Licences issued by ECAA

The following types of licences and certificates are issued by ECAA;

1. Student Pilot’s Licence

2. Private Pilot’s Licence

3. Commercial Pilot’s Licence

4. Airline Transport Pilot’s Licence

5. Flight Instructors’ Licence

6. Ground Instructors’ Licence

7. Flight Engineer’s Licence

8. Flight Operations Officer’s Licence

9. Aircraft Maintenance Engineer’s Licence

10. Flight Radio Telephony Operator’s Licence

11. Cabin Crew Member Certificate

12. Air Traffic Controllers’ Licence

1. Personnel Licensing (PEL) is a department within the aviation Regulations. The Directorate of Personnel Licensing reports to the Director Aviation regulation and is responsible for the oversight of ICAO Annex 1 requirements in Ethiopia. In addition, the PEL Office may be called to cooperate or assist in the investigation of an accident or an incident.  To discharge its responsibilities, the PEL Department has to carry out many functions/tasks which are normally organized around five major functional areas:
2. Examinations
3. Licensing,
4. Training,
5. Regulatory,
6. Administration.

 v The Examination Tasks

The examination tasks of the PEL office are essentially the flight crew, cabin crew, aircraft maintenance, flight operations officer and air traffic controller. Because of such specialized high-level skills, the ECAA uses staff from the operations, airworthiness and air traffic control departments and designated examiners to carry out examinations, in particular practical skill examinations and supervision. The tasks related to the examination function include:

1. Designing the written examinations of flight crew members, aircraft maintenance personnel, air traffic controllers, and other ground operation personnel who intend to issue/ renew licenses or add new ratings and authorizations;
2. Reviewing, evaluating, and marking written tests;
3. Carrying out oral examinations of different categories of license, as required;
4. Carrying out flight tests and simulator tests and generating the required test reports
5. Carrying out different types of skill tests for the different categories of license and generating the necessary test reports;
6. Carrying out the necessary medical tests, and issuing the appropriate medical certificates.

V The Licensing Tasks

A. The Licensing tasks cover all of the routine tasks associated with the physical issuance and maintenance of personnel licenses, ratings, certificates, authorizations and include:

(1) Drafting detailed procedures for licensing staff;
(2) Evaluating the foreign licenses, ratings, certificates, authorizations and take appropriate action;
(3) Reviewing the flight crew, cabin crew, maintenance personnel, flight operations officer, air traffic controllers limitations and recent experience, and take the necessary action upon it;
(4) Reviewing and studying the application for a license, ratings, certificates, authorizations and related documentation and recommend actions to be taken from appropriate sections; and
(5) Issuing and renewing different licenses, ratings, certificates, authorizations, as applicable.

v The Training Tasks

A. The training tasks of the PEL office covers the activities related to the certification and  approval of training school and training programs and include:

1. Studying the PEL training standards and making the necessary recommendations for improvement of in-country and abroad training issues;

2. Developing and executing plans for the surveillance of the different aviation training activities;

3. Studying and surveying training curriculum and programs submitted for approval and take appropriate action;

4. Certifying the different training sections at operators and maintenance organizations, air traffic control units, as well as manufacturers and other approved agencies, if any;

5. Establishing and maintaining personnel training records.

• The Regulatory Tasks

1.  The regulatory tasks cover the development and maintenance of the regulatory support of personnel licensing and include

(1) The drafting and amendment of Rules and Standards relating to the training and licensing of aviation personnel;

(2) The enforcement of licensing laws and Rules and Standards; and

(3) The development of procedures and guidance material.

• The Administrative Tasks

The administrative tasks of the PEL office include:

Providing an efficient and secure record system which maintains up-to-date records of licensing and certification actions;

Provisioning of necessary PEL office supplies, equipment and facilities;

Ensuring that all regulatory material and PEL documents held by staff are kept updated;

Drafting and promulgation of examination schedules;

Printing and collating examination papers, and distribute them in order to meet the published scheduled times;

Handling routine correspondence in respect to requests for study guidance material, dates of examinations, application forms, and examination fees;

Dealing with the public when necessary on matters related to:

Scheduled examinations;

Requests for explanatory pamphlets and any queries related to examination administration; and

All matters appropriate to license or rating or examination applications;

Handling routine correspondence in respect to applications for licenses or ratings, flight tests or any other routine clerical matters requiring action;

Processing all license applications;

Completing license forms and prepares licenses for official signature.

