JAA To FAA

[Captain_Trim]

I'm a new poster and i'm guessing this would be the best part of the forum to ask this question.

I'm a newly qualified JAA CPL IR and am looking to do my FAA conversion which i believe involves doing groundschool and a flight test. Groundschool prep is no problem and i know a FAA Examiner. All is good you would think but where do i take the written exams? I have looked all over the net and although other pilots have said Norwich and Farnborough I cannot find any contact details or organisations.

Can anyone recommend to me a centre to take the writtens and provide me with a link to their homepage or a telephone no.? I live in Gloucester so somewhere close to there would be great. Any offers appreciated though.

Thanks

Trim

[NuName]

As you will have to register with the TSA and that requires fingerprinting you will need to go to Farnborough, Flight Safety International to do this. I think you would be able to do the written test there as well. Call them, they are very helpful. The check ride can be done in many ways and places.

[HS125]

All Correct, but.....

If you do the written exams with FSI you'll have to sit the tests at Paris. It's probably worth giving Melanie Stewart at Soloflight a call to see if you can do them there. (I did mine there and the service was excellent)

I approached the problem from the same angle as you and found that reading the ASA test prep guides through gave me more than sufficient knowledge on top of waht I had learned from the JAA groundschool to do very well in the tests.

With regard to the TSA, its not simply a matter of turning up and having your fingerprints taken. you must follow the procedure:
1. Contact a training provider
2. Create an Account at https://www.flightschoolcandidates.gov
3. Create a Training Request having ascertained what catagory you'll be applying under.
You'll then be invited to pay a fee for the Training Request (about $130 I think) after they have confirmed knowledge of the request with the Training Provider concerned.

You'll also need a visa to train in the USA. As with the TSA process I'd liase with the Training Provider on what the latest advice on the process is. Do however make sure that all the paperwork is in order AND THE DATES MATCH before attending your visa interview at the Embassy.

With regard to training providers, it would depend on your objectives but check your PM's for some recommendations.

I hope this is of assistance.

HS125

[youngskywalker]

I think you can now do the lasergrade testing at Flightsafety EGLF. Another possibility is 'Business Air' at Norwich. I tried 'Soloflight' a few months back and they told me that they have not been able to provide FAA computer testing for some time now.

Best way I found for passing the tests is to get the 'Gleim' cd rom and practice doing the real questions on your PC until you can regularly score above 90%. The FAA exams are fairly straight forward compared to the JAR groundschool but the oral part of the flight test can be quite daunting and will find any holes in your knowledge should you fail to prepare.

TSA and Visa application as mentioned above is a little bit time consuming but when you chose a school in the States they should be able to guide you through the process without too much pain.