FAA License good in the UK?

[Runwaypimp]

Hey guys,

I have a FAA Private license with instrument rating. I've moved from the US to the UK I'm un-sure if i can legally fly(with passengers) on G reg aircraft. I've been flying dual with an instructor for months to familiarize myself with the system/area over here. My flying club says I'm good to go on my FAA license but i'm a little nervious about it since i've never been able to find anything on the CAA website that gives me the reassurance at's all legal. I don't care about any instrunment flying right now. Just basic VFR with passengers.

If anyone can help or point me to some relevant details on the CAA site i'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,
George

[vanHorck]

I ve been told the same from the CAA

I asked them if i could fly IFR on a G reg aircraft with an FAA IR. the answer was yes, no limitations were given.

Some on this forum will tell you that it is restricted to IMC privileges but that is not my understanding nor is it the understanding of my MEP instructor.

More importantly you ll need to appreciate procedures tend to be a whole lot more complicated in Europe than they are in the US so i d take some lessons here, if only for the RT.....

See mail exchange below

Dear Mr Van Horck,

Thank you for your e-mail, apologies in the delay of replying. In regards to your query, I can confirm that you may fly IRF on a CAA (G registered) plane with a CAA PPL combined with a FAA IR.

Regards

Personnel Licensing Department

From: Bert van Horck
Sent: 24 October 2007 09:59
To: FCLWEB
Subject: could you enlighten me?

I get varied advices on the use of an FAA IR (Instrument Rating) on a G registered plane

The question is simple:

Is it legal to fly IFR on a CAA (G register) registered plane with a CAA PPL combined with an FAA Instrument Rating in British and/or European airspace for private flights (ie not commercial)?

If it is not legal where can I find the legislation that applies?
If I have directed this question to the wrong department, whom should I address it to?

[IO540]

The reference is ANO Article 26. The ANO is here

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP393.PDF.

Any ICAO license is good for a G-reg, worldwide.

The catch is if you want to fly IFR. With an ICAO IR (but one which is not a JAA IR) you can fly IFR but only outside controlled airspace i.e. Classes G or F. This is usable in the UK (Class G mostly) but is not usable outside the UK (except in some slightly contrived circumstances, in which they are hardly going to catch you anyway, like climbing up through cloud in Class G during a VFR flight... but even then you are supposed to obtain an IFR clearance).

The CAA response quoted above is correct but they have left off the crucial info from the paragraph immediately above.

If you can get them to confirm an FAA PPL/IR is good for a G-reg for IFR in all classes of airspace, that would be quite astonishing. And wrong, as the law is currently understood by the many people who have looked into this old chestnut. But if it is true that would be great because it would avoid the need to fly an N-reg aircraft here in Europe (unless there is some other reason to be N-reg e.g. equipment certification).

Some on this forum will tell you that it is restricted to IMC privileges

That's complete nonsense. The CAA will give you an IMC Rating if you have an ICAO IR and you send them a cheque for £70 or so. The FAA IR also needs to have had an IPC checkride within the last 2 years - the CAA does not recognise the FAA 6/6 rolling currency for the IR validity.

[Runwaypimp]

Thank you chaps. Thats very helpful. I heard rumors I might have to take the AirLaw & human performance exams but i guess this is no longer the case.

[BackPacker]

I heard rumors I might have to take the AirLaw & human performance exams but i guess this is no longer the case.

Well, this is true but for a different scenario. If you have an FAA PPL (or another ICAO PPL) and 100 hours PIC experience, you can obtain a full standalone JAA PPL by doing the law & humperf theory exams, and the PPL skills test. You are waived the other five exams because of your existing PPL and experience.