Need help to understand the FAA.

[Camilo_s_]

Hi my name is Camilo, Im a pilot wanabee and i have been in this forum for a while but this is my first post.

Im interested in becoming a faa commercial pilot.
Im more familiar with the jaa regulations and modular but is it possible to do it modular in the faa? and if so what are the name of the diferent modules?

also i dont understand what is the add on courses?

thanks for the help.

Camilo.

[Johnny Bekkestad]

ASEL - Airplane Singel Engine Land
AMEL - Airplane Multi Engine Land
IRA - Instrument Rating Airplane
CPL ASEL - Commerical Pilot License Airplane Single Engine Land
CPL AMEL - Commercial Pilot License Airplane Multi Engine Land

[B2N2]

The training system in the US is different from Europe.

PPL - one written test
Instrument rating - one written test
Commercial License - one written test
ATPL - one written test

The closest USA equivalent of "integrated" is Part 141 training, from Private through Commercial in about 6 months.
"Modular" you can do anywhere.

US regulations:
Officially all US regulations are covered in Title, Volume ,Chapter and parts.
Title 14 is Aeronautics and Space.
Chapter 1, Volume 2
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: (http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?&c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14tab_02.tpl)

14 CFR Part 61 applies to Pilot/Aircrew certification
14 CFR Part 67 Applies to Medical certification
14 CFR Part 91 applies to General Operating rules

what is the add on courses

For instance if you hold a Private Pilot Single Engine Land ( PPL- SEL)
and you want a Multi Engime rating you would do what is known as a "add-on"
rating. You add the Multi engine rating to your PPL.
Same if you hold a Commercial Single Engine Land and you want a Multi engine rating. You would train for the "Multi engine add-on".
Certain items will not need to be convered in the Oral examination since you already hold a Private or Commercial.

[Peter PanPan]

Camilo

There's no such thing as Modular vs Integrated on the FAA side, one could say that there are similarities with Part 61 vs Part 141 but it's still quite different. I believe that as a non US citizen nor legal resident you have to attend specific FAA schools that are approved for instructing foreigners, those schools are Part 141 (Except a tiny school somewhere in California that is Part 61 but that doesn't matter here) The courses in those schools are a bit more structured and you can complete your training in less hours provided you are proficient enough. There are tons of posts on this forum about the differences between Part 61 and 141 with much better information.
The add-on course you are referring to describes a course that an already certificated Pilot rated in one category (Airplane for instance) would take in order to get rated in another category (Rotorcraft Helicopters for example). That can happen at any level: Private, Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot, Flight Instructor and the Instrument Rating as well. I hope this helps and can only recommend you research more what has been posted previously. :ok:

[Peter PanPan]

Or same category just like B2N2 describes ;)

It is a fundamental difference actually with the JAR Licensing system and generally speaking with ICAO: in the US you only get issued one Certificate that contains several ratings whereas in JARland you get Licenses that are different for each category. But the Multi Engine example falls under the same category if you held Single Engine previously.

[Camilo_s_]

Thank a lot everybody for the respond, you have helped me alot. I know understand much better. Thanks again. :D

[Pugilistic Animus]

if and when you can understand the FAA please help the rest of us...:}:ouch: