JAA IR to FAA

[Alonzo Beppe]

Hi everyone,
I don't find this discussed before. How can a JAA Instrument Rating be validated in a FAA PPL issued under FAR 61.75? (based in a foreign license) I have heard that flight training is required with checkride and written exams (which makes sense). Some people say that FAA medical is required, other people don't.. and I found FAA regulations a little bit confused about this. :ugh:Does anyone have any experience with this?

Alonzo

[ab33t]

You will need to do the theory exam and some training as no CFII will just sign you off and there is a minimum amount of training time required . I think its 20 hrs.

1) Do the theory test
2) 20 hrs of training
3) Check ride

[selfin]

Refer to the document entitled 'Issue a Title 14 CFR Part 61 U.S. Pilot Certificate on the Basis of a Foreign-Pilot License' under the FAA Flight Standards Information Management System (http://fsims.faa.gov/PICResults.aspx?mode=SubjectCategories&area=05&subject=02&regulation=all)

There is an abbreviated 40-question test for the inclusion of a restricted US instrument rating on a restricted (61.75) private certificate. It's called the Instrument—Foreign Pilot knowledge test and you may be able to take it a handful of centres in Europe. Additionally it will be necessary to repeat the foreign licence verification process (http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/foreign_license_verification/) with the FAA Airmen Certification Branch in Oklahoma. You'll also need to pay a visit to a FSDO to have the 61.75 reissued with the IR privileges.

For the medical, read 14 CFR 61.75(b)(4). The issuing State must be identical for the JAA licence and JAA medical.

[B2N2]

Correct Selfin.
And you would need an Instrument Proficiency Check with a US Authorized Instructor prior to being released "solo".
It's easy and free to get the IR added.

[michael95u]

I have bolded my commentary

§ 61.65 Instrument rating requirements.

(a) General. A person who applies for an instrument rating must:

(1) Hold at least a private pilot certificate with an airplane, helicopter, or powered-lift rating appropriate to the instrument rating sought; If you are JAA PPL, this is an easy PAPERWORK converstion

(2) Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. If the applicant is unable to meet any of these requirements due to a medical condition, the Administrator may place such operating limitations on the applicant's pilot certificate as are necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft;

(3) Receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor or accomplish a home-study course of training on the aeronautical knowledge areas of paragraph (b) of this section that apply to the instrument rating sought;

(4) Receive a logbook or training record endorsement from an authorized instructor certifying that the person is prepared to take the required knowledge test;

(5) Receive and log training on the areas of operation of paragraph (c) of this section from an authorized instructor in an aircraft, flight simulator, or flight training device that represents an airplane, helicopter, or powered-lift appropriate to the instrument rating sought;

(6) Receive a logbook or training record endorsement from an authorized instructor certifying that the person is prepared to take the required practical test;

(7) Pass the required knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas of paragraph (b) of this section; however, an applicant is not required to take another knowledge test when that person already holds an instrument rating; and

(8) Pass the required practical test on the areas of operation in paragraph (c) of this section in—

(i) An airplane, ......

(b) Aeronautical knowledge. A person who applies for an instrument rating must have received and logged ground training from an authorized instructor or accomplished a home-study course on the following aeronautical knowledge areas that apply to the instrument rating sought:

(1) Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter that apply to flight operations under IFR;

(2) ......

(c) Flight proficiency. A person who applies for an instrument rating must receive and log training from an authorized instructor in an aircraft, or in a flight simulator or flight training device, in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section, that includes the following areas of operation:

(1) Preflight preparation;

(2) .......

(d) Aeronautical experience for the instrument-airplane rating. A person who applies for an instrument-airplane rating must have logged:

(1) Fifty hours of cross country flight time as pilot in command, of which 10 hours must have been in an airplane; and This means 50 hours of PIC flight time flying from point A to point B with a landing at point B

(2) Forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed in paragraph (c) of this section, of which 15 hours must have been received from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating, and the instrument time includes:

(i) Three hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in an airplane that is appropriate to the instrument-airplane rating within 2 calendar months before the date of the practical test; and

(ii) Instrument flight training on cross country flight procedures, including one cross country flight in an airplane with an authorized instructor, that is performed under instrument flight rules, when a flight plan has been filed with an air traffic control facility, and that involves—

(A) A flight of 250 nautical miles along airways or by directed routing from an air traffic control facility; This must be within the 15 hours with CFII

(B) An instrument approach at each airport; and

(C) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems........


So the MINIMUM amount of flying time to get a FAA IR if you have a JAA IR is 15 hours + check ride.

[michael95u]

Selfin:

I have yet to have a FSDO (or Oklahoma City FAA ) approve a JAA IR for conversion to FAA without just applying for an FAA IR. YMMV.

Michael

[selfin]

michael95u and ab33t,

There are two distinct methods of having instrument privileges included in a 61.75 certificate.

Method 1: Complete the requirements under 61.65 for a standard US instrument rating.

Method 2: Complete the Instrument—Foreign Pilot knowledge test, or the standard instrument rating knowledge test.

Method two is availably only to persons whose foreign licence includes instrument privileges. If, after successfully completing the Instrument—Foreign Pilot knowledge test, you wish to acquire an unrestricted US instrument rating, it will be necessary to successfully complete the standard instrument rating knowledge test. No credit for the standard test is given by the IFP test. If the IFP test is failed you'll need to receive additional training, together with an instructor endorsement, before reapplying for another IFP test (see 61.49). The same is true of the standard IR knowledge test. For a standard IR knowledge test section 61.65 requires you to "receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor" (61.65(a)(3)) and "receive a logbook or training record endorsement" from same certifying that you're prepared to take the standard IR knowledge test (61.65(a)(4)).

