UK student think of doing PPL in USA

[G-STAW]

Hello,

im about to start my PPL in the coming months, i have already got 4hrs in the cessna. I'm thinking of converting to the piper 38 tomahawk, and changing schools to Ravenair at Liverpool.

BUT.....

i'm thinking of going to the USA,maybe florida to obtain my PPL, its got nothing to do with cost, its just i want to do something different.

With this im wanting some information regarding the prospect of doing my ppl in america, and would you guys advise this?

thankyou,

G-STAW

[nmcpilot]

Are you planning on getting a full ATPL? Or just going to do leisure flying? Depending on the school in Florida I probably wouldn't reccomend it.

If you do choose to go there make sure you get a JAA school so you'll have the same license but I think when you are just starting out it is good to be familiar with the country you are flying in. The US has different radio (similar but alot more slack) different airspace, different circuit joining procedures, if you do an FAA PPL then the manoevers you do are completely different to what you'd learn in a JAA PPL.

I did 15hours in England flying (to solo) then did the same as what your thinking, went over to Florida and everything was just different to what I'd been learning and so I ended up cutting it short in FL and went back to England.

I'm flying in the US atm doing my CPL as Oxford send their students to Arizona and now I'm a more expierienced pilot the differences don't seem very big to me but when your first starting out they do well in my opinion anyway.

I've heard OBA are bad so avoid them! Get your PPL in England get more expierienced then go on a flying holiday over to Florida or something.

[selfin]

I've heard OBA are bad so avoid them! Get your PPL in England get more expierienced then go on a flying holiday over to Florida or something.

Well I've heard the US is bad, better avoid it hadn't we? Especially when those who've never been are the ones giving us the advice.

I hear a lot of claims about OBA - usually from those lack any personal experience and therefore think themselves the wisest. I have had the experience of being trained at OBA, twice, and I can only view your remark as libelous.

Neither is there anything awful about the American system. It happens to be far healthier for GA flying and is unquestionably better suited for training. Just ask your American friends who are bending over themselves to come flying in the UK. The differences can be grasped and reviewed in a morning's work.

[nh2301]

If you're gong to the US, then don't waste money at a JAA school. That's really bad advice. An FAA certificate is more useful and costs less. You could use the money you save to fly with an instructor when you get back if that's really such a big deal.

[ford cortina]

Okay, I did not got to OBA, Oxford etc.....But I do drive a Boeing 737-800 (not Ryanair) Into Europe and Africa. Have a JAA CPL/IR ME (or fATPL) First Series pass CPL, First time pass IR in the UK.
I did my PPL in the USA, Florida, with a small school. FAA and my 100 hours as well, so 150 hours in 9 weeks. Tough and tiring but can be done.
DId not have too much problems when doing my CPL and no real issues with flying in the UK.
Would do it again tomorrow.
The only thing I can say is this, if you are going the whole hog, then only get a FAA as you only need an ICAO license for groundschool and CPL. There is no need to spend money on a JAA PPL it will cost you more. However you will need to do your R/T License at somepoint before your CPL test.
Do not listen to those who know better, many have not flown anywhere else in the world. Florida and the states are great places to fly and the current cost of fuel makes it far more atractive.
Best of luck and any Questions pm me.
FC

[nmcpilot]

Well I've heard the US is bad, better avoid it hadn't we? Especially when those who've never been are the ones giving us the advice.

Not sure if you are referring to my comment but as stated I have flown in the US. Plus am in the US flying right now also. But it completely depends right now I am in Arizona, doing the CPL and its so quiet and desolate with a LOT of uncontrolled airspace to the point where I haven't even requested a service yet, and have been told I won't do for my entire CPL.

Where as in the UK flying around the area I fly in there, Stansted etc. I'm listening out on 2 radios at once because I'm going through the Luton/Stansted corridor and trying to avoid ATZ's left right and centre. The radios are different, I flew a bit as a beginner in Florida then came back to England did my RT test with a pilot who is a training captain for BA and his comments to me were your radio is too Americanized too much slang so ended up having to redo it a 2nd time a week later.

Agreed flying a plane is flying a plane and once you are experienced transitioning between the 2 differences really isn't very hard at all but as a complete beginner having continuity is the key.

I'm not really saying "America is a bad place to learn to fly" because the instructors will be of the same quality and aircraft. But if you are planning on getting an ATPL learning to fly in a different country, spending weeks revising all their rules and regulations then coming back to England or wherever and having to somewhat start from scratch learning all the differences again just seems like it would somewhat increase the amount of work you have to do. Meh just my opinion I only sit on here to kill time because its 45 degrees outside :yuk: