PPL to an American PPL

harddeckflyer · Post by **harddeckflyer** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:24 pm

I havn't heard any real answer yet, and I couldn't find any solid info on the FAA's website. I need to convert my PPL so I can rent a Yank's plane for a few months this summer. Theres no Canadian planes to rent in the Sault that I know of, the best I can do is at Sanderson in Michigan, I can rent a warrior there for reasonable but I need to convert my license, so anyone that can head me in the right direction or if anyone knows of any hidden aircraft I can rent in Sault Ontario that would be nice to.
Your help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers
HD

Flybabe · Post by **Flybabe** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:27 pm

FAA will give you a PPL straight across for a Canadian PPL. Go to a FSDO.

flyby · Post by **flyby** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:52 pm

As Flybabe posted go to the closest FSDO fill out a form and they give you a FAA PPL that is conditional on your Canadian License and Medical.

I was on business in Las Vegas and wanted to rent a plane to fly to the Grand Canyon. Walked in to the FSDO 15 minutes later walked out with the PPL. FAA did not charge a fee for this!

Last year, again on business, I was in Morritown, NJ and decided I wanted to do some flying and also get my full FAA PPL. I only had evenings available so did 2 practice flights with an instructor and then did the flight test all at night. Now that was a challenge.

Here is what you have to do to get the full PPL:
1. Do a quick check out with a flight school?
2. Pass a written test. (Very easy, I walked in , no studying, did a practice test - passed. Did the real test - passed. All done online at the Flight School.)
3. Get a medical.
4. Get a letter from TC stating your Canadian licence is in good standing. (This is more of a security check)
5. Do the pre-flight and the flight test with the examiner.

I did all of this is 4 evening sessions including the written tests. About 4 hour in the air for the checkout and fligth test.

looproll · Post by **looproll** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:46 pm

Is is spelled out on an FAA website. Here's what I did just months ago:

fax copies of your Canadian documents to the AIRMAN CERTIFICATION BRANCH in Ok. They will check with TC to validate your licence and you will receive a letter from them for verification. NOW you book an appointment (FSDO are by appointment only, Baltimore is anyways). Take your letter and your docs with you and then you will fill out the form and get your FAA ticket.

Keep searching Google.

looproll · Post by **looproll** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:49 pm

this took me about 30 seconds to find

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificate ... ification/

here is the form to fax http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificate ... y61-75.pdf

A person who is applying for a U.S. rating or medical certificate on the basis of a foreign license must apply for that certificate at least 90 days before arriving at the designated FAA FSDO where the applicant intends to receive the U.S. certificate. This initial application step is the responsibility of the applicant.

in reality it didn't take 90 days. I got the letter from the ACB a few weeks after faxing copies of my licence and the form. I then booked my appointment at the FSDO.

TorontoGuy · Post by **TorontoGuy** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:19 am

This is good to know. I took it literally when all the flight schools say that a Canadian PPL will let you fly anywhere in the world. It never occurred to me that you'd have to get certification from local authorities -- esp. the US. I figured it worked like a Canadian driver's licence does in most countries.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 8:56 am

Flyby, I wasn't aware that you actually had to do a Flight Test. I thought that was for converting a Canadian CPL to an FAA CPL. My impression was that all was required was the scheduled visit to an FSDO.

In my area, I've considered flying down to Rochester or Detroit to get it done. Preferably KROC to avoid the headache of Detroit.

harddeckflyer · Post by **harddeckflyer** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 8:58 am

Thanks for the help I had found that website and form but was still unsure if that was exactly what I needed so thanks for clearing that up. But I'm still hoping for something to rent in Sault Ontario.

bob sacamano · Post by **bob sacamano** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:00 am

looproll wrote:Is is spelled out on an FAA website. Here's what I did just months ago:

fax copies of your Canadian documents to the AIRMAN CERTIFICATION BRANCH in Ok. They will check with TC to validate your licence and you will receive a letter from them for verification. NOW you book an appointment (FSDO are by appointment only, Baltimore is anyways). Take your letter and your docs with you and then you will fill out the form and get your FAA ticket.

Keep searching Google.

