Faa Conversion

[Iceman]

Hi, I'm sure this has been covered before but I can't find it. I have a CDN comm helicopter licence, I need an FAA licence now, what do I have to do?

[Plinko]

Hey Iceman

 

This was covered last year and got pretty interesting! lol

 

Basically your Canadian Com licence gets you a private FAA licence. You have to apply for it and go through the security background checks.

 

Once you have your private you need to do 3 hours with a FAA approved instructor before you can do a flight test.

 

You also have to write the FAA commercial helicopter pilots exam.

 

If you are planning to fly part 135 ops in the US (charter, USFS min requirement for contract machines) you will need to have 25 hours of night flying also.

 

A good resource is Chinook Helicopters in Abottsford. Cathy is an approved FAA examiner and can get you up to speed on things. She also gets an examiner to come up from the states to do your ride.

 

As far as the written exam goes..they do not change the questions much on their exams...www.webexams.com is a nice place to practice along with the books.

 

I am currently working in the USA with a visa for the USFS. The other obstacle to working down here is immigration. Unless you are a US citizen you will need a visa in order to find work. That can be a challenge unless your company sponsors you. Also you need to be employed by the sponsoring Canadian company for at least a year.

 

Hope this helps...if you want any more info just pm me

 

Good luck

Plink

[Iceman]

Hey thanks for that Plinko.

 

My situation is a little different. I am looking at flying a N registered machine down here in the Caribbean, not in America.

 

Most likely I would fly up to Florida to get it done.

[Plinko]

Not sure how that works then. If a N registered a/c is leased by a Canadian company than you can fly it with a Canadian licence in Canada. One cannot fly an N registered a/c in the US without a FAA licence. No idea what applies in the Sunny South! Are you working for a carribean registered company?

[volition]

I got the FAA private license with my Commercial License. It was easy and simple to do. I did it so I can rent helicopters down there for much cheaper. :up:

[shaggy]

V, after you sent in your info, how long did it take for you to receive your documentation from the FAA granting you the PPL privileges?

thanks

[nobul]

Look this up on the FAA it looks like what you will need

 

 

61.77 Special purpose pilot authorization: Operation of U.S.-registered civil aircraft leased by a person who is not a U.S. citizen.

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(a) General. The holder of a foreign pilot license issued by a contracting State to the Convention on International Civil Aviation who meets the requirements of this section may be issued a special purpose pilot authorization by the Administrator for the purpose of performing pilot duties—

 

(1) On a civil aircraft of U.S. registry that is leased to a person who is not a citizen of the United States, and

 

(2) For carrying persons or property for compensation or hire on that aircraft.

[volition]

It took them about 3 weeks to verify my Canadian Commercial License. They sent me a letter, then I took a drive to the nearest FAA Office, and I got the license on the spot. (The faa does not charge you a dime.) Then 6 weeks later, I got the driver's license looking one in the mail. :punk: