Licence issue

[nick14]

Hello all,

A horrible thought just crossed my mind. I will be converting my UK issued licence to an Irish one in the near future. Does this mean I will no longer be able to fly G registered aircraft??

N

[Duchess_Driver]

Nope.....crack on.

[BackPacker]

If it's a JAA license, it really doesn't matter whether it's issued by the UK or by the Irish. You can fly any JAA-reg aircraft on it. Also, as long as your medical is a JAA medical, it doesn't matter which country issued it.

The only significant difference IMHO is that according to JAA regulations you can fly VFR-on-top (airspace permitting) on a bare PPL, but the UK ANO places an additional restriction on a PPL preventing you from flying VFR-on-top altogether (regardless of airspace) unless you hold an IMC or IR. When converting to an Irish-issued PPL that restriction is lifted, because for licensing purposes you are no longer subject to the UK ANO. But I don't know if the Irish would place a similar (or maybe other) restriction on a JAA PPL through their laws.

What's the reason for converting from UK to Irish in the first place? It will cost money and will most likely not provide any benefit other than administrative convenience.

I'm still happily flying Dutch-registered aircraft on a UK-issued JAA PPL with a Dutch-issued JAA medical. No problem.

[nick14]

Im converting a (f)ATPL for a flying job.

I wasnt aware that you could fly VFR out of sight of the surface in the UK. I have an IR so I may take advantage of that!

Many thanks all!!

N

[BackPacker]

Im converting a (f)ATPL for a flying job.

You should have told us. I assumed you were converting a PPL.

I have no idea about additional issues such as this with an ATPL. You might want to ask in the professional studies forum.

I wasnt aware that you could fly VFR out of sight of the surface in the UK. I have an IR so I may take advantage of that!

The restriction I talked about was a restriction on a UK or UK-issued JAA PPL without IMC/IR. I have no idea whether the same restriction applies to a CPL without an IMC/IR, but in any case there may be airspace restrictions as well! So you can't just fly VFR-on-top across the whole of the UK now that you have an IR.