Pretty much what he said.

For the CPL you need to do a flight test.
For the Multi it converts right over
The IFR needs a writen test of 40 questions (if I remember correctly)

PPL's a no brainer, send your docs to Oktown and wait for the letter to come. Then go to your nearest fizdo and off you go.

water wings · Post by **water wings** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:51 am

got my CPL switched over to FAA PPL in a minute or 2 (about 6 years ago) the only thing they wouldn't give me was my float rating!!!

here are the reasons... i had a multi rating and a float rating but had never flown a multi sea plane... therefore, no float rating was granted. The wording on the CDN license confused him "all single and multi, land and sea plane... blah blah" He didn't seem to understand the idea of a check out on type..
I let it go as i only had to ferry a land plane over from LA, but it still peaves me.

flyby · Post by **flyby** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 12:50 pm

Clodhopper,

As I tried to explain there are 2 types of PPL:
1. Conditional FAA PPL that is dependant on your Canadian PPL and Medical. For this just make an appointment with the nearest FSDO. They will tell you what documentation that would be required.

2. A full FAA PPL that stands on its own and does not require your Canadian PPL or Canadian Medical. You would get this if you were planning on moving to the US and didn't plan on keeping your Canadian medical up to date. You would have to now keep a US Medical up to date. You also have to pass a written & flight test for this one. Same process for converting your CPL and other ratings.

Also I didn't have to wait 90 days because I already had a valid Conditional FAA PPL which was considered a legal US form of I.D. My Canadian driver's license was used for government issued photo ID which is required.

Hope that clarifies things.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:44 pm

Good stuff, thanks Flyby.

I've made a note of that for "Things I Need to Do" soon. That, and plan the trip to KROC.

harddeckflyer · Post by **harddeckflyer** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:13 pm

So if I wanted to rent a plane say once a week for 8 months, your saying all I would need is this conditional license, I'm not living there or anything, just jumping across the ditch for a few hours to do some flying in the US while I am working in Ontario. I guess I could just call them and they would clear all of this up.

flyby · Post by **flyby** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:27 pm

Yes all you need is the Conditional PPL. Which when I got it back in 2000 didn't cost anything and only took 15 minutes. Sounds like it is longer now because of the security checks. Up to 90 days.

Same day I got the PPL I went to North Las Vegas to rent an Arrow to fly myself and a couple of buddies out to West Grand Canyon. Only let down was the CFI had to come along because I wasn't "checked out".

Post by **avcanada** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 8:57 pm

Things have changed if you want an unrestricted FAA license. To get an unrestricted recreational pilot, sport pilot, private pilot, instrument rating, or multiengine rating you might want to sit down and read the new rules from the TSA http://www.aopa.org/tsa_rule/ .

Also I believe if you wish to visit a FSDO you need to make a prior appointment.

Any flight training that involves the licenses or ratings above takes around 6 weeks to get final authorization from the TSA. Now for a Category 4 which I think license conversion fall under the time limit for processing may be quicker.

How do I submit an application for Category 4 (aliens who hold a pilot certificate from a foreign country and would like to get an unrestricted U.S. pilot certificate)?

Category 4 training requests for applicants are submitted by the provider through the form on the provider Web site. Flight school providers should click on the "Category 4 Menu" folder and the "Submit New Category 4" link within the flight school provider Web site. There is no processing fee for Category 4 requests.

Post by **avcanada** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:24 am

some additional info

I presently hold a pilot certificate from a foreign country and would like to get an unrestricted U.S. pilot certificate that is NOT based on my foreign certificate. Does this require registering with TSA?

Yes. TSA has stated that aliens who already hold a pilot certificate issued by a foreign country and are applying for an unrestricted U.S. pilot certificate should apply as a Category 4 candidate. Category 4 training requests for applicants are submitted by the provider through the form on the provider Web site. Flight school providers should click on the "Category 4 Menu" folder and the "Submit New Category 4" link within the flight school provider Web site. There is no processing fee for Category 4 requests. Category 4 candidates may commence training after receiving the "Request for Training Application Received" e-mail, which TSA issues upon receiving all of the required information.