just my view
This is the problem of trying to do a JAA IR in the USA. It's not going to happen, the systems are different and you must convert in the UK..........
I believe that JAA "Approved" schools should not be allowed to teach the JAA IR in the USA, and in actual fact it is a bit of a con. The reason being that Wannabe's believe they are getting JAA training, paying inflated FAA prices for what is essentially FAA Instrument training. Ok, instrument training is instrument training to some extent, but as mentioned procedures and tolerances are different between the two regions.
I think it is perfectly acceptable to go to the US, get an FAA IR with a view to conversion IF the student knows this beforehand, and trains accordingly. I went to the US to specifically do an FAA IR, I knew the (european) guy who was training me, and I knew that as well as holding an FAA ATP FI, he had also been through the conversion process and holds JAA ATPL FI. (I had flown with him in the UK when he was having a "year off" from living and working in the US). When we trained for the IR, we trained to JAA standards and tolerances, as well as loads of NDB work, which is not so common in the US. Combined with the US GPS approach procedures etc, I think that the training I got was better than JAA only training, and better than FAA only training......The school is not JAA approved, and to be honest didn't need to be. The conversion process is exactly the same for me, or for anyone else attempting to do a JAA IR in the USA...the difference being that I already hold the FAA IR as well.
Cheers
EA