Hi
Just a quick note regarding the CAA/IAA PPL written exams.
Planning to do my full PPL in Ireland I signed up to a course with Flightwise in Weston. The ground school was fantastic and I passed all of the Irish written exams first time, I think there's 4.
A quick change of mind and off to Naples I went.
****The IAA written exams cannot be used towards a CAA PPL****
This is a fact.
Luckily for me my groundschool was very good with Flightwise so I managed to pass all of the 7 CAA written exams in Florida.
I would strongly recommend getting your CAA exams first, this would probably require a trip to the UK. Or do the Irish exams and attend a good ground school before you go. You might still get the exams in Naples without any prior work but you'll enjoy the trip and your flying far more with most of the work out of the way.
Once you get to Naples you'll have to do a silly little medical. It's about $40 and this is also a student license so you can fly. The IAA student license means nothing. On completion of your course, if you pass the skilltest, you then apply to the CAA for your license.
AT the very least get yourself the Trevor Thom books and the best money you ever spend will be on the latest PPL Confuser book.
Good luck,