Done with JAA conversions (just about)

Dj To Rule

New Member
Well if there are any of you folks who wish to fly internationaly or Europe this post would be for you.

I'm glad to be done with the ATPL(A) modular ground school and 14 exams that are required by JAA. I'll have to say it was one of the hardest and most intense aviation writtens I've seen. All possible however. I just can't imagine how tough it has to be for people who are not native or fluent in english, and the effort they put forth and successfully pass. (I can imagine you are all probably complaining about the contract students at UND)

Then comes the JAA medical, which was crazy as well. You basically have to go trough an intensive health scan. They take your blood/urine samples, lung x-ray, lung capacity (where you blow your lungs out into a tube that almost resembles an empty toilet paper roll), hearing test accurate to the decibel, middle ear pressure measurment, eye examination (which was fairly simple except you have to sit for 10 min and stare inside this device where tiny specs of light appear and click the button each time, I'm guessing it has to do with focal point and peripheral vision). After all this, it's time for an Electroencephalography (EEG). Simply electrodes placed all over your scalp to check electrical activity in your brain, followed by a visit to the psychologist, then have them reviewed by an AME. There is just so much that they check that half of your day is well spent in the hospital. I'm just glad they gave me free lunch (which was ironically delicious for hospital food)

Overall I've been impressed by hospitals here (in Turkey), but not so much with JAA exams. To give you an idea, you start at 8am and finish at 5pm with only 5 min breaks (barely time to hog a sandwich for lunch)
Exam sessions are given every 5 weeks, so you sign up ahead of time, and the optimum amount per session would be 5 exams, anymore an you're toast)

Next it will be 2 check rides, which I hear are super easy. It seems JAA cares much more about theoretic stuff than practical.

I would say it has been a great experience and encourage anyone who truly wishes to fly in Europe, despite how detering it seems. :rawk:
 
Hey congrats on getting through all of that! That sounds intense! Great write-up of the JAA conversion process. Thanks man!
 
Sidenote: Terminology is different in some areas too, and it gets tricky/annoying, specially when it's a british or german author who wrote some of the questions.

I'd be more than willing to share the questions with the curious ones, however it might fall in the wrong hands. :bandit:

Antonio, next time may involve more going out and traveling. Perhaps we can hit hot spots on the Agean and Mediterranean coast. ;)
 
I've heard that if you have a certain amount of jet time, the JAA conversion is much easier(less tests). That's really funny though all that work. To get my FAA switched to DCGA(India's version) just takes some rupees for the temp and then one test which you get before hand to study for your permanent.

=Jason-
 
So far it cost me around $5000 or a bit past. That includes ground school, books, medical, and exams. I haven't done the checkride yet but that's where it's gonna cost me some $$ since the flight hour is almost double or triple of what it is there. Luckily I only have to do 2 checkrides and maybe just a couple review flights.

I'm guessing the grand total will be anywhere in the $7000 to $8000 range.
 
Where did you do your ground school? How different is the material from the FAA one? Would a FAA flight instructor have to put a lot of effort into studying, or is it just the difference in regulations? How long did it take you to study?
 
Where did you do your ground school? How different is the material from the FAA one? Would a FAA flight instructor have to put a lot of effort into studying, or is it just the difference in regulations? How long did it take you to study?

I went to SINDEL for my ATPL(A) Modular course
http://www.sindelair.com.tr/

I'd definitley say the material is different, intense, and the ground school comes in handy. There is a lot of self studying involved and running to the school when some questions stump you. I was afraid it would be regs that would be tough, you will barely see that but mainly engineering and theoretic sort of stuff. (I posted a sample question below). It will take you roughly 6 months on the short term. I started in February and my course was done in August. I completed the last of my exams in October.

