Licence conversion

[generalspecific]

go easy on me.. i've done the search but can't seem to find the definatibe answer.

First I fly planes and helicopters, perverse I know..

I hold;

FAA Commercial Rotorcraft
Canadian PPL Fixed wing
Hong Kong Fixed wing

If I want to fly PPL in the UK;

1. Can I on any of my licences
2. If not or if I want to convert then;
3. Is the FAA conversion just a skills test; and
4. Does the Fixed wing require more work as it is only a PPL and which is the easier jursidiction to convert (HK or canadian).

Finally I have about 300 hours rotary 200 + p1 and 250 hours fixed wing 120+ P1..

many thanks

[GusHoneybun]

as long as your foreign PPL is valid, you can fly quite happily in a G Registered aircraft, within the UK. No conversions required, although most schools will get you to do a few hours to get up to speed with the airspace/RT.
What you can't do is fly at night, fly over to france (without written permission, and good luck with that), fly out of sight of the surface (and that also means no VFR on top).

[Whopity]

within the UK

What you can't do is ..... fly over to france ---fly out of sight of the surface

The reference required is Article 26 of the UK Navigation Order which permits you to fly a UK Registered aircraft on the basis of a foreign pilots licence. There is no territorial limitation on that privilege, so and you can fly a G reg aircraft anywhere in the World without need for further permission. The reference to flying out of sight of the surface, is a limitation found in UK issued PPLs (ANO Sched 8) and is not a restriction on foreign licence holders.

Art 26 ...(4) For the purposes of this Part of this Order:
(a) subject to sub-paragraph (b), a licence granted either under the law of a
Contracting State other than the United Kingdom but which is not a JAA licence or a licence granted under the law of a relevant overseas territory, purporting in either case to authorise the holder to act as a member of the flight crew of an aircraft, not being a licence purporting to authorise him to act as a student pilot only, shall, unless the CAA gives a direction to the contrary, be deemed to be a licence rendered valid under this Order but does not entitle the holder:
(i) to act as a member of the flight crew of any aircraft flying for the purpose
of public transport or aerial work or on any flight in respect of which he
receives remuneration for his services as a member of the flight crew; or
(ii) in the case of a pilot's licence, to act as pilot of any aircraft flying in
controlled airspace in circumstances requiring compliance with the
Instrument Flight Rules or to give any instruction in flying;

It can be found here:http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/cap393.pdf Section 1.

[generalspecific]

Thank you very much, Pprune experience wins out again.. very interesting

So far every school I have been to has tried to tell me that i can't fly unless P U/T !! One even told me i couldn't use the radio...

If i did want to convert my licence does anyone have the answers for that?

[Whopity]

So far every school I have been to has tried to tell me that i can't fly unless P U/T !! One even told me i couldn't use the radio...

It just shows how little some schools know about the law in the UK! It may of course suit them to ignore it. The radio question is probably based on the fact that the aircraft radio licence states that operator of the radio station must hold a licence issued by the CAA; but Article 26 validates all flight crew licences including a FRTOL! Some States do not issue a FRTOL, the FAA do not, though for use outside the USA, the FCC provide a Radio Operator Certificate but few pilots have them!

To convert, if you have over 100 hours, you do Air Law and HPL + a PPL Skill Test, and you will have to do the two exams for a UK FRTOL. Less than 100 hours, you have to take all 7 PPL written exams. Details here:http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/175/Sectio...%20LICENCE.pdf

[generalspecific]

Thank you.. very informative....