Convert CASA PPL to FAA PPL

[Checkerboardhk]

Hi all,

I'm holding a CASA PPL and going to study in US so want to convert my CASA PPL to the FAA PPL. But I don't have any night flying hours in OZ so do I need to have 5 night hours before I could convert to FAA's or will there be a restriction on the converted PPL if I don't have any night hours?

Thanks a lot!

[englishal]

Full one, with FAA flight test, then yes you need the night hours.

"Based on" the CASA PPL then it will have a restriction on it that "all restrictions on the foreign licence apply"....

[IO540]

For a standalone FAA PPL you need to do the full night stuff as required by the FAA. The night hours required by Australia (for some kind of Australian night rating perhaps) may not be enough for the FAA.

I would recommend doing the standalone FAA PPL, not the 61.75 version which has caused so many people so much hassle with e.g. adding the foreign language proficiency statement to it.

[Checkerboardhk]

Thanks mates! In fact I'm also considering to get the CPL and Instructor Rating there instead of study. Is it possible if I got a "converted" PPL then take the training there and get the full FAA CPL?

I've searched some info for the web site of some US flying schools but I still have some questions on the FAA system. Does the single Instrument Rating can be applied to both single engine and multi engine? For the CPL, is it necessary to have 2 separated flight tests for the single engine CPL and the multi engine CPL?

Maybe too many questions here, sorry for that.

Thanks a lot!

[Tinstaafl]

You can get some form of FAA PPL, either stand alone or dependent on your Oz PPL. You must meet the minimum experience requirements for the FAA PPL and jump through the TSA insecurity bull****.

You can train for a CPL too, if you wish. Still have to meet the FAA minimum experience requirements and satisfy the TSA's crap.

The FAA PPL, CPL & ATPL are segregated by Category & Class. Each segregation in a licence stands alone in terms of the privileges and doesn't embrace privileges of another category/class combination. Each category/class combination requires a flight test. If you already hold a licence then the test will be an 'add on' checkride so common items need not be tested again although an examiner can require *anything* from the Practical Test Standard for the licence.

'Category' includes rotorwing, airplane (sic), lighter than air and the like.
'Class' distinctions for the airplane category are Multi Engine Land, Multi Engine Sea, Single Engine Land, Single Engine Sea (MEL, MES, SEL & SES, respectively).

You could, for example have a PPL valid for SEL, a CPL valid for SES, and an ATP valid for MEL. You would get PPL privileges in the SEL, CPL privileges (which includes PPL privileges) in the SES and ATP privileges (which includes CPL & PPL privileges) in the MEL.

As for single vs multi instrument ratings, every country of which I'm aware segregates multi IRs from single IRs. They all allow a multi IR to be used in a single and disallow a single IR to be used in a multi**.


**Some countries have an exception to the rule that allows a single IR to be used in centreline thrust multis eg Cessna's C336/337 if the pilot is already qualified to fly the a/c VFR.

[englishal]

To use the IR on a multi, if you already have the SE IR you just shoot two approaches (one asymetric) on the ME check ride.

OR you can do the IR checkride in the ME at the same time as the ME chekride.

[BackPacker]

Is it possible if I got a "converted" PPL then take the training there and get the full FAA CPL?

I don't know specifically for the FAA, but here in JAA-land, the entry for CPL is any ICAO PPL. Doesn't have to be a JAA PPL.

Might be worth checking that out. That would mean that you do not need to get any form of FAA PPL (standalone or piggyback), but do the CPL flight test straight away.

That is, if you don't plan on exercising any PPL privileges in the US in the runup to your CPL exam.

[B2N2]

Might be worth checking that out. That would mean that you do not need to get any form of FAA PPL (standalone or piggyback), but do the CPL flight test straight away.

That's not going to work in the US for the CPL.
For the FAA ATP you need either a US CPL IR or an ICAO CPL-IR, for the US CPL you need a Full US PPL or the restricted one.


Checkerb, if you intend to do the US CPL I would advise to do the training for the full US PPL iso the restricted license.

Night can not be added to a US PPL since it is included.
So if you hold a US "restricted" based on a foreign license with no night rating you are not allowed to fly at night.
Which would lead to an IR which you cannot use at night and there is no way to fly the required PIC night hours for the CPL.
So either add the night rating before you come to the US or plan on doing the US PPL.

Regards,

[Checkerboardhk]

Thanks a lot everyone! I think it's better to get the full US PPL as B2N2 explained althought will need to spend more....But is my hours in OZ counted for the US PPL so that I only need to have 10 night hours and 2 more IR hours to make it to 5 in total?

Thank you.

[Tinstaafl]

All relevent training given by a rated instructor in an ICAO country is recognised as towards the issue of an FAA licence. Similarly, all logged time counts towards the minimum experience requirements. A slight catch though: Only FAA instructors may give certifications if a certification is required. For example, if you fail part of a flight test and must undergo remedial training prior to being retested then the instructor is required to certify in your log book that you have completed the training and reached the required standard of skill.

[englishal]

This is what I'd do.....

-Get a PPL based on your foreign licence

-Add the IR "us test passed"

-Add the private ME with IR "us test passed" (then all ME hours are PIC)

-Train for CPL ME (all hours PIC, inc. required cross countries)

-Take the CPL flight test in a Multi first, requires 10 hrs of PIC in mulit's which you now have. Doing ME first negates having to do the SE CPL in a complex aeroplane so you can train in a cheap 172. Also you meet all x/c requirements of SE CPL. You are already IR'd, you already have the CPL ME so the flight test is a straight forward vfr manoeuvre test with no navigation as that has been covered in the ME test.

-Take the CPL SE in a cheap C172

(the above is what I did)

-Do the CFII rating as initial FI rating with FAA inspector

-Do the CFI rating with DPE

-Do the MEI rating with DPE

Good luck!