FAA single commercial

[long final]

Can anyone confirm that I do not need an FAA PPL to take and hold an FAA single ( complex ) commercial license? And, if that is so, are there any problems re. post July 17 for me getting the instruction and rating in the UK?

Sorry if this has been discussed before - not been watching wannabes lately.

Regards
LF

[mattpilot]

In the FAR/AIM (rulebook) it says, and i quote:

61.123 (h) "Hold at least a private pilot certificate issued under this part or meet the requirements of 61.73"

61.73 is for military pilots

Where it says "issued under this part" it is refering to Part 61. So, what this is saying is that you must hold a US PPL in order to qualify - foreign PPL does not qualify. However, in part 61.75 it says that you can get a US PPL on the basis of a Foreign PPL and then probably qualify as stated by 61.123.

At least thats my intepretation of the FAR's.

[Julian]

Longfinal,

If you have a ICAO PPL, say JAA, and you go to the US you can get an FAA PPL issued on the back of it - OK, this is currently a bit more difficult than it used to be due to 11/9 and you will have to enquire with an FTO or FSDO what the current state of play is.

Once you hold an FAA PPL obtained by the above manner you can proceed through the courses, i.e. IR, ME, CPL, FI, MEI, etc, etc.
Last I heard there was a current hold on adding ratings to a licence until they sort out what they are going to do.

I believe you can, however, still get endorsements to a licence (such as 'Complex') as they are merely a sign off in your logbook and not an additional rating - maybe a flight school on here can comment on this?

Regards,
Julian.

[long final]

Thanks,

I have inquired briefly here, and am led to believe that as long as I sit the FAA PPL writtens and the commercial (single) writtens I can conduct all the training and exams here without then need for a FAA PPL ( Validation? ), as it will be a stand alone commercial license.

I am lead to believe that this is the same for the FAA IR.

Any further clarification?

Regards,
LF

[Julian]

LF, you dont even need to sit the exams!

I got my FAA PPL by just walking into the FSDO and 10 mins later walked out with one.

I have since done the FAA IR course and was issued a new licence with the IR rtaing and "US Test Passed" stamped on licence.

You can just get your 'freebie' FAA PPL and start working up from there.

Julian.

[long final]

Sorry, I havn't made myself very clear.

Getting an FAA PPL, I know you can do easily ( no exams ), but since July 17 the FAA has stopped granting them in the UK, and has introduced a vetting system that is taking some time. Also, they are saying that at the present no ratings can be added to an FAA PPL.

I need to get a single(complex) FAA commercial rating to get a JAA class I medical on revalidation regs ( Loooong story :( ), but I have to do it quickly.

One training establishment here says I don't need an FAA PPL to do the FAA commercial rating, just need to sit the PPL written and commercial exams, then take the commercail flying exam - all in the uk and all legal.

This is what I am trying to establish as true or not.

Hope thats a little clearer,

Regards
LF