Flyinf in the USA.

I know this has been beaten to death before - but my news provider drops
the archive. So -

I will be visiting the USA for a month or so in mid 2010 - June and
July. Presumably I need to get on with applying for recognition of my
ICAO license? But where to start.

Have friends in Washington and Vancouver that I would like to fly with.
So the next question is - I have to do this a second time for Canada -
but where do I start there?

I went to the FAA site and found the form for verification of a foreign
license. But which FSDO do I use.

Any help gladly received.

Bruce

Use the US FSDO closest to the one where you plan to be on vacation.

You should be able to schedule an appointment at the FSDO, bring all
required papers (Home Pilot Certificate), Passport, home medical certificate
if required. And any proof needed that your home certificate is "current".
They should be able to issue you a US Private Pilot certificate (Glider)
based on your ICAO certificate. It will only be valid when your ICAO
certificate is valid, and you may need to pass a local "Flight Review" with
a US instructor.

This is only needed if you plan to fly as PIC (solo) in US N-numbered
aircraft.
BT

Can't help you with Canada.
"Bruce" wrote in message
...
I know this has been beaten to death before - but my news provider drops
the archive. So -

I will be visiting the USA for a month or so in mid 2010 - June and July.
Presumably I need to get on with applying for recognition of my ICAO
license? But where to start.

Have friends in Washington and Vancouver that I would like to fly with. So
the next question is - I have to do this a second time for Canada - but
where do I start there?

I went to the FAA site and found the form for verification of a foreign
license. But which FSDO do I use.

Any help gladly received.

Bruce

Here's the best info I could find and it is based on recent
experience. Remember to start the "verification" process well before
you come to the USA. THEN contact the FAA FSDO you have indicated on
your verification application. Formal appointments are required to
enter a FSDO building since 2001.

Foreign Pilots may Obtain a US FAA Pilot Certificate by Two Methods:

1. The "Restricted" Private Certificate that is now BASED UPON the
FAA verification of that pilot's foreign license.

Information and the FAA FORM or this verification process is found on
the FAA website at http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certific..._verification/

Before 2001 this was easy -- just walk into to a FAA FSDO office and
fill out the form and they would issue the "Restricted" License to the
foreign pilot immediately.

Since the events of 2001, all foreign pilots must send / mail in
advance their "Verification of Foreign License" form to the FAA. They
must name a specific FAA FSDO office where they want to make
application for the US Pilot Certificate. After this specific FAA
FSDO office receives the approved form back from the FAA main office,
then the applicant can make an appointment to visit their local FAA
FSDO office. If arriving from overseas, this verification should be
sent many weeks before their arrival in the US. Use the form provided
on the FAA website.

Also since the events of 2001, a pilot wanting to fly US Registered
aircraft (with an "N" number) must have some version of a US FAA Pilot
Certificate.
For instance if a foreign pilot wanted to borrow or rent an "N"
registered glider in the USA, (such as at the upcoming World Soaring
Contest at Uvalde, TX in 2012), they must have some version of a US
FAA Pilot Certificate, with glider category rating. A Flight Review
per CFR 61.56 may be required.

If a foreign pilot’s license also requires a “medical certificate”,
then this is part of the “based upon” requirements of the FAA
“Restricted” Pilot Certificate. Therefore a foreign pilot MUST keep
their foreign license “current” per their home country aviation rules
to have the privileges of the FAA “Restricted" Pilot Certificate.

2. The Regular FAA Private / Commercial / Flight Instructor
Certificates are not limited to US citizens, but this requires the
foreign pilot (with no US Pilot Certificate) to take the (appropriate
to the glider rating) FAA Aeronautical Knowledge Test (formerly called
the "written test") at a FAA approved testing center. There are a few
testing centers overseas, such as in Paris, France. This knowledge
test would require that the applicant study, get a flight instructor's
endorsement for the test, and then take the test. With the official
"test results" paper in hand, then the applicant can take the required
ground and flight instruction for Private or Commercial or CFI (per
FAA Regulations in Part 61) WITHIN 60 DAYS of the Practical Test for
the glider rating (also called the "checkride".) The “regular” FAA
Pilot Certificate with Glider category does NOT require a medical
certificate.

Security Background Check: At present the TSA / Homeland Security
office has EXEMPTED all glider pilots receiving training for a GLIDER
pilot certificate from the expensive and time-consuming background
checks and fingerprinting required of foreign pilots. A copy of this
exemption is found on the SSA website at http://www.ssa.org/download/gliderexemption.pdf

"Add-on" Glider Rating: A foreign pilot that already holds the
"regular" (NOT Restricted) US FAA Pilot Certificate for Private,
Commercial, ATP and CFI, can "ADD-ON" the Glider category to their
existing "unrestricted" regular FAA Pilot Certificate by taking the
required ground and flight instruction per FAA Regulations in Part
61.

Remember, there is no requirement that a pilot be a US citizen to hold
a regular FAA Pilot Certificate, however they MUST be able to speak,
understand, read and write the English language to the satisfaction of
the FAA Examiner / Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) and take the
required Part 61 ground and flight instruction before taking the
Practical Test (checkride.) The FAA Form 8710-1 “Airman Certificate
or Rating Application” will be filled out by the applicant and the
applicant's instructor just before the checkride.

Note, in the text of our US FAA Regulations a pilot holds a FAA Pilot
CERTIFICATE (not "License".) Foreign pilots have a "License". Just a
point of detail in the wording of the FAA Regulations. Many US pilots
think they have a "License", when in reality they hold a FAA "Pilot
Certificate" with the aircraft categories, types and ratings listed on
their Certificate.

The Soaring Society of America cannot expedite the "Verification of
Foreign License". Foreign pilots should understand that the SSA is
not empowered by the FAA to process the applications.

The information I have gathered here is to the best of my knowledge
and not the final word from your FAA. Your FAA Inspectors have
"guidance" on this topic so the foreign applicant and their instructor
(and Designated Pilot Examiner) should make contact early in the
verification process with your local FAA Flight Standards District
Office (FSDO).

That said, I have conducted over 40 practical tests to non-US citizen
applicants as a Designated Pilot Examiner without any kickback from
the FAA.

Burt Compton, Master CFIG / FAA Designated Pilot Examiner
Marfa, Texas USA
www.flygliders.com