FAA PPL/IR conversion to JAR

[05pearcj]

hey all,

i am currently studying my FAA PPL and IR in Naples florida, i should be carrying it through to a JAA + FAA ATPL but i may come back over to study the groundschool back in england...

i was wondering what the shortest and easiest way to convert this FAA PPL IR to a JAA or JAR PPL IR to start the ATPL groundschool back in europe during early 07.

Any time scales or previous experiences are very welcome....even relevant information about the ATPL would be well recieved!

As you can imagine asking the school goes down like a house on fire and you never get a proper answer so thought i would go to the source...

thanks for any help in advance

James

[Keygrip]

James - hope the flight back from the medical went OK.

I stick to my comments (and hope many others will confirm) that you do NOT need to convert your FAA PPL to a JAA PPL in order to do the ATPL groundschool.....and you CANNOT convert your Instrument Rating anyway (by definition of what you are trying to do).

Any ICAO licence will suffice.

I repeat that your choice of SCHOOL may demand that you have a JAA PPL to enrol on THEIR course, if so......go to another groundschool.

[Quazimodo007]

@ Keygrip

I didn't understand well.You can not convert PPL/IR FAA to JAR ,or you can not convert any IR FAA licence?
I ask this ,beacuse I did conversion of my CPL/IR FAA to CPL/IR JAA.However i did ATPL exames before conversion.

[IO540]

To convert an FAA PPL/IR to a JAA PPL/IR, you have to do a min 15hrs' (SE) of flight training, plus all the required JAA ground exams (not the full ATPL set if it is just the PPL). The ground school attendance is also at the discretion of the school i.e. no longer mandatory.

I can dig out some references if needed.

The medical for the JAA PPL/IR presents potential problems; you can run on a CAA Class 2 medical but they throw in the Class 1 audiogram. Many "older" people fail that, perhaps just in one ear, and then .... no IR. Remaining FAA and flying an N-reg is the only way around that, but there may be a way if you hold an ICAO CPL/ATPL and an ICAO Class 1 (I have a ref for that one too, but don't know if anybody has explored that route for a mere PPL/IR).