FAA Licence to UK PPL?

[fireflybob]

We have recently had a gentleman join our club who has a US (FAA) Licence with about 300 hours although he has done little flying in the last 10 years.

We are trying to establish what he has to do to qualify for a UK PPL now - can anyone help?

[BEagle]

The JAR-FCL conversion agreement applies only to someone with a current ICAO licence. Not one that's lapsed.

I suspect that, if his FAA licence is not valid, he'll have to pass all 7 JAR-FCL PPL exams as well as having to submit a FCL 102 with appropriately dated entries for all training - including a PPL Skill Test - and to obtain a FRTOL. But you should check with the CAA that they're content for this as probably none of his previous training was conducted under the auspices of a JAR-FCL FI(A).

However, if his licence is valid, all he needs to do is to pass a couple of exams (Air Law and HP&L), to obtain a FRTOL and to pass the PPL Skill Test. So his best bet is to get his FAA lcence valid (there are FAA-approved FIs around in the UK - although not that many!) and then to apply for conversion.

[Irv]

f-f-bob: But you're sure he WANTS to convert - it's not that he wrongly believes he MUST convert, is it?

[slim_slag]

FAA certificates are for life. To exercise the privileges of his certificate he needs a valid medical and needs to have completed a BFR within the previous 24 calendar months.

He doesn't need to convert, he can fly day VFR in the UK using the privileges of his FAA certificate. I'd tell him to get current with an FAA instructor who will sign off his BFR, get current with a CAA instructor to make sure he understands local procedures (could be the same guy, plenty of FAA CFIs in the UK) and totally avoid converting to CAA/JAA.