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3 Answers

Instrument Ratings based on foreigner license

Asked by: 2432 views , ,
FAA Regulations, Instrument Rating, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

I recently got my private license based on my foreigner license. Now I would like to add on the instrument rating. I learned that I need to take a knowledge exam but that all I could find about it. I don’t know who to talk to in order to schedule this exam,  how and where and to take it.....

I wonder if someone here could help me with that?

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3 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Apr 08, 2020

    There are two ways you can go about this.

    If you have instrument privileges on your foreign license, you can take a knowledge test, verify your foreign license and have instrument privileges added to your Private Pilot certificate, which is base on your foreign license.

    Second, if you are pursuing a course of training in the U.S. and want to get a U.S. Commercial Pilot certificate, you will need a U.S. Instrument rating. You can get this by taking a knowledge test (this test is different than the first option), meeting the requirements of 61.65 and taking a practical test. Your Private certificate will then show an Instrument rating with the notation “U.S. Test Passed”. This would allow you to go on to pursue the Commercial.

    Note that per 61.41, any time you might have logged in your home country will count toward the requirements of 61.65.

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  2. Jure de Mello on Apr 08, 2020

    Thank you Kris.

    Something else that I was wondering is if I could pursue the commercial without having a Instrument Rating of any kind (Foreigner test or U.S test passed)?

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  3. Kris Kortokrax on Apr 08, 2020

    Yes, but will bear the following limitation:

    “NOT VALID FOR CARRIAGE OF PASSENGERS FOR HIRE IN AIRPLANES ON CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHTS OF MORE THAN 50 NM, OR AT NIGHT”

    Also, you may only get the Commercial if you have the U.S. Test Passed. You may not get it on the basis of a foreign instrument rating.

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