JAA-approved flight schools in the US

[Avia]

Hey all,

After carefully studying the "Standards Document 31: Organisations conducting CAA and JAR-FCL Approved Courses of Flight and Ground Training" from the CAA UK website I still have a lot of doubt whether or not to be ABSOLUTELY sure, that a certain flight school in the US actually has the needed approval to conduct JAR-FCL 1 courses.

Example:

I've been in contact with a Ryanair 737 F/O (flying Rome-Copenhagen) who told me that he obtained his JAA fATPL at Riverside Flight Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That certain flight schools is NOT on the list in the CAA document, but even though it conducts JAR courses.

I've noticed that a lot of the FTO's cooperate with EU/UK FTO's to conduct JAR courses, but is that the only way to be 100% certain?

Is it not wise to make a judgement of which school to study at in the US starting from the CAA/UK?

[Keygrip]

Riverside, by definition of Doc 31, is not JAA approved.

What a lot of these schools verbally trick you into is doing an FAA PPL in the USA - with all the associated cost savings and potential ease of continuity of training - and then going back to the UK, to fly with their friendly partner company to do a conversion course of written examinations and a JAA skill test.

It's a play on words but it still achieves the same product in the end. An FAA licence converted into a JAA licence.

If the school is not listed in Doc 31, it is not approved - but do you care? You are not going to THAT school to get a JAA qualification. You are going for an FAA qualification.

My complaint with this system is that the schools feel the need to advertise in the way that they do. The phraseology is a con - so how can you expect to get a reliable service from them once you've paid over all your money.

If you want the FAA conversion into JAA route then you can go to ANY FAA school and return to ANY JAA school for the test(s) when you come back.

<edit: typo (finger trouble)>

[Avia]

Thanks Keygrip, really cleared my mind a bit.

[Rhesus]

Hi Avia,

What was the proverb really meaning when it spoke of 'All that Glistens is not Gold.'

Perhaps if you knew who 'Keygrip' was you may be a little circumspect as the the explanation?

Do please be very, very careful.

Study hard, practice under the best tuition and all will be well!

Regards,

[BillieBob]

Why be "circumspect as the(sic) the explanation"? As far as I can see, Keygrip's explanation of the way that certain unscrupulous organisations seek to mislead the gullible wannabee is absolutely accurate. The subject of false and misleading advertising in this area has come up in numerous threads over the years.

An FAA PPL, gained at any US school may be converted to a JAA PPL at any UK school at minimum cost. The licence gained is identical to the overpriced product of the organisations that falsely claim to provide 'JAA compliant' licences. You must ask yourself; if these organisations are unable, for whatever reason, to gain approval from the JAA, how good can they be?

If the PPL is sought purely as a pre-entry qualification for the modular CPL course and/or the ATPL exams, there is no need even to convert. An FAA (or any other ICAO) PPL will do the job just as well and will allow you to fly in the UK without any need to convert.

Considering that every post made by Rhesus has shown personal animosity towards this one individual, perhaps it is his/her motives that should be treated with circumspection.

Incidentally, Rhesus, the word is 'glisters'

[SD.]

My thoughts exactly BillieBob. :ok: