How to get a FAA licence... [Archive]

alexflynn86

19th Sep 2006, 11:59

Sorry if it's already been covered, but can't seem to find it...

I have recently got my JAA PPL and fancy a bit of hour building in the USA early next year. I've been trying to look for a ''Getting an FAA PPL for Dummies'' guide. I'm just a bit unsure about it all... What forms to fill in, who to give them to and so on. So, any help would be fantastic.:)

Thanks,
Alex

B2N2

19th Sep 2006, 12:14

Hi Alex,
Answers on the FAA website;
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/foreign_license_verification/
I think the CAA charges for the service, something like 35BP.

alexflynn86

19th Sep 2006, 12:37

Thankyou B2N2,
Can I just confirm (I have this horrid dread that I will send it all off wrong otherwise...). Download the form, fill it in. As for the FSDO, does it matter which I chose? Or just the easiest for me to get to? Once that is all done (this is where I get lost...) I have to send it to the CAA rather than the FAA? I get somewhat frustrated with navigating around the CAA website, and can't seem to find any details about applying for it.

Thanks,
Alex

gcolyer

19th Sep 2006, 13:27

You need to fill in the CAA documents and fax them to the CAA

You also need to fill in some FAA documents and fax them to the FAA.

You will then get a letter from the FAA confirming the application and tellling you to book an appointment with the FSDO to have an application interview.

You then turn up for the interview...fill in a load more paperwork (ensure you take your logbook and license). At this point the FSDO officer will decide if you can have an FAA license based on your JAA one. They might insist on a test flight to make sure you wont kill yourslef. If you have not passed the FAA pre solo you will have to do that exam. They might also insist that you have an FAA medical.

If they are happy to issue you with an FAA license, you will get a piece o paper stating that it is a temporary license and is valid for 120 days. At some time during the 120 days a nice green credit card style FAA PPL will arrive in the post.

I used the Albany FSDO...very very helpful and friendly. Plus i know a few of the bods there.

SD.

19th Sep 2006, 15:06

Just a quick addition to the above replies.

When you arrive at the FSDO, make sure you have a photo ID (passport) with your other paperwork.

I have taken students to the local FSDO in San Diego and some of the FAA can be quite anal, especially with completing the 8710 Airman application form.

Good example is a student put "n/a" in the box for social security number, and where it says citizenship, he put British. The FSDO officer tore up the application and really gave the poor guy some stick because he didn't write 'NONE' and 'UNITED KINGDOM'. I'm not trying to scare you off, but be warned some of the FAA FSDO officers can be :mad: :mad: :mad: .

Happy flying stateside :ok:

B2N2

19th Sep 2006, 17:10

Ok,Ok, something in the defense of the FAA.
The form you will get to fill out at the FSDO is an 8710 (airmen application)
You can find one here:
http://forms.faa.gov/forms/faa8710-1a.pdf#search=%228710%22
You need to fill it out without help, that is how they test the "read speak and understand" the English language requirements.
Read the instructions and it is not a problem.
For Social Security number fill in "none" for country "United Kingdom".
Easy enough. Your height will need to be in inches and your weight in lbs.
You don't need a US medical since what they give you will be based on a foreign license and a valid foreign medical.
You will need a "flight review" (proficiency check) with a US instructor before you can fly as PIC.

gcolyer

23rd Sep 2006, 17:55

The Flight Review is mandatory - to activate to certficate. The FAA medical is not (FAR 61.75) - provided the foreign medical is current.

The flight review with the FAA is not mandatory, neither is the medical. Although the FAA did insist i have an FAA medical.

The FAA pre solo exam is mandatory to fly PIC/solo.

Any club or operator is bound to ask you to do a check flight though.

acuba 290

24th Sep 2006, 01:05

i am thinking also at the moment what to do: temporary (validation) or do FAA exams...I think independent FAA License better choice and less paperwork or not?

DaveW

24th Sep 2006, 11:01

A validation of a non-US licence isn't temporary; the FAA license you receive is valid for as long as the original licence is.

A "full" FAA PPL is worth getting if you want to add ratings (e.g. IR) to it.

acuba 290

24th Sep 2006, 11:03

there is more bad things i think, in case of validation. Night Flying prohibited for example....

acuba 290

24th Sep 2006, 11:06

A validation of a non-US licence isn't temporary; the FAA license you receive is valid for as long as the original licence is

what do you mean as FAA license in that case? Validation? How FAA-validation actually looks like, anybody knows? It is also plastic cardformat like normal FAA-license or just piece of paper?

DaveW

24th Sep 2006, 12:07

An FAA license based on your non-US licence is exactly that - a license. It is the same credit card sized format as a stand-alone FAA license.

