Can I fly an airplane in the UK with an FAA PPL?

[Ebbie 2003]

I am still as confused about this as I was two years ago.

In October 2017, with the info here I visited Earls Colne - I am an FAA PPL and I would like to rent on of your airplanes, a PA28 I own one and have lots of recent time.

They referred me to their expert CFI, who informed me that no I could not rent one of their airplanes and that my licence and experience were woryhless, I would need to do their PPL course etc etc. he even gave me the 40 hours nonsense.

Anyway I am going over in May - past the Brexit date and the April thing.

So can I solo anywhere in the UK, not fussed if G or N registered.

After all the guff last time that resulted in a wasted trip - I am looking for an actual airplane, location, contact name, email, phone number so I can set it up in advance

[ETOPS]

I wonder if the way round this is to make contact with an owner of an FAA registered aircraft here in the UK? There are around 200 such aircraft over here with the Cirrus SR20/22 being the most numerous. Equally there are a number of high end Biz jets - how's your G6 type rating

But there are quite a number of Pipers and Cessnas around - my own field has a C182 based for instance.

Place to ask is https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=1 along with this thread.

Or just ask Sam Rutherford......

[MrAverage]

We have an Archer II with Garmin 750 and G5. However, there is a process you need to go through to validate your FAA licence to rent the aircraft. It's a little known fact that validation is still required even on N reg aircraft. This process is not quick. You would need to start soon. Please send me a PM..............

[alland2012]

Ebbie I have just spent the last 6 months jumping through the hoops in order to validate my FAA PPL to fly in the UK.

1. I had to take the UK Air law exam - a week of study saw me through that one.
2. Next up was the Human Performance exam - again with a little study time it really wasn't an issue,
Both exams are choosing from multi choice questions, and frankly if you can't get enough correct to score a pass, then you shouldn't be flying !!
So you'll have nothing to worry about there. For tuition I used ppltutor.com
Next up was submit form SRG2140 plus copies of my log book and FAA licence and my FAA class 3 medical cert (all copies certified by a CAA DPE) to the CAA.

I submitted everything at the beginning of October 2018, I received an email at the beginning of December asking me to submit the most recent page of my log book again,( it appears they could not find the original copy I sent in) anyway I sent off another certified copy and followed that up with a phone call to ask how long it would now take to process my validation. The reply I got was they are working approx 4 weeks behind from date of recieving applications, when I said I sent my paperwork in at the beginning of October which was almost 8 weeks back, they said due to me having to submit more info (lost log book page) it re-sets the clock so it would take approx another 4 weeks to process.

Early January I finally recieved an email from the CAA confiming my FAA cert is validated and I am now free to fly in the UK (G-Reg VFR daytime only, N-Reg no restrictions as long as I'm current in type)
The only downside now is the declaration is only valid unit 8th April 2019 or the implementation of the BASA agreement, whichever comes first.

So what happens after the 8th April is unknown at this point in time, maybe there will be an extension maybe not ?
Also to add to my frustrations my Flight Review is now due, which I'm now busy organising a suitable mutual schedule with a UK based FAA CFI to get that knocked out.

In retrospect for me as I'm now going to be based in the UK more than in the US I should have just worked on converting to a EASA cert. Maybe come the summer thats the route I'll go.

I will say, I'm not knocking the CAA in any way, whoever I've spoken with there have always tried to help me and been polite and understanding to my needs. I believe they are under staffed and under much pressure with the uncertainty over Brexit. I'm sure they have much more pressing things to sort out than a few of us foreign certificate PPL drivers who want to invade their airspace.

[Grelly]

Originally Posted by Ebbie 2003

I am still as confused about this as I was two years ago.

In October 2017, with the info here I visited Earls Colne - I am an FAA PPL and I would like to rent on of your airplanes, a PA28 I own one and have lots of recent time.

They referred me to their expert CFI, who informed me that no I could not rent one of their airplanes and that my licence and experience were woryhless, I would need to do their PPL course etc etc. he even gave me the 40 hours nonsense.

