FAA to Canadian License conversion

ntbjounin

ntbjounin

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Jounin
So I took my Canadian medical exam a few weeks ago. I understand it takes a couple of weeks for that paperwork to get filed in the TCCA. I cant proceed without the # of my Canadian medical exam.

Has anyone here converted the certificates? I have at least found the steps I need to take on the TCCA website. That will convert my Commercial certificate, but what about my Flight Instructor Certificate? Does anyone know how to convert that? Has anyone done this? How long did it take? How much did it cost? I'd love some help.
Who can I call to see if they've even filed my medical yet?
 
The conversion agreement is specific about what certificates can be converted, and I've not seen instructor certificates listed at all...

For example, you cannot convert an ASES to an equivalent in Canada..so there may not be a way to convert your CFI.
 
ntbjounin said:
So I took my Canadian medical exam a few weeks ago. I understand it takes a couple of weeks for that paperwork to get filed in the TCCA. I cant proceed without the # of my Canadian medical exam.

Has anyone here converted the certificates? I have at least found the steps I need to take on the TCCA website. That will convert my Commercial certificate, but what about my Flight Instructor Certificate? Does anyone know how to convert that? Has anyone done this? How long did it take? How much did it cost? I'd love some help.
Who can I call to see if they've even filed my medical yet?
Click to expand...

Can't help you much here, but... You got a flying gig in Canada? Tell us more! (Wouldn't mind doing that myself...)
 
no job yet... but i'd like to open that door. and eventually live there
 
I've wondered about the Canadian/US conversion as well.
 
ntbjounin said:
So I took my Canadian medical exam a few weeks ago. I understand it takes a couple of weeks for that paperwork to get filed in the TCCA. I cant proceed without the # of my Canadian medical exam.

Has anyone here converted the certificates? I have at least found the steps I need to take on the TCCA website. That will convert my Commercial certificate, but what about my Flight Instructor Certificate? Does anyone know how to convert that? Has anyone done this? How long did it take? How much did it cost? I'd love some help.
Who can I call to see if they've even filed my medical yet?
Click to expand...


Medical stuff is famously slow here. "Couple of weeks" would be optimistic. The Flight Instructor rating here, as I understand it, is more work to get than it is in the US, as is the IFR ticket, so there's no direct transition. You'd have to prove training and meet the flight test standards which also include extensive ground examination, and the written exam. A thorough knowledge of Canadian aviation law would be necessary; it differs significantly from the US's.

Flight Instructor ratings are in four classes, from 4 (basic) up to 1 (you can teach instructors). A 2 can supervise other instructors in a flight school, a 3 needs no direct supervision, and a 4 has to be supervised. You start as a 4 and work up. The straight dope is in the regs:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/regserv/affairs/cars/part4/menu.htm

CAR 401 has the regulations, and CAR 421 is the Standard by which those regulations are complied with. 421 will have the requirements for flight instructor ratings.

By the way, a CFI here isn't a certified flight instructor; all instructors are certified. A Canadian CFI is the Chief Flight Instructor in a flight school, a Class 2 or 1 rating.

Dan (former Canadian flight intructor; former IFR pilot; too-busy ground-bound Director of Aircraft Maintenance/AME. An AME here isn't an Aviation Medical Examiner; he's an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer.)

Dan
 
I had never heard the term "engineer" used for a mechnic until I started dealing a lot with Canadians. I wondered why engineers were working on the airplanes. To me that was a scary thought. ;)
 
Dan Thomas said:
Medical stuff is famously slow here. "Couple of weeks" would be optimistic. The Flight Instructor rating here, as I understand it, is more work to get than it is in the US, as is the IFR ticket, so there's no direct transition. You'd have to prove training and meet the flight test standards which also include extensive ground examination, and the written exam. A thorough knowledge of Canadian aviation law would be necessary; it differs significantly from the US's.

Flight Instructor ratings are in four classes, from 4 (basic) up to 1 (you can teach instructors). A 2 can supervise other instructors in a flight school, a 3 needs no direct supervision, and a 4 has to be supervised. You start as a 4 and work up. The straight dope is in the regs:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/regserv/affairs/cars/part4/menu.htm

CAR 401 has the regulations, and CAR 421 is the Standard by which those regulations are complied with. 421 will have the requirements for flight instructor ratings.

By the way, a CFI here isn't a certified flight instructor; all instructors are certified. A Canadian CFI is the Chief Flight Instructor in a flight school, a Class 2 or 1 rating.

Dan (former Canadian flight intructor; former IFR pilot; too-busy ground-bound Director of Aircraft Maintenance/AME. An AME here isn't an Aviation Medical Examiner; he's an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer.)

Dan
Click to expand...

Actually, IR is directly convertible under the agreement, as are Private, Commercial and ATP (and Canada calls them licenses, not certificates).

You only have to write a written test focusing on differences between US and Canadian IFR rules, and show an IPC within the previous 24 months (6 in 6 is not acceptable).

A few differences:

  • You need to show 10 hours of night and 10 hours of Instrument time in order to receive a "night rating"
  • VFR on Top is a seperate rating that you need to get. If you have an IR, but not an IPC in the last 24 months, this is what you get.
 
Everskyward said:
I had never heard the term "engineer" used for a mechnic until I started dealing a lot with Canadians. I wondered why engineers were working on the airplanes. To me that was a scary thought. ;)
Click to expand...
That term is very common in the UK which is why it is probably common in Canada.
 
Everskyward said:
I had never heard the term "engineer" used for a mechnic until I started dealing a lot with Canadians. I wondered why engineers were working on the airplanes. To me that was a scary thought. ;)
Click to expand...

It's from the British.

Definition
engineer

/ˌen.dʒɪˈnɪər /
ussymbol.png
/-ˈnɪr/ n [C]

•
a person whose job is to design or build machines, engines or electrical equipment, or things such as roads, railways or bridges, using scientific principles
a civil engineer
a mechanical/structural engineer
a software engineer


•
a person whose job is to repair or control machines, engines or electrical equipment
a computer engineer
The engineer is coming to repair our phone tomorrow morning.



Dan
 
JeffDG said:
Actually, IR is directly convertible under the agreement, as are Private, Commercial and ATP (and Canada calls them licenses, not certificates).

You only have to write a written test focusing on differences between US and Canadian IFR rules, and show an IPC within the previous 24 months (6 in 6 is not acceptable).

A few differences:

  • You need to show 10 hours of night and 10 hours of Instrument time in order to receive a "night rating"
  • VFR on Top is a seperate rating that you need to get. If you have an IR, but not an IPC in the last 24 months, this is what you get.
Click to expand...

The stuff on conversions is here:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/general/personnel/usconversion/appendixa.htm


Dan
 
Everskyward said:
I had never heard the term "engineer" used for a mechnic until I started dealing a lot with Canadians. I wondered why engineers were working on the airplanes. To me that was a scary thought. ;)
Click to expand...

A few years ago I was giving a tour of our airplane to a group of CAP cadets. When I was asked what my cre position was, I responded with Flight Engineer. The cadet, with a look of awe, then asked which engineering program I received my degree from. He was not impressed when I said St Augustine HS, with follow on at Lackland AFB. Engineer is a loose term for us as well.
 
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