Searching for school in US
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Amsterdam
Posts: 4,598
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
About the FAA knowledge exam, I agree with you. It is better to have it done before I leave.
Having said that, you also need to consider the practicality of the whole thing, and the finances. You're in France. The nearest places that you can sit the CAA PPL exams are all over in the UK. If you show up at a random flight school there you can probably sit all exams in one go but it's going to cost you a trip to the UK, plus something like 90 euros per exam. While at the same time your first try at each exam is included in the package deal that you have with the JAA school in Florida or California. And you can do these inbetween your flight lessons or when there's a day of downtime due to the weather.
Doing your FAA PPL written exam (AFAIK it's a single exam) will be even harder here in Europe, and even more expensive. I believe the only realistic place that you can do this is in Farnborough, and it'll set you back well over 200 euros. But I stand to be corrected on this.
So yes, by all means study all the theory beforehand. Use the Trevor Thom or Jeremy Pratt series for the CAA exams, and use something that's FAA specific for the FAA exams. The differences will most likely be in things like airspace design, ATC services, air law and (to a lesser extent) operational procedures/RT. Use the confuser, air quiz or whatever to practice until you score 90%+ consistently on a subject.
You should then be able to pass both the CAA and FAA exams with flying colors in the first week of your arrival in the US. And will be wondering what all the fuss was about.
Furthermore, as SoCal said, make your decision soon. If you're lucky the whole TSA/VISA thing can be done in about three weeks, but I would count on it taking maybe six weeks. So you don't have much time left.
I am a British pilot, living in Holland; and, pretty much exactly half of my flying hours have been in the USA. It's a wonderful place for aviation, and my FAA license is invaluable, so getting one will not be a bad thing at all!
The knowledge test will be a piece of cake for you if you have already passed the JAA exams; just get a book like Rod Machado's PPL handbook, and the Gleim questions book. If you can consistently get high scores on those, you'll be able to walk through with no trouble once you get to the USA.
Valid points are raised about using the license in Europe; try looking into the license conversion route and finding out what would be required to convert your FAA into a JAA on your return; then, you'll have both!
After you've flown in the USA, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner
The knowledge test will be a piece of cake for you if you have already passed the JAA exams; just get a book like Rod Machado's PPL handbook, and the Gleim questions book. If you can consistently get high scores on those, you'll be able to walk through with no trouble once you get to the USA.
Valid points are raised about using the license in Europe; try looking into the license conversion route and finding out what would be required to convert your FAA into a JAA on your return; then, you'll have both!
After you've flown in the USA, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I was you (DFR) it might be more interesting to first do the JAA in the US. There are a few threads on this site about doing the JAA training in the Florida; when I was at EFT there were a few French fellows like you as well. Some students came in for a JAA/FAA combo, but if you do it all in one go it is intensive and I doubt you can do it in 5 weeks unless the weather is exceptionally good, the school not too busy and you are well prepared.
I also did notice that those who passed the JAA with flying colours were not that good at the FAA exam; the main reason I think behind this is the intensity of the previous weeks and the induced self-confidence after passing the JAA.
In my opinion getting the FAA as a standalone at a later stage is actually a good kind of refresher exercise, but of course there are extra expenses. The FAA exams are different, at least in the formulation.
On another note, what is the benefit to have a FAA PPL as a standalone? You can also apply for one based on your JAA PPL i.e. ; and should this document lapse for any reason other than a purely administrative one then I really wonder why the licences issued by other states should not be considered void as well.
I also did notice that those who passed the JAA with flying colours were not that good at the FAA exam; the main reason I think behind this is the intensity of the previous weeks and the induced self-confidence after passing the JAA.
In my opinion getting the FAA as a standalone at a later stage is actually a good kind of refresher exercise, but of course there are extra expenses. The FAA exams are different, at least in the formulation.
On another note, what is the benefit to have a FAA PPL as a standalone? You can also apply for one based on your JAA PPL i.e. ; and should this document lapse for any reason other than a purely administrative one then I really wonder why the licences issued by other states should not be considered void as well.
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi there,
Didn't want to start a new thread and I see some posts have gone a bit wayward from the OP's question so I thought I'd move back onto it slightly.
Can anyone tell me the average price of gaining a PPL in USA compared to the UK? Any help would be fantastic.
Thanks
Didn't want to start a new thread and I see some posts have gone a bit wayward from the OP's question so I thought I'd move back onto it slightly.
Can anyone tell me the average price of gaining a PPL in USA compared to the UK? Any help would be fantastic.
Thanks
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: EuroGA.org
Posts: 13,787
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It depends on how crappy a hotel you live in, etc, but you can reckon on it costing about 1/3 less.
It will however be a different type of project. In the UK, most people don't pitch up a tent next to the airport and live there, flying twice a day. But that's what you will do in the USA (hopefully not living in a tent although the motel I stayed in was not a lot better
).
If you really did live next to the airport over here, the whole thing would cost quite a bit less. But you still have to get lucky with the weather, for a few sustained months, which is very hard to achieve, but should be easy in S. California.
It will however be a different type of project. In the UK, most people don't pitch up a tent next to the airport and live there, flying twice a day. But that's what you will do in the USA (hopefully not living in a tent although the motel I stayed in was not a lot better
).If you really did live next to the airport over here, the whole thing would cost quite a bit less. But you still have to get lucky with the weather, for a few sustained months, which is very hard to achieve, but should be easy in S. California.
