Flight Crew Licensing
Application for Certificate of Validation
The validation of flight crew licences granted by ICAO contracting States is in accordance with the provisions of the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order, for the time being in force, and with the standard set out in paragraph 1.2.1 of Annex 1 (Personnel Licencing) to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and is effected by the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority for the purpose of operating Bermuda registered aircraft.
Application Requirements
The application form should be completed by the airman requesting the Certificate of Validation (CV) and submitted electronically to licencing@bcaa.bm, together with scanned certified copies of the following supporting documentation (the applicant must ensure that all scanned documents are legible – illegible documents will delay the validation process):
- Pilot’s Licence / Certificate showing applicable aircraft type rating and licence validity (including Certificates of Test and/or Licence Proficiency Checks, see Note 4 & 5 below)
- Documentary evidence from the issuing State, verifying the validity of the submitted Pilot’s Licence / Certificate (see Note 2 below)
- Current medical certificate (issued by same regulatory authority as pilot’s licence (not applicable to EASA member States)
- Evidence of proficiency in the English language (see Note 3 below)
- Radio Operator’s Permit / Licence (issued by the same State as pilot’s licence)
- Confirmatory letter of employment (not applicable to “Freelance” applications (see Note 7 below)
NOTES: Applicants should read these notes carefully before completing the application form.
Note 1 – The Flight Crew Licence Validation Certificates (FCL CV) are issued for a period up to but not exceeding five (5) years. To ensure compliance with ICAO Annex 1.2.2.1 requirements, the holder of a Bermuda issued Flight Crew Licence Validation certificate must supply Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) with certified copies of every Medical Certificate renewal and additionally, evidence of satisfactory completion of each subsequent Pilot Proficiency Check (LPC), completed during the validity period listed on the licence validation document.
Failure to supply this evidence will result in suspension of the Licence Validation.
Note 2 – All Applicants for an initial/renewal granting of a Certificate of Validation need to have the particulars of their licence verified by the appropriate section or department of the Aviation Authority that issued the licence.
Note 3 – Applications for a Certificate of Validation will not be entertained unless the Applicant has been assessed as having achieved Level 4, or higher, proficiency in English language in accordance with the ICAO standard in Annex 1.2.9.1.
Note 4 – Evidence of completion of a proficiency check on the aircraft type for which application is made, within one year of application, must be provided. This must be in the form of a licence endorsement or for FAA Certificate holders only, a completed pilot proficiency check form. The BCAA does not accept FAA Second in Command (SIC) proficiency checks nor Temporary Certificates for initial issue of FAA Licences.
Note 5 – Documents not in English must be accompanied by an official translation.
Note 6 – Incomplete applications, applications received without the required supporting documentation or applications not accompanied by the requisite fee, if required, may not be processed.
Note 7 – All initial applicants for a Certificate of Validation are to obtain a letter from the Owner or Operator stating that the applicant is to be engaged as Flight Crew. This letter is to be on paper with a Company logo or similar identifier.
Maximum Number of Types per Validation
The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority validates licences and certificates in accordance with ICAO Annex 1. Current policy is that each issued validation is linked to the aircraft registration or the Operator’s name and is in relation to the aircraft type designation.
Applications for more than one aircraft registration mark to be included on a Certificate of Validation will be limited to a maximum of three (3). This does not apply to those validations granted to aircraft types linked to the same Operator (e.g. “all G5 operated by XYZ Limited”).
Applicants who wish to include more than three aircraft registrations on their validation will be required to obtain a Freelance C. of V., which incurs a charge in accordance with the schedule of fees.
Confirmatory Letter of Employment Requirement
All applicants for a BCAA Certificate of Validation are to obtain a letter from the Owner or Operator stating that the applicant is to be engaged as Flight Crew. This letter is to be on paper with the Company logo or similar identifier. It may be submitted as a scanned copy with the application package as long as it is notarized in the manner described on the application form (Form 9511).
FAA Temporary Certificate
The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority will no longer issue a Certificates of Validation of a Flight Crew Licence which is supported by an FAA Temporary Certificate granted prior to an Initial issue of a full Certificate.
It has come to the notice of the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority that Temporary Airmen Certificates issued by the FAA do not guarantee that a full Certificate will be granted by the FAA. We have been advised that these Certificates are not acceptable for International Operations in accordance with the Articles specified by ICAO Temporary Airmen Certificates issued when additions or changes are being made to an existing Certificate are still acceptable to the BCAA.
FAA Second in Command Rating
The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority will not issue a Certificate of Validation based on an FAA second in command endorsement on an FAA Airman’s Certificate.
The Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority requires all applicants for Certificates of Validation to have completed a Pilot in Command proficiency check on the aircraft type(s) for which validation is requested.
Processing time
A Certificate of Validation will be issued as soon as possible following receipt of the application providing the information provided by the applicant is complete and correct. Note that this process may take up to five (5) working days.
What happens next?
- A Licencing Officer will assess your application.
- After checking that the application is in order, it will be processed and the Certificate of Validation issued and sent to the correspondence address.
- We will contact you if we have any queries regarding your application and may keep your application on hold whilst awaiting any additional documentation to be submitted.