On the back, under "Limitations", it says:

Issued on basis of and valid only when accompanied by United Kingdom pilot license Number(s) UKPPxxxxxxxxx.
All limitations and restrictions on the United Kingdom pilot license apply,

Yours would say "German", I presume.

If you have a night validation on your non-US licence then you can fly at night in the US. (As you're probably aware, the stand-alone FAA PPL includes night.)

acuba 290

24th Sep 2006, 12:29

An FAA license based on your non-US licence is exactly that - a license. It is the same credit card sized format as a stand-alone FAA license.

On the back, under "Limitations", it says:

Yours would say "German", I presume.

If you have a night validation on your non-US licence then you can fly at night in the US. (As you're probably aware, the stand-alone FAA PPL includes night.)

well, i have JAA-PPL issued by UK CAA (also british;)), but no NQ yet.
So how long it can take, whole procedure of validation?

DaveW

24th Sep 2006, 12:36

Not long - just a few weeks. Here's a step-by-step guide (http://www.atsx91.dsl.pipex.com/aviation.htm) (scroll down a screen to "PPL Flying in the United States").

englishal

24th Sep 2006, 15:46

A few misconceptions here....ca_flyer has it right (should do with a name like that ;) )

You can still add FAA ratings to the FAA certicate based on your JAR one. These are endorsed "US Test Passed" on the back. I added IR and ME to my one when I had it. Eventually I went for the CPL without ever doing a FAA PPL.

A BFR IS indeed required, and every two years afterwards. The FAA certificate is valid as long as the JAR one is, the "temporary" comes from the bit of paper the FSDO will give you which is valid for 4 months. By month 4 the nice credit card one should come through your post box, if not you must contact the FAA and get them to send it.

No test is required, no exams are required.

FAA Medical is NOT required if the foreign (JAR) medical is valid.

On a "based on" FAA certificate you are restricted to the privileges of your JAR licence, so if you have no NQ, then no night flying. Some of these restrictions can be "undone" by passing the US test (IR for example). There is no NQ in FAA land though, the FAA PPL includes night flying.

slim_slag

24th Sep 2006, 15:51

There is no NQ in FAA land though, the FAA PPL includes night flying.Alaska in the summer is FAA land ;)

DaveW

24th Sep 2006, 16:34

You can still add FAA ratings to the FAA certicate based on your JAR one. These are endorsed "US Test Passed" on the back.

Oops. I knew that, as I have such an endorsement. Apologies for the duff gen.

gcolyer

24th Sep 2006, 17:34

FAA Medical is NOT required if the foreign (JAR) medical is valid.

I agree there is no legal FAA requirement to have an FAA medical for a license based on a foreign license.

But they can insist that you do have one, as is the case with myself.

They can actualy refuse you license application if they want to. juste because you fill in the paperwork does not mean you are entitled to the license.

IO540

24th Sep 2006, 17:39

I agree there is no legal FAA requirement to have an FAA medical for a license based on a foreign license.

That may be correct for just a PPL but (depending on one's reading of the FARs) it may not be correct if one is also adding an FAA IR to it.

IO540

24th Sep 2006, 17:57

Separately to what I have written above, under ICAO every State has a right to demand that a pilot landing in its airspace meets its medical requirements. I don't have a ref but I remember who posted one here a while ago.

This is rarely invoked for obvious practical reasons (like making international aviation grind to a halt) but I believe (it is a year or two since I had the details of an actual case) the UK CAA have used it to ground one or two pilots who had a bit of a "history" in various departments.

slim_slag

24th Sep 2006, 19:00

There is nothing in FAR/AIM 61.75 that states that the FAA can insist that the applicant has a FAA medical - and the Federal Aviation Regulations are what they have to adhere to.
Maybe the FSDO Officer was having a bad day.Medical requirements are in 61.23, not 61.75. If you have a 61.75 certificate you still have to satisfy the requirements of 61.23, if your CAA medical doesn't then your CAA medical isn't valid to fly in FAA jurisdiction. Just a thought, I have no idea what gcolyer's circumstances are, and no idea what happened when he turned up for his 61.75 PP-ASEL.

Keef

24th Sep 2006, 19:42

The "reciprocal" FAA certificate is NOT a major hurdle, and if you're going to the USA anyway, if you do the paperwork right it's easy.

I've never heard before of anyone being asked to get an FAA medical for a reciprocal, and I flew in the USA for many, many years on my reciprocal. You DO need a BFR (now) before you can fly with a shiny new reciprocal (it wasn't that way in the distant days when I got mine).

