Interview with FAA inspector

[Rood]

Does anyone have experience of the Airmens certification interview with an FAA Inspector? I`m going the route of getting a US Airmens certificate based on my UK one.

Just want to see if I need to re-read air law again......

[drauk]

Whilst what SoCal says might be technically correct, reading it makes it all look a bit daunting. I've never been grilled on a BFR - the instructor might say "what does this line on the chart mean?" and if you don't know they explain it to you - it is much more of a lesson than a test.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

At my FAA interview last year the inspector was training a new starter. He explained that the primary purpose of the interview was to establish that I could speak English, which required the secondary goal of establishing that I was who I said I was (so take your passport).

The rest is just form filling, for which you need estimates of your flying experience in various categories, such as x-country.

[Dave Gittins]

I am all set up to present myself in Denver a couple of weeks today, at the FAA office .. I will have my letter of authorisation from Oklahoma, UK passport, JAR license, CAA medical & logbook .. is there anything else I need to take, do, or expect ???

Before I do the BFR (hopefully the next day) I will read up carefully FAR/AIM 2007 and Jackie Spanitz's book (what else is there to do on a BA 777 for 9 hours ?). I am hoping that (like a UK hour with an instructor) the examiner I meet for my BFR will be more interested in helping me fill any gaps in my knowledge and be just what drauk suggests. Is there anything else I need to look out for ???

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

I think that covers it.
Although my BFR was very informal, the FAA are keen that it is seen as an evaluation that can be failed in full or in part, rather than straight instruction.

what else is there to do on a BA 777 for 9 hours ?).
Well, I managed to read Jackies book AND learn about one third of the alphabet in Morse code.

[drauk]

The BFR is not a test; it's instruction. You can't fail it, though it is possible (and unusual) that the instructor declines to sign you off.

For more reading on the BFR, see:

http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/content/2002/nov/definingbfr.html

[Dave Gittins]

Thanks - so it's much like the UK 1 hour every 2 years ... Ta for the link ... all info I can use to brush up as I wing my way across the pond will be gratefully received.

:ok:

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

Some more info for you Dave and Rood....
The FAA issued new guidelines (29 pages) for conducting Flight Reviews last year that beef up the process:
http://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/media/flight_review.pdf
AOPA's guide is here:
http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/sa03.pdf
It uses phrases such as the review being "unsatisfactory" which is surely another word for "fail".
A CFI comments on the new guidelines here (http://www.geocities.com/cfidarren/fr-bfr.htm) "The FAA has made it clear to the CFI: a BFR is an evaluation, not flight instruction.".
After re-reading the docs, I think he has read a bit too much into the guidelines and/or is trying to drum up a bit of business!