FAA v JAA PPL Q's

[Shiver me timbers!]

Hi,

1. Please can someone enlighten me as to the difference in theory between the JAA and FAA PPL.

Would I get away with using JAA books with the exception of:

Air Law
Radio Telephony:confused:

2. To fly in the JAA land I need to keep my FAA license valid. Does anyone have any further information on this i.e. to keep valid, do I have to complete X amount of hours in FAA land per year?

3. FAA Medical - Does this need to be re-validated every 12 months? And if so, can it be done in the UK? I don't fancy having to go to USA just to renew it so I can fly back in the UK (although I will be hour building there at some point).

Many thanks :)

P.s. if possible, please can we avoid turning this thread into the pro's/con's on JAA/FAA. At least until my questions have been answered.

[IRISHPILOT]

1. Once you have studied the JAA PPL book, you'll need a quick look at the FAA question bank and you'll be grand.

2. The FAA PPL does not expire. To keep your FAA PPL current, you'll need a BFR (Biennual Flight Review) with an FAA Flight Instructor (CFI), which can be done in the UK and many places in Europe. Not really a test, just to demonstrate currency.

3. Do the first FAA medical in the US when you start training because it is cheaper, but renewing every 3 years (for a class 3 for PPL), can be done in plenty places in the UK and all over Europe.

4. You MUST have an FAA (FCC) RT licence, which you'll get in the post after applying and paying online, to be able to fly outside US airspace. This is not very well known by some schools and CFIs in the US because they don't fly abroad.

5. I believe there are some limitations on flying abroad (in other than UK airspace) on a G-reg with your FAA licence, not sure if that concerns you.

6. You're welcome. IP

[Shiver me timbers!]

Thanks very much IP. That clears things up :D

I understand there are certain limitations although these shouldn't really affect me because I plan to tackle ATPL ground school after the PPL, so whatever little flying I do post-PPL will defo be within the UK. Thereafter I will (hopefully) fly on my CPL.

Sounds like you've been there and got the t-shirt.

Thanks again.

[ConcernedIR]

Would strongly recommend you get the Air Law books....from experience!

[IRISHPILOT]

There are no Airlaw books for the FAA PPL, which is the PPL in question. And do not get the JAA ones, as they do not apply for what you want to do. Just get the Question bank over there and a CFI to go through things for 2-3 hours before the written.

cheers IP

[Shiver me timbers!]

I'll be buying and reading all JAA PPL books regardless of whether I do a JAA or FAA PPL as I intend to do the JAA ATPLs - so it's probably wise.

Cheers :)

[TelBoy]

Get a copy of AIM/FAR 2008. It stands for Airmans Information Manual/Federal Aviation Regulations. over a thousand pages, but it will get you to speed on the FAR's and a load of other interesting stuff.

All the best in your future flying

[piloteea]

5: There are no limitations other than you wont be allowed to fly IFR on non-N reg aircraft out US airspace, other than that, you can fly any aircraft you want as long as it is VFR only.

[abs_kols]

well after being through the faa ppl and my friends doing the jaa ppl i strongly recommend the jaa ppl. not as much bull**** involved. its quicker to do the jaa aswell and its easier to do the jaa. pm me for more info.

[IRISHPILOT]

well ak, Most of your posts are about how good oft is, so why by pm this time?

Anyway, could you clarify this: on the one hand you are doing your ATPL on the 1st of April this year (though the date suggests this to be a joke), meaning that you must be flying an airliner, hold a type rating and have hours on that airliner with a TT of more than 1500 hours. And you have only just finished your A levels :eek:

On the other hand, your post above suggests that you haven't ever been to the US, nor done a PPL. - Unless you know a lot more than all the posters above you? Why not post it here for all then?

"...strongly recommend the jaa ppl. not as much bull**** involved. its quicker to do the jaa aswell and its easier to do the jaa."

yeah, right! :ugh:

[AlphaMale]

Looking to book my FAA PPL with EAA soon, having invested quite heavily in OAA media disks (was going the JAA route until IP / WWW / Portsharbourflyer convinced me otherwise) I'm still going to read up as much as I can before going to Florida as I can't imagine things being that different with the exception of Air Law and RT.

I'm sure having a good understanding of the JAA PPL syllabus will put me in good stead for my ATPL GS revision in early 2009.

Although the class 2 medical will be cheaper in the US as opposed to in the UK, I think I'll have my GP give me a check over before I pay a deposit and head off to the US only to find out I can't fly ... I'm sure I'll pass even the Class 1 with no problems but you can never be too careful.

Thanks for the posts IP ;)

[abs_kols]

@irishpilot

well since im at oft i post about oft or relating to oft. i said pm because i was tired and didnt want to type everything out. every syllabus has its good and bad points. i find the jaa is quicker(night rating is seperate for one), easier and somewhat less complicated than the faa. although the faa does include everything in the ppl and the knowledge required for the faa is more in terms of your specific aircraft and regulations.
if youre pushed for time do the jaa or even otherwise if you plan to do your atpls do the jaa as the stuff will be taught in the atpls anyway.


and i have finished my FAA ppl in florida and am currently getting through my atpls. all my info is regarding the recent experience ive had with my ppl compared to my friends here who have done their jaa ppl's. i think the biggers killer on the faa is the oral exam before the checkride as compared to the seven exams before the jaa ppl. also the requirements for the jaa are slightly less.

[dom175b]

I agree the FAA oral is very difficult, I failed as the examiner asked for seriously hard questions which related to the atpl test! Also the school i was with was very difficult to deal with, no class room trainning except for a very helpful instructor that i befreinded! All on video which is hard to grasp.....do not go anywhere near ft.pierce Tradewinds, money grabbing owner and useless at keeping at tab on flying times and invoices.
stay on the ball with costs, they will try and over charge, be careful.

I am going to do the JAR PPL in uk now as i can fly well, but need exams. Did 58 hrs in florida. I think it as cheap now to do it in the uk if you pick your school well. Good luck and enjoy it, if you need books i am selling mine and they are all 2008 current let me know.

[nh2301]

The FAA examiners will look for depth of knowledge. That means they'll ask you about something and keep asking until they find what you don't know. You don't have to answer everythng correctly, just have the depth of knowledge required for your level of pilotage.

That said, ground instruction is REQUIRED! Video based instruction can be helpful, but not alone. Schools which only pay their instructors for flight time should be avoided, as you won't get the quality of instruction you need!

If you pick your school well, the US will be significantly cheaper. But there are a lot more schools to choose from.