In this wiki we talk about “bridge instruction”, that is, “special” courses to move from one aircraft category to another: for example from a helicopter PPL to an airplane PPL, from an airplane CPL to a helicopter PPL, from a glider license to an airplane PPL.
In this wiki we talk about “bridge instruction”, that is, “special” courses to pass from one aircraft category to another: for example, from a helicopter PPL to an airplane PPL, from an airplane CPL to a helicopter PPL, from a glider license to an airplane PPL.
Obviously, all within the scope of a European license because, if a person has a license that is not issued by EASA, he or she must request a conversion (which will be discussed in a chapter later).
A licensed pilot who wants to move from one category to another has the right to claim theoretical credits and take only the exams of specific subjects, i.e. those in which there is a significant difference between one category and another.
If you want to claim the credit but have only passed the theoretical exam on another category (without having yet obtained the license), it is sufficient that you are within the validity of the theoretical exam that you have already taken.
For the practical part, however, some discounts are applied on flight hours that depend on previous experience on the aircraft category for which you already have the license and the category for which you are applying. For example, to switch from the airplane to the helicopter you will have a 10% discount on your PIC experience on an airplane up to a maximum of 6 hours of flight (so if you have more than 60 hours PIC on an airplane you can obtain the PPL on a helicopter with 39 hours of flight); if instead you make the opposite switch, from helicopter to airplane, this discount can reach a maximum of 10 hours, if you obviously have more than 100 hours as a PIC on a helicopter.
There are other “crossovers” that can be made, between the instrument flight qualification on airplanes and helicopters, the MCC course, the course to become an instructor, etc.
Each pilot must evaluate his/her own requirements on a case-by-case basis.
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