U .S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular Subject: Conversion Process for Pilot Certificates in Accordance With the Technical Implementation Procedures—Licensing as Part of the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement Between the FAA and EASA Date: 11/12/24 AC No: 61-143 Initiated by: AFS-800 Change: 1
1. PURPOSE OF THIS ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC). This AC describes the procedures for converting a European Union Part-Flight Crew Licensing (EU Part-FCL) pilot license to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificate. It also contains information on whom to contact and where to find the process for converting an FAA pilot certificate to an EU Part-FCL pilot license. This AC describes how this conversion process is different from the process for obtaining an FAA pilot certificate issued on the basis of a foreign pilot license under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61, § 61.75 and for which the FAA certificate is limited by the foreign license.
2. P RINCIPAL CHANGES. This change incorporates information from 14 CFR part 3 subpart C, requiring any individual who has a foreign address and no U.S. physical address of record on file with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to designate a U.S. agent for service if they apply for a certificate, rating, or authorization issued under 14 CFR part 47, 61, 63, 65, 67, or 107, or hold a certificate, rating, or authorization issued under any of these parts.
PAGE CONTROL CHART Remove Pages Dated Insert Pages Dated Pages i and ii 6/22/21 Pages i and ii 11/12/24 Pages 1 and 2 6/22/21 Pages 1 and 2 11/12/24 Pages 5 and 6 6/22/21 Pages 5 and 6 11/12/24 Pages 16 and 17 6/22/21 Pages 15 thru 18 11/12/24 R obert M. Ruiz for Lawrence Fields Executive Director, Flight Standards Service
U.
S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular Subject: Conversion Process for Pilot Certificates in Accordance With the Technical Implementation Procedures—Licensing as Part of the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement Between the FAA and EASA Date: 6/22/21 AC No: 61-143 Initiated by: AFS-800 Change:
This advisory circular (AC) provides the procedures for converting a European Union Part-Flight Crew Licensing (EU Part-FCL) pilot license to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificate. This AC also contains information on whom to contact and where to find the process for converting an FAA pilot certificate to an EU Part-FCL pilot license. The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way, and the document is intended only to provide information to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
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CONTENTS Paragraph Page
1 Purpose of This Advisory Circular (AC)1
2 Audience1
3 Where You Can Find This AC1
4 References2
5 Background2
6 Definitions3
7 Related Reading Material5
8 Contact Information6
Table 1. Countries Eligible for Conversion8
Table 2. Countries Not Eligible for Conversion8
9 Issuing an FAA Private Pilot Certificate and/or Instrument Rating on the Basis of an
EU Part-FCL Pilot License, Instrument Rating, and/or Night Rating9
10 Administrative Procedure to Apply for an FAA Private Pilot Certificate and/or Instrument Rating on the Basis of an EU Part-FCL Pilot License, Instrument Rating,
and/or Night Rating16
11 Obtaining an EU Part-FCL Private Pilot License, Instrument Rating, and/or Night
Rating on the Basis of an FAA Pilot Certificate and/or Instrument Rating20
12 Request for Information20
13 AC Feedback Form21
1 U .S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular Subject: Conversion Process for Pilot Certificates in Accordance With the Technical Implementation Procedures—Licensing as Part of the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement Between the FAA and EASA Date: 6/22/21 AC No: 61-143 Initiated by: AFS-800 Change:
1 PURPOSE OF THIS ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC). This AC describes the procedures for converting a European Union Part-Flight Crew Licensing (EU Part-FCL) pilot license to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificate. It also contains information on whom to contact and where to find the process for converting an FAA pilot certificate to an EU Part-FCL pilot license. This AC describes how this conversion process is different from the process for obtaining an FAA pilot certificate issued on the basis of a foreign pilot license under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61, § 61.75 and for which the FAA certificate is limited by the foreign license. The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way, and the document is intended only to provide information to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
1.1 E ffects of Guidance. This guidance is not legally binding in its own right and will not be relied upon by the FAA as a separate basis for affirmative enforcement action or other administrative penalty. Conformity with the guidance is voluntary only, and nonconformity will not affect rights and obligations under existing statutes and regulations. This AC uses mandatory terms, such as “must,” when the language is describing an established statutory or regulatory requirement or to reflect the special conditions of Annex 3, Pilot Licensing, and/or the procedures in the Technical Implementation Procedures - Licensing (TIP-L). Adherence to this AC provides an acceptable method by which the FAA may convert an EU Part-FCL pilot license to an FAA pilot certificate.