A practical test is not required for method 2, nor is flight training, although it is advisable to make a detailed study of the subtle differences between ICAO PANS OPS and US TERPS. The FAA Instrument Procedures Handbook (http://www.faa.gov/LIBRARY/manuals/aviation/instrument_procedures_handbook/) (free of charge) is essential reading material.

The following is from the aforementioned FSIMS document [dated 2009-DEC-28]:


UNCONTROLLED COPY WHEN DOWNLOADED
Check with FSIMS to verify current version before using
5-595 OBTAINING A U.S. PILOT CERTIFICATE.

[...]

D. Foreign Pilot License. Section 61.75 permits a person who holds a foreign pilot license at least equivalent to or higher than the U.S. private pilot certification level and issued by an ICAO member state to apply for a private pilot certificate by complying with the application and certification procedures contained in this chapter. A person may be issued a § 61.75 private pilot certificate on the basis of a foreign pilot license as follows:

1) With no instrument privileges, for which neither a knowledge nor a practical test is required.

2) With instrument privileges, provided the applicant has passed the IFP knowledge test and the applicant’s foreign pilot license has the equivalent Instrument—[Aircraft] rating.

NOTE: Completion of the FAA Instrument—[Aircraft: Airplane, Helicopter, or Powered-lift, as appropriate] Rating Aeronautical knowledge test within the preceding 24 calendar-months is also acceptable.

3) With a standard instrument rating, provided the applicant has passed the Instrument—[Aircraft: Airplane, Helicopter, or Powered-lift, as appropriate] knowledge test and practical test. The U.S. pilot certificate will be issued with the notation “U.S. TEST PASSED.”

[...]


UNCONTROLLED COPY WHEN DOWNLOADED
Check with FSIMS to verify current version before using
5-597 U.S. PILOT CERTIFICATES THAT MAY BE ISSUED TO A PERSON WHO HOLDS A FOREIGN PILOT LICENSE. The kinds of U.S. pilot certificates that may be issued to a person who holds a foreign pilot license in accordance with § 61.75 are:

[...]

D. Ratings Issued. A U.S. private pilot certificate issued on the basis of a foreign pilot license (at least equivalent to or higher than the U.S. private pilot certification level) must bear the part 61, § 61.5 equivalent to the ratings on the foreign pilot license (e.g., ASEL, AMEL, etc.). However, an instrument rating may only be issued if:

1) Instrument Privileges. The foreign pilot license on which the certificate is based has instrument privileges on it; and

2) IFP Knowledge Test. The person passes the IFP knowledge test on part 91 subpart B that relates to instrument flight rules (IFR) operational procedures.

NOTE: An instrument rating is not issued at a certain pilot certification level (meaning private pilot, commercial pilot, or ATP certification level) because the instrument rating is merely a rating/operating privilege.

[...]

4) Private Pilot Certificate. When a private pilot certificate is issued on the basis of a foreign pilot license and the foreign pilot license has instrument rating/privileges, in order for that person to receive instrument privileges on the U.S. pilot certificate, the person must pass either the IFP knowledge test or the standard instrument rating (i.e., Instrument—Airplane or Instrument—Helicopter or Instrument—Powered-lift) knowledge test, and the standard instrument rating practical test (see § 61.65).

NOTE: If the applicant’s U.S. pilot certificate has not been issued with instrument privileges, then the issuing Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) will advise the applicant that he or she may not serve as a required pilot crewmember of a U.S.-registered aircraft under IFR when exercising the privileges of that U.S. pilot certificate. When the applicant passes the IFP knowledge test, instrument privileges will be granted on the U.S. pilot certificate. Passage of the IFP knowledge test does not qualify a person for the notation “U.S. TEST PASSED” for the instrument rating.

5) U.S. Test Passed Notation. To qualify for the notation “U.S. TEST PASSED” for the addition of an aircraft or instrument rating to a U.S. pilot certificate, the person must accomplish the appropriate aeronautical experience, pass the knowledge test (if applicable), and pass the practical test as required under part 61. Each rating added to the temporary U.S. pilot certificate will have the notation “U.S. TEST PASSED” following the rating to which the notation applies. The required aeronautical experience must be shown on FAA Form 8710-1, Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application. Do not indicate “U.S. TEST PASSED” on the temporary pilot certificate if only the IFP knowledge test was passed.


E. Medical Endorsement or Certificate. A person applying for a U.S. pilot certificate must submit evidence that he/she currently meets the medical licensing standards for the foreign pilot license on which the application for the pilot certificate is based (see § 61.75(f)). Some foreign CAAs enter periodic medical endorsements on their foreign pilot licenses that affect its currency (i.e., Germany, Austria, Kenya, Cyprus, Canada, Guatemala, Trinidad, Tobago, Singapore, and Sri Lanka). Therefore, if the foreign pilot license must have a medical endorsement to make it valid, an FAA medical certificate alone will not satisfy the regulations. In cases when a medical endorsement is not used, a current medical license from the person’s foreign medical examiner or a current 14 CFR part 67 medical certificate will satisfy the requirement. If the person’s foreign pilot license shows a medical endorsement, the person should enter the word “Endorsement” on FAA Form 8710-1, section I, block R, or the equivalent class of medical certificate. If using the Integrated Airman Certification and/or Rating Application (IACRA), enter the date of that endorsement in block S. If the name of the examiner who administered the medical endorsement is unknown to the applicant because the foreign CAA administered the physical, then simply state “CAA” in block T.

[michael95u]

Hopefully the FSDO's will read the most up to date documents from FSIMS. I have found that they are usually a year or two behind and they get surprised when things change!