Converting to FAA licence

[zakpeegoodus]

CONVERTING to FAA License:

Does anyone know the process and cost of converting an Australian or Canadian CPL (I have both) to an FAA License and where this can be done??
I have an Australian IFR rating, would I need to do the FAA IFR flight test to gain this on an FAA license?

Thanks!!

[kiakaha]

I'm just putting my NZ CPL through the same process. Not sure about Canadian, but with Australian, if you have over 1500 hours you can (I believe) do the ATP theory and get a straight ATP licence. Otherwise you have to get a PPL based on your Aussie licence, then do the CPL theory test, Instrument theory test, then both practical test, after training through a flight school. The form to fill out is one of the first Forums in North america. I would suggest contacting a FSDO (find them under www.faa.gov then bottom of the page click on "contact us"). They are generally pretty helpful and will be able to advise you if your Canadian licence can be transfered over easier.

Good Luck!!

Anita

[Wanikiba_pilot]

zakpeegoodus,

I converted my licence in 03(Aussie CPL with ME CIR), took a few months, but could have been done in shorter time. Basically the hours of flying count but you need to do all written tests and flying tests for appropriate licence. Also, lots of FSDO staff have "slightly" different interpretations of regs and it took a while to make sure I had right flying time etc.

Things I had to do extra...
Must have 10 Take offs and landings Full stop and go, at night at controlled Airport with tower for Inst rating. Aust didnt have that requirement.
Also, none of my SIC time counted as it wasnt under US 121 or 135 regs so I couldnt use it in my total time...like I said, it came down to what FSDO interpreted.

Are you wanting ATP or just CPL with IR?
Hope this helps.

[weasil]

The answer to your question is yes and no. If you have the hours to apply directly for an ATP than you can skip the IFR tests. A holder of a foreign CPL (ICAO) is eligible to apply for an FAA ATP under the following requirements.

To be eligible for an airline transport pilot certificate, a person must:

(a) Be at least 23 years of age;

(b) Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language. If the applicant is unable to meet one of these requirements due to medical reasons, then the Administrator may place such operating limitations on that applicant's pilot certificate as are necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft;

(c) Be of good moral character;

(d) Meet at least one of the following requirements:

(1) Hold at least a commercial pilot certificate and an instrument rating;

(2) Meet the military experience requirements under §61.73 of this part to qualify for a commercial pilot certificate, and an instrument rating if the person is a rated military pilot or former rated military pilot of an Armed Force of the United States; or

(3) Hold either a foreign airline transport pilot or foreign commercial pilot license and an instrument rating, without limitations, issued by a contracting State to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

(e) Meet the aeronautical experience requirements of this subpart that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought before applying for the practical test;

(f) Pass a knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas of §61.155(c) of this part that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought;

(g) Pass the practical test on the areas of operation listed in §61.157(e) of this part that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought; and

(h) Comply with the sections of this part that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.


The aeronautical experience is as follows,
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, a person who is applying for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category and class rating must have at least 1,500 hours of total time as a pilot that includes at least:

(1) 500 hours of cross-country flight time.

(2) 100 hours of night flight time.

(3) 75 hours of instrument flight time, in actual or simulated instrument conditions, subject to the following:

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, an applicant may not receive credit for more than a total of 25 hours of simulated instrument time in a flight simulator or flight training device.

(ii) A maximum of 50 hours of training in a flight simulator or flight training device may be credited toward the instrument flight time requirements of paragraph (a)(3) of this section if the training was accomplished in a course conducted by a training center certificated under part 142 of this chapter.

(iii) Training in a flight simulator or flight training device must be accomplished in a flight simulator or flight training device, representing an airplane.

(4) 250 hours of flight time in an airplane as a pilot in command, or as second in command performing the duties of pilot in command while under the supervision of a pilot in command, or any combination thereof, which includes at least—

(i) 100 hours of cross-country flight time; and

(ii) 25 hours of night flight time.

(5) Not more than 100 hours of the total aeronautical experience requirements of paragraph (a) of this section may be obtained in a flight simulator or flight training device that represents an airplane, provided the aeronautical experience was obtained in an approved course conducted by a training center certificated under part 142 of this chapter.

