Expired UK CAA CPL/ IR to FAA?

[Ian the Aviator]

Hi everyone,
I have recently become a US citizen and now live in Texas. Now I would like to investigate returning to aviation after a break of almost 10 years.

I have an expired CAA (UK) CPL/IR with instructor ratings and would like to find the easiest and least expensive way to get an FAA CPL/IR/CFI equivalent.

I've tried to read and understand the FAA regulations but am no wiser.

Any suggestions or advice would be most welcome . .

Thanks.

[hueyracer]

No, you will need to have a valid license.
The US FAA does not care about type ratings, but the license (and IR if required) need to be valid, as they will have to receive a letter of verification from the UK CAA.

[LTCTerry]

This is an edited version of something I wrote in response to a similar question several days ago:

How do you maximize what Ian has and minimize the money he will need to spend? To use a 90s buzzword, how do you leverage his experience and his need(s)?



...but the license (and IR if required) need to be valid, as they will have to receive a letter of verification from the UK CAA.


Getting the UK stuff current for a US resident is not worth the time, cost, or effort. A "real" FAA certificate is better than one based on a UK license he'd have to keep current.

Ian should look at Part 61.109's aeronautical experience requirements for Private and for Commercial. He probably meets or exceeds most of them.

He can find an experienced CFII and work out a plan to train private, IFR, and commercial pretty much at the same time.

There's a significant overlap in the material for the written tests for private, instrument, and commercial. Studying for all three is not much more work than studying for one.

A private is required to take the commercial. So is an instrument rating. There is no requirement the aeronautical experience for the commercial certificate take place after the private check ride.

Ian can do all the training in a "complex" airplane so he's very familiar with it by checkride time. The incremental cost of "complex" over a 172 might well be absorbed by not having to train in one airplane then get a checkout/minimum hours in a second airplane.

If he desired, Ian could do the private and instrument check rides on one day and the commercial one the next. Imagining doing that with the same examiner. A lot of credibility is gained the first day.

He knows how to fly/land. He can fly to the practice area with his instructor under the hood, practice commercial maneuvers, put the hood back on and fly an approach. Repeat.

When I was young officer an old, retired NCO told me "Plan your work, and work your plan." If Mark gets a good CFII, plans his training, and flies the plan, I think he could have all this done in 20-25 hours.

It all starts with identifying the gaps in his Part 61 Aeronautical Experience. Train to proficiency. Pass the writtens. Pass the check rides. Maximum gain for minimum pain.

There's no credit towards CFI except overall experience.


Terry

[hueyracer]

When did your UK License expire-and why did you not receive an EASA one?
(Probably because it expired before)?

Worth a shot calling the UK CAA and see if you would be eligible to have an EASA license issued based on your expired UK CAA one.....(if that´s possible).

[LTCTerry]

Hueyracer,


I have to disagree. Ian would have to have a valid, current EASA license to piggy back on. Think of the pain/expense associated with travelling to the UK, getting a medical, an examiner, paying the CAA, waiting, weather, etc.


Then he would still need a flight review in the US. All that would get him is a Part 61.75 private ticket that doesn't stand on its own. The Part 61.75 IFR rating requires a written test.


The validation is only good for 90 days. If he hasn't completed the commercial training within that 90-day window then he'll need a fresh validation before he can take the commercial checkride. (This happened to one of my students once.)


Or he can simply start the commercial training he needs anyway, take the private written and checkride along the way, and be done. Each point along the way is a valid ticket that's independent of everything else: real private, real IFR rating, and real commercial ticket. The instrument rating issued under Part 61.75 doesn't "count" for commercial anyway...


Terry