In plain and simple text, pilots will need to complete the EASA written examinations and then pass a flight test or tests after completing training as required. This step will be dependent upon experience and rating held.

The new exam syllabus for the EASA exams was delivered in June 2011 for those candidates sitting exams for the first time. Any candidates who are on the old syllabus (those who first sat exams prior to June 2011) will only have until the exam sitting of March 2012 to complete all 14 subjects. If there are any exams not passed prior to that date, the candidate may be required to re-sit some of those exams already passed.

The new syllabus exams also bring changes to the physical exams. The duration of the exams has changed in some cases as has the number of questions.

This is not a consideration for the customers of Gulf Coast Training Solutions, who have all been advised of this and plans have been in place for some time to deal with the changeover.

However, there are some significant changes which pilots need to be aware of regarding the validation of a foreign license conversion.

From 8th April 2012, any validations for an EASA flight crew license will only be valid for one year. After that point all applicants will have to prove to the authorities that they have made significant progress towards obtaining the full EASA license. What exactly will be accepted as proof of this is not certain, however it is expected that the pilot will have to at least have some of the 14 EASA written exams passed to be able to continue flying in Europe.

The method of taking two subjects, Air Law and Human Performance, to obtain a ‘National License’ has already ceased. This means that no matter what your experience, you will need to have passed all the written examinations for the EASA license.
For more information on these changes, please contact us at 1-888-966-5875

But all of these claims are falling behind the times with the introduction of CQB 15. A European publication company which is the arm of a major European airline has been contracted to write 10,000 new questions, with the final questions delivered by November 2011. These questions are a very closely guarded secret and are not expected to be pubished.

EASA has apparently completed a study on how many questions need to be in the bank to prevent memorization. This number is deemed to be in excess of 10,000 questions, and as the previous question banks have been compromised, the new questions are sure to result in a significant depreciation of the first time pass rate.

Although Gulf Coast Training Solutions does have the most up to date question bank available on the market, we have never endorsed question memorization. Instead, our course manuals and the support from our experienced instructors has resulted in a 94% first time pass rate over the last 12 months. This is well above industry averages.

Gulf Coast Training Solutions is proud to announce that a recent inspection by the UK Civil Aviation Authority resulted in a clean bill of health, with zero non-conformances again and zero recommendations for how to improve our courses.

For two years running, Gulf Coast Training Solutions has satisfied the inspectors that the conduct of our JAA License Conversion program is to the highest standard, releasing only the finest study manuals, and backing that up with support for students using the online classroom.

The inspectors acknowledged our first time pass rate as outstanding.

We advise all potential candidates for the JAA conversion course to ask any school they contact if they can stand alongside Gulf Coast Training Solutions with that claim.

We know the answer……. But what will they say to you?

The move of the business to the state of the art training facility allows Gulf Coast Training Solutions to produce even better customer support, enhanced learning experiences for the pre-exam course, and to also be affiliated with the leading JAA Flight Training provider in the USA.

In a statement, the Head of Training, Steve Gibbins said “We are now strategically placed to offer people the full route to the JAA License with our relationship with European Flight Training. Both parties decided that it was prudent to stick with their specialized field of JAA Training. We brought the JAA ATPL Ground School to the table, and with their un-tarnished reputation for quality of service it just seamed a logical fit. This year we have graduated more students with a 100% first time pass rate for the previous 4 months, and we expect this average to continue.”

Gulf Coast Training Solutions was approved by the UK CAA for the move and to be able to conduct JAA License Training in their New Location.

With an average score of 98.2% across the JAA exams, this shows that with the hard work and determination of the JAA students coupled with the approved JAA license conversion course provided by Gulf Coast Training Solutions, there really is no better time to start training for the JAA license – and no better training provider to fit your needs.

We have worked hard with our existing customers to make our JAA License conversion program an industry leader with unprecedented investment in materials and support for the students.

Gulf Coast Training Solutions provides tailor made conversion information for those wishing to get the JAA License, supply courses to the Individuals, Flight Schools, Colleges, and more recently was chosen as the preferred provider of the JAA ATPL by a large business jet manufacturer for their delivery and test pilots.

TNT Airways and Guggenheim Aviation Partners, LLC have signed an agreement for the delivery and lease of three new Boeing 777-200 Long Ranger Freighters. The first aircraft will be delivered and enter service by July 2011. The two other will enter service by the end of 2011.

The B777 freighters will operate on long-haul routes between Europe and Asia. On these routes, TNT currently operates a fleet of two owned B747-400ERFs and two B747-400ERFs on short-term lease. The new B777 freighters will reduce TNT’s reliance on commercial line-haul and external short-term contract capacity, while providing the capacity required to support the company’s growth in Asia.

