Good evening,
I instruct part-time at a small UK based flying club. We have decided to maintain our EASA ATO approval. For our students that decide to take the EASA PPL course, how can they take the theoretical knowledge exams? Are there any EASA Member States that allow PPL exams to be taken online? I'm an Irish EASA licence holder and I'm only familiar with the IAA's procedures and they require you to attend in person at their HQ in Dublin to sit exams.
Regards,
Mark
I´ m now trying to find an EASA country where I can take my ATPL exam, and so far the answers from local CAAs have been "you can only take it in the same country where your school is registered", on the other hand the schools say "you can take the exam in any EASA country". So it may very well happen that even if you find an EASA country that offers online exams, they may refuse unless you transfer your ATO certificate there.
Anyway, thank you for this question, I would appreciate hearing something official from EASA regarding this issue, too.
As far as I know Austro Control accept to sit in their EASA exams with a valid certificate* from any EASA ATO/DTO.
In Spain this is not possible because this role is delegate in Senasa and Senasa only accept Spanish ATO certificates.
*: an ATO certificate saying that the applicant pilot passed all theory training and his CFI sign off.
Mark,
I'm instructing in Germany. I'm not aware that any german aviation authority provides online exams; any exam has to be taken personally at the authorities premisis.
In your case the IAA will be the authority that accepts exam results from other EUR CAAs (like the german LBA accepts Austrocontrols exam results for the ATP theory). So clarify with your CAA what they will accept and then look for exams in the specific EUR countries.
The Swedish Transport Agency is using an online system for theoretical examination.
To write a theoretical examination you will have to book an appointment with a invigilator, you or your flight school can do this.
https://transportstyrelsen.se/en/aviation/Flight-Training-and-Licensing…
Theoretical examination registration form:
https://transportstyrelsen.se/48f96e/globalassets/global/blanketter/luf…
Thank you for all of the replies.
Raul, I will check out Austro Control.
Stephen, the flying club is UK based. Up until 31st December, the UK CAA were the Competent Authority but obviously, this is no longer the case following Brexit. We received EASA approval as a third country ATO on the 1st of January. It's not possible to get IAA approval for the ATO as our principal place of business is outside of an EASA member state therefore we are directly regulated by EASA.
I'm not an expert in this area but I have asked the question of the colleagues in Flight Crew Training and will provide an EASA update as quickly as possible. Thanks for all the interesting discussion so far.
well, in that case confirm with the CAA UK what they will accept. From my knowledge as examiner you will receive prompt, valid and pragmatic answers within 24-48 hours from their Heathrow staff. I truly appreciate collaborating with them. In case you do not have contacts within the CAA UK simply use their general mail addresses from their website.
& thanks to the others; very interesting how the SE authority copes with that
Stephan Joseph Thanks for the reply. In our specific case, we cannot use the UK CAA for EASA licences. We are now treated like an EASA ATO in the USA or any other part of the world. Our ATO certificate is issued directly by EASA but they don't provide theory exams so I need to send my students to another member state for these. Ideally this should be done online as travel is so difficult at the moment. I'll try Sweden and Austria as suggested above.