If you are reading this article, you probably secured a job with an airline, and you are trying to validate and convert your FAA ATP into a CAAS licence.
The first form you need to submit to CAAS is the CAAS FC02. The following guide will help you in navigating the final page of the FC02, which I think is the hardest section of the FC02 to fill up. The guide will help you identify the exact RSAF hours from your RSAF logbook to fill up your hours in the form correctly.
This guide only talks about how to transfer your RSAF logbook into the form. But if you have other flying hours (from FAA or STAA), remember to add them as well!
Total Flying Experience
As pilot-in-command (PIC) of aeroplanes – Basically, this is the total captain hours (day and night) from your RSAF log book.
As pilot-in-command under supervision (PIC US) of aeroplanes – Grand total 1st Pilot (day and night) minus Grand total Captain (day and night) will give you your number for PIC US.
As pilot-under-instruction (P U/T) of aeroplanes – This is taken from the Dual (day and night) hours column in your RSAF logbook.
As co-pilot (P2) of aeroplanes – This will be the 2nd pilot (day and night) column from your RSAF logbook. For most RSAF Fighter pilots, this will be 0. Transport and rotary pilots from the RSAF will have some hours in this field.
To verify if your calculations are correct, if you add up all numbers here, it should equate to your total flying hours (day and night).
Cross Country Flying
By definition in the SASP Part 2 Licensing of Professional Pilots, cross-country is defined as “flying using visual reference, dead-reckoning and radio navigation aids; diversion procedures;”
Based on that definition, all RSAF ferry flights, missions in the South China Sea, missions where you are required to navigate to a training area before carrying out your training exercise, can be considered cross-country hours.
Night Flying
These fields are basically the same as the “Total Flying Experience” section but only includes the night hours.
No. of unassisted take-offs and landings – To get this number, you basically need to count the number of sorties you did with night hours.
Instrument Flying
As pilot-in-command (PIC) of aeroplanes – Total instrument flying time that you have for sorties that you clocked captain hours in.
As pilot-under-instruction (P U/T) of aeroplanes – Total instrument flying hours where dual hours are clocked.
As pilot-under-instruction (P U/T) of multi-engines aeroplanes – Same logic as the paragraph above, but only include instrument times in an approved multi-engine aeroplane (F15SG, F5, F50, C130, KC-135, G550 all counted).
Instrument ground time from approved multiengine simulator as pilot under instruction (P U/T) – By definition, the RSAF Fighter AMT and OFTs are not to be used to clock instrument hours. For transport guys, there is a good chance the G550, C130 and KC-135 simulators overseas are certified sims and could be used for hours here. Check with your simulator vendor.
As pilot-in-command under supervision (PIC U/S) of aeroplanes – Total instrument flying time for sorties that you clocked 1st pilot hours minus Total instrument flying time for sorties that you clocked captain hours in.
As co-pilot (P2) of aeroplanes – Total instrument flying time where 2nd pilot hours are clocked. Again, fighter guys usually have 0 hours in this box.
Night Cross Country Flying
Using the same logic as the “Cross Country Flying” section, count the hours from sorties that you did ferry flights, missions in the South China Sea, missions where you are required to navigate to a training area before carrying out your training exercise, at night.
Instrument Cross Country Flying
Identify sorties that are cross country flights (remember the earlier definition), and add up the instrument hours.
Other Flying Experience
As pilots on civil registered multi-engine transport aeroplanes certificated for operations with a minimum crew of at least 2 pilots – By definition, 99% of RSAF pilots will have 0 hours for this. While the G550 and KC-135 have civilian use, unless you have flown a 9V (SG) registered G550 or N (USA) registered KC-135, you can claim the hours for this field.
As pilot of multi-engine aeroplanes – If you fly the multi-engine aircraft in the RSAF, claim the hours here!
Final tip
Calculating these hours is one thing, but remembering how you got these numbers is another! At the point of submission, the CAAS officer will scrutinise your numbers together with you. Have your raw worksheet with you at the submission, so that when the officer asks “How did you get this number”, you can easily explain and replicate the number in front of the officer.
Failing which, the CAAS officer might ask you to come back again at a later date. =(
Good luck!
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Hello Captain Ong, I have a question regarding the verification of flight hours. I was told to obtain either stamps on my logbook or some sort of verification letters from any training providers, clubs and employers involved to certify the flight hours in the license conversion process. I hold an FAA ATP and have received majority of training in the US, where they do not stamp or separately certify logbooks. Reading your article it looks like a raw work sheet is enough so long as explaing to a CAAS officer how those hours are obtained is done flawlessly — I wonder if my understanding is correct. I am awaing a simulator assessment with an airline in Singapore.
You should as much as possible get your FAA flight school to just verify in a signed letter that you have flown xxx amount of hours and broken down into the PIC, P1U/S etc etc.
Good luck for your interview! Let me know how it goes