Conversion of non-EASA flight licences

Every State in the world has its own aeronautical authority; however, the regulations are not extremely different, first of all because they must still comply with international standards (ICAO) to enjoy the “freedom of the air of the Chicago Convention” and then because not everyone has the know-how to draft a very technical and complex regulation from scratch. Each therefore tries to standardize with others (usually with the American FAA, with the European EASA or with the other Eastern States that have different regulations from the first two groups).

Note: FAA = Federal Aviation Administration, which is the American equivalent of EASA.

Returning to licenses, we have already said that a license obtained in Italy or in another State that has joined the EASA is valid in all the national territories of these countries. If instead you obtained a license for example in the USA, Canada or Argentina, to fly with European aircraft you will have to request a conversion of your title as required by law.

 

Small aside: with an American license it is not forbidden to fly in Europe; however, you can only pilot aircraft registered with American nationality – the so-called November marked, because the first letter from the “license plate” is always N. So it is not a question of “territory” in which you fly but of “means” on which you are flying. It is obvious, therefore, that to work in a European company I will have to have an EASA license, because an Italian company for example can only operate with aircraft registered in an EASA State.

Credits

So, if you want to get your license in the United States ˗ because you think it costs less, because you have relatives in Texas, because you want to gain experience abroad, because your cousin has a school in Florida ˗, remember two simple things:

• the first is that the theoretical exams for professional licenses are not valid and therefore, once you return home, you will have to take them all from the beginning (even if the theoretical course can sometimes be reduced and you will not have to repeat all the classroom hours);
• the second is that for the practical part there are only a few credits, however the expensive part of the licenses, which are the type ratings, you will have to re-obtain from scratch.

So before deciding to go and get a qualification that is not valid in Europe, carefully evaluate your motivations.

• If you do it to save money: don’t do it, because the conversion will cost you a lot anyway.
• If you do it to gain experience abroad, learn a language well, stay away from home: ok! We approve.
• If you do it to then stay and work in that country: carefully evaluate the necessary residence permits.
• If you do it because you’ve been told that you learn more in schools outside Europe: that’s absolutely not true!

LEARN BEFORE FLIGHT

If you want to know more about how to get a license in Europe, how to get all the necessary qualifications and how to maintain them, buy our manual “Learn Before Flight”