I love it when people get wound up!
Julian.
"You obviously have no experience of training in the US with comments like that!"
When I flew out of Fort Myers, Pine Shadows AP, Sarasota, St Augustine (on edge of a Hurricane) and loads of other fields in Florida I think I was trained/training in the US.
"...you cant tell me that every US trained pilot you have encounered has required 30 hrs extra training to fly in UK airspace??? "
I can't and I didnt. I said "The time difference is probably about the same as if they had spent longer learning to fly and accepting the adverse weather". If this is inadaquately worded I mean that a US pilot will take as many hours to achieve a set standard of flying as a UK trained pilot. At the point in time they return to the UK the US pilot lacks UK experience. I never mentioned thirty hours, but I do consider that a US trained pilot will need 30 hours extra to reach the same standard of flying as a UK PPL who has done 30 hours post PPL. Again, I believe that when a US trained pilot returns home he lacks some of the skills learnt training in the UK.
(My) minimal experience you refer to is a little bit more than that. I use my own name (its Andy) so you can always go and find me on the list of
FE(A)s. I am very happy with my CFS grade thank you.
Protectionist UK instructors bleating again - I said "it hurts to say it but it can be worthwhile." Hardly protectionist. Bleating?
I consider that I gave impartial advice based upon my own experience, the pro's and the cons. My UK experience includes an unpaid hobby instructing at a school that charges £85ph for a PA28. Because 90% of members have PPL's its mainly check/standards flights rather than ab initio. The students at this base do not spend the 4/5 thousand extra that you refer to. Annother organisation I fly for (unpaid) charges as little as £50ph, but I hope that you and potential readers do not become eligible for this rate.
OK the views are mine and based on my experience - that applies to your views as well. You should be free to give your views without suffering personal attacks based on ignorance of the subject (you or I) and the circumstances in which the views are given. Take the productive, reasoned and persuasive comment of 'englishal' as example of the high standard of debate sometimes resorted to by some contributers.
Your last two paragraphs restate my own views except I also advised getting the medical before going abroad.
strafer
I find (again my own experience - I even give my real name) that pilots returning from the US lack experience of weather in circumstances when it might/might not be ok to fly, but the decision involves local judgement and experience. Generaly I find them overconfident and have seen some nasty results and a lack of appreciation that 'it is better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air etc'.
I found US weather to be either great or really bad. I know the US has shades of grey in met, but the outer isles and the Scottish mountains have more, and require a level of local knowledge that is not gained in Florida et al. The same argument applies to pilots trained in East Anglia coming north. Train where you intend to fly if you want to get the most out of it. On the other hand, learn to fly in Alaska/Rockies in winter and I am sure you will come back packed with more experience than most UK PPL's.
Your ref to taking the 18 months to gain a licence in the UK suggests that the trainee is part time. American PPL's can take as long if only one or two hours a month are flown.
You make a lot of inferrals as to what I said which I did not make. If thats how you read them I appologise for poor penmanship on my part. As an example, I could reiterate and say I think you understate you ability. I am sure that you could do touch and goes on a 10,000 foot runway implying that you meant that you were not able to do that. This of course is not what you meant. My own view would be that I would prefer you to learn to fly on a 500m runway of the sort you will encounter in the UK. Having a few big runways under your belt doesnt give you much relevant experience. On the other hand, have you been into Bruntingthorpe or Machrahanish, sorry, Campbeltown?
Your comment "...uninformed, from a narrow perspective ". You are correct, my experience is narrow and limited to my own views gained around the world since I went solo in 1971.
"...and just possibly influenced by the fact that your job is training people in the UK". I fly as a hobby now, not as a job so I dont have anything to protect. I havent made my living as an instructor since '99. I did my twin training and 25 more hours in ***Florida****. Most of my present SEP time is spent teaching ex US PPL's or those who had to come back without completing the course. Rather a lot of the latter. I also give ground exams and help to those going to the US.
I think having been through both systems my views are as good as any when responding to a request for them. You are allowed to disagree.
I will always defer to the greater spread of experience and judgement of the likes of the anonymous 'englishal's' skilled and critical analysis of my views.