Hello,

I initially got my PPL in Canada and then moved to the US for a long time.

I got my IR in the US and have been flying there for a decade+ so I’m trying to shake off the rust wrt the differences between the US and Canada. I remember when I went down there and kept defaulting to the Canadian rules and now it’s the opposite!

I’m prepping for the FAAIA exam, is there any guidance out there on what to study? I read through the required reading list on the TC Written Exam Guide - is that comprehensive?

I needed to do a license validation when I moved to the US, Do I need to do that in reverse? I don’t see that in the TC guide, but how are they confirming my instrument rating is real?

My last FAA IPC was in Jan 2024, so I’m outside the 12 month grace period now and need to maintain the 6/6/6 rule right? But I DON’T need to be recent to exchange the license?

Also - wrt maintaining IFR currency and the 6/6/6 rule am I right in understanding the following?

I need 6 hours and 6 approaches (to minimums?) in either a simulator or under actual or simulated conditions in an airplane. I do not need an instructor for either the simulator or the airplane, just a safety pilot in the airplane, so I can do the approaches in VMC under VFR. I’ve seen conflicting language on the forums here on if the flight needs to be with an instructor and do you need to be on an IFR flight plan.


Thanks!

6 hrs 6 approaches to mins, within the last 6 months in simulated or actual conditions. You do not need to be on IFR flight plan, nor with an instructor. A safety pilot will suffice.

And all 6 hours can be flown in a simulator without an instructor?

If the sim is certified by TC, then I don't see why not. That being said, you will likely have a hard time finding a sim that is certified for IFR training that someone will rent to you without an instructor. Perhaps they exist but most schools will require an instructor on board. Partly because they want the revenue, but also to make sure it is run properly. You will also get the best experience that way.

I would focus more on flying regularly and being proficient instead of simply finding the cheapest way to meet the minimum requirements to be current.

Good luck.

Northbound69 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:10 pm And all 6 hours can be flown in a simulator without an instructor?

It's likely cheaper to just do an IPC and be good again for 12 months.

khedrei wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2025 5:49 pm If the sim is certified by TC, then I don't see why not. That being said, you will likely have a hard time finding a sim that is certified for IFR training that someone will rent to you without an instructor. Perhaps they exist but most schools will require an instructor on board. Partly because they want the revenue, but also to make sure it is run properly. You will also get the best experience that way.

I would focus more on flying regularly and being proficient instead of simply finding the cheapest way to meet the minimum requirements to be current.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice.

I found a place that would rent me the aim after 1 hour of dual.

While I'm never too old to learn something new, I flew about 1200 hours of IFR time over the last 10 years with an IPC every year so I'm reasonably comfortable handling the aircraft and just need to figure out what I need to be legal to fly again in Canada.

digits_ wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2025 6:15 pm

Northbound69 wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:10 pm And all 6 hours can be flown in a simulator without an instructor?

It's likely cheaper to just do an IPC and be good again for 12 months.

I've got a few ATPL friends who said if I could find a sim they'd sit beside me to get the 6/6/6 but maybe the IPC is a better path.

To close the loop on this.

I found an FAAIA study guide from TC at the end of the INRAT study guide.

I would say studying all of that nukes the amount they expect, and I wasted a lot of time.

Don't focus on all of the things that a VFR PPL would need to know, they assume you know that from your PPL or CPL conversion exam.

They want to make sure you know what the CARS are, you understand that you need to file a flight plan sometimes and what happens if you don't close your flight plan, you need to know fuel and alternate requirements etc

If you have limited time, I found that the AIM stuff covered far more of the test than the CARS portions, so focus there.

There was nothing from the CAPGEN, I spent hours reading that and it didn't cover anything that wasn't in the AIM.