newbie confused about JAR and getting PPL abroad

[markymark]

Ive spent all morning searching these forums and Im now even more confused. . .I am considering South Africa or America for my PPL. What are the implications when I get back to the UK ? Do I need to convert my license? do I need to do 100 hours? sit exams? fork out loads of money? whats JAR approved PPL? Is it really worth doing it abroad or shall I just pay my 5-6 grand and do it here ?. .ny advise would be appreciated. .Sorry thats alot of questions. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

[cleared24right]

ok,

If you are looking at a JAR approved school then you should be able to get a JAR PPL this means that you won't have to convert your license once you get back. If your looking at the states and it says FAA PPL then you WILL have to convert that when you get back home.

Personally my advise would be do your PPL here since here will be where you will do the majority of your flying most probably? If money is a problem then yes defiantely go to the states or South Africa. The BIG differences you will come across when you get home will be the weather but most of all the RT as it is totally different in the UK. I did my IMC in the states and found the transition to the RT quite a challenge, i can really say what South Africas like since i haven't been.

I'm sure if you email the schools you are looking at or phone them they'll be happy to tell you about the types of licenses, packages etc they will do for you.

All the best.

[MVE]

MM,. .Here goes,

I have spent the last 4+ months considering my options for pilot training, here's the answer to your enquiry.

Firstly you can answer all your questions at the CAA FCL website, look for Personnel Licensing Flight crew,. . I would reccommend you base any decisions you make on the info you get from the CAA website/ CAA helpline rather than well meant advise here!

You can fly in a JAA member state on an ICAO PPL providing it is day VFR(although you can't fly across national borders).

Due to some changes regarding IR validity etc it is no longer cost effective (or good use of your time) to do an ICAO ATPL and then convert it to fly within JAA states.

So, you don't have to convert to a JAA PPL, you can fly VFR and you don't have to pay 5-6 grand to do a PPL. You can do a JAA PPL for about 3 grand in SA perhaps 4 in US.

A big but...ATPL/CPL training must be JAA approved if you want to work in a JAA state.

Feel free to email me with any other questions but do check out the CAA website and there is some good advice when you do a search on the wannabies site.

(the 100 hours you refer to is to do with the exams you don't/do have to sit to convert the ICAO PPL)

Hope all that helps,. .Regards Rodders. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[MVE]

One other thing, not only is the exchange rate very good at the moment for us in SA but the RT is almost identical.. .Regards Rodders.

[englishal]

Don't worry about the RT or the weather. RT is not that different, ok, so a different accent and slightly different phraseology, but essentially the same. You can learn the differences by reading one of the many books on the subject. Weather....I have seen many different sorts of weather flying in California from embeded thunderstorms, to fog which rolls in in literally minutes, bad turbulence flying over mountains, icing levels down to 2000 feet, rain, wind, and then the infamous LA smog which reduces vis down to several miles. Not to mention the experiences you get with high altitude airports (depending on which part of the US) and high density altitudes.

As far as your PPL goes, I would recommend getting the JAR PPL in the States, for these reasons:-

1) You may now THINK you are going to fly most of your hours in the UK, but in reality you may spend a lot more flying in the US. (Happend to me anyway).. .2) The FAA will issue a licence on the basis of the JAR licence for free.. .3) LOADS cheaper...compare $75 per hour for an Archer to GBP117 per hour in the UK....and there are no landing fees etc etc in the US.. .4) you have a JAR licence and so CAN fly in the UK.

Its certainly easier to learn to fly in the US and then go back later on to fly there on holiday, than it is to learn in the UK and go over the pond for a flying holiday.

Good luck...

EA

[ 17 February 2002: Message edited by: englishal ]</p>

[markymark]

Thanks everyone, Im so glad I found this site. So it looks like I will seriously consider SA or USA but I still have an unanswered topic in the health forum and my future really hangs on it.. .I have wrote to the CAA and am waiting an answer. If I dont stand a chance of getting a class 1 I'll have forget the whole thing.. .Heres the thread from the other forum <a href="http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=52&t=000878" target="_blank">http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=52&t=000878</a>