Adding a MAJOR UPGRADE to my Pilot License!

[@HugoWiffen]

Congrats Stef! I'd personally love to see a video talking about the differences between CASA and FAA regulations

[@StefanDrury]

Cheers Hugo, and thanks for saying the video would be useful.

[@sunnyisaperson]

@@StefanDruryHey Stefan just wondering if you could saying just “hi” it would make my day 😂😅 love your channel so much. 😊

[@tyjohnson7428]

I know vfr minimums are very different

[@StefanDrury]

@@sunnyisapersonI appreciate that, and hi 👋

[@High_Alpha]

Plus 1 for the comparison! Also, would you ever think about N-registering EYZ?

[@russellwhitbread]

Another option for pilots that have over 1500 hours under their belt is to go the FAA SIngle Engine ATP It was by far the simplest thing I've done in aviation Philippe also helped me with some guidance I have a UK licence, like you I verified the home licence, had to sit one written test but I also had to do a flight test but this results in a standalone FAA licence which is no longer based on your home licence which makes it much more useful. As long as you prepare all the paperwork etc before heading to the states the whole process once in the state is super quick and easy and I was able to do everything in 5 days I highly recommend it On a different note, I was on the ramp the other day and parked next to N774MW, I knew the reg looked familiar and she now has a new owner after your adventures in her (the owner also explained to me why a lot of N reg Cirrus in the UK end with Mike Whiskey which I'm surprised I hadn't realised before)

[@michaelfink64]

I am not a pilot and have only gained knowledge by watching your videos, Stef. I got 80% on your questions (not counting "What happened at the FAA?").

[@mythicalphoenix5293]

As a pilot here in the US, I can attest to the practice test offered by Sheppard Air. Their program prepares you so well that it makes the actual exam less nerve wracking to take. Just passed my commercial and I'm starting to study for my CFI and I can only say great things.

[@pilotpeego1820]

Congrats on passing your exam, and I'm glad you enjoyed my city. 👍🏼

[@maksimmayer4714]

Sheppard Air, is a wonderful tool!

[@StefanDrury]

Right? It's excellent value for money too.

[@neilslessor6419]

Thanks Stef. Great video and perfect timing for me to watch. I’m doing the exact same thing in December at PSI in Brooklyn and the NY FSDO to add my UK CAA IR on to my FAA PPL. Thanks for all the advice, especially Shepard Air - I’m getting stuck into all the questions now. I completely agree about there being some great points about flying on FAA regs (especially coming from the UK 😂) I would love to see you make a video on the differences between CASA & FAA. If you are ever in the Los Angeles area for flying I highly recommend CalAir at Hawthorne Airport. They have a great fleet of SR20s and SR22s, and the location is pretty amazing being so close to LAX. I’ve done a lot of flying there when visiting California. Anyway thanks again, and looking forward to your next videos!

[@shelleysflyingdreams]

Congratulations Steff.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you 🙏

[@samitechcookie9758]

Congrats, Stefan! Also, appreciate the style of multiple-choice in each video section.

[@jordandegraaff]

I’d love to see the a video comparing FAA and, was it CASA? It would be very interesting!

[@StefanDrury]

Yes CASA, that's the regulator here in Australia. Noted with thanks Jordan.

[@thatdude3943]

Sheppard air, nice shout out, used it a bunch.

[@CraneB737]

Love this content. As someone who’s done conversions, It’s so difficult to get the simplest of answers. Would love the differences video. ✈️

[@drfaus454]

Yeah I'd be really interested to see the differences. Particularly what I see on youtube - there are a lot of things I see pilots do and think that we really shouldn't (can't) do that in Australia. Maybe a deep dive into some of these items would be good.

[@StefanDrury]

Noted, thank you. Yeah some of the regulations are a lot simpler to understand (and therefore follow) with the FAA FAR AIM, happy to highlight those if we can make it better for pilots all round. Thanks.

[@Aerialphotovito]

silent subscriber here , welcome to NY my home city actually Long Island . Congratulations on passing your IFR exam. maybe will see you in KFRG someday .

