Tuesday 4th October to Tuesday 11th October 2022. If someone had told me that when I started my training I would pass all my ground school exams first time with no deferrals and achieving an 86% average, I wouldn’t have believed you. If you then said I would pass my U.K. CAA CPL and ME/IR with a first series first attempt passes, I wouldn’t have believed you. If you’d then go on to say that I’d also pass my IAA EASA CPL and ME/IR, again with a first series first attempt pass, not only would I have not believed you, I would’ve thought you were crazy! Yet, here I am, I’ve achieved all of those things and that’s all down to hard work, determination and support of friends and family around me.
There are a few words in aviation that when said are met with a groan and an eye roll. Covid being one of them and Brexit being the other! Because I don’t have a crystal ball, and sadly don’t know anyone who has one, I’m unable to see what could happen in the future regarding Brexit or the relationship between the U.K. and the European Union, so if I could cover myself from some of the potential threats down the line, I personally believe I’d be stupid not to take those precautions now while I can, when I may not be able to in the future.
So, reading a lot of paperwork and legal documents, I found out that because of when I took my ground school examinations, I have a very small window to be able to hold both a U.K. CAA and an IAA EASA licence simultaneously without needing to go back to ground school. What does this mean exactly? Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, pilots have had to make the decision whether they want to work on a U.K. CAA licence or an EASA European licence, and this may have depended on who they were working for; for example, British Airways or Virgin Atlantic require their pilots to hold a U.K. CAA licence whereas Ryanair or Aer Lingus require their pilots to hold an EASA licence. When I started ground school I made the decision to work towards a U.K. CAA licence.
As I mentioned above, I don’t know what the future holds. If something were to change that meant I needed an EASA licence to fly, I want to cover myself to ensure I stand maximum potential to get a job come the end of this process and keep a job when I get in one – it’s not an if, that’s a when! So this has meant going back over to the Republic of Ireland to gain my IAA EASA licence, so without further adieu, let me explain all the process that I’ve been through!
Tuesday 4th October 2022 – IAA EASA Class 1 Medical
Despite having my U.K. CAA Class 1 medical, now that I’m applying for my IAA EASA licence, this means I need to have a medical that fits with the licence. The tests started at 10:00 in the morning in Dublin and didn’t finish until 16:00 that evening! I had all sorts of tests including blood tests, urine tests, eye exams, pulmonary tests, ECG’s, lung function tests, physical examination and medical history of both myself and my family. Ironically, after the issue I had at the beginning of the last year with my U.K. CAA medical, this is the part I was most worried about! Thankfully, there was no issues at all so I now hold my IAA EASA Class 1 medical!
After my medical it was travel time, on a train down to Cork taking approximately 2 and a half hours. Although this seemed like a long time, knowing the flying was just around the corner made it so worthwhile!
Wednesday 5th October 2022 – 2 hours PIC
This was a flight to achieve the required PIC time for my EASA licence. Took off from runway 34 and turned left to route down to Mizen Head, and due to strong winds coming from the West, we were able to put the aircraft into slow flight with flaps 30º and let the speed go as slow as we can which meant we achieved a 9kts groundspeed! Looking out of the window, we were pretty much just hovering in the air! Had to make small adjustments to avoid a few localised showers but nothing too major on the route down. Routed back with a strong tailwind this time and arrived back at Cork via Halfway to continue for left downwind for runway 25 and joined the visual circuit for a landing on runway 25. We stopped short of the intersection which allowed an Aer Lingus A320 take off infront of us!
Wednesday 5th October 2022 – English Language Proficiency Test
I needed to be tested on my ability to speak English despite being a native English speaker, so for the first time, I didn’t need to revise for a test! The scenario was very basic and had to have a conversation with my ELP examiner, then have a scenario based exercise as if I was flying the aircraft. I passed with the highest grade, a level 6, and to be honest I wouldn’t have expected anything less and if I had received a lower grade, then I think that would’ve crushed me!
