CATS Brexit Guidance
There has been some consternation about whether UK PART-FCL theoretical knowledge examinations will remain valid under conditions of a ‘hard’ Brexit deal. For students wishing to continue their examinations in a European PART-FCL state guidance has been sought from a European PART-FCL member state, Austro Control.
There follows a reply to Dr Stuart E. Smith, Head of Training of CATS, from Austro Control:
“By way of derogation from Commission Regulations (EU) No 1178/2011 and (EU) No 1321/2014, the competent authorities of the Member States or the Agency, as applicable, shall take account of the examinations taken in training organisations that are subject to oversight by the competent authority of the United Kingdom but which have not yet led to the issuance of the license prior to the date of application referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 10(2) of this Regulation, as if they had been taken with a training organisation subject to the oversight of the competent authority of a Member State.”
“Although the Article refers to “examinations taken in training organizations” we [Austro Control] interpret this provision in a way that theoretical knowledge examinations taken with the CAA-UK are to be considered as if they had been taken with Austro Control, as this is the only way this article makes sense, since there are no examinations in training organizations foreseen by the Aircrew Regulation, except for the issue of class or type ratings according to FCL.725 (b) which then again would not “lead to the issuance of a license”.
“We are aware that there are different interpretations, but this is the way we understand this Article, because it would not make sense to refer to the Aircrew Regulation, if the provision was not meant for the Aircrew Regulation.”
This infers that students already part-way through the UK theoretical knowledge examination system may continue their examinations with Austro Control should they choose to do so.
Dr Stuart E. Smith
Head of Training, CATS