This is a bit of a moving target, but AIUI there are currently multiple options.
1. Convert to a Euro Licence. This is IMHO the worst option unless you live here and/or plan to fly a lot. Again, various options:
a) UK NPPL (ask the LAA for details, but I think they assess your experience and come up with a differences training plan)
b) EASA PPL. You need a minimum of 100 hours total time, plus a (Euro I think) class II medical.
2. Validate your licence. Google SRG2140 and possibly SRG2142.
3. Fly UK registered (sometime called permit aircraft) on your FAA licence. Not many of these available to rent. If you are ok with tail draggers, try the Tiger Club.
4. Possibly some other options I can't remember.
Note that if you intend to use the Radio, you will need an Aircraft Radio Licence (Google FRTOL)

That's my understanding...

[ETOPS]

Hold on a minute. If an American pilot with an FAA licence flys into the U.K. in his N reg aircraft he doesn't run to the CAA for a validation. How do all those biz jets arriving at Biggin etc manage to take off without going through this 6 month process.

I think Ebbie should just turn up with his FAA licence and fly a "friendly" N reg aircraft with its owner....

[Grelly]

Originally Posted by ETOPS

Hold on a minute. If an American pilot with an FAA licence flys into the U.K. in his N reg aircraft he doesn't run to the CAA for a validation. How do all those biz jets arriving at Biggin etc manage to take off without going through this 6 month process.

I think Ebbie should just turn up with his FAA licence and fly a "friendly" N reg aircraft with its owner....

I haven't looked at this option recently. I seem to remember that EASA wanted you to have both FAA and EASA licences, but I may be wrong. As you say, pilots with international qualifications do arrive and depart every day, so there must be a way.

[BEagle]

Unfortunately, because of the absurd UK/EU exit nonsense brought about by those fools who voted to leave the EU, the DfT now has to look at other options for 3rd country licence holders flying in the UK, rather than those of the derogations available under the recent Regulation (EU) 2018/1974.

The long-awaited EU/US BASA is also in doubt, thanks to the current situation...

[Whopity]

Article 150 allows you to exercise the privileges of an FAA licence on a Annex 1 aircraft i.e a non EASA aircraft.

Deeming a non-United Kingdom flight crew licence and any Part-FCL licence valid for non-EASA aircraft registered in the United Kingdom and deeming a non-United Kingdom radiotelephony licence valid for any aircraft
150.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), this article applies to any licence which authorises the holder to act as a member of the flight crew of an aircraft and is—
(a) granted under the law of a Contracting State other than the United Kingdom but which is not a Part-FCL licence;

To fly an EASA aircraft you will need to compete SRG 2140 and comply with the notes attached to that form.

N reg aircraft operating into the UK fall into a totally different category as they are not based in Europe.

[Maoraigh1]

May be useful to mention that C172 and Pa28 (etc) are EASA aircraft, as a non-EU pilot might think otherwise.

[alland2012]

Originally Posted by alland2012

Ebbie I have just spent the last 6 months jumping through the hoops in order to validate my FAA PPL to fly in the UK.

1. I had to take the UK Air law exam - a week of study saw me through that one.
2. Next up was the Human Performance exam - again with a little study time it really wasn't an issue,
Both exams are choosing from multi choice questions, and frankly if you can't get enough correct to score a pass, then you shouldn't be flying !!
So you'll have nothing to worry about there. For tuition I used ppltutor.com
Next up was submit form SRG2140 plus copies of my log book and FAA licence and my FAA class 3 medical cert (all copies certified by a CAA DPE) to the CAA.

I submitted everything at the beginning of October 2018, I received an email at the beginning of December asking me to submit the most recent page of my log book again,( it appears they could not find the original copy I sent in) anyway I sent off another certified copy and followed that up with a phone call to ask how long it would now take to process my validation. The reply I got was they are working approx 4 weeks behind from date of recieving applications, when I said I sent my paperwork in at the beginning of October which was almost 8 weeks back, they said due to me having to submit more info (lost log book page) it re-sets the clock so it would take approx another 4 weeks to process.

Early January I finally recieved an email from the CAA confiming my FAA cert is validated and I am now free to fly in the UK (G-Reg VFR daytime only, N-Reg no restrictions as long as I'm current in type)
The only downside now is the declaration is only valid unit 8th April 2019 or the implementation of the BASA agreement, whichever comes first.

So what happens after the 8th April is unknown at this point in time, maybe there will be an extension maybe not ?
Also to add to my frustrations my Flight Review is now due, which I'm now busy organising a suitable mutual schedule with a UK based FAA CFI to get that knocked out.

