Hi Davy
My opinion only..(there are many much more experienced opinions on here!!)
Look I don't know a whole lot except for what I have read on here and in LASORS (YAWN)!!!!
Ocean would not have told you that the FAA license allows you to fly in the UK without including the other bits.. UKFT are the only site I know that uses hugely ambiguous explainations to fool you...
FAA License is obviously convertible to JAA but you have loads of extra exams to sit and in my figurings you may as well do them initially save revving up again once you have chilled into a qualification.. (Bit like winning a long race only to be told you have only completed half!!! keep running).. Anyway, LASORS section C page 8 will help..
http://www.caa.co.uk/application.asp...detail&id=1591
I think you have to do 100hrs on a PPL(H) following all of the criteria in Section C to then get a "no further work required" JAA PPL(H) except to do a rating test if type of aircraft is different..
Don't quote me on this but definately check LASORS out.. bad read but easy reference book...
HTH & Good Luck..
SL