Wednesday 5th October 2022 – CPL Mock Exam
A good flight, and as with the morning flight, took off from runway 34 and routed via Dunkettle on plan to Sligo – obviously we weren’t going to go that far, so when we got to Castletownroche we then diverted to Tallow, where I need to have a look at my groundspeed to get a more accurate timing of arrival. At Tallow we routed further South to Youghal where we completed the general handling items. We started off with the medium and steep turns which were okay, need to watch the altitude a bit, the limited panel exercises and finally the stalls. We then routed back to Cork where we completed the circuits on runway 25, the first was flapless and was okay, the second was a normal full flap touch and go with an engine failure on the climb out which I handled well then came in for an asymmetric landing which was also nice. Just need to be a little more gentle when lowering the nose wheel onto the ground, but all was well and been recommended for my IAA EASA CPL!
Friday 7th October 2022 – ME/IR Simulator
Not a bad sim session. Did a route from Cork to Preswick in Scotland where we fastforward a lot of the time in the cruise to save time. At Preswick, we did a RNP approach via ECCHO and need to be careful to make sure I read the plate correctly so I descend at the correct point. On the go around, had an engine failure, and then proceeded for a radar vectored ILS, which need to be careful as we get closer to the runway to not lose either the glide or the localiser, we landed asymmetric. We then repositioned at Cork so we entered the BADEN hold and flew 2 laps well before joining the inbound radial for the VOR approach on runway 07 and went around. Again, we had an engine failure and radar vectored for an ILS on runway 16 to land at Cork.
Saturday 8th October 2022 – ME/IR Mock Exam
A really good flight. Spoke with both my instructor and ME/IR examiner beforehand about what the ME/IR exam will consist of, so we practiced exactly that! We followed the VAPAL 1T SID from Cork out to VAPAL where we then completed general handling exercises. We first looked at steep turns then fully developed clean stall, incipitent gear and land flaps stall then base to finals gear and approach flaps, all of which went well. We then did a compass turn and finally some recoveries from unusual attitudes. We routed back in and completed an ILS N-1 into a low approach go around which was performed well; after the go around, we entered the GPS MULLA hold via an offset entry and after a few laps performed the RNP to land on runway 25, although the beggining of the approach was flown too high, I managed to get it back on profile and the landing was good. All was well and been recommended for my IAA EASA ME/IR!
Monday 10th October 2022 – CPL Exam
I passed my IAA EASA CPL exam! I was asked to Plan to Weston (near Dublin) and provide all the relevant mass & balance, performance, weather & NOTAMs brief before flight. As with my U.K. CAA exam, I was asked a few questions on my planning and preparation such as where I got some figures from as well as some technical questions about the aircraft and various laws of the air. We took off and routed to Caher along my route to Weston where we assumed we were met by a big block of cloud; the reality was it was a perfect weather day! We diverted to Buttervant and those of you who’re super eagle-eyed may remember this is the exact same route I did for my U.K. CAA CPL, this was a pure coincidence and only realised on the ground. At Buttervant, we ran through the general handling exercises which I performed well before using the VOR to provide a postion fix to say where we were then routed back to Cork for the circuits. We began by holding at Halfway, then performed a normal full flap circuit, we then had to hold at Classis Lake and again at Halfway before flying a flapless circuit with an engine failure on the go around and landed asymmetric to complete the exam.
Tuesday 11th October 2022 – ME/IR Exam
I passed my ME/IR exam! Similar to how the CPL exam was yesterday, we started off on the ground asking questions regarding my planning to Bristol. We weren’t going to be flying that far, we were only going to be doing the SID to VAPAL. I was also asked questions regarding the laws and rules/regulations for IFR flights as well as requirements to go flying and what-if scenarios. We took off and flew the GPS SID to VAPAL where we then completed the general handling exercises. This included steep turns, stalls and limited panel work – I was really pleased as to how these turned out. We then routed back to Cork to enter the VOR hold off runway 25, GINGI. We were asked to route direct from our present position so this meant we had a nice and easy direct entry into the hold. We flew 2 laps of the hold and didn’t require much correction on either time or drift. I then had an ‘engine failure’ and flew the ILS N-1 with a low approach go-around. After this, we then positioned for the RNP on runway 34 and landed which was done nicely. I passed my ME/IR exam which means with my U.K. CAA licence too, I now have 4 first attempt first series passes!
