It's cheaper! From £2500 for a Private Pilots Certificate compared to upwards of £5000 for a European licence obtained in the UK. You are also more likely to have a run of good weather allowing you to complete your licence quickly. In my case, less than three weeks!
Why an FAA (US) Certificate?
It's a better licence. You can obtain both the FAA (USA) Private Pilots Certificate and the JAA (European) Licence at flight schools in the USA, and either will save you money, but the FAA certificate is usually the one to go for. It does not have the daytime-only restriction of the JAA PPL, and does not restrict you to only piston-engined aircraft.
The FAA Certificate only requires a minimum of 35 hours flight time, compared to 45 hours for the European licence. This can save money (assuming you pass in minimum time). The FAA certificate never expires and has no charge for issue, unlike the £140 JAA charge every 5 years.
Can I fly in the UK on an FAA Certificate?
Absolutely! The CAA (the UK aviation authority) gives the same rights to FAA Private Pilots Certificate holders as JAA Private Pilots Licence holders.
What about further training?
The FAA certificate counts as an ICAO licence should you want to start training for a JAA ATPL, just the same as the JAA licence. It's also much easier to do an FAA instrument rating, although there are restrictions on how this is used in the UK.
So why does anyone do a JAA Private Pilots licence in the USA?
Not a clue.
Last Updated Monday, February 27 2006 @ 09:07 PM EST
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