FAA IR CPL Examinations

[BroomstickPilot]

I am an ageing British PPL who is heartily sick of the rapaciousness of the British CAA and the insane excesses of the JAA training requirements for additional ratings and professional licences. (One day perhaps I should write these up and post them on North American Pprune for the amusement of American Ppruners: if you liked 'Catch 22' then you'll just love JAAs)!

Anyway, I have decided to go over to the FAA system as far as possible (I intend doing my future flying in 'N' registered aircraft in UK/Europe air space), but before I commit myself would be grateful for some information and any useful advice from your side of the 'pond'. (I do have a copy of FAR-AIM, but find it uninformative and difficult to read: it has just two paragraphs on the written exams).

I already have a British (pre JAA) PPL and intend to obtain a full FAA PPL (not just one issued on the back of my British licence) in England before coming over to the USA for further training. Hence I should have a current FAA PPL on arrival in the US.

The main thing I want is an FAA single engine IR, but if I do well with that I just might go on to do an FAA single engine CPL and CFI later.

These are my questions in relation to the FAA IR:

1. Where can I obtain ground-school training from, (either full time or distance learning)?
2. Do I have to do a formal ground-school course or can I 'self prepare'? (I did do formal ground school for JAA CPL, but didn't get through all the exams within the time limit which means I am supposed to do the whole lot, at immense cost, all over again).
2. How many papers do you have to take in the FAA written exams and what is the pass mark?
3. Is there any information regarding the percentage of people who pass/fail the writtens, spoken exam or flight test?
4. I have heard that the 'spoken exam' taken before the flight test is the real 'killer'. Is this true?

I should like to offer my thanks in advance to American Ppruners for any advice or information you are able to provide.

Best regards,

Broomstick

[Tinstaafl]

Some of the following may not be strictly accurate. Keygrip is the one to ask, however...

1. There is a single, multi-choice exam for each certificate. They're done on demand at just about every flying school in the country & marked immediately.

There are a number of self study books for all the FAA tests. All questions in the FAA database are available for public scrutiny courtesy of the FoI laws and most exam prep books will have each & every question in them that pertains to exam they're covering. The texts will also give the options (part of the questions so still an FoI item) and, crucially, which one is correct & why. The author's idea of the correct answer & reasoning is what you're paying for, although the books aren't expensive.

Gleim, ASA & Jeppesen are organisations that cover most things.

You'll also need the Practical Test Standard for the flight tests you'll be doing. They detail what you must know & do for the certificate(s). Also available from the above publishers.

All available at any pilot shop, most FBOs (Fixed Base Operators - think combination flying school, maintenance, fueling, handling, briefing office, etc etc) and on the net.

2. No formal ground school required. You *may* need a sign off from an instructor. Not sure about that point.

3. One exam per certificate type (think licence or rating). Pass mark typically 75% (?).

4. Have to ask a flying school I susect. Or the FAA - they keep records on licenced school's & individual instructor's success/fail rate.

4. It can be. Depends on how well prepared you are. Expect to be given application level questions about the things you must know & do to exercise the privileges of the certificate you're being tested for. As if you already held the licence/rating & this is just another flight using it with the sorts of things that you'll have to deal with in normal use. There will also be a/c & operational limitations + probably whatever is the FAA's & the testing officer's current safety initiative.

[BroomstickPilot]

Thanks, Tinstaafl.