Polite discussion about EASA, the CAA, the ANO and the delights of aviation regulation.
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#1819640
Hi everyone.

I'm currently in the middle of sitting my ATPL exams with 7 done and 7 to go (as slowly as possible given the current situation!). My current plan would be to finish them in around 12-13 months time dependent on whether there are further extensions granted.

My question is what to do about licenses. I have my medical, PPL and have done my ATPLs with a European CAA. With Britain having now left EASA this is, of course, going to cause great difficulties. I'm not sure whether to try to transfer everything to the UK and sit the rest of my ATPLs here or whether to continue in EASA-land.

My mother is from a European country so I still have an EU passport, but Britain is home and I would rather work here. I've heard lots of different things and I am really confused about the whole thing and what to do. I even saw someone say it was best to get an EASA licence even if you can only work in Britain as Ryanair will keep most British based aircraft on the EI/SP/9H register.

I realise that this is an impossible question really, but I am looking for some advice on what you think the best course of action would be. Thanks :D
#1819695
I'd keep hold of an EASA licence while things settle down. Keep your options open and make use of the CAP2017 general validation if needed.

Complete your ATPLs with an EU Member State.

There are EASA approved ATOs in the UK for CPL/MEP/IR, or use one of the many outside the UK. There are EASA examiners (I'm one) across the UK for rating issue/revalidation/renewal. AMEs are obtaining approval to issue EASA medicals.

Ryanair's current stance is that to apply as a cadet you can have an EU or UK passport, but must have an EASA licence.
EuropeanFlyer2000 liked this
#1819775
Agree 100% with @Arrow Flyer

Keeping going and do the EASA licence. I would not worry about moving it to the UK system right now. Remember now that the UK has left EASA, there is nothing stopping you from holding both EASA and UK licences in the future.

I suspect for at least the medium term it will be easier for an EASA licence holder to fly G-reg than a UK licence holder to fly an aircraft registered in an EASA member state. Currently there is a general validation for doing the former. It will also I suspect prove more straightforward to get a UK CPL/IR (if you want one) on the basis of EASA licence than vice versa.

Re Ryanair - yes you can fly indefinitely Irish reg on your EASA licence being based in the UK (if you can get a UK base :lol: ). Note Ryanair are a bit unusual since despite having their largest base in UK they are approved under the Irish system and therefore will remain EASA. It remains to be seen if the CAA make Ryanair put more on the G-reg (another story), but I suspect for the foreseeable most Ryanair aircraft in UK will remain Irish registered.

Most UK based airlines operate on the G-reg, so you would have to get a UK CPL/IR eventually (this is assuming the general validation ends without a mutual recognition agreement) - but see my comment above, I really wouldn't worry about that right now.
EuropeanFlyer2000 liked this
#1819926
Thanks both.

It's a hell of a big thing to consider to be honest and I, like many others I'm sure, feel pretty lost with the current situation. It's pretty annoying that Brexit was four years in the making and there is still an absolutely lack of clarity from the authorities what is going to happen.

I think I will probably keep the EASA licence and continue with the EASA ATPL exams for now. I suppose I am not in any massive rush as I won't be doing the CPL or IR anytime soon.
#1820063
EuropeanFlyer2000 wrote:Thanks both.

It's a hell of a big thing to consider to be honest and I, like many others I'm sure, feel pretty lost with the current situation. It's pretty annoying that Brexit was four years in the making and there is still an absolutely lack of clarity from the authorities what is going to happen.

I think I will probably keep the EASA licence and continue with the EASA ATPL exams for now. I suppose I am not in any massive rush as I won't be doing the CPL or IR anytime soon.


Welcome. Good luck with the rest of your training. :thumleft:

Leaving aside issues not directly related to licensing, you sound like you are worrying more than you need to about Brexit. I suspect it changes less than perhaps you think. Short to medium term it’s now fairly clear how this is going to roll.

Worst case we go back to situation in which people transferring into UK system have to do ATPL writtens and tests again to get a UK licence. I think it unlikely that is going to happen any time soon and even then its not the end of the world. Ryanair for example employ people (normally DE captains, who have the right to work in EU) from around the world and they just get an ICAO validation for a year and do their ATPLs etc in slow time
EuropeanFlyer2000 liked this
#1821357
Thanks. Trying to keep my chin up and think positive. I suppose I'm in a better position than many in that I can still work in the EU if needed without barriers. It's very difficult during these trying times though.

I may end re-doing the ATPLs anyway. If I finish Dec 2021 (for example), then I only have until Dec 2024 to get the license issued. But I'm not going to do the IR/CPL if there's little chance of a job at the end. I've met too many brilliant pilots ( much better than me) languishing on unemployment and now having to revalidate their IRs having already sunk a ton of cash.