FI? Can I convert my JAA CPL/IR to FAA

[ClintonBaptiste]

Can I convert my JAA CPL/IR to FAA

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I have held my JAA CPL/IR for a while now, but I am currently thinking of becoming a flight instructor.

I am thinking of teaching either in the US, Spain or the north of England. Obviously if I want to instruct in the latter two I will need my JAA FI(R), but what do I need in the US? Can I simply convert my CPL/IR to FAA, then take the US FI, or do I need to do all the FAA flight tests and exams.

Also, how will UK schools/airlines view my hours if I am an FAA instructor? Even if I get a few hundred hours instructing IFR on twins will it be worthless?

Another query, I know the FI(R) course in Spain is slightly different too, in the fact that they don't teach spins. But would a UK flight school accept my licence if I achieved it in Spain?

[TheOddOne]

But would a UK flight school accept my licence if I achieved it in Spain?

Let's just put it this way. We've some Spanish instructors working with us (in the UK). They got their FI in the UK, so that they would be acceptable to UK schools. Threads elsewhere suggesting Spanish FI schools delivering the syllabus in a very different way than in the UK (being diplomatic!)

Cheers,
TheOddOne

[StrateandLevel]

Can I simply convert my CPL/IR to FAA, then take the US FI, or do I need to do all the FAA flight tests and exams.

Yes and Yes; you can get a restricted licence on the basis of your UK one but to work there I think the latter applies, assuming you have the right to work there in the first place.

Also, how will UK schools/airlines view my hours if I am an FAA instructor? Even if I get a few hundred hours instructing IFR on twins will it be worthless?

Hours are hours but there is no FI Course in the USA and the method of instruction is quite different so you would still have to obtain the relevant JAA FI ratings in Europe before you could instruct there.

If you want to instruct, do the training where you want to instruct; cheap shortcuts leave you poorly placed in this field, and methods differ even in Europe. In the main, schools still prefer home grown instructors, they are a known quantity.

[ifitaintboeing]

There are two ways to get a USA Certificate/Licence:

1) Get a 61.75 (FAA Certificate based on a foreign licence). This will be issued as a Private Pilots Licence. It does not permit you to operate using it for remuneration. To get the instrument rating included you just have to do a "FAA IR differences" written paper.

2) Get a stand alone FAA Certificate. As a CPL holder you have to jump through all of the FAA training requirements, although training hours flown towards your UK CPL count.

Additionally,

3) I don't think the 61.75 FAA Certificate can have a CFI rating attached to it (61.183) since it's not a FAA commercial or FAA ATP. Again, if you do a UK FI rating, and convert it to stand-alone FAA, all of the hours training you do towards the UK FI count towards the FAA, although you will almost certainly require a few hours for American differences.

4) There is an FI course in the USA, the CFI/CFII course. You need a FAA CPL/IR to do it though.

5) If you decide to go the stand alone FAA route, then there are also a number of other hoops to jump through such as TSA/Visa requirements.

Online
LASORS 2008
FAR CFR 14 Regulations

Good luck.

ifitaint....