Flight instrctor training USA

[mattparks100]

Hi! I am considering going to the USA next January to train as a flight instructor, I will be training for these qualifications;

PPL
Instrument Rating
CPL (single and multi engine)
CFI I
CFI II
Multi engine instructor

...and I want to work back in england, so it would be a help if anyone could please tell me which of these qualifications will need converting to english qualifications, and the approximate costs

[Tinstaafl]

Short answer: All except PPL. Cost will be higher than you expect - no matter how much you reasonably expect.

A search on these forums for licence conversion threads will yield a *lot* of information.

[mattparks100]

Tinstaafl thanks for that.
Oooops, wasn't expecting to have to pay anything! Thanks for the tip, have found lots of info on conversions on the site

[Julian]

Matt,

Do you already hold an ICAO PPL i.e. JAA?

If so its worth knowing that you dont need to take the FAA PPL, you can go straight in for the IR or CPL.

Julian.

[mattparks100]

Thank'ya for the help guys. So what ya saying is like even in Europe, you can teach with an FAA Instructor Rating, as long as it is on an N registered aircraft? If so, does that mean that the qualifications which students gain are FAA qualifications, or JAA qualifications?

Many thanks

[BEagle]

No you can't - it's an absolute minefield as approval has to be sought for every individual case.

Someone applied to me for a FI post having done virtually all his training in the US, including his JAR-FCL CPL and FI ratings. Sorry, not interested - such minimal experience of UK airspace and Air Law is of not much use to me - or my students!

[mattparks100]

Thanks - ooops, looks like flight training planning is going back to the drawing board for me!

[Scoob]

I think you can give instruction for instrument proficiency checks and flight reviews and sign them off only if the person you are doing it for is the owner of the N reg aircraft you are doing it in otherwise they need approval.

[mattparks100]

Thanks for the advice. Any help appreciated!

[BroomstickPilot]

Mattparks100,

FAA pilot licensing is a mature system and in many ways very much more logical and user friendly than the JAA system. I can well understand you being attracted by it. However, if you intend to fly commercially in the UK you really need to research this subject very carefully before committing hard earned cash to it.

Once you come to use your FAA licence in that province of the JAAland hegemony (which some still call the UK), the legal complications become an utter minefield.

This is because pilots flying on FAA licences in the UK have for years been avoiding both the insane groundschool regime of the JAA and the rapaciousness of the CAA, and neither of these have liked it. Always remember the CAA has to recover all its operating costs plus 6%, so they charge royally for EVERYTHING.

While only a few pilots were involved, the CAA didn't react particularly strongly. However in recent times more and more people have been taking the FAA road to avoid the costly JAA/CAA morass.

However, it must also be admitted that there have been people who have abused the freedom that FAA licensing has conferred, in some cases to an extent that has been a risk to flight safety. All power to the CAA for stamping on these people.

The result is that the CAA has now begun to interpret the law much more closely than previously and may be expected to pounce upon anybody breaching the law in any way.

You will find now that any instructor actually training people to take the FAA PPL in the UK will always have a JAA instructor rating, in addition to their FAA instructor rating.

I believe there has also been a clampdown on regular commercial operations by FAA registered corporate aircraft within the UK where flights routinely both start and end within UK airspace. (Again, I'm not sure of the details, you need to enquire from those in the know).

Good luck, but be certain to do all your homework.

Go carefully,

Broomstick.

[youngskywalker]

wow, didn't realise that. I can't say I'm that surprised as the Brits seem to hate the US system, I guess because they are pissed off at having to do months of pointless groundschool and navigate by the stars still while the yanks are far more practical.

I always thought that the majority of corporate flying in Europe (on the N register) was done privately? In other words if a company owns it's own jet, and only flys it's own personal by their own pilots then that was not commercial operations.

I know that they have been clamping down on first officers without type ratings as you don't always need one to fly in the States.

I wonder what will happen to companies like american flight training in Norwich as they don't hold JAA CPL's so they can't very easily get a JAA instructor rating.

A minefield you are very correct!