My son got his 61.75 on a zoom call with a fab DPE in the US. Let me know if you would like his details. The whole thing took three weeks start to finish.
It may have changed but if you do any training under the FAA then you will need TSA approval and fingerprints which is another thing to bear in mind.
Pig wrote:
It may have changed but if you do any training under the FAA then you will need TSA approval and fingerprints which is another thing to bear in mind.
Not for piggy-back, AFAIK.
Correct.
The TSA stuff is a complicated topic which has changed many times. For example at one point you could visit the US for just a checkride. Whether you need TSA for an FAA written exam is another interesting Q. Lots of previous threads.
As usual, “Threads possibly related to this one” below are good reading.
I had a deeper look into the subject, and came upon this company schaircraft. I had contact with them, but decided not to pursue as my use of an N registered bird is seldom, and only for local VFR flying, to warrant the fee.
The IACRA system has been available for foreign verifications for a few years. In case of problems with it, eg the data loss a couple of days ago, the form AC 8060-71 can still be emailed to AFS-760. An FAA Tracking Number (FTN) will be assigned once an IACRA account has been registered. The FTN will be needed for knowledge test bookings.
I agree with dublinpilot that a standard US pilot certificate is preferable, especially when flying a US-registered aeroplane outside the UK, assuming you are a UK resident. For the most part the UK IR(R) will suffice for flying within the UK. LOI to Cliff Whittaker, 15 Jun 2015. Outside the UK the US instrument rating can be used and it may be easier to maintain than a Part-FCL IR. You can obtain a US instrument rating by, inter alia, passing a US practical test, or passing a Canadian or EU IR test and using the appropriate conversion agreement.
That’s a useful guide. I would add that plenty of FSDOs will still process these applications free of charge.
arj1 wrote:
Not for piggy-back, AFAIK.
Any instruction received from a US flight school (which includes US-certificated instructors) in an aircraft or aircraft simulator that could be used towards an initial standard pilot certificate requires a TSA security threat assessment for non-US nationals. Recurrent training on the other hand requires certain information to be transmitted by the flight school to the TSA but no threat assessment is needed. However, the TSA explicitly interprets recurrent training “to not include any flight review, proficiency check, or other check whose purpose is to review rules, manoeuvers, or procedures, or to demonstrate a pilot’s existing skills on aircraft with a maximum certificated takeoff weight (MTOW) of 12,500 pounds or less, such as the flight review required under 14 CFR 61.56 or the recent flight experience requirements in 14 CFR 61.57.” Docket No. TSA-2004-19147, document 0226 (19 Oct 2004).
Peter wrote:
Whether you need TSA for an FAA written exam is another interesting Q. Lots of previous threads
The STA is also not required for knowledge tests or practical tests. This was addressed in the thread Anyone did FAA CPL in US recently?, post #26 (24 Jan 2021).
