FAA Instrument Rating!

[johnnypick]

I hear on the grapevine that you can convert the an FAA instrument rating to a JAA IMC.Is this true and if so, how is it done? I've got 3 months until starting at the Guildhall and am starting to get bored. I would like to go to the states and get the Instrument over there, will I be wasting my time and more inportantly, MONEY. :confused:

[kevcookie]

I hope your not doing ground school at the Guildhall .If so,don't. They are absolutely crap. I talk from bitter experience. Please take this as someone who whats to save you money and time and not to simply have a gripe.. If you don't believe me ask around. I would recommend ATA-Coventry,Oxford or Bristol but I imploy you ,not Guildhall. The acid test: so many people end up paying and end up going to another school. One of the problems I believe is that other schools have to compete for business in order to survive.Therefore instilling in most tutors ,not all, a sense of wanting to see candidates suceed. Whereas Guildhall doesn't so there tends to be a no care attitude from most tutors . Their pass rate hides the fact that the rate is skewed by overseas students who already have alot of background so are not effected by crap tutors. DO NOT DO IT.

[FatFlyer]

Yes, if you get an FAA IR, the CAA will give you an IMC rating on the basis of it (not a JAA rating, only valid in UK) though unless you intend to get FAA licences, it might be an unnesessary expense as it no longer gives you much exemption from the JAA IR training.

I can't let the last remark go without comment. I am sorry the other chap did not get on well with Guildhall, I think he is being a bit unfair. I recently passed 13/14 JAR exams first time and the other at the next sitting & don't consider myself particularly intelligent or have foreign commercial experience.

Others in my group got all at the first attempt or dropped one. Some did drop a few more and have to resit them. The other schools may be very good, Guildhall is a lot cheaper though, they don't get the same amount of feedback questions that Oxford do which helps with their high pass rate. I doubt you could find a better Met lecturer in the country then Peter at Guildhall, some of the others are also very good, one or two could improve a bit, most do seem to care about students passing.

[Julian]

Johnny, Fatflyer is correct - they will issue you the UK IMC on theback of your FAA Ir, after paying the £65 of course :D

The FAA IR costs $3300(in CA), the big advantage is that you get two licences for the price of one and also the FAA IR is a 40Hr course so you end up with a lots more hours for your money!

You may of course want to take the FAA IR if you intend to hire an N Reg over here - unfortunately you have to track them down as they can be hard to find!

If you want to take the IR exams I can reccomend American Aviation based at Norwich Airport, 01603-301902. It was a 2hr drive for me but more than made up for it with the quality of the school (1 on 1), very reasonable fees (£75) and Tom Houston is a genuine helpful, nice guy!

Julian.

[windspeed]

what about the flip side to the coin, i.e. can you convert a CAA IMC to an FAA IR ???

[A and C]

for private use you can if you do an exam but if you have an IR and you want the FAA IR its not much more work to do the full FAA IR exams.

[Cos]

I believe that a JAA PPL pilot requires a full FAA PPL to complete the FAA IR. The reciprocal PPL issued by the FAA to JAA PPL holders for flight in US airspace, will not allow progression to the FAA IR.

The JAA to FAA conversion requires several more hours of FAA training including night-flying, another GFT and I believe all the FAA ground exams too.

[Julian]

Cos - Not so, I am undertaking the FAA IR and my FAA PPL is issued on the back of my JAA PPL, it is therefore subject to my UK licence restrictions.

This taken from the FAA website RE foreign pilots:

When a U.S. pilot certificate is issued under FAR 61.75, it will include all the ratings (including large aircraft type ratings) that the applicant is qualified for on his foreign pilot certificate except for the instrument rating. If a foreign pilot wishes to obtain a U.S. certificate under FAR 61.75 and include instrument privileges that he may have on his foreign certificate, he must take a written (computer) knowledge test to show familiarity with our instrument rules of flight. This test is called the Instrument Foreign Pilot (IFP) test. Also, any limitations that appear on the foreign pilot certificate are limitations that apply to the U.S. certificate that is obtained under FAR 61.75. For example, some foreign aviation authorities do not allow night flying. That means a U.S. certificate issued on the basis of that certificate could not be used at night in the U.S. Also, some countries issue pilot certificates valid for the particular type aircraft the applicant used when tested by the foreign aviation authority. The foreign pilot in that situation would be limited to the same type aircraft on his U.S. pilot certificate issued under FAR 61.75. Restrictions cannot be removed by any pilot training in the U.S. For example, if a U.S pilot certificate is issued on the basis of a foreign pilot certificate that restricts night operations, training at night in the U.S. will not provide night flying privileges in the U.S. when exercising the flying privileges of the U.S. pilot certificate issued under FAR 61.75.

The holder of a U.S. pilot certificate issued under FAR 61.75 can qualify and be tested for additional ratings by complying with all of the U.S. certification requirements for that particular rating. These additional ratings will be added to the holders certificate with a notation in parenthesis, "US Test Passed".

[Jane Greenwood]

slightly the other way around. If you hold a UK IR, all you need to get an FAA IR is to complete a written exam. Make sure however that you ask for the shortened written paper for foreign pilots. Cost $88 to take. Then take your pass certificate to FAA flight office and they will issue the FAA IR - no flight test or oral exam required, and no other charge made.

This can be added to an FAA Pilot Certificate gained again by going to the FAA flight office, with licence, logbook and passport in hand, fill in a form, wait 20 - 30 minutes (no charge made for this) and walk out with a temporary certificate. About 2 - 3 months later by post, will arrive your FAA certificate. They will post it all the way to England no charge.

Just thought somebody might be interested. :rolleyes: null

[johnnypick]

Thanks for your input, I'm going to the states next week. lets hope all goes to plan!! ;) ;) ;) ;)

[GoneWest]

Be advised...note from colleagues at work says ALL FAA OFFICES CLOSED TO VISITORS.

Double check wiith the local FSDO before attempting to turn up for licence work - it is very unlikely that you will get in.

ORLANDO FSDO will certainly NOT let you in.

[Jane Greenwood]

Suggestion, It might be an idea to ring the relevant FAA office before you try to turn up, and explain what you want, they may be able to arrange a visit for you, or how you get around the problem. When I have phoned them up before they have been very helpful, whether you ring from England or the US.

The main office is at Oklahoma City:

Flight Standards Service
Airman Certificate Branch,
AFS-760
Federal Aviation Administration
PO Box 25082
Oklahoma City
OK 73125

Tel :(001) (405) 954-1738

I have access to most of the other FAA office phone numbers if required.

Reference UK to FAA office, you will only be issued with the FAA equivalent of a PPL, whatever UK licence you hold. If you want an FAA CPL/ATPL you have to complete all the relevant exams. Just in case I got peoples hopes up too much, that you could convert a UK CPL/ATPL to a straight FAA CPL/ATPL.

[ITFC1]

American Aviation Services is actually at Gloucester, 01452 857757, and i would check before you go to FSDO, i understand they are not issuing licence's from of foriegn one, and also some FSDO's will now not accept the IFP writen test and a flight test and oral to be done.

[ 14 October 2001: Message edited by: ITFC1 ]

[no sponsor]

What mediacal do you need to do the FAA/IR when using your CAA PPL? Do you need an FAA Class one, or will a JAA class II be OK?