JAA: Joint Aviation Authorities
JAR: Joint Aviation Regulations
JAR-FCL: Joint Aviation Regulations - Flight Crew Licence
FTO: Flight Training Organization
JAA The JAA is an association belonging to the ECAC (European Civil Aviation Conference) and it represents the regulating authorities of a number of European States who have agreed to cooperate in the development and introduction of the control of common safety rules and procedures.
JAR-FCL are the letters which refer to the rules for the joint aviation requirements for the licensing of flight crews (annex to Ministerial Order in force on the 21st March 2000).
An FTO flying school is an organisation which is managed, equipped and operated from a suitable place so as to provide flying training and/or synthetic trainer training together with ground school, if required, according to approved specific training programmes.
The FTO will be approved by the Authority of the JAA(Joint Aviation Requirements) Member State and must comply with the JAR-FCL requirements.
The Integrated Course ATPL is completed in 20 months without any previous flying experience and with a constant and intensive assessment.
The Modular training is carried out by obtaining different licences and ratings in phases. The duration is greater but may be more comfortable for those who want to reconcile their work or other activity with the course
Together with its short length, the advantage of the integrated course is that it includes all the licences and ratings so the student obtains the highest official qualification in the aeronautical environment through a flying school. The qualifications enable the holder of the licence to fly as a co-pilot on multi-engine multi-crew aeroplanes on commercial air transport flights as well as obtaining the Commercial Pilot’s Licence CPL(A), the Instrument Rating (IR), the Multi-Engine Land Plane Rating (MEP,L), International Radiotelephony Operator’s Licence together with the ground school knowledge required to finally obtain the Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence, PTLA(A) as well as completing the Multi Crew Co-operation (MCC) course.
Because of the intensive make up of this type of course and also the fact that the best continuous training is achieved through the control and follow up at one specific school, the students avoid the inconvenience of dealing directly with the State Authorities together with having to complete the required paperwork and form filling involved between each different course, rating and/or licence until the training has been completed.
This is a full attendance course where the ground school hours, as well as the flying training, is given lineally and continuously so that at the end of the 20 months all the knowledge required to operate with the different ratings and licences described above is obtained.
The official exams are carried out at the end of the course at one sitting (the sittings are announced by the Civil Aviation Authority throughout the year in February, June, September and November) thus avoiding the need to take different exams for each rating or licence individually.
Modular Courses
Modular training is carried out by obtaining different licences and ratings in phases, so as to ultimately reach the full frozen ATPL (A).
There are a total of 5 modules
Multi-Engine Rating (ME)
This option is aimed towards those candidates wishing to become professional pilots who, due to different motives such as work commitments, time availability, budget, and so on, are unable to carry out the integrated course.
This method is somewhat slower, the average duration being between three and four years for those starting from PPL.
The student has to complete the course and pass the exams for the individual module to be able to continue on to the next one, as well as complying with each course requirement.
The Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL) is the starting point. For the time being, Airmed is not providing this course in English so only those foreign students with current PPL will be accepted for Modular training.
The next module recommended is the Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence Ground School (ATPL), as when the subjects are completed, they are then valid for the other CPL and the IR modules.
The Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence ground School (ATPL) can be completed in two ways:
- Full Attendance: This lasts for between 12 to 16 months approximately, including the time required for sitting the official exams set by the Spanish CAA (The Dirección General de Aviación Civil/AESA).
- Distance learning: This option is in English and is very flexible as it offers the student the possibility of studying without moving from home, also offering a flexible timetable. It lasts for approximately 10 to 12 months, including the time required for sitting the official exams set by the Spanish CAA (The Dirección General de Aviación Civil/AESA).
To be able to proceed to the next module (CPL or IR), not only does the student need to have covered the previous modules (PPL and ATPL), but he or she also has to have a total flight time of 150 hours as pilot in command for CPL, and 70 hours as pilot in command for the instrument rating.
The order for completing these two courses makes no difference.
Flying these hours is the student’s own responsibility. However, Airmed makes its fleet of basic aircraft available to the students for this purpose.
Lastly, the MCC course must be completed, and this lasts approximately a month.
Requirements:
By law you need to obtain a Class 1 Medical Certificate. This is a necessary requirement to be able to complete the course and to fly in the future.
Either a pre-university level education certificate oriented towards any speciality or taking a school entrance exam before starting the course is required (these are DGAC (CAA)requirements).
The school entrance exam is set from a test type question bank and deals with general knowledge, physics and maths.
(You can phone Airmed to obtain the subject material for the entrance exam).
Language
The entire course is run in English. This means that the different ground school subjects are taught in English, the periodic class exams, partial exams and Airmed school finals together with the official finals set by the DGAC are held in English. Along with this the flying training, ground briefings and air-ground radio telephony work which all lead to a DGAC (CAA) JAR examiner holding a flying skills test are carried out in English with each individual student.
The civil Aviation Authority lays down the requirements for the different medical certificates or psychological tests required to obtain the licences and ratings as well as the responsibilities involved in keeping them current. Certain approved medical centres, where this testing can be carried out, are made available. For our specific case with the Integrated ATPL course the Class 1 certificate is needed and it is made up of the following medical tests and examinations:
In the following link you can check the Ministerio de Fomento web where the approved medical testing centres where you can go are set out.
The Class 2 medical certificate for flight attendants is made up of fewer specific checks.
Neither the school nor the Civil Aviation Authorities stipulate an official age limit. However it is true that airlines usually prefer to take on younger people (between 20-30 years old) who will grow with the company - although the retirement age is 65 like in any other professions.
If you want to be an airline pilot, our advice is to complete the course as soon as possible as age within the aeronautical world is always something questionable.
The future in this sector is proving to be expanding and growing both in Spain as well as in Europe, mainly due to the creation of new low cost companies as well as air taxi and private jet operators. There is also some recycling of crews within the mainstream air carriers.
Countries like The United Kingdom, Scandinavia, India, China or Russia are some of those in which the demand for pilots is enormous and so the offers of jobs is greater
The best option is to go for all the European airlines. By doing so there is a wider range of possibilities.
The school does offer payment terms which consist of an enrolment fee, an amount due on initiating the course and then 19 monthly payments.
However, a bank loan agreement is possible and may vary depending on each person’s individual circumstances. Banks normally request a bank guarantee or some form of salaried income. We do have an agreement with Caixa Catalunya where credit payments can be paid in once the course has ended, although students are free to approach any trustworthy bank where better conditions might be obtained.
You will obtain all the necessary help from the school so as to obtain the abovementioned financing (certificates, providing of information on the school to the bank, etc.)
Valencia is the ideal city for flying. It has a wonderful climate which sets it apart from the rest of Spain and Europe allowing for flying training of all types and offering a pleasant stay for anyone who does not come from the area.
Valencia also has a state-of-the-art airport which has recently rebuilt its terminal and modernised its installations and surrounding area making it a perfect location for a flying school like Airmed, specifically set up for carrying out flying activities.
The constant and increasing commercial air traffic from all nationalities made up of passenger, cargo, commuter and private movements together with all the necessary radio aids for daytime and night time flying allows the students to get used to the environment of their future profession right from the first day.