Open, maintain and destroy license holder file.

• The Service Provide By PEL Directorate:
• Licensing
  • Student Pilot License
  • Private Pilot License
  • Multi Pilot License
  • Commercial Pilot License
  • Air Transport Pilot License
  • Flight Operations Officer / Flight Dispatchers’ License
  • Air Traffic Controllers Licenses
  • Ratings and Endorsements
  • Conversion of Foreign Flight Crew Licenses
  • Foreign Licenses Validation and Conversion
  • Validation of Foreign Flight Crew Licenses
  • Aircraft Maintenance Engineers
• Examination
  • Aircraft Maintenance Technician
• Airframe examination
• Power plant examination
• Avionics Examination

• Private Pilot LicenseExamination
• Multi Pilot LicenseExamination
• Commercial Pilot LicenseExamination
• Air Transport Pilot LicenseExamination
• Flight Operations Officer / Flight Dispatchers’ LicenseExamination
• Type Rating Examination

• Approved Training Organization

• Requirements to get those service:

• Student Pilot License

The first step in gaining any Pilots License is the Student Pilot License. This license is majorly used for training purposes. This license can also be used to gain the required hours to be qualifying a pilot to renew their license in case their other license e.g. PPL, CPL or ATPL has expired.

Requirements for application of an SPL

To be eligible for issue of Student Pilot License, an applicant shall;

1. Be at least sixteen years of age;
2. Able to demonstrate the ability to read, speak, write, and understand the English language;
3. Be in possession of a valid Class 2 Medical Certificate.
4. The applicant for a student pilot authorization shall receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor on the following subjects:

Application Requirements

1. Fully Completed SPL application form (Form ECAA/PEL/OF/008) ;
2. Submit two passport size photographs – full face (size: 2cm by 2.5cm);
3. Present a photo Identification Card or Passport, or Birth Certificate and a photocopy of the same to be left at the PEL office.
4. Payment of the prescribed fees.

Renewal of Student Pilot’s License requirements

Upon expiration of a Student Pilot license, the applicant may apply for renewal.

1. Completed application form for Issue, re-issue and renewal of the SPL (Form ECAA/PEL/OF/008)
2. The original Student Pilot License on which the renewal is appended. If it is full, issue a second Student Pilot License following the same procedure as for initial issue.
3. A valid Class 2 medical certificate;
4. Paid the prescribed fees for the License

• Private Pilot License

The Private Pilot Certificate, internationally referred to as the Private Pilot License (PPL), allows students to obtain the foundational knowledge and skills for all future aircraft pilot training. As a Private Pilot, you can fly an airplane day and night (if one has a Night Rating) in visual flight conditions and carry passengers (friends, family, co-workers, etc.). You cannot fly for paid compensation or hire. The PPL is your foundation course on a pathway to a Commercial Pilot’s License.

Requirements for Issue of a PPL

An applicant for a Private Pilot License shall;

1. Be at least seventeen years of age for a license
2. Be in possession of a valid Class 2 Medical Certificate.
3. Receive an endorsement for the knowledge test in the student pilot’s logbook from an authorized instructor who—
   1. Conducted the training on the required aeronautical knowledge areas, that apply to the aircraft category sought; and
   2. Certified that the person is prepared for the required knowledge test;
4. Pass the required PPL knowledge test;
5. Meet the aeronautical experience requirements that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought before applying for the practical test. These required hours are well elaborated on the PPL application forms below
6. Form ECAA/PEL/OF/008 for PPL (Aeroplanes)
7. Form-ECAA/PEL/OF/008 for PPL (Helicopters)
8. Form-ECAA/PEL/OF/008 for PPL (Balloons)
9. Receive flight training and a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor who—
   1. Conducted the training in the required areas of operation for the rating being sought; and
   2. Certified that the person is prepared for the required practical test;

This will prove that the student is ready for PPL Practical test or GFT (General Flight Test)

7. Pass a practical test – PPL (GFT) done by an authorized examiner.
8. Pass the English Language Proficiency Exam with either of the following results;
9. Pass the English Language Proficiency Exam with either of the following results;
   1. Operational Level (Level 4); Valid for 3 years i.e. should be evaluated once every 3 years.
   2. Extended Level (Level 5); Valid for 6 years

• Expert Level (Level 6); Valid for Life