What can I do in 9 weeks?

[Long-EC]

Hi folks.

I am about to change jobs in three months and am planning on taking some time out before starting at the new job. I will have about 9 or 10 weeks. I would like to go to the US and get some flying done towards my eventual goal of fATPL (JAA). I have already done the PPL.

Obviously I can get some hour building in but what else can I do that doesn't involve a lot of ground school? I am planning on doing the ATPL ground school by distance learning when I come back so don't want to spend too much time on that while I'm there nor do I want to duplicate work. I am also planning on doing whatever flying I need to do here (UK) over the next couple of years so whatever I can't get done in the US I will do here eventually; I just want to use this time to get a good start.

JAR-CPL requires 150 hours before starting so is probably not possible in the time available - also a lot of theory. JAR-IR doesn't have the hours requirement but there are 7 papers to pass before the skills test. Are those papers ATPL level? As far as I can see I would only get a credit for the IFR communications paper in the ATPL. Does that mean the rest are PPL level and my PPL passes would count towards these papers?

Could I do the FAA IR instead and convert once I have done the ATPL groundschool? Does the FAA IR require much ground learning before the flight test?

Is there some other way? I'm not too keen on an IMC because it doesn't count towards the fATPL, I would be logging P/UT rather than P1 time and I am planning to do IR anyway.

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

[Seaweed Knees]

Check out www.Airdesertpacific.com. They offer time building in an archer for $28. If you can find it cheaper i'll be amazed.
Its in L.A so the weather is good. in 10 weeks youll get the extra 100 hours you need no problem.
Im doing an instrument rating with them at the moment and planning to convert to a JAA IR later. Its the cheapest way of getting the JAA IR that ive found. You save about 5000GBP.
There is some ground school involved but thats all included in the package. You need 50 hours X-country, 40 hours under the hood, and 15 hours dual instruction prior to the check ride. Conversion to JAA i believe involves 15 hours in a twin plus all tests.
I Hope this helps.

[caaflyr]

9 weeks is about right for our FAA Pt. 141 approved instrument rating. Ground school would be 4 weeks during which you fly once a day. Flying during gs would be once a day and then twice a day thereafter. The nine weeks should give you at least one week extra. Our FAA IR has examining authority so no waiting for the checkride. Also, as we do JAA training we can put you with a JAA approved FAA instructor so you can get a taste of the differences.

Delta Connection Academy (formerly Comair Aviation Academy) is located in Sanford (north of Orlando) Florida.

If you're interested, call the Academy (use the free phone # listed in all the mags) and ask for Piers Smerdon the JAA Chief Flying Instructor and he can help advise you.

Patrick Murphy
Director of Training
Delta Connection Academy

[FlyingForFun]

First of all, the exams, because I don't think you understand them. If your aim is an fATPL, then you'll want to do the ATPL exams. There are 14 of them. You say you've got a new job lined up, in which case you'll need to do the studying for these exams through a distance learning course, working evenings and weekends. You should probably allow 12 months for this - it can be done quicker, it may take longer, depending how much time you're able to dedicate to studying each week. You mention the CPL exams and the IR exams - you will not need to do these for an fATPL. The ATPL exams include everything you need to start CPL training and IR training - the CPL exams are for people who don't intend to do an IR, and the IR exams are for people who don't intend to do a CPL.

I'm not exactly sure of the minimum requirements for an FAA IR, but it sounds like a good idea. To convert it to a JAR IR, you'll need to do a minimum of 15 hours flying, as well as completing either the IR or the ATPL exams (the latter in your case).

But my advice to you would be to enjoy yourself as you can with your spare time. I found myself in a similar position 15 months ago, and went to Arizona for 2 months. While I was there, I got a tail-dragger checkout (well, I was kind-of checked out already, but hadn't really been taught properly) and a complex aircraft check-out. I did 5 hours of dual in a twin (didn't actually get the rating because I can't afford to keep it current at the moment), and I got my night qualification done. I did 11 hours of aerobatics (absolutely superb!) I flew around some fantastic scenery, including taking a Super Cub into Sedona airport to get a jeep tour of the beautiful town, and taking the Super Cub into Grand Canyon airport before walking across to the other side of the airport for a helipcoptor tour. I flew a Piper Arrow to Las Vegas overnight, and to Los Angeles for two nights, to do some gambling and sight-seeing. And I made some friends who I'm still in touch with, and hoping to meet up with again when I return to the US for my CPL. Had the time of my life - the only thing I'd change if I could do it again is go somewhere other than the US, simply because it's so easy to do JAR training in the US that it makes sense to hour-build somewhere different just to get more variety.

