As long as you exclude the institutional stupidy that masquerades as 'security concerns' converting to an FAA licence is generally piss easy. A little less so for CPL --> CPL - due to the required handling manouvres not required in Oz - perhaps but certainly the case for PPL --> PPL & ATPL --> ATP.
I did ATPL to ATP-MEL in the mid/late 90's, & then added ATP-SEL & SES in '04 . What I found:
You'll need to do the ATP theory exam. Multiple choice, **ALL** questions in the database available courtesy of the Freedom of Information law(s) (not the correct answer though - hence the next step...).
Easiest way to study is to buy one or more of the various texts that are published by Gleim, Jeppessen & ASA. They have ALL exam questions + the publisher's idea of the correct answer (they all agree so it's not just opinion), along with the relevent explanation of why their answer is correct.
Book your exam with just about any flying school. Do exam - and pass easily. It's very, very simple compared to Oz.
Do a medical appropriate to the level of licence your after. Nearest analogy to is is: Class 3 for PVT, Class 2 for CHTR/AWK type ops, Class 1 for RPT.
If converting 'like for like' then there's no requirement for an instructor or Chief Instructor recommendation - at least that was the case for ATPL. Find an examiner & book your flight test. IF you fail then you will require an instructor recommendation for a subsequent test.
I **STRONGLY** recommend you fly with an instructor anyway. The system here *is* different. Lots of traps for the unwary eg the US doesn't use PANS-OPS ie ICAO's procedures for IFR, they use their own TERPS requirements. Lots of other differences too.
That being said, once you're familiar with the system it's very, very, very easy to operate within.
Last edited by Tinstaafl; 15th August 2005 at 00:20.