International Licensing Programs

RESEARCHING CONVERSIONS?

With years of experience working with international students from all parts of the globe, PEA will help educate you on how to convert your licenses and ratings based on your individual needs. As a candidate with previous flight experience, you’ve dedicated time, hard work, and money to achieving your pilot training goals. Phoenix East Aviation recognizes the importance of this investment and will assist you in understanding the process of converting this experience to your home country’s Aviation Authority.

DGCA CONVERSION

with Instructor & Check Airmen, Dhingra

Greetings everyone! My name is Harpreet Singh Dhingra. I joined Phoenix East Aviation in 2014, but my passion for aviation began far before then. I took my first flight when I was 8 years old and was amazed at the thought of getting paid to fly and travel the world. I received my Commercial Pilot License and Instructor Ratings at PEA.

The knowledge and experience I gained were exceptional, and I had the privilege to work as a flight instructor before returning to India to convert my license. Prior to converting my license, few were aware of how the DGCA conversion process worked. I worked hard and successfully converted my license with the help of the Chief Pilot.

This experience gave me valuable insights into the conversion process, which I have since successfully shared through presentations and one-on-one meetings with students. As a result, PEA has started offering tailored programs to help students with DGCA conversion, even after they leave the US.

I aspire to be in a flight deck flying over the Atlantic someday, but PEA is like a family, and since coming back from working on my own conversion, I have had the opportunity to work in their Flight Training Department. I truly enjoy what I do! One of the aims of this department is to not only to help students obtain their FAA licenses but to also convert their DGCA licenses successfully.

India has streamlined the process of conversion since 2019 and in 2020, the country launched an EGCA website. This is an electronic version of the application, to track the process better. Airline opportunities in India are now booming and with the Indian aviation sector experiencing rapid growth, the demand for pilots and other aviation professionals has increased significantly. This growth has created many opportunities for aspiring pilots and aviation enthusiasts and there is no slowing down in sight with the expectation of a steady increase for the next several years.

Therefore, if you are interested in pursuing an aviation career, this would be an excellent opportunity to take your job to the next level!

EASA CONVERSION

with Alumni, Adrien

I started taking flying lessons at 14 and by the age of 16 conducted my first solo flight. I visited PEA that same year (summer 2016) as I was nearing the end of High School and was looking for a flight school to do my flight training with. Joshua showed me around and I also did a discovery flight. After graduating from High School in 2017, I reached out to PEA again and was able to join in January of 2018.Went to school with a big smile on my face everyday, met some great people, made lifelong friends and really did what I loved most: flying. I completed my Private, Instrument, Commercial Single Engine license and Multi Engine Addon. I graduated from PEA in May of 2020.

The goal, after obtaining my FAA license and ratings at PEA was to get the European EASA ones. The process of converting my license started when I enrolled at a Ground School in the UK and began studying for the EASA ATPL (Airline Transport Pilot) Theory exams. Covid happened, all the courses were held online, so I stayed in Paris and only had to go do the exams at an exam center in Belgium. Obtaining the ATPL theory certificate is the first step in converting your license to EASA. I passed all 13 theory subjects and was done with the theory by the end of 2022. I learned a lot during this process, not only about aeronautics but also about myself. Doing the ATPL theory is like running a Marathon in which you have to stay motivated and remember what the end goal is. I was not flying during most of my theory training and I wish I could’ve put into practice all the things I had learnt. I really missed flying.

But that all changed when I joined South Sweden Flight Academy (Malmö) in April of 2023 where I did the practical part of the FAA to EASA conversion. What an adventure that was! During the two months I was there I was able to finally fly again and do all my EASA checkrides. I had a fantastic experience flying with Osmond Karim, my instructor and Head of training and getting to know all the staff and the various international students there. Everyone was very professional and friendly. I am very grateful to have been informed of the partnership as it was not easy to find a school for the conversion especially in France. I also had the privilege of flying the super decathlon right after my conversion as part of the UPRT (Upset Prevention and recovery training). Doing Aerobatics was a true highlight of my life and made me discover a whole new aspect of aviation. Most recently, the MCC (Multi Crew Cooperation Course) which I completed in Budapest in October 2023, is a course that dives into the fundamentals of CRM (Crew resource Management) while operating an Airbus A320 simulator.

I can’t wait to see what comes next as the MCC marks the final step in my training before joining the airlines. I feel very excited about the new chapter that lies ahead.