And so we have it, I have now filed for both my U.K. CAA Licence and my IAA EASA licence so will be receiving them both in the post shortly! Keeping with a tradition of when I finish a significant point in my training, I need to express my thanks to a few people…
Firstly to Elizabeth and Ted. Thank you very much for putting me up for the week I was with you in Cork, and for your tremendous hospitality you gave me while I was with you. Nothing was too much bother at all, and the amount you helped me while I’ve been in Ireland has been phenomenal. The meals you’ve cooked for me and driving me to the airport, including at some really early times in the morning for my flying exams, not to mention trying to understand this process I’ve been going through and asking how I’ve been finding my time in Ireland while trying to be as supportive as you can be. Thank you very much and I hope to see you again one day!
Next to Josh and Kyle, partly because I know I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t thank you, and partly because you went through the dual licence process before me and have been a great help in assisting me in doing this process myself, even when I know some of my questions have been stupid and when I’ve come to you worrying that I’ve done something wrong! Thank you lads, it was a pleasure to house you both while you did your MCC, and we really must meet up more regularly before we bump into each other on the line one day!
To everyone at L3Harris for enabling me to head back out to Ireland to allow me to complete my dual licence. I know it hasn’t been easy especially with a deadline looming for my U.K. CAA Licence because of my CPL expiring, but nevertheless we got there with time to spare! To all of the staff at Atlantic Flight Training Academy, although this time it’s been a flying visit (no pun intended), to see some of the familiar faces again has been amazing and a real privilege to get to fly with some of you again. Thank you so much for helping me and supporting me through this process and getting to where I want and need to be.
And to Liv, thank you for putting up with me disappearing to Ireland again so I can get this other licence. I’m aware you don’t understand what’s going on half the time but still put up with me when I’m rabbiting on about what it means and what it’ll enable me to do and how long I’ve got left in my training (not long now!). You’ve been so supportive of me right form the get-go and always by my side to help me achieve my dreams and I don’t quite know how I’m ever going to be able to make it up to you and repay you for all the support over the last year and a half in particular. Everyday we’ve been messaging each other when you’re not working and I’m not flying which does limit the opportunity where the two coincide and each and every one you manage to put a smile on my face. Thank you so much for just being you and making me feel like the luckiest guy in the world each and every day.
Grandma. Once again we’ve been able to say those 4 words again to each other in two successive days and each and every time we do that, it doesn’t make it less special to me. I hope that I’ve managed to make you proud of what I’m achieving, again, even if it doesn’t quite make much sense! Thank you for always being at the other end of the phone for me this last week where I’ve tried to keep you as up to date as I can with what’s been going on my end. I know this calls for another celebration when I’m home and I can’t wait for that to happen! As always, you’ve been so supportive of me and helping me getting to where I need to be, giving me that boost when I needed one and only one step shy of a costume from being an actual cheerleader for me! Thank you so much and I cannot wait to celebrate when we’re together again.
And as with tradition, last but by no means least, my old faithful Mum and Dad. Now there are many things I want to say, but I don’t know how to express just how truly grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me over the course of my training, especially having now done this extra bit that wasn’t planned for when I first started out my training! As you’ve said, it keeps my options open and gives me a better chance of landing that dream job in the cockpit sooner; rather have it and never need to use it than to come unstuck one day in the future. Thank you for always being there for me, being by my side so much so that I reckon you could both do your ATPL’s too! Always willing me on with all the willpower you could possibly send my way and beaming with pride when I manage to call you and let you both know that I’ve passed. Thank you for everything and more importantly just being yourselves which is more than I could ever ask for!
That brings this blog to a close! Thank you very much for tuning in and supporting me on this journey, it hasn’t been easy at times but it’s been one monumental journey and I’m so pleased with the results I’ve managed to achieve along the way and I can’t thank you guys enough for supporting me on this journey and I can now say that I’m officially a qualified U.K. CAA and IAA EASA pilot! Next stage for me is my multi-crew cooperation at L3Harris Gatwick which I understand to be a 3 week process, so once I’ve completed that, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for another blog! Take care, and I’ll catch you all really soon!
