Excellent post. Your going to save me a lot of hassle trying to explain to people the diferrent ways in which one can obtain different licences
As you have said this is just one way in which you can obtain all your licences (up as far as ATPL (H)).
I am currently doing a JAA combined course in Florida, having already obtained my FAA PPL on a previous trip to Florida it is enabling me to log all my hours as P.I.C. I am also doing my FAA IR ontop of the JAA combined course, which will mean, when i return home to Europe, the hours which are required to complete the JAA IR are cut in half! The combined course here gives me the theoretical knowledge for the JAA IR exam so i will reciveve credits for the exam when I return home.
Cost: JAA combined course, FAA IR, and CFI = $62,000 (not including any exam/examiner fees)
Time: JAA combined 1year, IR 1month, CFI 2months (all approx)
Cost:FAA IR= $13,500
Time: can vary greatly pending on school, I had my licence within 6weeks, some schools can take 3months+
This is just another one of many different ways in which one can obtain a licence.Hope it has been of some benefit