In retrospect for me as I'm now going to be based in the UK more than in the US I should have just worked on converting to a EASA cert. Maybe come the summer thats the route I'll go.

I will say, I'm not knocking the CAA in any way, whoever I've spoken with there have always tried to help me and been polite and understanding to my needs. I believe they are under staffed and under much pressure with the uncertainty over Brexit. I'm sure they have much more pressing things to sort out than a few of us foreign certificate PPL drivers who want to invade their airspace.

Just a quick update on the above situation regarding FAA/CAA Validation.
With the 8th April looming I contacted the CAA and asked them will my current FAA validation simply get re-newed or will I need to begin the whole process again from scratch...?
At the time of my call no one seemed to be able to give me a definitive answer, however a week later I received email comfirmation stating that no it won't just be re-newed and I had to submit all the documentation and fee again.!

So that's where I'm at right now, all the paper work has gone in again and I've just received an email today informing me that they are now waiting for a reply from the FAA to confirm my current FAA licence status.
At least things seem to be moving along faster than my first application which took 6 months to process.

[Sam Rutherford]

Bit surprised to see my name mentioned earlier - but happy to help if able!

[Ebbie 2003]

The recent post, better than the "you have to do a complete UK PPL course" nonsense I was told at Esrks Colne in Srptember 2019.

I will not bother

Would like to see the FAA make UK pilots jump through the same hoops and stop didhing out the 61.75 tickets!

[custardpsc]

Ebbie - what whopity says above is correct. You need to fill out form 2140 and have an Examiner sign it to say that your knowldge of UK air law and procedures is satisfactory. You can use your FAA medical. Thats all you need. Here is the link to the UK CAA website that will give you the full info
SRG2140: Declaration for Pilots holding an ICAO Compliant Flight Crew Licence Issued by the FAA for use in UK Airspace

[alland2012]

I did eventually receive my FAA validation from the CAA valid for 12 Months (see my journey update in post #51 above)
So I'm good to go....well not quite, I now have to do the R/T exam to get my radio licence.So Study the Communications CAP413 manual, part with £100 examiners fee, and then I'm good to go...I think !

[custardpsc]

Originally Posted by alland2012

I did eventually receive my FAA validation from the CAA valid for 12 Months (see my journey update in post #51 above)
So I'm good to go....well not quite, I now have to do the R/T exam to get my radio licence.So Study the Communications CAP413 manual, part with £100 examiners fee, and then I'm good to go...I think !

I couldn't find the private licence guidance but FYI the commercial licence guidance says only one validation, which can be extended once , only before it expires.

Wondering, why did you go through the validation process instead of just submitting the 2140 form ?

[alland2012]

Originally Posted by custardpsc

I couldn't find the private licence guidance but FYI the commercial licence guidance says only one validation, which can be extended once , only before it expires.

Wondering, why did you go through the validation process instead of just submitting the 2140 form ?

I did submit the 2140 form and followed the process exactly as instructed by the CAA, which was to submit forms 2140 and 2142, up to date copies of my log book to show I was current ref. flight review date, copy of my FAA medical, all copies signed off by a CAA CFI

I've been given validation to fly G-Reg in the UK VFR day time only (No restrictions if I fly a N-Reg aircraft) for a period of 12 months, but what will happen following Brexit who knows....it could change things.

As you can't simply re-new the FAA validation on expiry and need to submit all documentation again, I've decided I'm not going to bother jumping through all the hoops again, I'll just complete the skills test and whatever else I need to do to get my EASA cert. which in retrospect I should have just done in the first place.

[n5296s]

Does anyone know WHY all this bureaucracy was introduced? Back in 2006 I just showed up at White Waltham, flew an hour with an instructor, got signed off, and flew solo. I didn't need to do any paperwork at all, other than showing them my FAA license and medical.

Even France doesn't require all this. At one time you just visited the local DGAC office (FSDO equivalent), paid them a bit less than 100 Euros, filled in a form, and you were good to go. Now they require validation from the FAA so you have to wait a few weeks. But you don't have to do exams, produce certified copies of your logbook, etc.

[custardpsc]

Allan, thanks, I get it now. What you have there technically isn't a validation. Its a declaration. Validations are usually for cpl/atpl and require a skill test/minimum hours etc. If you look at form 2140 it will ask you to confirm you don't have a vailidation !
I'd be interested to know exactly what they gave you in return for your completed form?

[rudestuff]

An email..