Faa Ppl

[Scottishflyer182]

Hi,

I plan to go to Tampa for a couple of weeks Holiday in May and thought whilst I was there I could do some flying.

I currently have a JAR PPL IMC Night, I plan to go to Florida next year to do may FAA IR. I would also like to get a FAA PPL stand along license.

My Question is :- can I do some training during my Holiday to convert my JAR PPL to get a stand alone FAA PPl or would I need to go through the Visa route. This is only a conversion so I hope I can get away without the visa hassle.

Thanks

Scottishflyer182.

[db16]

please don't quote me, but I think that they virtually give you one ..db16

[Julian]

Scottish,

You can either apply for a 'piggyback' FAA PPL or if you want to do some training why not go for your FAA CPL or IR? You do not need to have completed the FAA PPL to undertake either as long as you have your JAA PPL.

As far as I am aware you still need a visa for training.

J.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

You will need some training for a standalone PPL. Training for the issue of a licence or rating requires TSA approval. TSA approval requires a visa.

You would need a visa.

[BackPacker]

You would need a visa.

Technically you only need an M-1 visa for a full-time course (depending on the type, this is defined as 18 or 22 hours per week). If training is only incidental to your stay there and it's not a full time course then the situation is a bit dubious. In fact, if you apply for an M-1 visa knowing full well that you're not going for a full time course (as defined by the INS) you might actually be in breach of visa regulations.

Full discussion here:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=314913

Right now the safest option seems to be to obtain your M-1 in any case, since that's what everybody does and everybody (including the friendly INS official at the border) expects you to do.

I second Julians mention of the FAA CPL though. All you need for an FAA CPL is an ICAO PPL, but it doesn't have to be an FAA PPL. If you otherwise fulfill all the requirements (hours flown etc) and have the necessary skills and medical, it may be a very worthwhile investment and probably not much more expensive than obtaining an FAA PPL. I mean, you need to do a medical, theory exams and a flight test both for the standalone FAA PPL and for the FAA CPL anyway.

The worst thing you could do (but it looks like you already know this), is to get a piggyback FAA PPL and then add ratings to it. As IO540 said a while ago in another thread: you're then building a house of cards. The house of cards can be brought down by something very simple like getting a new JAA license with a new number issued for some reason. All of a sudden the foundation for your FAA PPL no longer exists and thus the ratings that you obtained on your FAA PPL vanish as well.

[IO540]

please don't quote me, but I think that they virtually give you one ..db16Just as well not many people are quoting you, because the above is totally wrong.

You need

- FAA medical
- FAA written (quite a lot of work)
- some flying incl. extra night flights which you don't get with the UK NQ
- additional maneuvers which are not in the UK PPL
- TSA approval
- probably a visa though this is a grey area for under 18hrs/week
- the FAA PPL checkride (harder than the UK one)

I've been through the process all the way to FAA CPL/IR.

Working on the basis that one should get the medical and the writtens, and TSA, out of the way while still in the UK, I don't think there is enough time before May.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

Technically you only need an M-1 visa for a full-time course
I phrased my response the way I did because what is technically possible is irrelevant to the TSA who police flight training and have their own rules independant of US immigration law.

You need an M-1 visa to train for a standalone FAA PPL in the USA, because the TSA say so. You won't find it in US law, because it is an administrative rule, not law.

[Scottishflyer182]

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies.

I have decided to get a piggy back FAA PPl and do my CPL and IR rating in Jan 09,

Thanks .

[BackPacker]

You need an M-1 visa to train for a standalone FAA PPL in the USA, because the TSA say so. You won't find it in US law, because it is an administrative rule, not law.

I just checked the www.flightschoolcandidates.gov website, and the official "Final Interim Rule" that's on there (as a pdf file). It only mentions that the candidate needs "a passport and a valid visa" but there is NO mention that the visa has to be an M-1. I did not login and do a dummy application but I found a description of that process which mentions a "drop down" box which allows you to select your visa type (A-1, A-2, B-1 etc.)

So if you have a reference that the visa needs to be an M-1 visa, I'd appreciate it.

[Shunter]

If so you need to get a serious move on. The quoted time for the identity verification for the FAA is 90 days! When I did it, it only took a month, but you're cutting it a bit fine for May.

You need to fill in this form and fax it to the FAA:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/foreign_license_verification/

And fill this form in and send it to the CAA so they'll release your info to the FAA:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/FORSRG1160.pdf
(they charge you about £40 for the privilege)

When they've nattered to each other the FAA send you a letter. Make an appointment at a convenient FAA FSDO, and show up with your passport, JAA license, medical, logbook and the letter from the FAA. They'll then issue you with a temporary airmens certificate on the spot. They won't charge you for this. Once you've then completed a BFR, you're all legal. The proper license should arrive in the post in a couple of months.

[Scottishflyer182]

Hi,

Phoned Oklahoma City FSDO and spoke with a very friendly guy who advise me to fax the filled form and he would look out for it tomorrow :ok:and then contact the CAA who I have also faxed the relevant forms too.

He expected it would take about 2 weeks for me to have the Letter of Authenticity for the Tampa FSDO. :D:D:D

Not bad.

Not that I want to compare the FAA with the CAA but the phone was answered on the second ring.

Scottishflyer182.

[scooter boy]

"Not that I want to compare the FAA with the CAA but the phone was answered on the second ring"

Say no more... customer service is a lost concept on this side of the Atlantic.

SB

[IO540]

Personally I would not bother with a piggyback unless needed right now (e.g. to fly an N-reg).

When one goes to the USA to do the IR, one can polish off the standalone PPL in a few days beforehand.

Piggyback PPLs were trendy in the old days when one could get one without going to the USA, but this has not been possible for some years.

[Scottishflyer182]

Hi,

This is just to do me until Jan 09 when I now plan to do my IR and CPL.

I need a "piggy back lic" to fly out of the UK in an N Reg. Without this lic I need to contact the French or Germany Authorities and ask for permission. Which I have done once so far and to be honest it was just a formality. But you never know if that will be the case next time.

Cheers

SF