2 AUDI ENCE. This AC is intended for persons converting an EU Part-FCL license to an FAA pilot certificate and persons converting an FAA pilot certificate to an EU Part-FCL license.
3 WHERE YOU CAN FIND THIS AC. You can find this AC on the FAA’s website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars.
2 4 REFERENCES.
4.1 Related Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts.
• Title 14 CFR Part 61, Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors.
• The CFRs can be found at https://www.ecfr.gov.
4.2 Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA).
• Agreement Between the United States of America and the European Community on Cooperation in the Regulation of Civil Aviation Safety (“The Agreement”), available at https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/international/bilateral_agreements/baa_basa_l isting.
• Annex 3, Pilot Licensing, to The Agreement, available at https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/international/bilateral_agreements/eu/annex3.
• Technical Implementation Procedures - Licensing (TIP-L), available in the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) at https://drs.faa.gov.
4.3 European Union (EU) Requirements.
• Regulation (EU) No. 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and in Annex I to Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1178/2011, (Part-FCL).
• Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Part-FCL are published as Decision No. 2011/016/R of the Executive Director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
5 BACKGROUND. The FAA and EASA entered into an agreement titled “The Agreement Between the United States of America and the European Union on Cooperation in the Regulation of Civil Aviation Safety,” and referred to as “The Agreement.” Annex 3 to The Agreement permits reliance on each other’s pilot licensing and oversight systems to the greatest extent possible. On November 19, 2020, the United States and the EU approved the TIP-L, which details the conversion of an EU Part-FCL private pilot license (PPL(A)), and night and instrument rating (IR(A)) for single-engine piston (SEP) land airplane and multiengine piston (MEP) land airplane categories for single-pilot operations, excluding type ratings. The TIP-L also details and provides the technical requirements for converting an FAA pilot certificate at the private pilot certificate level or higher with privileges for the airplane category rating and/or instrument rating for single-engine land airplane and multiengine land airplanes for single-pilot operations, excluding type ratings. The TIP-L only allows conversion to the private pilot license/certificate level regardless of whether or not the applicant holds a higher level of pilot license/certificate.
3 6 DEFINITIONS. The following defined terms are used throughout this AC:
6.1 Acclimatization Flying. Flight training for the purpose of accustoming applicants for FAA instrument ratings and EU Part-FCL IR(A) with the specificities of the airspace in the United States and the EU Member States, respectively.
6.2 Aviation Authority (AA). A responsible government agency or entity of an EU Member State that exercises legal oversight on behalf of the European Community over regulated entities and determines their compliance with applicable standards, regulations, and other requirements within the jurisdiction of the European Community.
6.3 Annex 3. This is an addition to an agreement between the United States and the European Community titled “The Agreement between the United States of America and the European Community on Cooperation in the Regulation of Civil Aviation Safety.”
Annex 3 is titled “Pilot Licensing.” It lists the basic requirements for the conversion process and calls for a TIP-L agreement to detail the procedures used to accomplish this conversion process.
6.4 Class Rating.
6.4.1 With respect to an EU Part-FCL pilot license, a valid rating attached to a pilot license.
The privileges of the holder of an SEP and MEP class rating are to act as pilot on the class of aircraft specified in the rating as outlined in the “List of Aeroplanes – Class and Type Ratings and Endorsement List” published on the EASA website.
