Flying in Raleigh, NC

[Evo]

Looks like work is going to send me to Raleigh, NC for the next month so any suggestions about where to go for some flying? And how long does it take to get a restricted FAA licence based on my JAR-FCL PPL(A)? What's the wx like at this time of year? Anything else to think about...?

[Fly Stimulator]

As far as the conversion process goes there's a summary here
I got a very quick response back from Oklahoma City after I sent my application off - within a week IIRC. You just need to find an FAA FSDO near where you're going to be to go to to complete the process.

The only money you have to pay out to get an FAA licence goes to our own dear CAA

Sounds like a good chance to explore somewhere new from the air - have fun!

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

I was in Raleigh for a few weeks in 2002. Unfortunately I only had one weekend off work and I decided to do some sightseeing by car instead of flying. A colleague was there for a year or so and did about half a FAA PPL from RDU. I will try and get some local info from him tomorrow. I seem to remember he visited various local airfields for training, but all flights originated from a club at RDU.

You should plan a trip to Kitty Hawk which is not too far from Raleigh. There is a small museum and memorial to the Wright Brothers and the field where they took to the air for the first time appears not to have changed much in 100 years. There is a small airport close by.

TG.

I forgot to mention the weather.

I was there in summer and it was steamy hot. I have never known humidity like it and there were thunder storms late afternoon most days. Late morning / early afternoon was clear blue skies but too hot to linger outside. I think Autumn is supposed to be pleasant with temperatures in the high 60s / low 70s. Much better for flying.

Raleigh itself is surrounded by trees - millions of them. This might make local flying a bit boring? At RDU you will be mixing in with all sorts of commercial traffic, which could be fun, or scary, or probably both!

[Evo]

Thanks Fly & TGIA152

FAA licence application is on its way, so fingers crossed. Tall_Guy, any more info about the club at RDU? Sounds convenient and would be a bit of a change for a grass-field hick like myself

Anybody - is there a short and simple guide to flying in the USA? A spamcan is a spamcan no matter where you are, but i'd like to find out a bit about procedures etc. before I climb in an 'airplane'

[S-Works]

Just back from a weeks flying in the US. Suberb flying around Florida. Flying in the USA is pretty easy, they have excellant services and airfield and are VERY friendly to avaiation.

You get a checkout in most places of an hour groundschool and an hour flight even on types you are current on. After that a good school will give you endless advice on airspace and flight planning etc.

Enjoy!

[The Nr Fairy]

And of course, Kitty Hawk is a 4 hour drive or a 2-ish hour flight (I drove) away. A MUST see.

[FlyingForFun]

Not only will your school probably need a checkout, as bose-x says, but you'll also need a BFR. You can, of course, combine this with the school's checkout - but somewhere in that process you'll be able to get up to speed with local flying conventions.

FFF
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[knobbygb]

Anybody - is there a short and simple guide to flying in the USA

Evo, I learned most of what I needed to know about the differences over there from: Guide to the Biennial Flight Review, by Jackie Spanitz, ISBN 1-56027-444-1. It's about 100 pages of A5 paperback, published by Aviation Supplies & Academics Inc. I bought it at a flight school over there for about $5

Basically it's a guide to the BFR, which is what the club checkout will probably consist of (as FFF says). Consists of Q&A's (PPL confuser style) covering the relevant bits of 14 CFR Part 91 (flight rules) - airspace, RT, VFR minima, obtaining weather info, filing flight plans and all the other stuff you need to know that's different over there. Well worth reading if you can get a copy before you go.

You'll also need (legal requirement???) an Airport/Facility Directory for SE USA (issued every couple of months) - this gives plenty of info about procedures on and around the airfields. Again cheap - about $4 for 500 pages. The charts too have lots of info on airspace regulations, suggested VFR routing etc. You could also look up the actual FAR's on the internet - they are MUCH easier to read than the JAA ones and there are 'plain english translation' sites out there too!

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

There is only one flight school at RDU. There has been some changes of management and alot of rebuilding work in the GA area since my friend was training there, but it seems that Flight Gest, .www.flightgest.com/fg/ are what the school has become. They were very good, apparently, and the rates posted on the web look reasonable.

There was an FAA office on the airport.

No circuit training is allowed at RDU due to the busy commercial traffic, so your checkout(s) will involve flying from RDU to one of the local grass strips for circuits.

One other thing, which may not be obvious if you are not a regular US visitor, but you will NEED a car! RDU is about 45 mins from downtown Raleigh, and getting around Raleigh itself is very difficult by public transport.

Have fun,

TallGuy.