[@nzcirruspilot]

Thought I'd leave a quick heads-up for anyone going through this process as this nearly caught me out. If you're applying for an instrument rating after you already have an FAA PPL, make sure you have a valid verification letter AND make sure you schedule an appointment with the FSDO well before your exam date so you can go straight there after the exam. I did not schedule an appointment in advance and the Oakland FSDO couldn't fit me in for a month after passing my exam. I eventually found a DPE who was able to issue my temporary airman certificate quite quickly but it was quite stressful as I only had a short window in the USA.

[@cappuccino_please]

thank you for the advice :)

[@StefanDrury]

No worries, glad it helped.

[@jfpilot7100]

I did that exercise 2 years ago. What a burden, having to fly to the US, for a 2h written test. Still I stay a week in NY, for a nice break :). Congrat

[@StefanDrury]

Excatly, this is why I did it as part of being in NY for a holiday as well. Also I’m never mad to have to visit. NYC.

[@bordmike]

A video showing the differences would be very cool

[@cfiperry1382]

Good video! Thanks!

[@caltitude]

Unreal Stef! I’ve just moved from Aus to the US in the middle of my flight training. I call the FSDO more than my family at this point! Love the video mate, looking forward to the FAA vs CASA!

[@brucewatts4439]

Well done, that man!!!! So pleased for you mate.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you 🙏

[@tka350]

Great, congratulations.

[@NDCDA62]

Congratulations Stefan!! I hold SEP IRA & MEP IRA EASA, FAA & CAA licences Stefan. Agree, to fly N Reg provides so many opportunities, especially in the U.S. Try flying all around California, especially over LA at night - you will love it !!

[@marsgal42]

I too would love to hear more. As a Canadian PPL it wouldn't take much to get my FAA license from the FSDO in Seattle. Not sure what I would do with it, but that's another matter... 🙂 I've flown C-registered planes in the U.S.A., as well as N-registered planes with an instructor.

[@Flyinnryan96]

Hey! Would love to chat more about this! Canadian CPL with group 1 looking to convert to FAA but confused with the process

[@MidnightN]

if i have an australian RPL can i still convert that to an FAA license or nah?

[@caltitude]

From what I’ve seen on the forms and heard it looks like only a PPL is recognized in the US. But please do let me know if anyone thinks otherwise!

[@thegrinch8161]

This is very informative and thank you for making this video available. 🙏🙏🙏

[@1dullgeek]

As an American pilot, I'm curious what things you think the FAA got right. I say this being entirely unfamiliar with other aviation administrations.

[@brushitoff503]

Awesome stuff, congrats man! Yeah a comparison video would be good to see.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you, good to know it would help.

[@michaelr375]

What military ship was behind you at 5:55?

[@becsterbrisbane6275]

Totally unrelated to this video (congrats btw!) but I've just seen there's a Brisbane Airport auction going on right now and immediately thought of you Stef, as even airport signage is being auctioned, apparently! Now you can pimp your home with runway signage, hahaha!

[@danteg2388]

Congratulations 🎊! A lot of effort on your part to achieve that goal.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you, yes it’s a lengthy process but worth it in the end. I don’t mind a challenge :)

[@carsonknott9884]

Make a video comparing the regulations

[@julienpalamara9108]

Stef a comparison and contrasting of FAA and CASA regs for PPL holders would be great!

[@luissol3964]

Love this channel

[@StefanDrury]

Thanks, love having you here.

[@trueblueflying]

Congrats mate, definitely different. I am Australian living in the US and did it the other way around as I got my PPL in the US, then got my CASA license. But mine are not linked. I am studying to get my CASA instrument endorsement, already have my FAA instrument endorsement. Let me know if your ever in the Vegas area and want to shoot some approaches 😊

[@thatdude3943]

I really hope you did some flying in the US!

[@bradvaughan9061]

Curious if your Australian ifr approaches count to US currency and how you intend to maintain currency for your instrument rating.

[@pumpkinferret]

Love your vids Stef!

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you, appreciate you being here early

[@MattyCrayon]

Well done Stef.👍 I got an FAA PPL based on my CASA CPL, in September. The Van Nuys FSDO were awesome and very quick. Still haven't flown there yet 😂, but next visit I will. I'm studying the IREX theory now. Not sure if to continue doing that, or get an instructor rating, which would help me get more hours. I'd definitely love a CASA v FAA comparison vid. The amount of regulations and legal stuff we have here, seems way more than the rest of the world.