To be honest, I'd stick with the reciprocal unless you're training in the USA for further ratings - in which case, you'll have to do all the TSA and Visa stuff anyway, and might as well get an unrestricted US certificate to bolt your IR (or whatever) to. I did the FAA PPL after the IR, which caused some confusion in the system (mainly because the examiner was less than keen to do a PPL checkride for someone he'd passed for an IR a couple of days before).

slim_slag

24th Sep 2006, 20:43

Ok. lets ask glycoler. When you applied for your FAA part 61.75 certificate...

What class of CAA/JAA medical certificate did you hold?
How old were you when you obtained that certificate?
How many calender month had passed since you obtained that certificate?

Did the require you to have an FAA medical, or did they give you the option of obtaining an FAA medical certificate if you couldn't easily obtain a new JAA certificate.

acuba 290

25th Sep 2006, 00:18

ok, now comes a very very stoopid question, but anyway:

What if i can't choose FSDO? I don't know where in USA i will be next time (because of job), so is it possible just to order this FAA license based on my JAA-PPL just posted to me to Germany?

englishal

25th Sep 2006, 06:39

No....

Alaska in the summer is FAA land

and also cross country requirements are different if training in Hawaii;)

gcolyer

25th Sep 2006, 08:04

gcolyer

25th Sep 2006, 08:05

slim_slag

25th Sep 2006, 09:54

In that case gycoler I cannot provide an explanation. If you have been 25 and your JAA medical was over 36 calendar months ago it would make sense.

More trivia on student cross countries for englishal. FAA students are forbidden to fly internationally, except for flights from three specified airports to White Horse Airport in The Yukon, Canada.

acuba 290

25th Sep 2006, 16:44

Ypou may be able to go to one of the FAA International Field Offices (IFO) . There is one in Frankfurt. Give them a call and see what they say.

that's a good idea! I'll call them tomorrow morning and ask;)

acuba 290

25th Sep 2006, 20:53

do i need also TSO-check to get FAA-PPL based on my british JAA-PPL?

acuba 290

26th Sep 2006, 01:05

I'm assuming you mean TSA - security check. No, for the restricted FAA cert issued on the strength of a foreign based license, there is no TSA check - as you are not training - you are simply getting a "like for like" cert.
If training were to take place then you would need TSA clearance and also a visa would be required.
For example, if you have no night qualification - then you cannot fly at night on the FAA restricted cert unless you trained - and if you were to get the training in the US, then again TSA and visa are required.
So only get the FAA restricted cert if you intend coming for a vacation and wish to fly PIC whilst here. Remember however, that once you get the FAA restrricted cert - you need to 'activate' it with a BFR - so you will need to study FAR/AIM.

well...But if i just want to do my 5x Hour NQ with US instructor towards my british JAA-PPL NQ, i'll need TSA and visa?:confused:

acuba 290

26th Sep 2006, 11:02

You need to decide what you really want to get a FAA certificate for.

all i want is just to fly in USA as PIC during some business visits , just flying for fun. Other thing is, that i don't have JAA NQ, so it could be much cheaper to make this 5 hour training in USA (no landing fees etc.) and use them towards my JAA NQ. Maybe in feature some day i will make standalone FAA-PPL and i'll need this night flight time anyway. But if i need TSA and visa to make 5 hour night training....i'll think about it really:)

B2N2

26th Sep 2006, 12:45

As I said, ANY training done in the US by a non US citizen requires the TSA security clearance. If you are not a resident of the US, then you will need the correct type of visa to allow training.

Not entirely true.
You need a visa for the training for the issuance of a license or certificate;
Private, Instrument and Multi engine training.
You do not need a visa for; BFR, check-out (on an airplane you have never flown before therefore also training) a tail wheel endorsement, a complex/high performance endorsement.

Therefore also not for night flying. However, you cannot train for a CAA NQ with a US instructor at a school which is not a CAA approved FTO.
You can fly your night time, but no US instructor in his right mind would sign somebody off for solo night. Liability reasons.

Besides, if you want to fly solo night you would need to do the student presolo written exam, presolo flight training of 61.87 and a third class medical.
Pretty useless to go this route, just do your unrestricted stand alone US PPL and get it over with. My 2 cents.....:ok:

acuba 290

26th Sep 2006, 13:41

just do your unrestricted stand alone US PPL and get it over with. My 2 cents.....:ok:

...but in this case i need all this stuff with TSA and visa. I live in Munich and there is no US Consulate here, so i have to go to frankfurt and make interview in US consulate...It to complicated and trip to Frankfurt and visa cost will take me more money, as NQ training:)