FAA licence conversion
 

Hi All

I'm sure this has come up before however I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I'm heading to DFW to flight safety for some recurrent training soon and would like to get started on my FAA licence conversion while I'm there. Could anyone give bring me up to speed on the process. I'm guessing to begin with I can get a licence validation then start adding on extras such as IFR ATP etc.

Thanks
AC

In the US an ATP is an IR. All you need to do is meet the certificate experience requirements, pass the written test, and then pass the practical test. You might not even need to pass the FAA medical if doing your flight test in the simulator. Simple.

Thanks Gulli that’s the kind of info I’m looking for. I hold a multi IR with multiple renewals but only on a CPL. I’m thinking that I can do a validation then sit the ATP written and then ATP check in the sim tacked on to my recurrency training. Can anyone confirm if that’s possible

The validation is only a paperwork shuffle (to get an FAA Private-rotorcraft). Because you're training in the simulator you probably don't need to bother with that. I suggest you contact your training provider in the US so they can incorporate your requirements into the training program. Also check the FAR's to make sure you meet the ATP experience requirements (particularly 100 hours night experience which catches a few people out).

As gb stated, you can get a private cert based upon your foreign certificate. As for anything else you have to do the written and checkride just like everyone else in the US...there is no validation. Your training provider could do that as long as they have a designated examiner on staff authorized to do it.

And to be clear, you aren't converting to an FAA certificate. You're submitting yourself to a full flight test and assessments etc with no concessions. The CASA CPL + IR just gets you the tick in the box for the 61.153(d)(3) requirement.

oops, Gordy beat me to it...yeah, what he says.

Thanks gents, I’m headed to flight safety and they offer the ATP check as an add on, I’m just not sure of the ATP theory requirements. I satisfy alol of the hour requirements and have circa 500 nvfr.

ATP written is computer based multi-choice. All the questions are on the FAA website. Flight Safety, I'm guessing, would be all tricked up for letting you take the written. Best deal with them directly from here.

That is not true. The FAA Helicopter ATP written is 80 questions. The FAA Web Site only has 65 total questions as examples. They are only examples of the type of questions that might be asked. There are several online training companies that will prepare you for the written.

When I moved from Australia to the USA I went straight to an ATP, the written test prep I used was the Dauntless brand app.

There’s also a couple of other prep apps out there that work just as well.

Make sure you book your written through the CATS website.

You will also need to get your Australian license verified by the FAA which involves sending in a form to the FAA, then paying CASA a fee to do their part. The letter or verification is good for 6 months to get your flight test done in the sim. CASA as expected takes a while to send the verification back to the FAA so plan accordingly.

Make sure your Aussie license and IPC is current in every respect in addition to meeting the FAA part 61 minimum experience requirements.

Thanks everyone for the replies, I have everything I need from here to get this done.

Many thanks