Getting a US License
 

Apologies if this has been well documented - I have a current EASA PPL SEP (L) and a IR(R).

How do i also get a US License - the aim is to fly a N reg plane in Europe.

Many thanks all help

PH

Getting a US License
 

It used to be study online for ATPL, do ATPL exam either in Frankfurt or USA FSDO. ( I did mine in Long Beach) get to the local sim provider, haul in an FAA check airman get type check, oral and ATPL specific bits done the check airman issues you with a temporary airman certificate and a few weeks later the card pitches up in the mail. However that was 1977, things may have changed.

Getting a US License
 

For study online read get mail order book in said era.

There are several threads in the "North America" section. The FAA will give a private certificate based on your foreign license. You have your CAA validate your license to the FAA, go to a FAA Flight Standards District Office to get your certificate and complete a flight review with an instructor.

Or you can do the same path as any American pilot. Get a FAA medical, complete the normal training, pass a written test and pass a checkride.

Many thanks markerinbound

You can do it all in the UK .

It costs but not as much as flying to USA.

Google Captain Tom Hughston.

Cusco

Actually, there are three options.

1. The FAA implicitly renders your UK-issued EASA PPL valid for flight on an N-reg, but only in UK airspace. You don't need to do anything for this as it's an implicit validation. But the validation is only valid within the airspace of the country that issued the license. The US doesn't recognize EASA-land as one country, and the wording is "issued" not "issued or rendered valid". So this means you can't take the N-reg abroad, not even to another EASA country.

http://www.pprune.org/private-flying...ence-reqs.html

2. You can get a "piggyback" license, which is "based on" your current EASA license. This is a relatively straightforward procedure which can easily be accomplished in the US, and with a bit more involvement in the UK. This is great for an occasional holiday flying, but for a permanent solution you need to consider that you're building a house of cards: Your US PPL will only be valid as long as your EASA PPL is valid. So there's more bits of paper to worry about, and keep valid.

Redirecting

Note that the FAA will contact the CAA in order to validate your details, but the UK CAA is not allowed, by default, to divulge your data to the FAA due to privacy legislation. So you need to send some paperwork to the UK CAA first, to allow them to divulge your data to the FAA. Read the instructions carefully - if you do things the wrong way round it will not work, or take a massive amount of time.

3. You can get a "standalone" license, which requires the FAA PPL written exam plus the flight test. Any training done for an ICAO PPL will count towards the training requirements, but it's likely you'll need some additional training since the FAA PPL includes a few maneuvers that are not included in the EASA PPL syllabus. Furthermore, the FAA PPL includes privileges to fly at night by default - there is no separate night rating for a US PPL. So there are specific experience requirements wrt. night flying as well.

In addition to this you will also need to consider the type of medical. Depending on the option you choose, you may need an FAA class 3 in addition to the EASA class 2. This can typically sorted (for a small additional fee) by your friendly AME. And depending on the option you also may need to do a BFR every two years or otherwise you're not allowed to exercise the privileges of the FAA PPL.

There's loads of information about all this on PPRuNe. The link I gave you is a good starting point.

I actually have a question (based on number 2 above).

I previously filled out the paperwork for the FAA, and also the agreement for the CAA allowing them to confirm my information (and to kindly charge me £40 for it).

I got the letter from the FAA eventually but didn't make it to the States before the deadline on said letter. This means I now need to re-apply and go through the process again.

Do I need to send the CAA another agreement or can they divulge things to the FAA on the back of the previous one?

A Cert of Authenticity is valid for 6 months. After that you have to start over.
Suggest you read the FAA regs on the subject.
Airmen Certification ? Verify the Authenticity of a Foreign License, Rating, or Medical Certification

Hi Gomrath,

Thanks for your response, although I'm not sure if we're on the same wavelength.

I'm aware I need to start the process over with the FAA.

First time around, I had to sign a form for the CAA in the UK to say 'when the FAA come along to verify me, you can give out my information' and 'you may also charge me for this privilege'.

When I go through the process again, I'm unsure whether I need to again provide this 'authorisation' to the UKCAA, or whether this time when the FAA come along they'll recognise from my records that I've already given them the OK to verify/charge me previously.

I should probably just give them a call and ask!

You do need to authorise the CAA again with a new form and payment if your last licence verification was more than 6 months ago.

I thought EU residents weren't allowed to fly N-reg aircraft with an FAA license after april of this year.

...if the owner or operator is resident in the EU, then basically yes, you need an appropriate EASA license as far as EASA is concerned. But the FAA, in the majority of cases, also requires an FAA license for flight on an N-reg.

So in short you need to be dual licensed to operate an N-reg in the EU. That makes this whole thread still relevant.

Ah, thanks.
But if you only have an FAA license, you have to get an EASA license to fly either an EU reg or an N reg aircraft, is that what I'm reading?
So, if you are resident in the EU, and want to fly, at all, you have to have an EU license, but if you want to fly an aircraft registered elsewhere, you ALSO have to have a license for where that aircraft is registered?

Correct.

There is one exception. The FAA allows you to fly an N-reg on a foreign license, but only in the airspace of the country that issued that foreign license. Note "issued" not "issued or rendered valid", and the FAA doesn't recognize EASA-land as such ATM. So if your EASA license happened to be issued by the UK authorities, then the FAA allows you to fly the N-reg on that license, but only within UK airspace. And there are a few other limitations that apply.

But I thought that if you are a resident of anywhere in the EU, then you can't fly on just an FAA license, is that not true?

You can outside EU airspace.

What essentially happens is that EASA sees a lot of N-reg aircraft being imported and operated within the EU, by EU residents/operators. These aircraft are essentially used within the EU only, but EASA doesn't have any oversight on any of their operations at all. By imposing that pilots need to be dual-licensed they have a measure of control over this.

But of course EASA has oversight on foreign operations in EU airspace.

The dual-licencing issue is just the result of lobbying from some British and Continental European flight schools and examiners wanting to make a quick extra pound / euro, nothing to do really with aviation safety.

Luckily legislation was drafted sloppily, so that enforcability is a bit of a problem. The effective implementation date also has been postponed a few times. Also, new management at EASA has become a bit more sensible.

Hi guys..I got my licence verified by US AFS 760 Certification branch.<br />
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I will doing my piggyback for my Malaysian PPL(A) at Oakland FSDO.I will be dropping by in Dec.<br />
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Any good flying club to recommend in San Francisco? I would like to activate the piggyback and apply for FAA credit card PPL certificate

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Cheers