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Overseas Licence Conversion Examinations

Information about conversion of overseas licences

The Australian Civil Aviation Regulations provide for the recognition of foreign flight crew licences as the basis for issue of an Australian flight crew licence. More information including TTMRA...

Conversion exams (aeroplane & helicopter)

CPL

A holder of a valid foreign CPL licence that has been issued by an ICAO Contracting State, may convert this licence to an Australian CPL by passing a two-part exam (each to be attempted separately), namely:

  • the CPL Flight Rules & Air Law exam for the relevant aircraft category (either CLWA or CLWH), and
  • the CPL Human Factors exam

and passing a flight test.

The CLWA (or CLWH) and CHUF examination fee are each AUD$65.

Both parts must be passed within a period of three (3) years, counting from the first exam sitting, regardless of its result (Pass or Fail). If both part exams are not passed within this time frame, the pass of any part exam will be expired.

ATPL

A holder of a valid foreign ATPL licence that has been issued by an ICAO Contracting State, may convert this licence to an Australian ATPL, by passing a three-part exam (each to be attempted separately).

The conversion exam requires passes in the CPL Flight Rules & Air Law exam for the relevant aircraft category (either CLWA or CLWH), the ATPL Human Factors exam (AHUF) and the ATPL Air Law exam (AALW). The candidate must pass the CPL air law exam before attempting the ATPL air law exam.

The candidate should note that the AALW may not be booked until the day after he/she has passed the CLWA (or CLWH) exam. The candidate's CLWA (or CLWH) pass result requires an over-night upload in the CASA computer system. The recording of the uploaded exam pass is necessary for the CASA computer system to recognize the candidate's eligibility to attempt the AALW exam, and to permit its booking.

All three parts must be passed within a period of three (3) years, counting from the first exam sitting, regardless of its result (Pass or Fail). If all three part exams are not passed within this time frame, any pass(es) of part exam(s) will be expired.

Note: It is also a requirement to hold a multi engine command instrument rating for the issue of an aeroplane ATPL. This requires a pass in the IREX exam and the instrument rating flight test.

The candidate shall contact CASA directly for assistance on the booking. The candidate may apply to CASA in writing by email (clarc@casa.gov.au) or by normal mail to the address below:

Civil Aviation Safety Authority
(Attn: Flight Crew Licensing - Special booking for Overseas Licence Conversion Exams)
PO Box 2005
CANBERRA ACT 2601

Important: Overseas candidates who plan to attempt the aeroplane overseas ATPL conversion exam must allow for the time involved in the correct sequencing of the air law part-exams and the possibility of failing one or more of the three part-exams. CASA has a re-training period which blocks out exam re-sit from one to four weeks depending on the scores of the failed exam and the number of times the exam had been failed. The re-training period is a safety-related requirement therefore CASA will NOT reduce it on the basis of the overseas candidate having to leave Australia prior to the completion of the re-training period. If the candidate has an urgent requirement to leave Australia before passing the exams, then he/she should plan to re-sit the exam(s) on his/her return to Australia.

The candidate is personally responsible for taking these factors into account in the planning of his/her own availability for the exams.

PPL (PAOS & PHOS)

The exams for conversion of an overseas private pilot licence (aeroplane and helicopter) are conducted through flying schools.

Exam details (Aeroplane & Helicopter)

Subject Exam Code Time Pass
COMMERCIAL      
Flight Rules & Air Law (Aeroplane) CLWA 2 hours 80%
Flight Rules & Air Law (Helicopter) CLWH 2 hours 80%
Human Factors (Aeroplane & Helicopter) CHUF 1.25 hours 70%
ATPL      
Air Law (Aeroplane & Helicopter) AALW 1.5 hours 80%
Human Factors (Aeroplane & Helicopter) AHUF 1.25 hours 70%
INSTRUMENT RATING      
IREX IREX 3.5 hours 70%
PRIVATE      
Private (Aeroplane) Overseas Conversion PAOS 1.5 hours 80%
Private (Helicopter) Overseas Conversion PHOS 1.5 hours 80%

Practice exam

A CyberExams Practice Exam facility is available showing the CASA screen-based flight crew exam. Candidates are advised to utilise this facility to familiarise themselves with a typical CyberExams exam.

Cost

The CASA fee for each exam (PAOS, CLWA, CLWH, CHUF, AALW, AHUF or IREX) is AUD$65 each. ASL charge their own conducting fees for each exam. Candidates can find these fees on the ASL website prior to booking exams.

Re-training after a failed attempt

Failing an exam is indicative of knowledge deficiency, which is a safety-related issue. Therefore CASA requires the unsuccessful candidate to undergo re-training before he/she may be permitted to re-attempt the failed exam.

A candidate is strongly advised not to attempt an exam unless he/she has trained (or re-trained) to a satisfactory standard. If the candidate ignores this and fails repeatedly, his/her poor performance will result in very long intervals between sittings. More …

'Minimum' re-training period

The listed re-training period is the 'minimum' that a candidate shall observe before re-attempting the examination. The candidate shall consider whether the 'minimum' period is adequate for his/her personal case. This ensures that he/she may have adequate time to comprehensively analyse the knowledge-deficient areas, plan and re-train to a satisfactory standard before re-attempting the examination.

Candidates are advised that the likelihood of further failure cannot be discounted if they elect to re-sit the examination without adequate and satisfactory re-training.

Candidates should note that CASA policy does not permit any reduction of the listed re-training period for any candidate. This has particular implications for an overseas candidate - see 'Important Note' above in ATPL section, where CASA advises that an overseas candidate who intends to sit and pass the exams before departing from Australia, should make allowance in the travel arrangements for the possibility of exam failure(s) and the consequential re-training period(s). Alternatively, the candidate may re-sit the examination after his/her return to Australia.

A candidate is personally responsible for planning and managing his/her own activities including the possibility of travel plans conflicting with the mandatory need to undergo a re-training period to re-sit a failed examination.

Exam venues and bookings

Details of the ASL exam system venues are available on the ASL website under Exam Venues.

Bookings for professional licence exams are made with ASL.

Bookings for private licence overseas conversion exams are normally made through flying schools, but may also be conducted by ASL.