Acceptance of pilot licence from FAA

Acceptance of pilot licences from FAA USA according to agreement between the USA and the EU on cooperation in the regulation of civil aviation safety (BASA)

FAA licence at the private pilot grade or higher with privileges for the airplane category and/or instrument rating, may qualify to be licensed in accordance with EU Part-FCL for a private pilot license, instrument rating and/or night rating for the airplane category, subject to the terms of the Agreement and Annex 3.

Type ratings cannot currently be converted. Therefore, if a pilot holds an FAA type rating, privilege or endorsement for which a type rating is required according to Part-FCL, a Part-FCL type rating will not be issued in accordance with this Agreement.

Holders of an FAA pilot certificate whose would like to apply for EASA CPL(A) or ATPL(A) licence or for licence for other aircraft category (helicopter, sailplane or ballon) please folow procedure published here.

FAA ATPL(A) / CPL(A) / PPL(A)  → EASA PPL (A) only

Holders of an FAA pilot certificate have to meet requirements of section B of TIP-L document.

The conversion process will require compliance with a variety of general and specific requirements.

General requirements:

1. The FAA airman needs to be current in accordance with applicable FAA regulations when the conversion process is initiated.
2. Applicant shall provide the proof of residence in an EU Member  State and copy of FAA pilot certificate. It must be clear whether the applicant is already residing in an EU Member State before or after the applicability of Annex 3. Holder of an  FAA pilot certificate  who is not eligible for conversion under Annex 3, must meet relevant  requirements of COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2020/723.
3. FAA pilot certificates that have been surrendered, suspended, or revoked shall not be accepted.
4. The applicant’s FAA medical certificate must be current, and a valid EU medical certificate is required. The applicant shall meet the EU medical requirements as stipulated in Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 applicable to the PPL(A).
5. The applicant for PPL(A) shall demonstrate to the examiner before the skill test that he/she has acquired an adequate level of required theoretical knowledge detailed in the TIP-L within the 24-calendar-month period preceding the month of application. For PPL(A) with IR privileges see theoretical knowledge examination requirements in TIP-L.
6. In some cases the additional training and/ or acclimatization flying is required (for more information see section B of TIP-L).
7. The applicant must pass the skill test in accordance with the requirements of Regulation EU No 1178/2011 as written in FCL.235, and FCL.725 and/ or FCL.620 and the relevant Appendix, with an examiner qualified according to Part-FCL. The applicant must complete the skill test on the same class of airplane (i.e., SEP land or MEP land) for which he/she is seeking for a class rating.
8. Applicant must demonstrate or provide evidence that he/she has acquired language proficiency in accordance with FCL.055. There are two possibilities:
   1. Applicant will demonstrate english language skills to one of the approved language assessment bodies (LABs). The minimum acceptable proficiency level is the operational level (Level 4) . There is a list of LABs: http://letectvo.nsat.sk/letecky-personal-2/piloti/jazykova-sposobilost/ or
   2. English proficient endorsement in FAA licence is deemed to be equal to level 4 according to Part-FCL. The validity period for English language proficiency level 4 will start from the date of the last documented flight review.
9. If the applicant already holds a Part-FCL license, he/she must submit the application to the Aviation Authority, which initially issued the pilot license, except when the pilot has requested a change of competent authority and a transfer of his/her licensing and medical records to that authority.

Specific requirements:

Specific requirements for Single-Pilot Multi-engine Piston Class Rating (MEP Land) are described in 2.2.6 of Section B of TIP-L.

Specific requirements for Night Rating are described in 2.3. of Section B of TIP-L.

Specific requirements for Instrument Rating are desrcibed in 2.4. of Section B of TIP-L.

• An applicant who has obtained an EU Part-FCL instrument rating on the basis of this Annex shall be required to undergo the entire set of theoretical knowledge examinations according to FCL.025 and FCL.615 IR of Part-FCL prior to exercising his/her instrument rating privileges with an EU Part-FCL CPL, MPL or ATPL.
• An applicant who has obtained an EU Part-FCL instrument rating on the basis of this Annex shall be required to undergo the entire set of theoretical knowledge examinations according to FCL.025 of Part-FCL before being given the full credit for the IR(A) in the different category of aircraft according FCL.035 of Part-FCL.

For more information please contact letecky.personal@nsat.sk.

• Please provide us with all relevant information about your current licence and intention to use EASA licence (commercial air transport and other commercial activities, non-commercial activities with/without an instrument rating etc).

Conversion process is as follows:

1. Complete the application form in Appendix 1 of Section B of TIP-L and return the form with relevant documentation as listed in the submission instructions by post ONLY to:

Transport Authority

M.R. Stefanik Airport

823 05 Bratislava

Slovakia

2. Pay the application fee

The current issue fee is 50 €.

Information on administration charge payment are to be found here: http://nsat.sk/en/transport-authority-about-us/administrative-fees/

Payment is taken once application is received, not when you collect the licence.

3. Once payment has cleared, the Transport Authority will then contact FAA seeking verification licence.
4. Once the Transport Authority has received all the required information, The Transport Authority will contact you informing you that your EASA licence is ready.

Note: Please note, that the process of licence validation might take several months.