Foreign pilot rental checkout...Does he need a flight review?

[RocktheWings]

I'm a bit fuzzy on whatever the regulations and guidelines are for foreign pilots converting their license to the FAA equivalent. I have a guy in the next couple of days who is from Europe who has a reservation with me for a quick rental checkout so he can then tour the state in one of our planes. In order to be legal I would imagine he needs an actual flight review with the proper endorsement on top of the rental checkout (i.e a combo of both) in order to do this. Is this right? Is there anything that he might have that would be obvious that he is already compliant? Like passing of a checkride in Europe or anything? Apparently he has is ATP and is active with an airline, but that's about all I know.

Thanks

 

[MauleSkinner]

He won’t be converting to an FAA equivalent...he can get a VFR FAA Private Pilot certificate based on his non-U.S. ATP (it actually requires that he have his non-US certificate with him while using it), and is subject to all appropriate regs, including flight review requirements. And he’s already got to have that done if you’re meeting in a few days.

Also, make sure you’re checking the TSA rules for what constitutes “flight training” so that both he and you have the appropriate documentation should it be required.

 

[RocktheWings]

He won’t be converting to an FAA equivalent...he can get a VFR FAA Private Pilot certificate based on his non-U.S. ATP (it actually requires that he have his non-US certificate with him while using it), and is subject to all appropriate regs, including flight review requirements. And he’s already got to have that done if you’re meeting in a few days.

Also, make sure you’re checking the TSA rules for what constitutes “flight training” so that both he and you have the appropriate documentation should it be required.

Thanks for the response. I'd imagine he already has the FAA certificate done (hopefully), but I'm unsure if he has completed his flight review prior to our flight (and dont' have his contact info on hand). It's most likely not a huge deal as the rental checkout will be very similar to a flight review in terms of maneuvers and I can work in an overview of part 91 and the relevant regulations to our discussion. My hope was that perhaps some airline thing he's already completed would be transferable as a flight review, but it doesn't look like that's the case.

In terms of his citizenship verification, from my understanding I don't need to do much from my end according to the AOPA guidance:

https://www.aopa.org/advocacy/pilot...n-flight-training-citizenship-validation-rule

He wont be student pursuing a certificate or rating, but merely doing recurrent training and could even fall under 61.31 as I may need to give him a complex endorsement too. The flight school however may want to check out his paperwork for their own purposes.

 

[Witmo]

Does he have a current medical from a FAA approved flight surgeon?

 

[sarangan]

I'm a bit fuzzy on whatever the regulations and guidelines are for foreign pilots converting their license to the FAA equivalent. I have a guy in the next couple of days who is from Europe who has a reservation with me for a quick rental checkout so he can then tour the state in one of our planes. In order to be legal I would imagine he needs an actual flight review with the proper endorsement on top of the rental checkout (i.e a combo of both) in order to do this. Is this right? Is there anything that he might have that would be obvious that he is already compliant? Like passing of a checkride in Europe or anything? Apparently he has is ATP and is active with an airline, but that's about all I know.

Thanks

I had one of these situations many years ago. In order to fly an N-registered airplane, he needs a FAA-issued certificate (which can be issued on the basis of his foreign pilot's license). Then for all practical purposes he is a domestic pilot and needs to comply with the FARs. Getting him up to speed on the FARs will be the challenge, since the rules are likely to be different from where he is coming. For local flights, its probably not a big deal, but if he is planning long cross country trips, I would be concerned, ATP or not.