Hi everybody,

I am seriously considering doing a JAR Compliant PPL at UK Flight Training in Long Beach, California. Their website is here. I would really like your advice and help. I do not have any idea whatsoever whether or not I should do this PPL because I do not know about this company's reputation or anything. It is not the full JAA PPL, it's the JAR Compliant PPL. This aparentely is cheaper, is accepted in the UK, and only need about an hour every 2 years with an instructor to keep it valid. Has anybody out there on PPRuNe had any experience with this type of PPL? Are there any disadvantages to it? I would really like your opinion on it.

I was going to do it at my local airport, Biggin Hill, but to be honest I can't afford it. Where else in the US would anybody suggest going for training?

I really would appreciate anybody's help. Thanks

P.S: I am terribly sorry if this has been posted before, but I really would like your specific help with this. Please be gentle

Hi ba767,

I think you'll find that UKFT actually only offers FAA Ratings so you'd come away with a FAA PPL, which is quite valid to use in the UK but you can't add any JAA or CAA ratings to it, e.g. IMC. You can of course convert your FAA PPL to a JAA PPL by doing the Air Law, Human Peformance and RT written exams, RT practical and the JAA PPL Skills Test but this is extra cost.

If you carry out a search on UKFT you'll find plenty of info in other threads - always worth reading but you have to make up your own mind.

You may wish to consider some of the JAA Approved Schools, e.g. EFT, OFT, OBA, where you'd come away with a JAA PPL. Again, plenty of info in these pages, good and bad, on all of them.

Hope this helps,

2close

The JAA compliant is an FAA licence plus the the writtens shown in the above post so you can convert immediately. If I were you I'd do it at Long Beach.

I did a JAA ppl in FL and you are usually fling into uncontrolled fields. I went to UKFT in CA for hour building and could't get into the flying in a busy air-space.

I wish I had did my PPL in UKFT as you would be learning in some of the busiest air space and then flying anywhere else would have been a lot easier.

Hi guys and thanks for your help,

JohnnyPharm, did you find UKFT to be a, let's say, professional establishment with only the student's progress as a top priority or did you not get the chance to experience this? I am also a bit worried about the cost of keeping the JAA PPL as I know that that it isn't exactly cheap to keep it valid. Anybody got any idea of how much it'll cost to keep the PPL approximately? Would anybody recommend just getting the FAA PPL anywhere in the US, and then converting it to a JAA one some other time? (I have heard that this is free to do?)

Is there anybody else out there who would definitely recommend UKFT as a flying school to get your PPL?

Once again I am sorry if this has been discussed before, and I really do appreciate your help.

Thanks

The UK Flight Training web-site features all the aircraft that can be found at Rainbow Air, also at Long Beach. So, I don't know if they have merged or have a partnership.

I have flown with Rainbow Air and can vouch that they are are good, reputable establishment with good aircraft, and their own maintenance facility. When I was there last, a number of UK guys were doing their FAA PPL, and were happy with the place.

If you can fly in LA's airspace you can fly anywhere in the world - the airspace is unbelievable - your RT standard would be far higher than anywhere in the UK.

I did my PPL at UKFT. If you want to know the up's and down's of the outfit, PM me.

Good luck

LB

Lightning_Boy,

Please check your PM's.

no sponsor,

Thanks for replying, I suppose learning in the LA airspace certainly would prepare you for anything!!

I did my PPL with them and I was fairly happy with them. Long Beach is an excellent airport to learn to fly. There is no need for any conversion on the FAA PPL, however they offer you the free option to convert should you wish to do so.

Good Luck..