Bristol and Aviation Exam are also a few of the online (pay) sites which have interactive methods of studying by using a flash questionare.
http://www.bristol.gs/training/products_jaa_atpl.aspx
check for some demo questions:
http://www.atponline.gs/jalo/index.asp

http://www.aviationexam.com/
http://www.atplexam.com/

I also saved a couple pdf's online which were really really handy, I'll look for those links.

Here is a sample question from Radio Navigation: (looks overwhelming at first but simple once you get it down)
"A radar facility transmitting at a Pulse Recurrence Frequency (PRF) of 1200
pulses/second will have a maximum unambiguous range of approximately:
a) 135 NM
b) 27 NM
c) 270 NM

d) 69 NM"


There are 14 different subjects:

010 Aviation Law
021 Airframe, Systems, Powerplant
022 Instruments, Electronics
031 Mass and Balance
032 Performance (032 + 034)
033 Flight Planning & Monitoring
040 Human Performance & Limitations
050 Meteorology
061 General Navigation
062 Radio Navigation
070 Operational Procedures
080 Principles of Flight (081 + 082)
090 VFR Communications
090 IFR Communications

(Easiest in my opinion being VFR comm and IFR comm)
Depending on your situation (flight time) etc. you will need to go through the ground school: 650hrs, 350hrs, or exempt.

You can also check the JAR FCL 1 pdf documentation for details.
http://www.jaa.nl/publications/jars/607069.pdf

The rest of the JAR FCL (Flight Crew Licensing) can be found here:
http://www.jaa.nl/licensing/licensing_jars.html

I am basically converting my CPL to an ATPL frozen with the ATPL(A) modular course. Once I get flight time, it will be automatically an ATPL.
I am yet researching the conversion process for my CFI/II.
 
I went to SINDEL for my ATPL(A) Modular course
http://www.sindelair.com.tr/

I'd definitley say the material is different, intense, and the ground school comes in handy. There is a lot of self studying involved and running to the school when some questions stump you. I was afraid it would be regs that would be tough, you will barely see that but mainly engineering and theoretic sort of stuff. (I posted a sample question below). It will take you roughly 6 months on the short term. I started in February and my course was done in August. I completed the last of my exams in October.

Bristol and Aviation Exam are also a few of the online (pay) sites which have interactive methods of studying by using a flash questionare.
http://www.bristol.gs/training/products_jaa_atpl.aspx
check for some demo questions:
http://www.atponline.gs/jalo/index.asp

http://www.aviationexam.com/
http://www.atplexam.com/

I also saved a couple pdf's online which were really really handy, I'll look for those links.

Here is a sample question from Radio Navigation: (looks overwhelming at first but simple once you get it down)
"A radar facility transmitting at a Pulse Recurrence Frequency (PRF) of 1200
pulses/second will have a maximum unambiguous range of approximately:
a) 135 NM
b) 27 NM
c) 270 NM

d) 69 NM"


There are 14 different subjects:

010 Aviation Law
021 Airframe, Systems, Powerplant
022 Instruments, Electronics
031 Mass and Balance
032 Performance (032 + 034)
033 Flight Planning & Monitoring
040 Human Performance & Limitations
050 Meteorology
061 General Navigation
062 Radio Navigation
070 Operational Procedures
080 Principles of Flight (081 + 082)
090 VFR Communications
090 IFR Communications

(Easiest in my opinion being VFR comm and IFR comm)
Depending on your situation (flight time) etc. you will need to go through the ground school: 650hrs, 350hrs, or exempt.

You can also check the JAR FCL 1 pdf documentation for details.
http://www.jaa.nl/publications/jars/607069.pdf

The rest of the JAR FCL (Flight Crew Licensing) can be found here:
http://www.jaa.nl/licensing/licensing_jars.html

I am basically converting my CPL to an ATPL frozen with the ATPL(A) modular course. Once I get flight time, it will be automatically an ATPL.
I am yet researching the conversion process for my CFI/II.
:D
...and to think that the ATP written here in the states has a "cheat sheet."
 
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