Originally Posted by
banjodrone
Assuming you intend to start a commercial / instrument course and you don't already have the PIC hours, you don't officially need an EASA Private to build the hours or start the course but I suppose the schools in their capacity as FBO's could demand you have that ticket to rent their planes and build time before you start and they could always cite their insurer's policy in that regard; they are under no obligation to rent to you so they are technically not doing anything wrong by saying that. Most people with an ICAO ticket would not necessarily build their hours in the school they are going to start their training in, they would tend to do that somewhere more affordable such as the US, Canada or anywhere else really. They are trying to fleece you by retraining with them for an EASA PPL and then possibly building the hours by renting their planes. More money extraction.... best to go overseas and find an FBO with friendly CFI's who will familiarise you with the local procedures and build your hours that way.
Thanks for the reply.I want to hour building somewhere cheap here.Do you recommend any place to do hour building here in Europe.I will have visa problems when applying from here since this is not my native country.