Have fun!

FFF
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[B2N2]

:) 9 weeks for FAA IR?
Seems a little long,not to mention expensive at Comair...about twice as anywhere else.Don't get me wrong,Comair is good but certainly not the only good 141-school.
In 9 weeks you can do FAA CPL-IR and multirating on the type you'd be flying in the UK.
Many moons ago did it myself in 8 weeks..
Happy hunting.....:D

[Long-EC]

Thanks for the advice guys.

FFF, spending the time "flying for fun" is tempting and I like the idea of getting some ratings on the way eg multi and complex and tail-dragger. I have the night one already - I did that Las Vegas night approach as part of it - truly specatular and I liked the ATC instructions too - "make your left turn abeam the Stratosphere tower and aim for it". Not sure the height of summer is the best time to visit Arizona though!

I'm still keen on the FAA/IR though, even if I only don't get it all done this trip. So thanks for the info and the links.

Got the new job offer through today. Time to go and resign:D

[Julian]

I did the FAA IR in 2 1/2 weeks and a total of 62 hours, it was flying most days and hard work on occasions but worth it. 9 weeks does seem very high to me!

I did the writtens before I went up at Norwich with Tom Hughston, he did a groundschool, mock exams and final exam for the sum of £90, bloody good value in my books. That was over a year ago now so prices may have risen.

When I was in California all I had to concentrate on then was the flying. I was short on XC time sop basically we dissappeared off on trips and combined the traning with a bit of sight seeing (or not if you are under the hood :D ). The reccommended duration of the couse is roughly 40hours flying but if you have previous experience (such as IMC) and you meet the min requirements to sit the checkride then I believe you can be cut free earlier.

Why not combine doing the IR with some hour building somewhere interesting, can highly reccommend West Coast of US - never got bored and I am off back in May to do some more!

[caaflyr]

Just to clarify:
Our FAA IR is Part 141 approved, includes 60 hours of ground school (double the FAA minimum), much more than the minimum flight time and even includes 10 extra hours of PCATD time. The course can be completed in 6-7 weeks. This is not a "light" course just to get a rating. It's a course for those wishing to be professional pilots. It's even heavy on checklist usage, airline style callouts, etc.

We also offer the instrument rating under Part 61 and is a good option if you are a self-starter and come ready to do the Knowledge Test. This could be completed in a much shorter time.

Patrick Murphy
Director of Training
Delta Connection Academy

[thatwasclose]

You can do alot in 9 weeks. You should be able to get both your instrument and multi commercial faa certificates. Be very careful where you go, and what schools promise though. Since the market is bad, and lots of schools are hurting for students you should be in a good situation. Make sure that whatever school you go to, you will be able to fly every day. Thats harder to do at big schools. I know my used to work for as a cfi for a small school and also at a big one. The larger schools were by far the more expensive and took longer. There are some great deals out there now. If you want some info on my old school send me an email. Best of luck on the new job, and on the flying you do.

[Airbus Girl]

9 weeks! You can do a hell of a lot in that time. And I won't mention what you could do in 9.5 weeks... but seriously, I did 100 hours in one month at ADP, and I did the FAA IR in 15 days, including the groundschool, all from scratch. I did have a few hours of hour building but my total time was still very low when I started. It was a lot of fun! The FAA IR is very pratical based, the UK rating is different in that you are told your entire routing, and it is very structured, whereas in the US I found that it was all as-you-go which was very interesting and fairly demanding too.
Highly recommended. Get out there and get stuck in. Do one IR lesson a day and spend the rest of the time hour building. Get your IR done asap and then go use it by flying across the states and back. I went from LA in a circular route through the mid-west and have also done LA to Key West (and back) and San Diego to Vancouver (and back). Weather interesting at times to say the least, learnt stacks, loved going into the big airports but also the small ones especially mountain airfields, and other weird ones. Great practice and really gets you IR skills in use.