 flight tests, MEP CPL and the MEIR.
It is important to note that you must have 170 hours in total and 100 hours PIC on single engine aircraft to start the MEP CPL conversion.
This takes approximately 3-4 weeks to complete as the IAA requires a minimum of 5 working days’ notice for the notification of the CPL and MEIR conversion flight tests. The examination fee is €300 for each flight test and is paid directly to the examiner. We currently have availability over the next few months.
UK ATPL theory completed before 31st December 2020 is valid:
- If you did not get an MEP CPL IR done before the 31/12/2020
- 36 months from the date of the last ATPL to get an EASA MEP CPL IR
- If you did get an MEP CPL IR done before the 31/12/2020
- 7 years from the last EASA IR (IR done pre 31/12/2020)
For a holder of a Modular UK CAA MEP CPL IR
with ATPL theory credit OR an Integrated UK CAA
fATPL you will need to have the following to
convert:
EASA ATPL theory
The EASA ATPL examinations must have been
passed entirely under the responsibility of the UK
CAA, and final examination pass achieved before
01/01/2021.
Otherwise the EASA ATPL theory exams
will need to be sat, you can complete this here at AFTA.
Your CAA ATPL results will need
to be verfied by the IAA.
MEP rating
Have a current MEP rating.
CPL
Have at least 200 hours total time of which 100
hours are PIC, a 300 nm cross country, 20 hours
cross country as PIC, 10 hours of instrument time, 5
hours of night. (there is currently no differentiation
given between integrated and modular training
routes). Then complete the AFTA MEP CPL
conversion course.
IR rating
Have completed at least 50 hours cross country as
PIC, and the IR is current.
ELP
Have an initial ELP conducted by an Irish authority
ELP examiner.
EASA class 1 medical
Medical records must be held under IAA, which
may mean a transfer of records or initial medical
having to be conducted.
- Fees for skills tests, licence and ratings issue are
not included. Fees can be found on the IAA website
under publications Fees Order.
CAA to EASA Conversion Flight Training
- EASA Class 1 medical: approximately €650
- English Language Proficiency (ELP) test: €65
- IAA VFR Chart for the MEP CPL: €38
You will also need to get your existing licence verified by the IAA. You can start this process beforehand if you like. You will need to complete the release of information form for the IAA for you to give them permission to verify your information from the CAA. You will also need to fill out a form for the CAA to give them permission to release your information to the IAA. This process costs approximately £47 (price correct at time of publishing)
Multi-Engine Class (MEP) Rating – approximately 1 week
- 1 Hour on a Multi Engine Simulator €255
- 5 Hours on a Multi Engine Aircraft €2,550 (Includes 1 landing per flight)
- Theoretical Tuition and Class Rating Exam €520
- Electronic Training Record Fee €20
- Total: €3,345 – must be paid in full on commencement
Assessment of Competence*
- 2 hour on FNPT II simulator: €510 (€255 per hour)
*To assess if a reduction of hours can be recommended toward MEP and IR ratings.
MEP CPL Conversion
- 2 hour on FNPT II simulator: €510 (€255 per hour)
- 2 hour Acclimatisation Ground briefing: €120
- 2 hour Acclimatisation Flight: €1,020 (€510 per hour including one landing)
- 2 hour MEP CPL Skills Test Aircraft Rental: €1,020 (€510 per hour including one landing)
- MEP CPL Flight Test Examination fee: €300 -€400 paid directly to the examiner on the day
MEIR Conversion
- 6 hours on FNPT II simulator (to include EASA PBN Training): €1,530 (€255 per hour)
- 2 hour Acclimatisation Flight: €1,020 (€510 per hour including one landing)
- 2 hours MEP IR Skills Test Aircraft Rental: €1,020 (€510 per hour including one landing)
- MEIR Flight Test Examination fee: €300-€400 paid directly to the examiner on the day
- Landing/Approach Fees (Cork, Shannon, Waterford only): €12 per additional approach or landing in the multi-engine aircraft.
Please Note: – The costs quoted above are typical reduced training
hours. – If during training the candidate demonstrates a
high level of competency, training hours may be
reduced further. If a low level of competency is
shown hours may need to be increased.