Instrument Rating Faa?

[billyh42]

Hi

Can anyone tell me the difference between a JAA and a FAA Instrument Rating?

If I had an FAA Instrument Rating can I use it in the UK or can it be converted to a JAA Instrument Rating?

Bottom Line - would it be any use in the UK?

billyh42

[AlphaMale]

No use unless you converted it to a JAA IR.

I think I'm right in saying the IR in the US is easier than a JAA IR and is commonly done after the PPL ... like we have our IMC. If you had an FAA MEP/CPL/IR it might be worth getting them all converted to a JAA Multi-CPL & Multi-IR.

Good luck.

[dartagnan]

any difference? it is just slightly different to fly in the USA than in Europe.It is not easier or harder...(it is just more expensive in Europe...very expensive)

I give you an example: in the USA, you receive lot of radar vectors and clearance, and you have to stick with this clearance and no to deviate at all cost (except for emergency), or the FAA will bust your a#$.

Many EU pilots come to USA and think they can fly they way they want. They go in deep trouble once back on the ground. Investigation from the FAA for not altitude/heading respected or they don't acknowledge on radio or reply too late specially when you have 100 pilots on the radio in very busy airspace....

in the other hand, flying in Europe is more like flying a flight simulator and going to a point A to B without any assistance.
Radar controller is here to tell you if there is a traffic' conflict but most of the time you are clear with your plan (in the USA due to traffic congestion they change frequently approach/ILS,...), and you have to follow full approaches ( holding, procedure turn outbound, intercepting NDB course,...). So flight schools in UK are really maniac on NDB holds and some guys struggle with that.Specially when you have 20-30 knots X-wind right above the UK airports.

I can not tell you what is best, cuz nothing replace experience and flying in full IMC is more than just knowledge or having a license.

A good software to train on NDB is RANT. I use it before simulator session and it really helps wherever you fly.

[A and C]

The only part about the FAA IR that is easy is the writen test, for that you have the chance to get some very good test prep computor programs.

The JAA IR requires a whole lot of buls**t exams that cost the earth and have very little to do with real world flying.

The JAA flight test is highly structured and you know exactly what is to happen and so is a very accademic flight that has to be flown to tight limits.

The FAA flight test that I did was a real test of real time thinking in the air with a divertion to an airfield that I had never seen before, the test culminating in a SE circle to land from a VOR approach.

No IR is easy but the FAA IR is exccesable, the JAA IR is deliberatly made too hard for people to get. Typical european overkill and an air safety issue that should be adressed.