Re: JAR Compliant PPL vs JAA PPL - Difference?
IO540,
You are correct. ICAO does come into the argument. If everyone did everything according to ICAO we would not be having this debate because the system could be consistent and regardless of country of registration, country of operation or country of licence issue the rules would be the same. That unfortunately is not the case but it sounds very like what EASA is trying to acheive.
The fact that questions like these arrise and while we all can quote the rule books, no one including the CAA or the FAA can it seems put in writing exactly what the real situation is. While that and oher similar situations do not have any real effect on the safe, careful and competent pilot, it can leave a hole open for the unscrupulous pilot, operation or school to do things which can lead to dangerous situation or general confusion.
It all comes down to adequate supervision (other wise known as money!). If the FAA are happy to state that they at their own expense will provide adequate supervision of N reg operators based in Europe and FAA pilots in Europe then everyone is happy. If they are not then it will fall on the CAA to provide the supervision. That is going to cost money. Why should European operators pay more so that American Operators can continue to operate despite the FAA washing it's hands of them?
When a question arrises about what an FAA licence holder can do, that question should be addressed to the FAA and the FAA after making whatever checks it needs to do can tell the FAA licence holder what to do. That is their responsibility alone because it is an FAA licence. FAA licence holders asking the CAA what they can do with an FAA licence is simply increasing the costs of the CAA which are paid by G reg/UK licence holders and operators.
Regards,
DFC