catch 22

[captainbirdseye]

Ok here is the deal: Got my PPL in August 2000. Have not flown since the day I got my licence, due to expense, being away travelling, paying off Uni debt etc,etc.

About to start Ground school with Bristol and then go to States April time next year to hour build before coming back to UK to do CPL, ME, IR .

Now the question is should I do any flying before I go to states
a) To keep licence current - you need to do at least 12 hours P1 I think within 24 months of getting PPL otherwise you have to go through check-ride again.
b) So I don’t forget everything and to help with ground school and exams.

Or should I save my cash – let licence expire and revalidate it in the states, as it’s cheaper over there. I assume this would have to be done by JAR instructor at a JAR approved facility?

I asked the FTO which I am planning to do the CPL, IR and ME with, what they thought. They seemed to think it makes little difference – and either way I will only need a “couple of hours” to bring me up to speed. I think this sounds like utter cr@p and that after two years of not flying I will need considerably more than a couple of hours to bring me up to PPL level.

Please advise.


CBE

[FlyingForFun]

After 18 months of not flying, I'd suggest that you don't fly without an instructor - whether it's now, or when you get to America - until the instructor is happy with your flying. 18 months is a long time - I tend to go rusty if I haven't flown for 1 month!

I suspect that's probably why the school said it wouldn't make much difference either way - I can't remember what the exact requirements are if you go 24 months without having logged the required 12 hours in the last 12 months (one hour of which has to be with an instructor, by the way) - but I'd have thought that, either way, you'll need a few hours dual to get you back up to a safe standard again.

Bearing that in mind, I'd guess the main reason for doing some flying right now is that it's fun! :D

I'm half way though my ATPL exams, and I don't think that being current will make the exams any easier.

This is all IMHO, of course.

FFF
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[poetpilot]

As an alternative to the "12 hour" route to revalidation of your Cert of experience, you can expire (!!!) but revalidate by way of a re-test with an examiner. Cant remember for how long after the expiry this holds true...

This may be the better thing to do in your case, as your US flying will bring your skills up once more.

[Julian]

Dont forget that the 1 hour with an instructor must be a JAA instructor so if you are going to wait until you get to the US to get signed off make sure there is one in the vicinity or you will be stuffed!

[Circuit Basher]

Also, if you go even 1 day past the 24 month anniversary to getting your licence renewal entered *** by a CAA Examiner **, then it's a full skills test again. The one hour with an instructor in the past 12 months is *not* a Skills Test, but can be used for practising things that you may feel a bit rusty on.