FFF - I spoke to the Airmen Certification Branch of the FAA at Oklahoma City. Lady called Tina. They were all on Federal holiday yesterday.
She says "No need to change. The personal reference number on your licence remains the same - only the prefix changes.
If you WISH to apply for a new licence you are welcome to do so - by completing the entire certification process. £15 to the CAA, nominate a FSDO, etc. etc."
('Spose you could say Orlando and arrange it for the Disney Bash in October??)
Julian: The deal (apparently) never was that you could attach a genuine FAA rating (i.e. "flight test passed") to an FAA PPL that had been "issued on the basis of..."
Some of them DO GET THROUGH as the paperwork between the DPE (flight examiner) doing the Temporary Airmen Certificate and the Airmen Certifcation Branch in Oklahoma (who actually issue the licences and ratings) often gets confused.
Buddy of mine recently had a multi engine commercial pilot with instrument rating given to him. Didn't even do a test. They just gave it to him.
Then shortly afterwards they took it away again.
Certainly after 9/11 - the word from FSDO and all the local examiners is that you cannot add any rating or privilidges to a licence that was "issued on the basis of..."
You must have a full FAA licence (of some sort) in order to add a rating to it - not just the privilideges of the PPL as per the ICAO agreement.