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Someone with PPL from Australia wants FAA PPL

Asked by: 1531 views Flight Instructor

There a guy who got his ppl in Australia and was having trouble converting it to an FAA ppl, so he asked me if I could help him get ready to retake the checkride. Would I just have to get clearance from the TSA, make sure he has all the required hours, do the 3 hours of test prep, make sure he is proficient in all the maneuvers, and then sign him off for the checkride?

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2 Answers



  1. Bryan on Jul 15, 2022

    61.75. For a private pilot transfer, the guy can get a “U.S. private pilot certificate based on the foreign pilot license without any further showing of proficiency” as long as they meet the requirements of (b).

    If all he wants is to fly privately, he just needs to contact the FSDO and fill out their form to verify the authenticity of the foreign license. The FAA says it can take 45-60 days, but that’s way cheaper than doing a new checkride.

    Even if he wants to advance his skills, he can effectively skip the PPL level by doing this and add instrument or commercial later. If he adds the commercial here through the FAA, that would remove the requirement that he have his foreign license with him whenever he flies here, too.

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  2. LTCTerry on Jul 17, 2022

    There’s a good bit of work you have to do to train foreign flight students.

    The Australian pilot can get an FAA Private Certificate w/o ever getting in an airplane. It’s all a paperwork exercise. A 61.56 Flight Review is required to fly as PIC. But that’s the first time in an airplane. No “three hours in the previous two calendar months.” No written. No checkride.

    As Bryan mentioned, this Private Certificate issued under 61.75 can be used to can an instrument rating and as the required stepping stone to an FAA Commercial that would be fully independent of the Australian license.

    If the Australian pilot has an instrument rating, the FAA offers a “foreign pilot instrument rating written test” that allows use of the foreign IR with the 61.75 “piggback” certificate. This IR does not fulfill the requirement for an instrument rating to be a Commercial Pilot.

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