Converting Your FAA License to CAA New Zealand License

I have received questions in the past from Jump Pilots wanting to know how to "convert their FAA Commercial License to a CAA (New Zealand) Commercial License". As you will read below, you are not technically "converting" your current FAA License to a CAA License. You will keep your current FAA License, be assessed and then given a CAA License. I thought some of you might want to know how to go about doing this as well. Here is what I found:

"In order to determine that the appropriate recognition requirements are met, all overseas pilots who seek the issue of a NZ Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) are required to have their flight experience and qualifications assessed. These assessments are carried out on behalf of the CAA by Aviation Services Ltd and are completed in accordance with the appropriate requirements prescribed by CAA.

In addition, acting under delegation from the Director of Civil Aviation, Aviation Services Ltd administer all NZ Flight Crew written examinations and initial issue flight tests for the CPL, Flight Instructor Ratings and Instrument Ratings. 

Overseas pilot license holders who seek the issue of a NZ CPL or ATPL, should initially contact ASL at the following address: 

Aviation Services Ltd. 

PO Box 30343 
Lower Hutt 
New Zealand 
Telephone: +64- 4- 913 9812 Fax: +64-4-913 9816 
www.aviation.co.nz 
For assessment purposes, any person seeking the issue of a NZ Flight Crew License will be required to support each application for assessment by producing their pilot logbook(s), current overseas pilot licence, unexpired overseas medical certification and any other evidence that may assist in establishing the applicant’s qualifications and flight experience. Evidence of holding a flight radio telephone operator rating or equivalent will also be required.

Following completion of the assessment, each applicant who meets the eligibility requirements for recognition will be advised in writing as to what they must complete prior to making application for a NZ Flight Crew License. 

When all the appropriate requirements have been completed, each application for the issue of a NZ Flight Crew License should be submitted to: 

Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand 

PO Box 3555 
Wellington 6140 
New Zealand 
Telephone: +64-4-560 9400 Fax: +64-4-569 2024

* The information above was found in the 10 page form titled: "Recognition of Overseas Flight Crew Licenses and Ratings" 

Read it in its entirety by visiting this link: www.caa.govt.nz/pilots/For_Australian_pilots.htm