JAR-PPL for EU non-resident

[XLC]

Simple question:
am Belgian citizen, but living outside Europe since several years, and therefore no longer resident in Europe - but come back in Europe for holidays.
Can I obtain a JAR/EASA-PPL (i.e. in the U.S) and apply for a licence in Belgium? Or any other country in Europe for that matter?

Thank you.
(my apologies if that question was already asked, if so I did not find it back)

[BackPacker]

The only JAA country that certifies foreign flight schools is the UK, and several school in the US have obtained this certification. So you can do a full JAR-FCL PPL there, send in the paperwork to the CAA at Gatwick and receive a license from them.

As this license is JAR-FCL compliant, you don't need to exchange it for a Belgium-issued JAR-FCL compliant PPL. In fact, you can only trade it in for a Belgium-issued PPL if you live in Belgium for more than six months each year, I think.

Any JAR-FCL PPL is good to fly on any aircraft registered in any JAA state. So with your UK-issued license you can fly G-reg, D-reg, PH-reg, OO-reg, F-reg and so forth. For non-JAA registered aircraft there's usually a not-too-complicated process to get your license validated, but this differs from country to country.

Once you have the license, where do you intend to fly? Just on European holidays or also at the place you live?

[Donalk]

Bear in mind also that for administrative purposes, if you return to Europe, you can ask the authority in the country you reside to become the state of license issue. Generally you need to prove residency to avail of this but it is largely a formality, albeit an expensive one.

[XLC]

Thank you Backpacker - (BTW also thanks for your excellent description about your experience in the US).
In reply to your question: am planning to fly in both Europe and overseas. I am aware that a FAA PPL is sufficient to convert to a local licence (i.e. Japan, Thailand), and that after tallying 100+ h it is possible to convert to a JAA's (but I think there are some extra exams required for EU). As it seems more easy to convert from a JAR-PPL, rather than towards, I figured it is more simple to start w/ the JAA.
(As a side note: I suppose that a JAR Class 2 medical certification from any European country is fine?)

[XLC]

Thank you Donalk,

but what would be the benefit(s)? For licence renewal?
Talking of which, is the implementation of EASA regulations going to affect the overseas training like for the JAR-PPL in the US?

[BackPacker]

after tallying 100+ h it is possible to convert to a JAA's (but I think there are some extra exams required for EU).

After 100 hours PIC you get waived a few ground exams - in the UK three out of the seven I think. But you still need to do the skills test in the air. The answer is somewhere in LASORS. Be advised that for the Belgium situation the rules may be different.

The situation is no different in the US by the way. If you want a *standalone* FAA PPL you need to do the written exam (there's only one exam in the US anyway) plus the normal skills test.

(As a side note: I suppose that a JAR Class 2 medical certification from any European country is fine?)

Yes.

but what would be the benefit(s)? For licence renewal?

The benefits would be mostly on the administration side. It's a local phonecall in your own language instead of an overseas call to Gatwick and if you need to send something in by mail, the postage is less. But as far as flying is concerned there are very few reasons to do this and they typically have to do with a small deviation from what's written in the local law vs. the original JAR-FCL texts. I can think of two right now:

One is that the JAR-FCL texts allow "VFR on top" meaning in VMC but not in sight of the surface due to a cloud layer below. Under UK law, this is not allowed for a plain PPL(SEP) holder, but this restriction is waived once you get an IMC/IR rating. If you were to convert your plain PPL to that of another country, you may not have that restriction anymore - or more likely have it replaced by another restriction...

The other one is specific for the Netherlands. In NL, Night VFR is forbidden. The problem arises when you want to do the Night Rating, either as a standalone, or as a prerequisite for the IR. In NL they've made an exception: if you do the night flying, including the stop-and-goes, on an IFR flightplan, with an IR-instructor next to you who says nothing and does nothing, and you log those hours as SPIC, then this is accepted by the Dutch authorities instead of the five solo stop-and-goes. Unfortunately the UK CAA did not accept this, so I still have to find an opportunity to do five night solo stop-and-goes somewhere to get that rating.

It's this sort of little things that may suddenly become important. But you can always convert your license from the UK to your home country as and when something like this becomes important. You don't have to do things straight away while the ink is still wet.

And EASA is supposed to harmonize this anyway.

[XLC]

your information is as usual very useful. Thanks for that. The last thing that remains now is to select the school, I suppose there will be a good list of information in other forums on this site. (Albeit recently the financial health of the schools will be important as well, do not want a school to suddenly close while there).

Anyway, take care, and good day