Faa Ir

[benish]

I think I have come to the conclusion that I will travel to florida to do my PPL, it works out about 2700 cheaper after doing some sums.

whilst looking at some FTOs website I have seen FAA IRs are very cheap too, can anybody tell me if an FAA IR would need converting to a JAA IR?

Also how long will it take to get a M1 visa to go out and do my ppl?

Tanks in advance

Ben

[Ringway004]

hey I was considering the same thing, I did my ppl in orlando flight training florida + hour building, im trying to decide weather to do my JAA CPL here in UK or florida, and maybe the FAA IR, which does need converting to a JAR IR back here in UK,. It does save alot of money though I agree, nut I've also heard the conversion costs can amount to the same price as a UK IR I don't know but I'm keeping my options open at the moment.

[HairyMum]

dont want to burst your bubble but it will cost you more if you do your ppl in the US by the time you finish, you wont see it now but you will in the end. I been there seen, seen it and with freinds and family. I would however do hour building in the US and would defo save money then. If your new to this game then your going to hear lots of mixed oppinions about the quality of flight training on the other side of the pond, well i'm sorry to say no matter what anyone says, you wont make up your own mind unless you have gone and done it yourself. I understand the temptation of cheap flight training but really mate...fly in your own country! The M1 visa can be done pretty quick and the US IR would be a waste of time for you as you only have to convert it and yes it will probably cost you more in the long run and give you a massive headache. Final thing, i guess your going to do a 'learn to fly in 21 days' course? keep it very real, a pilots licence should'nt be easy to obtain and if it is...start thinking why!

best of luck and hope all works out for you....what ever you do you will love it for the rest of you life.

[sapperkenno]

i guess your going to do a 'learn to fly in 21 days' course? keep it very real, a pilots licence should'nt be easy to obtain and if it is...start thinking why!

Guys used to solo in a lot quicker time during WW2, and had the added "bonus" of getting shot at afterwards. A very different situation, granted, but it is possible to safely operate an aircraft after only a few hours if you're a good student with a suitable aptitude.

If the full Private Licence can be completed in 21 days or so, due to good weather, good instruction etc then what's the problem?
The FAA checkride still has to be passed at the end of it all, and despite the views of many UK trained, chip-on-the-shoulder PPL-ers, there are standards in the US, many of which aren't as low, or as easy to pass as some think. Many learn the UK JAA PPL syllabus in the states too, and pass that in a far quicker time here than they would if they did it back in sunny England.

I trained in the UK for my PPL, and have since moved to the US where I built time and completed the FAA Instrument and Commercial. My views are that the flying (proper piloting, airmanship, captaincy) aspects were a lot better taught over here (in the US) and more demanding, compared to a lot of what I saw back in Blighty. Fair enough, the written tests aren't as difficult (or plain Bull-Sh*tty) as the JAA ones, but the Oral exams here more than make up for that!

Anyone with the time to learn the answers to the JAA test questions by rote can pass the knowledge exams, but when it comes down to been asked to explain things in the Oral, you can't simply rely on the fact you know it's answer a,b,c or d. I feel that your knowledge is tested further in FAA-land and is more suitable to what is required as a pilot. ie, There are fewer aspects where you think: "Why should I need to know that, it seems pointless?" Also the testing is based on what they refer to as Practical Test Standards (PTS), a series of elements you will need to know, but again many questions can and will be asked which fall into the relevant PTS categories, so you can't expect to be asked anything specific and simply learn by rote.

Anyway, to avoid the whole FAA vs JAA superiority debate, I for one favor the system over here (as been safer, cheaper, more fun and enjoyable with better weather) and can't see any reason why it's wrong if someone gains a Pilot's Licence in a short time.

Why shouldn't a Pilot's licence be easy to obtain???

[Shunter]

An FAA IR (or any ICAO-compliant IR for that matter) requires a minimum of 15hrs conversion training and skills test back here, some of which can be done in the sim.

[ChrisLKKB]

I don't see why a ppl will cost you more in the long run, it was cheaper for me and was easily converted by taking a few exams when I got back. The major advantages are weather (generally but not always better) and no landing fees meaning you can practice your touch and go's as often as you like, 10 touch and goes in the UK will cost you upwards of £100 extra.

When looking at your finances I would budget for a few extra lessons in the aircraft on top of the minimum hours which are quoted by schools in both countries, just to sure and i'd also budget for a navex back here to get you into the swing of things as there are differences between US and UK airspace. If you can blag a few back seat rides or a few sorties as a safety pilot even better.

As for the IR, it used to be directly convertable to an IMC rating back here and it's great preperation for a JAA IR syllabus. IMO the US IR will much better prepares you for flight in IMC under IFR in the real world, you'll probably spend more time doing a wider variety of proceedures and partial and limited panel work, there are no airways fees and in most places approaches are free too. It's not uncommon for ATC to thank you for the approaches as you leave their airspace as they consider all the extra approaches a useful training excercise as often they just spend their day filtering aircraft onto the ILS.

If there is now a recognised conversion to a JAA IR, it's worth doing the sums and seeing how it compares to a full IR course here, if you've done the FAA course, you'll go into the JAA course with a lot of good experience.

If you can find yourself a partner in the US also doing an IR, you can take turns being safety pilot and make as much use of the free approaches and landings as your budget allows, money spent putting time on the aircraft and in your log book is always well spent...it's fun too :ok:

[Shunter]

An FAA IR will still get you IMC rating privileges over here. The training is certainly valuable, especially since the FAA aren't stuck in the last century so you've got GPS approaches all over the place. You'll need to brush up on the NDB work back here though; they're all but an extinct species in the states these days.

[ChrisLKKB]

You'll need to brush up on the NDB work back here though; they're all but an extinct species in the states these days.

I actually I found several NDB approaches to practice on in the US, indeed iirc my check ride included a partial panel NDB approach. If there is a lack of NDBs in a particular area, if you can slave the RMI to the GPS (if there is one on the aircraft) you can effectively practice this way albeit without dip. (likewise is you have an HSI you can slave the GPS to that and do a much more civilised version of an NDB approach using the GPS NDB fix).

The FAA check ride requires you to do every type pf approach that your aircraft is equipped for so it's worth avoiding aircraft that are equipped with GPS purely to save yourself practicing something that you wont use over here, (unless of course you pull the CB and stick an inop sticker on the GPS unit for the check ride) you can brush up on GPS approaches on a computer simulator easily enough.

[Shunter]

I'd rather inop the ADF and fly the GPS approach personally :ok:

The reality in the UK is that the suitably equipped will fly NDB approaches using an IFR GPS and just have the odd casual glance at the ADF for legalities sake. Then again, who can blame them when our regulatory body has such a backward attitude on such things.