6.4.2 With respect to an FAA pilot certificate, a classification of aircraft within a category having similar operating characteristics as outlined in part 61, § 61.5(b)
(e.g., single-engine land and multiengine land).
6.5 Conversion. The issuance of an EU Part-FCL license on the basis of an FAA pilot certificate or the issuance of an FAA pilot certificate on the basis of an EU Part-FCL license, in accordance with the provisions of the TIP-L.
6.6 Currency. The acceptance of the privileges of a class or type rating on an FAA pilot certificate, based on the recent experience of the certificate holder (part 61 and Regulation No. 1178/2011, Annex III, Part C).
6.7 European Union Part-Flight Crew Licensing (EU Part-FCL). This refers to the EU FCL rules and regulations in the same way that the United States uses part 61 to contain its pilot licensing rules and regulations.
6.8 Flight Review. An assessment in which the airman is required to demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the airman’s pilot certificate to an authorized instructor.
6.9 Flight Time Under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
6.9.1 For FAA pilot certificate holders, flight time during which the aircraft is being operated solely by reference to instruments under actual or simulated instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).1 1 For the FAA, a person does not have to operate under IFR to operate an aircraft solely by reference to instruments in simulated IMC as long as that person complies with 14 CFR part 91, § 91.109(c).
6.9.2 For EU Part-FCL pilot license holders, all flight time during which the aircraft is being operated under IFR.
6.10 Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). The rules governing the procedures for conducting flight under IMC.2 2 This definition for IFR is from 14 CFR part 170, § 170.3. While a person that meets the applicable requirements of part 61 may operate under IFR during visual meteorological conditions (VMC), the rules themselves allow for flight in IMC. See paragraph 7.9 for the differences between the FAA and EU for flight time under IFR.
6.11 Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). The weather conditions below the minimums prescribed for flight under visual flight rules (VFR).
6.12 Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC). As set forth in the TIP-L procedures, an FAA aeronautical knowledge and experience check for an FAA instrument rating that consists of the areas of operation and instrument tasks required in the Instrument Rating— Airplane Airman Certification Standards (ACS) found at https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/acs/.
6.13 Instrument Rating.
6.13.1 With respect to an EU Part-FCL instrument rating, a valid rating on an EU Part-FCL pilot license allowing for operation under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR that is restricted to single-engine or multiengine operation or, in the case of a multicrew pilot license (MPL), additionally restricted to multicrew operation.
6.13.2 With respect to a part 61 instrument rating, means a valid rating on an FAA pilot certificate subject to currency and class of aircraft requirements, allowing for flight under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for flight under VFR.
6.14 Knowledge Test. A test on the aeronautical knowledge areas required for a pilot license or rating conversion that will be administered in a written form or by a computer format.
6.15 Multiengine Piston (MEP) Land. With respect to an EU Part-FCL pilot license, those airplanes for which the holder of an EU Part-FCL MEP land class rating has privileges to act as pilot.
6.16 Night Rating. A night rating is attached to an EU Part-FCL pilot license, and it authorizes a private pilot license holder to exercise license privileges in VFR conditions at night. The night rating is issued without an expiration date.
6.17 Single-Engine Piston (SEP) Land. With respect to an EU Part-FCL pilot license, those airplanes for which the holder of an EU Part-FCL SEP land class rating has privileges to act as pilot.
6.18 Skill Test. A demonstration of skill for a license or rating issued, including such oral examination as may be required in accordance with Annex I to Commission Regulation (EU) No. 1178/2011, (Part-FCL).
6.19 Special Conditions. These are requirements that have been found, based on a comparison of the respective regulatory licensing systems, not to be common to both systems and that are significant enough to be addressed in Annex 3. The list of Special Conditions is contained in Appendix 1 to Annex 3.
6.20 Valid Pilot License or Pilot Certificate. With respect to an FAA pilot certificate or an EU Part-FCL pilot license, validity means that the certificate or license is not surrendered, suspended, or revoked. For an EU Part-FCL rating, it also means that a rating’s validity period stated on the pilot license has not expired.
6.21 Visual Flight Rules (VFR). The rules that govern the procedures for conducting flight under visual conditions. The term “VFR” is also used in the United States to indicate weather conditions that are equal to or greater than minimum VFR requirements. In addition, “VFR” is used by pilots and controllers to indicate the type of flight plan.
7 RELATED READING MATERIAL. The following is a list of reference materials to supplement the information found in this AC.
7.1 FAA Resources (current editions).
7.1.1 ACs. You can find the current editions of the following publications on the FAA’s website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/.
1. AC 60-28, FAA English Language Standard for an FAA Certificate Issued Under 14 CFR Parts 61, 63, 65, and 107. This AC introduces the FAA Aviation English Language Standard (AELS) and provides guidance to applicants, airmen, training organizations, designated examiners, and flight and ground instructors on how to determine that an applicant for an FAA certificate or person holding an FAA certificate meets the FAA AELS.
2. AC 61-98, Currency Requirements and Guidance for the Flight Review and Instrument Proficiency Check. This AC provides information for FAA-certificated pilots and authorized flight instructors to use in complying with the flight review required by § 61.56 and the recent flight experience requirements of § 61.57.
7.1.2 Additional FAA Online Sources.
1. FAA Aeronautical Center (AC) Form 8060-71, Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License and Medical Certification. The form is available at https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/foreign_license_verific
6 ation/. You may also submit the form through the following website at https://iacra.faa.gov.
2. Pilot Certification Frequently Asked Questions. This website provides certain questions and answers that stakeholders posed to the FAA: https://www.faa.gov/pilots /become/faq.
3. Medical Certification Information. This website provides stakeholders information related to FAA medical certification: https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medic al_certification/.
4. Training and Testing Information. This website provides all pilots useful training handbooks, knowledge test guides, and a listing of FAA knowledge test center locations: https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/.
5. Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO). This website provides all stakeholders information regarding the FAA’s FSDO locations: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_ org/field_offices/fsdo/.
6. FAA Handbooks, Manuals, and Other Publications. You can find handbooks, manuals, and other publications on the FAA website at https://www.faa.gov/regulatio ns_policies/handbooks_manuals/.
7. Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM). All pilots operating in the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS) are encouraged to review the information contained in the AIM. You may find a copy of the latest revision at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/pu blications/.
7.2 EASA Documents (current editions).
1. Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018: https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/regulations/regulation-eu- 20181139.
2. Annex I to Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, (Part-FCL), as amended:
https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/regulations/commission-regulation-euno-11782011.
3. Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM) to Part-FCL as per Decision No. 2011/016/R of the Executive Director of EASA, as amended:
https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/acceptable-means-of-compliance-andguidance-materials.
8 CONTACT INFORMATION. The following FAA and EASA offices are responsible for administering this pilot conversion process.
8.1 FAA Certificates. For questions pertaining to pilot certification issues for converting EASA pilot licenses to FAA pilot certificates:
For questions involving procedures or how to accomplish any of the required steps in this process, your first point of contact should be your responsible FSDO, which can be found at https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/.
For policy questions, the offices listed below may be of assistance.
International Program Division https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afx/afs/afs050/ 800 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20591 USA Tel: (202) 267-0962 Email: 9-AWA-AVS-AFS-050@faa.gov General point of contact to be copied on all FAA inquiries.
General Aviation and Commercial Division https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afx/afs/afs800/ 800 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20591 USA Tel: (202) 267-1100 Email: 9-AFS-800-Correspondence@faa.gov To be contacted for airman training and certification questions.
Airmen Certification Branch P.O. Box 25082 Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082 Tel: (405) 954-3261 Email: https://registry.faa.gov/Airmenemail/AirmenEmail.aspx To be contacted for license verification questions.
Office of Aerospace Medicine (AAM) 800 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20591 To be contacted for medical certification questions.
