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UK / EASA Pilot Licensing Q&A

Posted by avian, February 07, 2021

The below questions address mostly the situations whereby a holder of a UK issued license or certificate did not transfer that license or certificate to an EASA Member State before 1 January 2021. If such a transfer has not occurred, the UK issued license or certificate will no longer be valid and recognised in the EU as of that date in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 2018/1139 and will be considered under that regulation as a third country license/certificate. That request for transfer of a license/certificate shall be done in accordance with the application process and forms developed by the receiving competent authority of an EASA Member State, which may not necessarily be the same in all EASA Member States.

I have an UK Part-FCL Licence with instructor privileges. Which steps I need to take to be able to keep using those instructor privileges, after December 31, 2020, in a training organisation approved by an EASA Member Stater or EASA?

If you cannot transfer your licence and associated instructor certificate to an EASA Member State before January 1, 2021 then in in order to exercise the instructor privileges in an EASA Member State, or in an ATO located in UK and approved by EASA, after December 31, 2020 you should either:

apply for the conversion of your UK issued licence, ratings or certificate to an EASA Member State competent authority in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2020/723; or
in case you intend to provide instruction only in an EASA approved training organisation located in the UK, apply to an EASA Member State competent authority for an initial issue of an instructor certificate in accordance with the procedure laid down in point FCL.900(c) of Annex I to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011.

I am a holder of a UK issued ATPL and would like to convert that license into a license from an EASA Member State. How should I proceed?

Your UK issued ATPL license will no longer be valid to operate an aircraft registered in an EASA Member State as of January 1, 2021. Unless you were able to transfer that license to an EASA Member State before January 1, 2021, you will need to convert it into an EU license in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2020/723. You can apply for that conversion to any of the EASA Member State competent authorities.

I am holder of an examiner certificate issued by the UK CAA. Can I exercise the privileges associated to my examiner certificate to conduct skill test and proficiency check for Part-FCL licence holders?

From the January 1, 2021 the UK issued examiner certificates will be no longer accepted in the EU to conduct skill test/proficiency check or assessment of competence for the issue, revalidation or renewal of Part-FCL licence, rating or certificate.

The UK CAA is developing a simplified application and validation procedure for recent holders of UK-issued Part FCL licenses. Does EASA plan to implement a similar application and validation procedure for recent holders of EASA licenses?

For the time being, there is no plan to develop a simplified application and validation procedure. Accordingly any validation or conversion of a UK issued license should be done in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2020/723.

I am holder of an UK issued ATPL. Can I operate an aircraft of a commercial operator certified by an EASA Member State after December 31, 2020?

As of January 1, 2021 licenses and certificates issued by UK will no longer be valid in EASA Member States and will be treated as a third country licences and certificates. Accordingly, as of that date a UK issued ATPL cannot be used to operate aircraft of commercial operators under oversight of EASA Member States.

As of January 1, 2021 in order to obtain a Part-FCL licence from an EASA Member State, UK licence holders must follow a conversion process as per Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2020/723.

Under which conditions can a holder of a UK issued pilot licence operate an aircraft registered in an EASA Member State?

After December 31, 2020, holders of Part FCL licence previously issued by the UK CAA cannot be longer considered holders of a Part-FCL licence issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 subject to mutual recognition within the EASA Member States. Such licenses become considered as third country licences in the EU after that date.

If a pilot was not able to transfer his/her license to an EASA Member State before January 1, 2021, the pilot still has an option to convert a UK issued license into a Part-FCL licence in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2020/723 laying down detailed rules regarding the acceptance of third-country certification of pilots.

In accordance with that Delegated Regulation an EASA Member State may issue Part-FCL licences to applicants who already hold an equivalent licence, rating, privilege or certificate issued in accordance with Annex 1 to the Chicago Convention by a third country, provided that those applicants comply with certain additional requirements and taking account of any credit based on a recommendation from an approved training organisation or a declared training organisation under oversight of an EASA Member State or EASA.

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