Flying in U.S.A.
 

Hello.

I am very possibly moving to America next year and if so planning on doing my CPL/IR there. I have done all my training in Australia and hold a PPL.

My question is, how different is it flying in America compared to Australia?
Any tips? I bought the Jeppesen Instrument/Commercial book and DVD and mostly have only noticed a difference in airspace, how the maps are printed and units of measurement (obviously)

Has anyone flown in both Australia and the United States and would not mind pointing out some big differences and interesting points?

Thank you very much for your time.

Hi there,

that's pretty much it, and this mainly affects VFR flying. All the other regulations are actually based on the SARP's (standards and recommended practices) issued by the ICAO in form of the 18 Annexes and they apply to all ICAO member states, if there are differences the state has to inform ICAO about it, but usually there are only minor differences, if there are any at all.

Rules & regs are rather different, depending on what bit of regulation you're comparing. The devil is in the detail. For example, a PPL is not permitted to be paid to fly, unlike Oz.

The licence structure is very different, with licences ('certificates' in the US) segregated by category (fixed wing, rotary, glider etc), and by class for fixed wing (single engine land, single engine sea, multi engine land, multi engine sea). Each category/class combination requires a separate flight test ('checkride'). A multi endorsement in Oz follows you as you gain higher levels of licence. Get a multi endorsement on a PPL, do a CPL test in a single, and you will also be able to fly a multi in commercial ops. Not so in the US.

Medicals are much, much easier in the US. Same for exams.

Mostly, it's a case of switching mental gears about how things are done.