Hour Building, US, November

[cumbrianboy]

Hello All

I am thinking of heading to the US around November (well sometime between now and the end of the year) to complete 50-75 hours of flying. Already have the UK PPL.

Does anyone know a good location in the US (eg East Coast vs West Coast) which is good for this time of year and any recommendations of flying schools to look at?

I have done some searches but can't find any reasonably recent info on this, but apologies if this is listed somewhere else.

[gwizzaviatior]

Try Air America in Daytona beach! Some very competitive rates on a 152 and 172, a busy commercial airport to fly out from and Florida sunshine all year round! I was there in Dec/Jan and was able to fly everyday that I wanted!

[B2N2]

Look around before you go with the first bit of advise you get on an anonymous forum.
Some of the cheaper places have horrendous reputations and even worse airplanes.

[gwizzaviatior]

Cumbrianboy: Do indeed look around, there are plenty of aircraft rental places in the US, especially Florida.

B2N2: Note that where I did my hour building was a very decent outfit, where my other UK and Irish buddies did their hour building. If you have any specific knowledge on them, then please share for the posters benefit!

[sapperkenno]

Chandler Air Service (http://www.aerobatics.com) would be my recommendation. Good fleet of PA28 and C172 for rental at competitive prices.

Send them an email with any questions (preferably that you can't find answers to yourself from this site or google). If you haven't already, you'll need to get the ball rolling with obtaining a US Pilot Certificate based on your UK PPL. To do this click this link to the FAA website (http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/foreign_license_verification/) and follow the instructions.

You should easily be able to do 50-75 hours of flying inside 3 weeks, and there is plenty to do and see in Arizona. You can fly up to (and across) the Grand Canyon, land at Sedona and visit a variety of other interesting places. :ok:

[felixflyer]

I can also recommend Chandler. I went there a couple of years ago in December. I was there a week and manged to get 25 hours in. This included a day off and a day of checkout/mountain training.

Look on VRBO for somewhere to stay. I got a 2 bed apartment with pool for £300 for the week.

[B2N2]

You only need a medical. form the original issuing country.
Now some scholls/FBO's don't knwo this and will request/demand a US medical before solo rental.
Either one is good but clarify before you go.

***REMEMBER, with hour building you are still the customer and no visa is required. If the airplanes are death traps walk away and go somewhere else.***

[sevenstrokeroll]

as someone who learned to fly in california...I would spend some of my time out that way. the weather is pretty darn good and there are MOUNTAINS that might interest you...places like Lake Tahoe/Truckee, Mono lake and others are CHALLENGING places to fly.

You might want to get some hours of instruction in mountainous terrain flying.

As an airline pilot I flew to Florida alot...just not my cup of tea.

75 hours could easily fly you around the whole darn country.

When I was building time (circa middle 1970s), I put all my cross country time together (building for commercial) and flew between San Francisco and Chicago...VFR only. Very worthwhile for me and something I still think of now a days.

don't just buzz around...go somewhere...BUT WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY in the USA than the UK, so get some really good instruction before you head out alone.

And if you go mountain flying, have a plane that is more powerful than you think you need.

So, take a chart, think about going from somewhere to somewhere.

BUT NOVEMBER is the time the wx goes down many places. Some of the best wx in the US is the end of sept/october.

Also, you might want to learn how to do an uncontrolled airport entry...fly over at 2000', look down at pattern markers, segmented circle, and windsock/indicator, and learn how to enter from overhead...a lost art.

the US has LOTS of planes flying around so if you are not moving your head around looking for traffic...you are asking for trouble.

keep your landing light on for traffic avoidance!

[cumbrianboy]

Hey everyone
Thanks for replies, I've been round the block once or twice to not take things at face value but after many late night phone calls and emails this last week or so chandler indeed seems the best, well i hope so anyway as I am booked to go in November!

Many thanks to everyone for their help, I find these forums entertaining but good to get a feel for something which if nothin else is a good starting point!

Cheers guys

[multycpl]

Not 100pc sure...but wont you need an FAA licence to fly N reg plane ?

[Tinstaafl]

Yes, but he can do a 61.75 licence issued on the back of his ICAO PPL. That's the purpose of that licence. If any information on his ICAO PPL ever changes then he'd have to get a new 61.75 issued. But then, a 61.75 was only ever intended to facillitate a visitor going flying when he got here and used to be easy to get (Logbook, licence & medical brought to a FSDO and it was done on the spot)

Unfortunately, insecurity paranoia has put obstacles in the way of what used to be a very quick & easy process. Still, with a bit of mucking around ahead of time, it's still useful for its purpose.

[cumbrianboy]

Hey
Yes, it is true re the 61.75 issue. All my stuff went to the FAA and CAA a few weeks back and expecting the paperwork back in the next week or so. I called all offices to check they had everything and they did.

As the person above says, if my circumstances change then it's a reissue, but I am only out there for 4 weeks and can't see i'll be heading back in the near future ...