FAA PPL(H) Written Exam in UK & LA Traffic Watch (& UK v FAA training/licences)

[007helicopter]

Just done a week with the Traffic watch in LA - what a fantastic experince, Got 25 hours on a Jet Ranger and delighted.

Anyway its prompted me to think about getting an FAA license as well as my JAR - mainly to an avoid annual check for each type plus when I next go the the states being able to rent more easily.

Can anyone advise me where in the UK I can do the exams and any tips ?

Also can an FAA experienced guy give me the exact low flying rule for helicopters in the US ?

Thanks

[thecontroller]

ha ha. well spotted. no, what i mean is that

a) the groundschool for the FAA licences is too weak. i think we can all agree on that - ?

b) there is a belief in the UK that FAA hours/licences aren't worth much

there are plenty of people with FAA licences who are 'good' pilots. and there are plenty of people in the UK who are prejudiced about FAA licences/hours. i was just trying to give both points of view.

its nice to see some people watching my posts. keeps me on my toes....

[Heliport]

a) the groundschool for the FAA licences is too weak. i think we can all agree on that - ?Can we?

Do you mean groundschool or the amount a student has to learn to pass the ground exams? If the latter - A true comparison would have to take into account the oral exam the FAA student has to pass with the FE at the commencement of the skills test.
From what I've been told and read here over the years, that's a demanding session, not just a few easy questions while walking out to the helicopter to take the flight test.

It's a matter of opinion whether some of the theory the CAA requires a PPL to know is of any value - or just stuff you're required to know to pass an exam and will never use again?
Even if the UK system is more demanding (as many claim it is), is there a shred of evidence it produces better pilots? Or creates a safer system? b) there is a belief in the UK that FAA hours/licences aren't worth muchThere is a belief in the UK that we know best about absolutely everything.
It's an embarrassing hangover from the days of the British Empire.
I remember someone posting something like 'If you listen to the CAA, you'd think America was some banana republic that's just discovered flying - instead of being the home of aviation and the leading aviation country.' Spot on.

Is it possible that at least some of the people who advise against training in America aren't entirely unbiased?there are plenty of people with FAA licences who are 'good' pilots.Like that Nick Lappos chappie, for example?
Or the hundreds of other pilots with FAA licences who post in this forum who do some of the most demanding flying?


there are plenty of people in the UK who are prejudiced about FAA licences/hours To borrow your words .......... 'I think we can all agree on that.' ;)



(No, I haven't got an FAA licence, and have never held one.)

[Gordy]

Also can an FAA experienced guy give me the exact low flying rule for helicopters in the US ?

Thanks
91.119 Minimum safe altitudes: General.

Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below the following altitudes:

(a) Anywhere. An altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

(b) Over congested areas. Over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft.

(c) Over other than congested areas. An altitude of 500 feet above the surface, except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In those cases, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.

(d) Helicopters. Helicopters may be operated at less than the minimums prescribed in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section if the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface. In addition, each person operating a helicopter shall comply with any routes or altitudes specifically prescribed for helicopters by the Administrator.


What does it all mean----para (d) is the important one. Now for part 135 you have different rules---basically 300 feet over conjested area.

[anti-talk]

For FAA in the UK try Heather Sugden at Heliyorks. Flew with her just over a year ago she is an FAA instructor and JAA examiner it was an excellent experience she has bags of hours in multiple types including Robbies.
www.heliyorks.co.uk

[rudestuff]

Exact rules for low flying in the US?

FAR 91.119 as above - put in plain English:

There are none - as long as you are able to crash somewhere without hurting any people or property on the ground.. (nothing about you or your passengers!)

For example: I just spent the last 8 hours at about 75ft inspecting powerlines.
One thing the FAA are hot on these days is noise abatement - so if you fly everywhere at 200' when you don't have to, then: (a) you probably aren't exhibiting the best judgement and (b) you might get a few complaints. Everyone enjoys a bit of low-level every now and then, and most get it out of their system evenually. If you're out in the wilderness buzzing around at treetop level and not pissing anyone off - go for it. But if your engine quits you've only got yourself to blame.


I'd like to back up Heliport: Whilst the FAA written is a Joke compared to JAA - the FAA don't consider the ability to remember a lot of pointless facts and figures rote all that important.

What they do consider important is your ability to fly a helicopter and your aviation knowledge.
They test this by giving you an oral and practical exam. Personally, I think this is a much better way of testing a pilot - real world problems don't come in paper form from the CAA once a month - they happen here and now and you need to be able to solve them - not just pick from a choice of four. I know one person who took over 150 hours to get a PPL - his flying was flawless but he kept failing his flight test before he even got near the helicopter.

[Lightning_Boy]

Also, FAA PPL is one exam covering the whole sylabus (excluding the oral exam) which is done at a testing centre, where as the JAA PPL is split into topics then usually marked by the instructor. "...come on John, are your sure you don't want to change that answer to B" :ugh:

[gwelo shamwari]

It always brings a smile to my face when I hear people say that the FAA system is too easy. I guess that most just forget how they struggled to get those ratings, battling out the oral – which is harder than having to complete some multiple guess test - even failing a checkride or two. :\

Ahh, how opinionated we become once we get the all so "easy" FAA certs.

As for me, I worked hard for my FAA certs and I am proud of them.:ok:

[thecontroller]

i also worked hard for my FAA stuff, i think it depends what school you go to. i think the PPL FAA/JAA groundschool is probably comparable. what i mean is the JAA CPL/ATPL groundschool is harder because it takes 6 months full-time study and you need to understand and memorise a TON of information, at a deep level, for the 14 exams. i dont think it makes you a better pilot though. i think it just filters out the people who are not really committed or that cant afford to take 6 months off work and spend £4,000.

[Lightning_Boy]

....dont know if that came out the way I meant it.

I with you TopGun!!!