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3 Answers

PPL or LAPL in the EU vs US (EU national, Native English speaker)

Asked by: 6948 views General Aviation, Light Sport Aircraft, Private Pilot, Student Pilot

Ladies and Gents,

I am interested in getting my PPL or LAPL and I am trying to decide which one and whether to do it in Europe or the US. While there are different reasons for doing it in either location, I have understood that the European version gives more flexibility in terms of where I can fly in the world. It definitely already gives me access to all EU countries (correct me if I'm wrong here, though) and a website that I recently found states the following (I don't understand what they mean about the 100 hours):

"with the European PPL, you will enjoy almost universal flexibility. With an American FAA licence, this would need converting if you want to use it in Europe and would require additional skill tests and check rides, and, above all, 100 hrs of actual flight time on the FAA licence"

The clear advantages of getting the US version is being able to do it in a place like texas or california where the weather is more VFR friendly for more of the year. As well as this, there is the clear benefit to a native English speaker (I speak other languages but there is too much room for mistakes when speaking a second language while learning to fly, classes and especially with ATC). The other advantage is that there is an American school that does a 2 week course which is quite an attractive idea and I have not seen anything like this in the EU. Also, the US seems to have a more vibrant aviation community and it seems to be cheaper in the US. The downside with the US version is enrolling as an "alien" and all the red tape that this path might entail.

I would also (nice to have, not essential)  like to be able to fly in Australia at some point so I am not sure which one would allow me to do this.

Any thoughts or advice?

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3 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    LTCTerry on Apr 04, 2017

    I presume you are in Europe somewhere using the terms PPL and LAPL. An FAA private pilot certificate and an EASA private pilot license are both ICAO conforming “licenses.” Perhaps slightly simplified – you can fly anywhere in the world with an FAA certificate – if you are in an N-registered airplane. You can fly anywhere in the world with an EASA PPL – if you are in an airplane registered in an EASA country. (With a tiny exception) you cannot fly outside of either environment with the other’s paperwork.

    You quote “universal flexibility” and “converting” – “all the EU countries” together are not a lot bigger than Texas. Wherever you start, you have to “convert” to fly in the other place.

    A LAPL is not a conforming license; it can only be used in the country of issue or in another with advance permission. This is analogous to the US Sport Pilot Certificate.

    Are you in the UK? If so, you can currently fly G-reg airplanes (aeroplanes?) on an FAA certificate.

    Pretty much wherever you go in the world, if you want to fly there, there are ways to make it work. I did it FAA to German to EASA. Many people in Europe take advantage of one or more of the options offered by the FAA.

    Here’s my advice – assuming you want to fly for fun, and assuming you are in Europe. Learn to fly wherever you are going to be doing most of your flying for the rest of your life. Join a club. Find a local flight school. If you spend the money there to get your PPL/LAPL (PPL, please!) then you will be a valued customer long before you are done. You will have learned in the often awful European weather. Otherwise you show up with the message “I spent $12,000 at someone else’s business, now I’d like you to teach me to fly here.”

    You might “save some money” learning to fly in the US, but by the time you have EASA-ized every thing, that savings will be gone. By the time you get used to flying in minimal VFR weather as is common in Europe, the savings will be long gone.

    Once you have your PPL, take a flying vacation to the US. Or to Australia. Plan the paperwork in advance and you can get a checkout and fly solo/PIC. If you want something really exciting, go to a Wave Soaring Camp in Minden, Nevada after you have your license. You can fly dual, no problem, and experience the mountains from 18,000′ or higher. Go to Florida and get checked out in a Piper Cub on floats or fly to the Bahamas.

    Speaking of gliders, depending on where you are, you might want to consider starting in Gliders – this is so much more common and substantially less expensive than power. And all the experience counts towards you being a better pilot, even if EASA add-on rules are weird. You can go from glider to touring motor glider to PPL (LAPL, too) in reasonable chunks and at every step along the way be a better pilot than you were before. Plus, you can take people with you sooner.

    Are you in the UK? Germany? Depending on where you are, I can recommend a few places.

    Hope this helps!

    Terry

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  2. Alessi on Apr 04, 2017

    Hi Terry,

    Firstly, thanks for your very thorough and informative answer – This really helps me out a lot.

    I am in Germany and have lived in the EU for half my life. I am still convinced that Europe will be home for the rest of my days so I can only assume that if I do get my PPL, Europe is where I will do most of my flying. I know that I would have to be mad though not to experience that which the US has to offer for recreational flying. And this is exactly all it will be for me, fun. Something that I think I will truly love and be happy to spend all my money on as long as I still love doing it. Australia is where I am from so wanting to fly there is more about sharing the experience with my family who live there…if they dare get in the plane with me 🙂

    I am in Munich which I was surprised to discover has some pretty decent weather during summer and spring. I lived in Holland for five years and the weather there was atrocious most of the year. During the last summer in Munich we had almost day after day of clear skies for weeks. While It won’t be as good as Texas, it will be better than northern parts of Europe. Spain also has great weather of course although I am not sure I want to be flying in such heat as flying in or over hot air is mostly turbulent, right? In any case, that much heat is sometimes uncomfortable for me. I think the summer in southern Germany gives a nice moderate temperature for flying.

    I have so far been quoted by a German school for a course and the man who runs it is also recognised by the FAA (even though he’s German) so this has to be a good sign. They run a partially intensive course (two sets of two weeks with as much time off in between as I need) which suits me perfectly. I learn better with things fresh in my mind rather than having a week or longer in between lessons. They also offer their subject tuition remotely (law, Meteorology, Navigation, Operational Procedures, etc) which suits me as I hate being in classrooms. I would like to choose from at least two options though so I am looking for another couple of schools that offer something similar around the Munich area. I have found a few although they seem to cater for airline pilots. I am just not interested in any of that and in any case, I’m tool old for it and I have done my fair share of bad working hours!

    The whole idea of flying is very recent for me so I am still feeling about and trying to understand it. The scenery and opportunity to explore is at least 80 percent of the reason I want to do this. The rest of it is the cool-factor of being able to fly myself and my family or friends to my holiday destination! At this point, I am still not sure how I will handle being in a small plane. I’ve flown all over the world but only as a passenger in large airliners which is of course, completely different.. If find I am too uncomfortable, It could be a deal breaker.

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  3. LTCTerry on Apr 05, 2017

    Alessi,

    I have a friend who instructs just north of Munich. She can teach in German or English. I can put you in touch with her. Look online at the Deutsche Alpen Segelflug Schule Unterwössen (DASSU) which is only about an hour from Munich. It’s an incredible place to learn to fly.

    In Germany I would encourage you to go SPL > TMG > PPL. It’s an efficient, cost effective process.

    My Yahoo if you have questions is LTCTerry2006. Du kannst Deutsch oder Englisch schreiben – German or English is OK.

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