TSA! help required
 

Can anybody help me with the TSA? I have a JAA ATPL and would like to be issued with a FAA PPL so I can do a seaplane rating in the US.

Do I or do I not need TSA approval? I have been given conflicting information from the school I would like to go to and people I have spoken to. The TSA website isn't much of a help:(

Thanks

best bet is to go to the FAA.gov website/correspond with someone from the FAA via email so you have something in writing. The other option would be to contact the US embassy in your city/country for info. Get it in writing.

As you want an initial FAA rating l believe yes you do. And most probably a visa. Why go for a private ? go for the ATP as you hold one. Its the same Government paperwork. You could get the 'based on' private license but l believe you cant add a FAA rating to that. So .... back to the first line.

If you're just doing the 61.75 based on private you don't need the TSA background check. I hate to use the word logic and TSA in the same sentence but their idea is since you are not adding a skills set (no training is required) there is no reason to do the background check. Same as if you go from a private to a commercial. I can't find anything on the TSA web site but the AOPA has put out a guide covering TSA and they say TSA has "clarified" that no background check is required.

Since you say you want to do seaplane training I believe malc4d is right. The seaplane checkride will result in a stand alone FAA certificate. You can't mix and match between your based on and stand alone certificates. Since you are getting training to add a skill you'll need the TSA check.

Thank you all. I better get on with the TSA application then. The aircraft being under 12500lbs lead me to believe I would not require authorization, as did the fact that the licence would be based on my JAA licence. Seems it wasn't that easy!

New up date....I believe that you cant do the ATP seaplane without having 50hrs in type and class. Bummer as l wanted to get my multi seaplane atp.
Now looking for time building options.

It's category and class.

You arent clear if you intend a 61.75 based on your existing foreign licence or a new issue of a private certificate by checkride. If you intend a 61.75 you dont need any tsa approval for float training, and you can add a float rating at the private level to a 61.75 but getting a 61.75 is in itself a fair amount of paperwork. I had a 61.75 and ended up doing the private checkride to get rid of it. I wish I had done that in the first place. There is a lot of bull spouted on here about visas and tsa. If you have any further ambition in faa licences my advice would be to apply for a b1/b2 visa, do the tsa and private checkride (on floats if you like) and be properly in the system. Makes it easier later for IR etc.

Marker inbound mentions tsa not required when going from private to commercial, worth pointing out he means a proper private certificate, not a 61.75. 61.75 to commercial does require tsa.

True. The TSA says their check is required for an initial certificate and then when you add a skill set. Then they turn around and say you don't need it for the 61.75 since no training took place. So I guess they think .... um, I have no idea how they think.

Nor do they, Marker...