Originally Posted by
IO540
This is the way it works in most places in the world; even the ultra blatently protectionist JAA accepts FAA flight training to a degree (for the PPL they make you sit the exams; for the IR they make you fly 15hrs and do all the exams).
Whilst some have presented the relatively recent reduction in Flight training requirements for IR conversion (it used to be required to do the full 55hr course) as the result of a more enlightened approach by the CAA. It is worth bearing in mind that the JAA regs require only that the Ground and Flight exams be passed. Switzerland, and I believe a number of other JAA states, use this approach.