Question on US vs UK Instructing
 

This question is posed on behalf of a good friend who lives and works in the US.

He is Italian, and has been in the US for a number of years as a Qualified Flight Instructor, and recently CFI. He is interested in coming back to the UK to work as a QFI, but is unsure how to proceed. He has the following ratings :-
CPL
Multi engine
Instrument
Glider
Night

Instructor ratings on the following:-
Single+Multi, Instrument and Glider.

Approx 10K hours, on many types.
In the final stages of ATPL.

Sorry that was so long! The real question is how easy/possible would the conversion be to allow instruction to be given in the UK? Given the current apparent confusion over the JAA, where can I find more info on what he needs to do. Any ideas or comments you have would be appreciated.

- Tim

There is, as yet, no means of converting a non-JAA licence to a JAA licence, nor is there likely to be for at least 4 years. In order to instruct in the UK your friend will need to obtain a JAA professional licence and an instructor rating. The path to these is long, complex and expensive.

Given that he currently has a CPL, and that he will ultimately wish to obtain a JAA ATP(A), he will have to achieve the following:

Complete an approved course of ground training (duration at the discretion of the Head of Training of an approved training organisation) and pass all 14 JAA ATP(A) theoretical knowledge examinations. (If he wishes to obtain only a CPL he must pass the appropriate CPL theoretical examinations)

Complete an approved course of flight training (duration at the discretion of...etc) and pass the JAA CPL Skill Test in a complex single or twin engined aeroplane.

Complete an approved course of flight training (duration at the discretion of.... etc) and pass the JAA Instrument Rating Skill Test.

Complete an approved course of 30 hours flight training and 125 hours ground training and pass the Flight Instructor (Restricted) Skill Test with a Flight Instructor Examiner.

He will get absolutely no credit for the instructional experience he has gained in the US.

Were he to first obtain a FAA ATPL, there would be no requirement to take the CPL or IR Skill Test, nor to complete approved courses of training. He would still have to pass all 14 of the JAA theoretical knowledge examinations and would have to pass the JAA ATP(A) Skill Test. This is taken on a multi-pilot aeroplane and, if your friend does not already have a suitable multi-crew type on his FAA licence, he would have to complete an approved type rating course before taking the Skill Test. Subsequently he would have to complete the FI(R) course as above.

Easy, innit?

Tim_the_PPL,
I'm a little puzzled....
You say your buddy in the US has been a Qualified Flight Instructor for a number of years, and recently a CFI. In the US, there is no such thing as a QFI, its' CFI. Do you mean a recent CFII (instrument?) or MEI (multi?)
Also, theres no night rating over here.
10K hours is a lot of time for just instructing. Was he flying for some charter outfit as well? It's also unusual to log that much time and not have the ATP completed.
Not trying to pick on you, but something sounds funny about those 'qualifications'


[This message has been edited by NIMBUS (edited 06 October 2000).]

Many thanks for the replies so far. I'm not sure it's what he'll want to hear, but that's life.

NIMBUS :-

I did not make myself particularly clear WRT CFI/QFI. In the US he is a Qualified Flight Instructor, and recently movedto Chief Flying Instructor at the small establishment he works at. In the UK the references are slightly different vis a vis QFI and CFI. I understand that there is no night rating, but as you know, here in the UK it is a seperate rating, so I listed it. Basically I think I provided too much information!

You have correctly spotted the high number of hours without ATP. Basically he has been holding off completing this (he needs to do the checkride). He is technically still under training, if you get my drift.... He has been filling in his time instructing and conducting charter flights. I hope this clears things up.

Thanks for your considered replies, and I hope this makes things clearer!

Hi Tim,
Makes sense now!
Cheers!

Nimbus,

There is no such thing in the UK either as a QFI. I believe it an Air Force term.

Anyway, how can you be an UNqualified Flight Instructor? All PPLs are UFIs!

It is Flight Instructor or Flight Instructor (Restricted) thesedays and pre-JAR FCL was Flying Instructor and Assistant Flying Instructor.

So there.

Justin Abeaver,
<<<..So there...>>>....??????
Not sure what brought on that little mature outburst! You must be looking for a good fight! GREAT!! Lets Rock...! :)
Anyway, I said that in the US there is no such thing as a QFI, the term is CFI.
I neither know nor care what the term is in the UK.

<<.. Anyway, how can you be an UNqualified Flight Instructor? All PPLs are UFIs!..>>
Strange logic in that statement..!