Converting Canadian License To American License

[chopper]

Hello to all.

 

I am looking for any info, with regards to converting Canadian pilots license to American license. I have been in the industry for 10 years now, and need a change(warmer weather, sleep in my own bed,ect,ect). Any info would be greatly appreciated, as well any contact info. I live in the east. Thanks for your time.

 

Chopper

[VNE]

Hey Chopper,

 

I've been looking into it myself. Go here >> www.flightschoolcandidates.gov/fsindex.html << for a bunch of info. If you register on the site, there is more information that you are likely looking for. From what I can tell so far, all you have to do is go through the security screening then go do you're training. Unlike a Canadian lisence you'll require some night time which I believe is 7hrs. Then to qualify to fly part 135, which from what I understand is the equivilant of our air taxi, you need 25hrs of night time.

 

This is just what I've found out so far. I think this is all pretty accurate. Hopefully that's of some help to you.

 

Good Luck

VNE

[southoftheborder]

Boys boys boys, now why would you want to come down here to work ha ha ha. Did the change over a few years ago and have been working everyday since. But remember one thing you need a work visa or green card to get a job down here and they don't give those out very easily.

Go to the FAA web site and navigate to license conversions, you see Canada and the U.S.A both belong to ICAO and thus follow the same rules. Print the conversion page out . fill it out and send it off to the FAA in OK. This is how they verify that you have the experience and time. If you have the time phone Randy Rowles at Palm Beach Helicopters, he has a 1-800 number on his web site and he is really good at explaining to you what you need to do next. Like i said its pretty straight forward but getting the permission to work is the tough part.

Cheers boys and have fun.

ps sunny and 78F in Abilene today

SOB

[Hanging Out]

Check out Chinook Helicopters in Abbotsford. Did mine in 5 days, they know all the in's and out's. Very hassel free.

[volition]

You mean it took 5 days to get your american license at chinook. Even the american medical??

[Skidz]

I did my conversion last spring. Two pieces of advice:

 

1- Get your FAA PPL(H) recognized on the basis of your Canadian CPL(H) before you go for the conversion. That way it won't be a conversion at all but simply a commercial checkride. I had to do two checkrides back to back. The process can take up to three months.

 

2- Jump through all of the TSA hoops before you cross the border, but to do that, you need to have chosen your flight school first. You can avoid the process altogether if you get an FAA examiner to do your checkride in Canada (like they do at Chinook I think). The process only applies to people going fr flight training. I tried arguing that I already knew how to fly, so if it was my intent to go fly into a building or something, I already knew how... Didn't work...

[volition]

So on the FAA website. They have a form to verify your commercial license. Sending that to them will not grant you a FAA License?? You have to get check rides?? :down:

[Skidz]

The ICAO treaty grants the holder of a commercial license in one member country a private license of the same class/category in any other member country, subject to certain administrative procedures. Once the FAA verifies your credentials with TC, they will send you your FAA PPL. I believe there are certain fees involved.

 

Converting your FAA PPL to an FAA CPL requires you meet the licensing requirements (150 hours TT, 100 hours PIC, 10 hours night, long x-country, etc.). You need to write the CPL exam, for which you need a signed recommendation by an FAA CFI. After that, you need a CFI's recommendation to take the check ride. All this means you will have to fork out some money for ground and flight training, and although there is no minimum requirement, most CFI's will require you do at least a day of groundschool and 3 to 5 hours of flight training before they'll sign off on you.

 

One thing of note: Canadian helicopter pilots are an anomaly. You usually have to do a PPL before you can do a CPL. This is the case for Canadian plank drivers. In many ICAO countries, you have to do your plank PPL before you can go fling-wing.

[volition]

Oh! I see, they will grant you a ppl. I might do that..........since i live close to the usa, and i could get some time, for a cheaper rate.

[Harmonic_Vibe]

Does anyone know roughly what it costs at Chinook?