Hello all
My first post on this forum and hopefully later i can contribute with answers and not only questions.
I have questions that i’m not able to get clear answers to. After emailing several flight colleges in Canada, most of their answers where general and automatic so hopefully someone can help me out in here.
I hold an EASA frozen ATPL, but my Multi engine IR and Multi Engine Piston ratings are both lapsed as well as my EASA class one medical since the end of 2019.
Not currently interested in renewing my EASA ratings or medical as I am not currently residing in Europe, I want to travel to Canada and start working towards getting a Transport Canada CPL as well as a Canadian instructor license.
Can I use my flight hours and experience along with my EASA theory in getting the Canadian license even if I have a lapsed EASA medical and ratings ?
Can’t i just meet the flight time of Transport Canada and do a skill test ( and theory if required ) without the hassle of Renewing any previous licenses ?
Do i need to sit all of ground school again in Canada?
Appreciate any feedback or advice from anyone who have experience especially people who know Transport Canada procedures like @Qalupalik
Thanks
I don’t have useful answer for you but I wouldn’t hope for much. In similar FAA→EASA transition practically nothing would be credited, so I wouldn’t expect much more in your case.
Did you try to directly contact licensing department of TC?
This is some years back, but in the case of the FAA my EASA hours were given credit. I needed an FAA Medical, sit the relevant exams (ATP in this case), and do some training with the ATO (around 4-5 hours) and do the oral/practical exam. I think it works the same the other way: sit all the EASA ground exams, EASA medical, prep for the check ride, and pass the check ride.
There is a bilateral agreement between USA and Canada and this link shows the process coming from the USA. It may be easier to go through a USA CPL/ME/IR route first?
https://www.pilottraining.ca/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=84
@Qalupalik may know this.
Such negativity Emir ;)
“Can’t i just meet the flight time of Transport Canada and do a skill test ( and theory if required ) without the hassle of Renewing any previous licenses ?”
Yes, they’ll all be credited. Your ICAO Annex 1-compliant CPL relieves you from the formal requirement to complete a ground school course for the Canadian CPL. Likewise for the instrument rating. You do not need an instructor endorsement/recommendation to take the INRAT (instrument rating exam). The requirement for an instructor recommendation to take the CPAER (CPL aeroplane written exam) is waived for ICAO CPL holders. 421.13(3)(d) in the standards.
There are some exercises required for the CPL that you might not have done, eg spin recovery. CPL(A) flight test guide TP13462. The long cross-country will also likely be required. You may bring a passenger if it needs doing. The night flight experience requirements are also higher.
Transport takes anywhere from 6 to 9 months currently to issue new category 1 (ICAO class 1) medical certificates. Dr Andreas Timothy in Nicosia is approved as a Canadian aviation medical examiner.
In some regions of Canada the written exams will need to be booked well in advance. Review the exam pre-requisites in TP12881 (CPAER) or TP691 In the case of a first failure, Transport requires candidates to wait 14 days before re-attempting a failed exam, or exam section. Therefore, it would be wise to knock out the exams as soon as possible on arrival.
There might still be some Covid exemptions allowing the exams to be written in the absence of a medical certificate and allowing the flight tests to be done before completing exams. https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/reference-centre/exemptions-canadian-aviation-regulations-cars
It may be easier to go through a USA CPL/ME/IR route first?
Absolutely not.
Thank you all for taking the time to reply especially @Qalupalik
I was wondering because i thought a lapsed EASA medical makes my EASA license invalid hence unusable towards conversion.
I am planning in getting the relevant Canadian licenses afterwards go back and renew all my EASA ratings(i don’t know if it can be done in Canada ).
So without a Canadian medical i cant start with my conversion’s flight training? Since I need a study permit so i was thinking of studying something aviation related until i receive my medical in Canada if that is the case.
Regards
happylight104 wrote:
I was wondering because i thought a lapsed EASA medical makes my EASA license invalid hence unusable towards conversion.
I does prevent you from “exercising the privileges” of the license, but it doesn’t invalidate the license as such.
Canada does not convert foreign licences/ratings other than US ones. The lapsed foreign medical makes no difference as far as I know, however, I have emailed an inspector in Ontario for confirmation.
Once you hold a Canadian licence with ratings equivalent to those you wish to renew on your EASA licence, the renewals will no longer formally require an assessment or refresher training at an EASA ATO. The proficiency checks could be done in Canada were an EASA examiner with the appropriate privileges, and work rights, available. More likely, a trip to the States will be needed, eg at Hillsboro Aero Academy in Portland Oregon, which should be approved as an EASA ATO this month.
As mentioned, there are some covid exemptions allowing the exams and flight tests to be done without the appropriate medical certificate, subject to some conditions. NCR-021-2022 and NCR-005-2022.
You are unlikely to need enough training to pad out the minimum study period required for a PGWP. Eric Stier in Prince George BC mentioned to me the other day that he is awaiting approval as a designated learning institution. Perhaps there are some other courses available. The University of Victoria offers relatively inexpensive non-credit certificates and diplomas in business administration, under the division for Continuing Studies. The progam coordinator there, Genevieve Lemay, might find you a solution.
Qalupalik wrote:
Such negativity Emir ;)
I just wrote from recent experience of good friend of mine – she had to sit all 14 EASA exams (while some flight hours were credited) regardless having FAA/CPL/MEIR. It’s better to start with lower expectations and then get better information like yours 