8.2 EU Part-FCL Licenses. For questions pertaining to pilot licensing issues for converting FAA pilot certificates to EU Part-FCL pilot licenses:
European Union Aviation Safety Agency Flight Standards Directorate Postfach 10 12 53 - 50452 Cologne Germany Visiting address: Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3 D-50668 Cologne Germany Tel: +49 221 8999 000 https://www.easa.europa.eu/home FCL@easa.europa.eu Table 1. Countries Eligible for Conversion Austria France Malta Belgium Germany Netherlands Bulgaria Greece Poland Croatia Hungary Portugal Cyprus Ireland Romania Czech Republic Italy Slovakia Denmark Latvia Slovenia Estonia Lithuania Spain Finland Luxembourg Sweden Note: For questions about the specific pilot license/certificate conversion process for a country listed above, contact the AA for that country.
Table 2. Countries Not Eligible for Conversion United Kingdom (UK) The UK is no longer a member of the EU as of December 31, 2020.
Therefore, a UK pilot license may not be converted to an FAA pilot certificate under the TIP-L. UK pilots may still apply for an FAA private pilot certificate based on a foreign license under § 61.75.
Iceland Liechtenstein Norway Switzerland These countries are European Free Trade Association States, but not EU Member States and, as such, are not parties to The Agreement and its Annex 3. Therefore, pilot licenses issued by these countries may not be converted to FAA pilot certificates under the TIP-L. Pilots from these countries may still apply for an FAA private pilot certificate based on a foreign license under § 61.75.
9 9 ISSUING AN FAA PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE AND/OR INSTRUMENT
RATING ON THE BASIS OF AN EU PART-FCL PILOT LICENSE, INSTRUMENT RATING, AND/OR NIGHT RATING. This section details how a pilot licensed in accordance with EU Part-FCL at the private pilot level or higher in the airplane category with or without an instrument rating, and/or night rating, may qualify for an FAA private pilot—airplane category and/or instrument rating, subject to the terms of the TIP-L.
9.1 Applicability and Conditions.
9.1.1 These procedures are available to holders of an EU Part-FCL private pilot license or higher-level license with SEP land airplane and/or MEP land airplane class ratings for single-pilot operations, excluding type ratings. Lower-level pilot licenses similar to a sport pilot or a recreational pilot certificate are not eligible for this conversion. An EU Part-FCL private pilot license holder or higher may also be eligible for conversion of an instrument rating. Ratings such as the touring motor glider (TMG) rating are not eligible for this conversion.
9.1.2 Aircraft type ratings cannot be converted from one system to the other. If a pilot holds an EU Part-FCL type rating for which an endorsement is required according to part 61, the privileges of the type rating will not be issued in accordance with this Agreement.
9.1.3 The EU Part-FCL pilot license and/or associated ratings must be valid prior to initiating the conversion process. Expired ratings may not be converted under any circumstances.
The FAA will reference the Verification of Authenticity Letter and the EU-Part FCL pilot license at the time of application for this purpose.
9.1.4 A person may credit flight training toward the requirements of an FAA private pilot certificate or rating, if that person received the training from an EU Part-FCL flight instructor outside the United States under § 61.41(a)(2).
9.1.5 An FAA pilot certificate that has been surrendered, suspended, or revoked will not be reinstated through this process.
9.1.6 The FAA will not use this conversion process to convert an EU Part-FCL pilot license or rating that has been issued on the basis of another county’s license or rating. An FAA certificate might be able to be issued based upon the provision in § 61.75 using a pilot license from the original country that has not been issued on the basis of a pilot license from a different country.
9.1.7 The FAA, upon converting an EU Part-FCL pilot license, will not require the surrender of that EU Part-FCL pilot license.
9.1.8 A person who is exercising the privileges of an FAA pilot certificate is required to meet the FAA flight review and recent flight experience requirements of part 61 to exercise the privileges of the person’s FAA pilot certificate.