I am a student pilot in an CPL/ATPL integrated course and I successfully completed my ATPL theoretical exams in the UK by December 31, 2020. Can I complete, after that date, the flight training in an ATO approved by an EASA Member State or EASA? Will my UK ATPL theory certificate of completion be accepted by EASA Member States for the licence issue after December 31, 2020?
Answer
EASA Member State competent authorities may continue to accept such valid theoretical knowledge examination completion certificates for the purpose of issuing Part-FCL licenses and ratings in accordance with either Regulation (EU) 1178/2011 or Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/723, provided that those examination completion certificates are still within their validity period in accordance with point FCL.025(c) of Annex 1 (Part-FCL) to Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 and provided that they were issued by the UK CAA before January 01, 2021 in full compliance with Annex 1 (Part-FCL) to Regulation (EU) 1178/2011. In particular, in accordance with point FCL.025(a)(1) of Annex 1 (Part-FCL) to Regulation (EU) 1178/2011, the entire set of theoretical knowledge examinations for a specific licence or rating must have been taken under the responsibility of the UK CAA.
Please note that this does not mean that the student file can be transferred to an EASA Member State’s training organisation, but only that EASA Member State’s competent authorities may continue to accept theoretical knowledge examination completion certificates which were issued before January 01, 2021 by the UK CAA for the purpose of issuing their own licenses or ratings.
After January 01, 2021, in order to continue relying on that ATPL theoretical knowledge examination issued by the UK CAA for the purpose of obtaining a Part-FCL license or rating, the student should undergo flight training at a training organisation under oversight of EASA or an EASA Member State and apply for the issue of the license or rating to one of the EASA Member States competent authorities within the period of validity of the theoretical knowledge examination certificate concerned.
In case the student transferred to an ATO approved by an EU27 competent authority or EASA before January 01, 2021, the student should also have applied to the competent licensing authority of an EASA Member State by that date for a formal assessment of the further hours of training required. The new EU competent authority will be the one to whom the student will apply for the licence issue.