PFCO to GVC Conversion Course

Who should attend this course?

Any existing pilots with a Recommendation for a PfCO who are looking;

– for training to learn about the new rules and upgrade their competency to bring it in line with the latest regulations

– to complete ‘bolt-on’ Modules to the GVC in order to ease access to EVLOS and BVLOS authorisations

Course Objectives

To provide knowledge of the new regulations, sufficient to pass the theory assessment.

Course Outcomes

Once you have successfully passed the theory assessment you will receive your A2 and GVC certificates of competency.

Course Content

The following areas of knowledge will be covered: Airmanship, Air Law, Airspace, Meteorology, Human Factors, Aircraft Knowledge.

This syllabus is mandated by the CAA for all RAE’s. By the end of this course you will understand and be able to apply the knowledge required to make you a competent and safe drone pilot.

Course Prerequisites

To be eligible for the PFCO Conversion Course, you must have recent operational experience (2 hours in the past 3 months) which needs to be evidenced prior to enrolment in the form of pilot logs. If you’re experience is out of date, you will need to complete the full Advanced Course (GVC). The minimum age for attendance is 14 for pilots flying for a company with an existing PfCO/Operational Authorisation.

Laptop or desktop computer with a webcam and microphone in order to participate in the remote theory assessment. Mobile phones and tablets are NOT acceptable.

Terms and Conditions

50% of the course fee is non refundable once you have received the course materials

Any refund will be issued as credit on account

You have 6 months to complete the course after enrolment

You have a maximum of two attempts to pass the theory assessment

Any late/no show or time wasting during the theory assessment will incur a rescheduling fee

Cancellations or postponements to the theory assessment booking will incur a rescheduling fee if made within 24 hours of the start time

Stage 1: Distance Learning

First you will learn the knowledge needed to operate drones with help of our unique interactive course handbook. This is full of quick quizzes, tops tips, anecdotes and illustrations to help make the information relevant and bring it alive so thats it’s an informative and enjoyable read.

Stage 2: Theory Assessment

Once you feel ready for your assessment, you can book a date and time that suits you and conduct your assessment from the comfort of your own home via our remote assessment process. The paper includes 60 questions covering the topics included in the handbook and the pass mark is 75%. You have 1.5 hours to complete the assessment.

What if I fail either of the assessments?

If you fail any assessments, you will be allowed to re-sit subject to the following criteria:

A mark within 25% of the pass mark – A resit is permitted after a minimum of 1 week. 

A mark outside 25% of the pass mark – A resit is permitted after a minimum of 2 weeks. 

You can complete a maximum of three attempts in either of the assessments, before having to attend another course. There is a charge, but before you worry about the cost implications of failing, we would like to reassure you that our course structure and training methodology has been designed to reduce the likelihood of this happening. We don’t want you to fail, and the charge is merely to cover our expenses.

What's not included?

Operation Manual support and the CAA’s renewal fee for an Operational Authorisation which is currently £190 (March 2022). Visit the CAA website for the latest information.

If you require support with writing your Operations Manual, you can choose to join one of our OM courses as an add-on to your GVC.