First of all the process is EXTREMELY slow and patience is mandatory.
Step 1 of license conversion is the signing up for written exams. There are 2 exams to be written initially. The commercial conversion written exam and the Theory Type Rating (TTR) written exam.
In order to sign up you must show up with a photocopy of the last 3 pages of your logbook (preferably stamped by one of the last operators you flew for), a photocopy of your license/medical, as well as the actual document so they can confirm it is indeed an existing file.
The cost of the conversion is of 205$USD. I need to stress the USD because even though this is Tanzania and the local currency is the shilling they will not accept it as a form of payment at this step. The TTR is an additional 60$USD.
Exams are every Thursday mornings at the Tanzanian Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) Office in Dar es Salaam on Julius Nyerere Road just past Terminal 1.
This being Tanzania the process is not constant and never the same. I was told when I registered that I could only write one exam one week and the other the next. Other pilots have told me they were able to write both on the same day. It all depends who signs you up and who's doing exam supervision that day and how he feels about it.
I would strongly recommend for people from out of town to confirm a day ahead of schedule to make sure the exam will indeed go thru the next day and you don't waste time/money on a commute to Dar for no reason. The cancellation rate of exams is quite high and usually comes with no warning. You show up the morning of, wait in the lobby for one hour only to be told by a random that the test has been cancelled for 3 days.
Exam results aren't given out until the following Monday morning. Pass for the conversion exam is of 70% and the TTR's are of 75%.
Once that is completed a few more steps need to be achieved before receiving the blue booklet.
In order to hold a pilot's license in Tanzania one must have a Type Rating on some aircraft. Therefore you must pass a flight test on a certain aircraft and receive the proper paperwork proving you've done so.
Most pilot's guaranteed a job upon arrival are often checked out by there Chief Pilot or designated examiner on the aircraft they will be flying for the company. Easy enough. For those coming here seeking work, things are a little harder. Most people I have met have either gotten their initial type rating on either a Cherokee or Cessna 172.
To get a type rating one must have over 5 hours on type and having to pay for those 5 hours on an aircraft you are not familiar with just ends up costing too much.
Once paper in hand proving you have passed a flight test the next step is the aviation medical. As of right now I only know of one place in Dar es Salaam that is qualified to do aviation medicals. This place is called Zenco Clinic and is found in the Posta neighbourhood of town. Between the NBC Bank and the roundabout on the right.
The initial medical costs 100,000Tsh (roughly 70$USD) and consists of a filling out a paper with the standard medical questions, urine sample, blood test, and basic review by a doctor. He will then inform you that you must go to the local hospital to do an ECG and chest x-ray. The clinic will offer you a personal escort who will walk you to the hospital, sign you up, and walk you around the hospital to the proper departments. Very helpful considering hardly anyone speaks any english. The cost of the ECG and x-ray is of 27,000Tsh.
The hospital says it will take 2 days before your clinic gets the results for the x-ray however the doctor will give you the medical anyways if you look in proper health.
It is recommended by TCAA to go for a medical renewal at least 21 days before the expiry of your current medical.
You must then fill out a few forms, one of which is the license conversion request, one about applying for a type rating, one that asks you about all your hours and tells you the Tanzanian requirements for converting. If you do not have or can't find these forms online simply go back to the TCAA office and ask them for the forms.
After all these steps are taken and exams passed you must go back to the TCAA office and provide 2 passport pictures, your logbook (with stamp from the company who did your type checkout), current license held (ICAO, FAA, JAA), proof of Tanzanian medical, proof of passing the type flying exam (signed properly by the examiner). I would recommend bringing your proof of passing the written exam.
The cost of processing your new license is of 210,000Tsh.
They will inform you if you are missing any information or when your new license will be ready for pickup.
The desk that deals with processing of licenses is located on the 2nd floor of the TCAA office. It's the only window on the floor, you can't miss it. The accounting department (where you must pay all the fees) is located on the 4th floor.
I hope this helps and if there are any questions feel free to ask. I'd be glad to help facilitate this process for future bush pilots!
