FAA A&P Licence
 

Hi guys,

I currently hold a Australian CASA E/I/R Licence. What would it take for me to gain a FAA A&P Licence and how hard would this be? I have heard from fellow engineers that it would be near impossible to get approved for a FAA licence. Is this true?

Thanks very much

Cheers

John

Thank you very much for your prompt reply!

The letter wont be a problem, i can show the FAA my experiance books which got me the CASA licence, will this be good enough for them?

John

I see, well i will have to talk to my previous employers but i dont think getting letters will be an issue, it may just be what goes into the letter i will have to pay particular attention too.

How do you even begin the process? Does the FAA have an e-mail contact, somewhere where i can begin to get the ball rolling. Or does this all have to happen in person at a FAA office?

John :ugh:

The FAA wants to see the required years of experience with doccumented experience in each ATA. A letter from your company (as simple as your supervisor) and is sufficient, it all comes down to the FAA administrator you present it to to judge.

The detailed list of training in the aviation school you you may have completed may qualify you for testing. The problem is they still ask questions about ancient aircraft that have nothing to do with our current trade. EG dope and fabric etc.

The study guides or lists of questions are pretty easy to find, memorize the answers.

As I remember the written was multiple choice of a possibility of 4 answers, I have since heard they dropped it to 3. After that the oral and practical is simple especially if the designated examinor knows of your experience.. Unless you end up with a ********.

The A&P is viewed as a qualification to learn, as most FAA designees understand that if you have experience they are not at a risk to sign off on your ticket.

Buy the Airframe,powerplant and general books and study them.

Thanks very much guys, i will look into this further and let you know how i go.

Kind Regards

John

You can go through a training school as well. I used Bakers school of Aeronautics. They will assist you in everything you will need. They contact the FAA and make all your appointments.

Don't know how true this is, but heard there is now new rules out. Have to apply and wait a long time before you will get clearance from FAA to do A & P.

Not that easy to get FAA clearance anymore.

Good luck and enjoy.

Thanks for the tip. Im going to start making enquiries with CASA here in Australia and what advice they can give me.

Thanks very much.

John

FAA A&P
 

Don't go to the States thinking it's a walk in the park! Get hold of the A&P prepware CD rom. This will save you time when you get there, and also give you an idea of the type of questions asked.
My oral/practical lasted 8 hours and the examiner was very thorough. The days of buying the A&P through dodgy outfits are long gone, and I believe the Feds are still chasing some guys who obtained theirs' from dubious sources.
The multi-choice questions have 4 possible answers and my oral exam was structured so as you needed to get 75% correct in each sub category.
Good luck!

Thanks very much Dave. I definately wont be going over there thinking its easy. I am not even sure i will go through with it or even if im eligable to hold one, that is what im really trying to work through now.

Its a bit of a suprise, i was told for many years that this would be an easy licence to obtain in comparison to our Australian CASA licence, which in my opinion is pretty challenging to obtain. As you mentioned, it appears times may have changed.......

I will still try though, as it would be a benifit to me holding an A&P

Cheers

John

best wishes John
 

I am confident with the diligence you have shown here that you will be successful!

Thanks very much. Crossing my fingers.....

John

Well said :D muduckace

John,
It never was true.
As with the general "Australian" attitude to the US ATR ---- that the ATR is a pushover, compared to the "high standard AU ATPL", the reality is that FAA standards are a benchmark.
Whether it's pilot licenses, or LAME v. A&P, the US seems to me to emphasis the practical, hence the long oral examinations ----- conducted by inspectors who have long industry experience, not military retirees who have stepped into another Government job.
Don't let national stereotypes and prejudices colour the facts.
An A&P with some experience attached is a far more "saleable" license than an Australian LAME, hopefully the new license structure will change that, but I am not confident it will ---- for a fresh start candidate, there is only about 850 hours TAFE, compared to about 1200 for the FAA equivalent, even more (1600h?) in EASA land.
Tootle pip!!

LeadSlead, you make a few very good points..... Its funny what you hear going around the traps working in industry, as i said i would never have imagined it to be this involved.

Im still keen to give it a go though, i worked my backside off for many years getting my conehead licences so ill give it my best shot....

Thanks very much to you all for your comments, there is a great amount of knowledge here!

John

wot about doing the exam in singapore? is that an option these days?

I have absolutely no idea?

John

I remember reading that there was a place in North Ryde in NSW that conducted all American Government theory exams including A&Ps.That way all you needed to do was the practical and oral in the States.

Hopefully someone else reading this thread can provide more light.

Hi Guys,

Ive had a reply from the field office in SFO, they said that you can apply through australia but it does cost more to do this. the best and cheapest option ive found would be to do this in the USA. Im still gathering info and doing a cost comparison. Hopefully someone has been through this process?

John

I know a queertrader who was working for Hawker Pacific in CNS who did his A&P licence in the states. Somewhere in TX I believe. He led me to believe that a good A&P school that does conversions will give you all the help you need. I think it took him 3 weeks with the study, exams, and practical elements but he did say he had a good instructor. Just get over there and start drinking Dos Equis. The rest will fall into place.

you don't have to go far, john. your boss went in november last year to the land of milk and honey and did an A&P conversion of his license. go and ask him about it. :E