In addition, GE Capital Aviation Services Ltd. (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, today announced delivery of the first of 11 converted Boeing 737F freighters to international cargo carrier TNT Airways to replace its existing B737 fleet.

The 11 aircraft – nine Boeing 737-400s and two 737-300s – will be converted by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) at their conversion centers in China and Israel, and will be delivered to the airline over the next 18 months.

Getting the JAA License just got a lot easier with the new JAA ATPL Question Bank launched by Gulf Coast Training Solutions.

Access to this site is free with all courses purchased from Gulf Coast Training Solutions.

Known as the “Rapid Click-Thru” question bank, the latest questions and feedback are easiliy displayed with many features such as:

• Flag questions you have trouble with
• Retake the same questions again and again
• Show only questions you haven’t seen before
• Choose between 1 and 100 questions per attempt in each subject
• Solution explinations to many questions

Here is a screen shot of the new question bank displaying a question from Meteorology

If you want help understanding how to get the correct answer, Click the Info Tab on the bottom left of the question for the solution:

Gulf Coast Training Solutions is approved by the UK CAA for the delivery of JAA ATPL Ground School. For details on how to convert to the JAA License, click here: http://www.faatojaaconversion.com/contact/

As open skies becomes more popular over the next decade, you will see this becoming more popular. So when do you want to move in to the heavy metal?

Hi Capt Lim,  

I’m really interested to embark on a flying career but I’m in a dilemma as to which school to choose. I heard that there are some schools in the United States that are offering CPL courses but I’m not too sure whether they conform to the CAAS guidelines.  

Moreover, I’ve heard that SQ doesn’t recognize the FAA license. Is that true?

And which schools would you recommend (in the States)?  Also, what are the things that I should look out for when choosing a school to enroll in?  

Thanks for your advice. Really appreciate it!  

Nicholas

Hi Nicholas,  

If you are interested to become an airline pilot in Singapore, I would suggest that you go to a flying school in the United Kingdom or Australia as their licenses are less of a hassle in terms of conversion to a local one.  

Yes, SQ or rather the CAAS (Civil Aviation Authority Singapore) does not recognize the US FAA ATP license per se. So you have to spend more money and time to make the American license valid before you can be legally employed in any Singapore-based airlines.  

To be issued with a Singaporean PPL, CPL or ATPL you have to satisfy the local requirements. In fact the exams and the rules governing its issue are loosely based on the UK system.  

However, subject to the applicants’ experience, CAAS will, in some instances, accept FAA and JAA/UK licenses and issue a Singaporean license on the strength of the foreign license – but this is mainly for direct entry captains and well qualified first officers.  

If you were trained in Europe with the JAA ATPL, then from 1st Jan 2007, CAAS has recognized the JAA ATPL theory from any JAA member state, but you must have a full ATPL and not a frozen ATPL.

The only exam that you will have to take is the Singapore Air Law and probably 1 or 2 additional papers depending on the strength of your license.  However, you must show your JAA theory results, the aircraft rating and Instrument check ride report. If you do not fall under this category, then you may have to do a conversion, almost similar to the requirements for the conversion from a FAA ATP to the JAA ATPL, shown below :-  

ATP to JAA ATPL  

• Hold 1500hrs of which 500hrs is in FAR25 or FAR23 certified multi crew   aircraft, of which you need 250hrs in any aircraft type as PIC or 100 PIC under supervision
• Hold a medical Class 1 JAA
• Pass ALL 14 ATPL exams
• Undertake training as recommended by a Approved schools Chief Ground Instructor (in other words you can do it quickly or over a long time, you have no requirement to sit through the 770 hour long course)
• Undertake a type rating course at a JAA approved training provider
• Complete a ATPL skills test with a United Kingdom CAA examiner
• In Australia, the Singapore Flying College (SFC) Perth issues a CASA (Australian) CPL which meets the CAAS (Singapore) standards. That is why a CASA CPL will be easier to convert to a Singapore CPL. Unfortunately SFC trains mainly SQ cadet pilots.

Even if you have acquired a FAA license from any American flying school, according to CAAS, the conversion to a Singaporean ATPL is only possible when you can show that you have been employed by a local (Singapore) airline.

LONDON (Reuters) – Ryanair, Europe’sbiggest low-cost airline, could be in the market for up to 300aircraft, the company’s chief executive was quoted as saying inan interview Wednesday.

Ryanair had pulled out of talks last year to buy 200 jetsfrom Boeing after failing to agree on certainconditions.

But Michael O’Leary told the Financial Times there wasstill the option of buying not only the 200 Boeing jets — worth about $15 billion — but up to 300 from either Boeing orits rival Airbus. Airbus’s parent is EADS .

He said he saw no airline on the market worth buying.

News accoring to Foxbusiness.com