For everyone asking about flight schools approved by the CAA to provide JAA-PPL(A) in southern California there is only one currently. It's called Anglo-American Aviation and they operate out of Gillespie Field in El Cajon, San Diego. A quick google search will yeild their info. I have obtained this information from the CAA http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/Approve...20Doc%2031.pdf, so if there's any other FTO in the US which claims to offer CAA Approved JAA instruction don't even consider them as you may not end up with hours you can use for certification.

I'm currently enrolled to start at AAA in about three weeks to complete my JAA-PPL+Night rating and get some hours if time allows. (England = too expensive and so far for me over 70% of my lessons have been cancelled due to weather). I'll no doubt be on here at some point during my training to post opinions on the school. So far they've been helpful and friendly and it's ran by expats which I'm sure can be an advantage :)

Also if anyone would like some info on the Visa or TSA process and they can't find it on here, drop me a PM and I'll try to help. The Visa and TSA cost me about £350+a trip to London, that's almost 4 hours flying in the US! :suspect:.

I'd definetly echo Chilli-Monster's words.

Faultless, professional, and they really care.

If you are going for a PPL only then you get a FAA one (trained to JAA standards) then use the ICAO priviledges of it when you return to the UK.

If you are going for a zero to hero, then you do the FAA CPL/ME/IR and then go back to the UK to convert which you have to do anyway unless you go to Florida (not sure if you can get an IR in Florida though).

You also have less of a hours requirement with the JAA/CAA to attain a licence when holding a FAA one. Therefore, easy on the pocket and £1 = $2 you can't beat it and no landing fees.

Only thing you will have to put up with is some snooty individuals looking down their nose at you with respect to doing your training stateside, to them I'd answer "a 172 stalls at the same airspeed in european air as it does in yank air, and guess what, I paid a third of what you did".

California beats anywhere else for weather, x/c destinations (San Diego, Las Vegas, San Fransisco, Santa Barbara).

Also Seosamh can give examples of his former students now working both in the US and in Europe.

I did forget to add what Dream said, the FAA option is very attractive and is something that you should consider before you go. I'm only continuing with the JAA license as I've already got some of the exams under my belt and have started the syllabus.

I couldn't recommend the FAA Commercial aspect however if you are planning to fly in Europe. At best, do the JAA CPL/IR in the UK, otherwise do it in the US. There's plenty of other threads on this subject already for more info, I don't want to turn this into another FAA Vs JAA thread! :)