Next year I will be in Phoenix, AZ for two weeks and would like to spend the time doing something useful and fun, i.e. to fly. I have an EASA PPL(A) and am planning to validate it there. My questions are:
- Does anyone have personal experience with flight schools / FBOs in the Phoenix area? Can you recommend or advise against any?
- The other option I am thinking about is doing a stand-alone FAA license; since you never know when EASA will prohibit flying altogether. Is it possible to do the validation and then go for the FAA license afterwards, so if it doesn't work out in two weeks I would still be able to fly an N-reg? Or do you have to get the "based on" license revoked before they can issue another one?
- Has any of you with an EASA PPL done the full FAA license later, and what were your experiences? How much flight time do you have to take and how long did it take you? How was your previous experience recognized?
- For a validation, I don't need a visa, whereas to do an FAA private pilot certificate I need a special visa and it must be a Part 141 school, right?
Thanks in advance for any helpful information.