(b) A person who has performed at least 20 night takeoffs and landings to a full stop may substitute each additional night takeoff and landing to a full stop for 1 hour of night flight time to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (a)(2) of this section; however, not more than 25 hours of night flight time may be credited in this manner.

(c) A commercial pilot may credit the following second-in-command flight time or flight-engineer flight time toward the 1,500 hours of total time as a pilot required by paragraph (a) of this section:

(1) Second-in-command time, provided the time is acquired in an airplane—

(i) Required to have more than one pilot flight crewmember by the airplane's flight manual, type certificate, or the regulations under which the flight is being conducted;

(ii) Engaged in operations under subpart K of part 91, part 121, or part 135 of this chapter for which a second in command is required; or

(iii) That is required by the operating rules of this chapter to have more than one pilot flight crewmember.

(2) Flight-engineer time, provided the time—

(i) Is acquired in an airplane required to have a flight engineer by the airplane's flight manual or type certificate;

(ii) Is acquired while engaged in operations under part 121 of this chapter for which a flight engineer is required;

(iii) Is acquired while the person is participating in a pilot training program approved under part 121 of this chapter; and

(iv) Does not exceed more than 1 hour for each 3 hours of flight engineer flight time for a total credited time of no more than 500 hours.

(d) An applicant may be issued an airline transport pilot certificate with the endorsement, “Holder does not meet the pilot in command aeronautical experience requirements of ICAO,” as prescribed by Article 39 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, if the applicant:

(1) Credits second-in-command or flight-engineer time under paragraph (c) of this section toward the 1,500 hours total flight time requirement of paragraph (a) of this section;

(2) Does not have at least 1,200 hours of flight time as a pilot, including no more than 50 percent of his or her second-in-command time and none of his or her flight-engineer time; and

(3) Otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.

(e) When the applicant specified in paragraph (d) of this section presents satisfactory evidence of the accumulation of 1,200 hours of flight time as a pilot including no more than 50 percent of his or her second-in-command flight time and none of his or her flight-engineer time, the applicant is entitled to an airline transport pilot certificate without the endorsement prescribed in that paragraph.

now an ATP is basically a multiengine instrument rating checkride. So you are taking an IFR checkride.

Assuming you just want an FAA Commercial with instrument privileges you would have to take both a commercial checkride and an instrument rating checkride. they will NOT grant you IFR privileges on the basis of a foreign rating. The most you can just get is a private certificate.

Now keep in mind there are different experience requirements here than overseas. Just because you met the AUssie experience requirements for a CPL doesn\'t mean you can come here and just take a checkride. You have to go through the regs very carefully with your logbook out. For example, a lot of the flying you did in Australia with an instructor you did not log as PIC time (unless the rules have changed). Over here however that flight time is counted as loggable PIC time if you are already rated in the airplane (dual towards CPL can be logged as PIC time by you). And you may find that this distinction helps you meet the FAA PIC requirements.

Give us more information and we can give you better answers.

[Tunes]

Roger that on the conversion requirements and all the fine print...I am a Canadian ATPL holder...and I have the need for a FAA licence to provide some work...is there a time restriction on applying to do the conversion? I thought that there was a notice period of intent to carry out training in the USA, and would conversion of a Current ICAO ATPL require more then just written exams?
I might be way off, but if there is an answer please post, thanks

[Tinstaafl]

If you want an FAA licence (erm.....certificate) other than a PPL hanging on the back of a valid foreign licence then you *will* have to do a flight test as well as the relevent theory exam for the certificate(s). No get outs AFAIK.

If you meet the ATP experience requirements then the easiest route is to do an ATP, and not a commercial + instrument rating.

Only a single exam + flight test to do. The slight downside is the tighter tolerance required for the ATP ie 1/4 scale deflection instead of 3/4. Might be a bit tighter on altitudes at the MDA too. Can't remember.

I converted to a US ATP-MEL in the mid 90s. It wasn't that hard. Trickiest part was remembering the US requirements w.r.t. approach lighting & vis. adjustments + the few regulatory requirements.

Last year I added ATP-SEL & SES in a single flight test using an amphib. Generally easy was my impression provided you can fly to ATP tolerances.