USA Rental on UK PPL

[marioair]

All this talk of £2/l and the UK weather has convinced me to go to the states for an extended break in March (visiting Chicago, San Diego, Houston and Vegas and hoping to fly in each place!). Obviously I could rent with an instructor but tempted to get an FAA license issued while I'm there and self-hire. Apologies - I have read a few threads here and understand the forms that need filling out, but would like confirmation on the following:

1.) Once issued with the temporary license I need to do a BFR/checkout?
2.) I dont need to wait for the permanent FAA license - the temporary one issued at the FSDO will do?
3.) There are no ground exams to sit?
4.) I need (or I should get) both personal insurance but also renters insurance - or is this included in the self-hire charge?
5.) As 4.) but what if I have an instructor with me?
6.) Once issued with an FAA license I can do a FAA approved BFR in the UK to keep the FAA license valid?? - ie i dont need to do an FAA Skills Test BFR next time I am in the states if I keep the FAA license current in the UK?

[Genghis the Engineer]

All this talk of £2/l and the UK weather has convinced me to go to the states for an extended break in March (visiting Chicago, San Diego, Houston and Vegas and hoping to fly in each place!). Obviously I could rent with an instructor but tempted to get an FAA license issued while I'm there and self-hire. Apologies - I have read a few threads here and understand the forms that need filling out, but would like confirmation on the following:

1.) Once issued with the temporary license I need to do a BFR/checkout?

Yes

2.) I dont need to wait for the permanent FAA license - the temporary one issued at the FSDO will do?

Yes

3.) There are no ground exams to sit?

Sort of, the FAA BFR normally includes a mandatory and structured hour of groundschool, and they're also likely to ask you to sit a short written test on the type and check that you can properly construct a weight and balance.

4.) I need (or I should get) both personal insurance but also renters insurance - or is this included in the self-hire charge?
They'll normally offer renters insurance at the FBO, you shouldn't need anything separate.

5.) As 4.) but what if I have an instructor with me?
Then he's captain and it's all his problem.

6.) Once issued with an FAA license I can do a FAA approved BFR in the UK to keep the FAA license valid?? - ie i dont need to do an FAA Skills Test BFR next time I am in the states if I keep the FAA license current in the UK?

The BFR needs to be with an FAA instructor, so if you can find one in the UK you should be fine. Personally, I'm in the USA about every other year, so I simply do a BFR with my rental checkout - just allow a couple of hours, it's painless and actually quite useful.

G

[marioair]

Thanks for the info.

Do you know typical prices for the BFR (also do you expect to pay for the ground exams/school)

[Genghis the Engineer]

I know what I paid last time, but that was at a high end school, flying a very nice Turbo Arrow IV, and you could certainly pay far less.

Generally expect to pay for about 2 hours instructor time, and 60-90 minutes aeroplane time for a BFR & checkout. From that, and the rates on various schools websites, you should be able to work it out reasonably accurately.

G

[SDB73]

I'm very interested in this also, so thank you for the very helpful information.

Can I just ask whether all of the paperwork and necessary procedures can be dealt with once in the US, or whether there is a lead time, where I need to get some red tape organised a while before arriving in the US?

[Genghis the Engineer]

You need to organise it well in advance of your trip, and also name the FSDO that you'll be picking your licence up from. Allow a couple of months ideally - for a trip in March you're probably okay, but get the process underway as soon as you can.

G

[B2N2]

It is still very easy to have your US-PPL issued on the basis of your foreign certificate . However it now involves some paperwork to be completed in a timely manner before you come to the US.

Before the changes took place, you could walk up to an FAA office and present a foreign pilot certificate and have your restricted US-PPL issued right away. Now the FAA validates the certificate with your local CAA first before they issue the US-Certificate.

In our experience this process takes about 2-3 weeks, but you factor in more time since the FAA has allowed themselves up to 90 days to complete the process. You will receive a notification from the FAA by email, fax or letter (You can actually specify how you want to be notified) and gives you 6 months to go to the FSDO (Flight Standard District Office) you requested and pick up your restricted US-PPL.

If you don't go to the FSDO within 6 months, your validation becomes void and the process must be repeated. If you want to go to another FSDO Office, your validation can be transferred, but there have been cases where the paperwork got lost and the Airmen Cert. Branch had to re-issue the validation. This takes time, so better stick with your choice of FSDO...

Recently the FAA changed the way you could add a Category or Class Rating (i.e. Multi Engine or IFR) to your restricted License. Now you have to re-validate your Certificate before you can take the Checkride with the Examiner. First you have to download and print the form "Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License, Rating, and Medical Certification". This form needs to be filled out and sent to the FAA with the following documentation:


•A legible photocopy of all Pages of your Pilot Certificate
•If your Certificate isn't issued in English you have to accompany an English translation
•A legible photocopy of your Medical
•A legible photocopy of your Drivers License or Passport

On the form you have to specify at which FSDO you wish to pick up your US-PPL. For us here in Naples, this would be the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale FSDO

S. Florida (Miramar)
2895 SW 145 AVE , Suite 120
Miramar, Florida 33027
Phone: (954) 641-6000 Fax: (954) 641-6040

All this you can either mail or Fax to the:

Federal Aviation Administration
Airmen Certification Branch
AFS-760
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082
USA

Fax: +1 405 954 4105

After your local CAA has verified your license, you will receive a notification and are ready to pick up your US-certificate. Best of all: This whole procedure is free of charge!

Some links to more information:


•"Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License, Rating, and Medical Certification"
•FAA Info about the Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License, Rating, and Medical Certification
In addition to the procedures stated under Verification of Authenticity of Foreign license, Rating and Medical Certification above, airmen from the United Kingdom should note the following additional steps that are required by the United Kingdom CAA to complete this verification process. Please visit the UK CAA website. The additional forms are required prior to the UK CAA providing any requested information to the Airmen Certification Branch.

Note:


•You must send the Verification of Authenticity of Foreign license, Rating and Medical Certification form directly to FAA’s Airmen Certification Branch, not to the UK CAA.
•You must send the information required by the UK CAA directly to the UK CAA and not to FAA’s Airmen Certification Branch



This is the form you need to download:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/media/verify61-75.pdf

[BossEyed]

To add to B2N2's info, you will also need to fillout a form - available from the CAA's website - to authorise them to release your personal details to the FAA when they ask ("Verification of Authenticity").

Naturally, the CAA charge you a fair whack for this - see their website.

[Maoraigh1]

6.) Once issued with an FAA license I can do a FAA approved BFR in the UK to keep the FAA license valid?? - ie i dont need to do an FAA Skills Test BFR next time I am in the states if I keep the FAA license current in the UK?
Unless things have changed, your US license remains valid, even if you have not a current BFR. You just can't use it. As your flying on an EASA license in EU, you don't need it.
When you go to the US after, say, three years, your FBO check-out will be a BFR. I never had problems. (70-100 hours per year in EU currency.) The FBO will require your flying skills to be tested anyway.