[@jimmybarry193]

Hey Matty Were you able to find travel insurance that covers flying in the US?

[@WilliamWalker-sm7ce]

Hey mate, did you go into the FSDO in person or do it all over Zoom?

[@jimmybarry193]

Congrats, Stef! I am planning on doing some flying in the States myself. The issue is i can't find any travel insurance that covers PIC in the States?

[@Garythefireman66]

Hope you enjoyed your stay in the Big Apple 🗽

[@akkseljohansson3601]

Great video! Thanks for the information. Btw: never use your phone while riding a bike in Germany. This results in a hefty fine, along with black points for your car driver license and thereof you might get problems with your renewal of your flight license… And if you cause a accident while riding bike and using your phone, both, the car driver license and your flight license are immediately suspended!

[@StefanDrury]

That’s useful info, thank you. Not dissimilar to Australia where you can’t use a phone whilst riding a bike, plus helmets are mandatory.

[@fartherfasterhigher6157]

Hi Stef! Congrats on the Instrument addition. I hope it proves super useful for you. That testing center is five minutes from my home. One of my favorite bars (Werkstatt) is a block away.

[@StefanDrury]

Thank you, oh that’s a coincidence! I had a coffee and a slice of cake at Der Pioneer to celebrate afterwards. I love Brooklyn, coffee is so much better there too!

[@fartherfasterhigher6157]

@@StefanDrury Can’t imagine walking into Der Pioneer and seeing Stef D. all the way from Melbourne. Probably would have thought it was a doppelgänger. I’m a fan man, been a sub for years (on both of your channels). Keep up the good content!

[@samothy236]

Massive congratulations Stef! Exciting to hear that you've now got a whole bunch more opportunities for flights outside of Australia, possibly a helping hand for a round the world trip?

[@StefanDrury]

I refuse to talk about "the trip that shall not be mentioned" but yes, it definitely will help for future plans whatever those may be. Thanks as always m2f.

[@samothy236]

@@StefanDrury had to put it out there! Whatever you decide to do with the licence you’ll have all the support, even if it isn’t quite what was planned originally!

[@bazwaterboy522]

Hahaha I got every question wrong. Good job I dont have a licence! 🙂

[@StefanDrury]

Ha! if you’re not trained in this area those questions would be very hard to guess, but good job for trying! Just rewatch the video and you’ll get a perfect score 😀

[@kevincollins8014]

Congratulations brother and I definitely look forward to some possible USA videos in the future 👍😁

[@StefanDrury]

Thanks very much Kevin. There's already been a lot of support for the FAA/CASA video so yeah I'll probably start working on that one.

[@ronaldgeraldez7499]

Is it better pursuing an aviation career in the states compared to here in Australia

[@Keith_Butcher]

Congratulations. The differences video would be well worth making

[@dabenger]

Great video! Do you happen to have a list of places outside the United States where N-registered aircraft are available for rent?

[@davidnelson4707]

thank you for the heads up. i am about to go down the same route . what about the cost?

[@AV8R767]

Love to see a comparison between FAA and CASA.

[@faisalsultan892]

Wait - You didnt need to do a checkride? Thats a massive win to skip the practical test! Congrats!

[@StefanDrury]

That’s right, no FAA checkride required for this particular process. Effectively the most recent IPC (instrument proficiency check) I did in Australia counts as the checkride.

[@snip3d]

Do you have a list of apps you need/use on your ipad / EFB? (AU specifically) - sorry if you've answered before or made a video on it...

[@neilrussell3259]

My vote for a comparison video. It would be directly relevant for me. Why? I got my licence at Bankstown (at Sydney Aerobatic School). I now live in the USA and have a US based on OZ license, and recently got my instrument add-on here. I need to get it converted to an OZ instrument rating.

[@StefanDrury]

Ah yes, you'd have some good insights into the differences as well I bet. Hope you had fun at TAS in Bankstown, I used to fly aeros in one of their Robin R2160s back in the days.

[@neilrussell3259]

I love that plane. I have a R2160 at KRHV which I hope to get flying again soon.

[@CaptainG1001]

Hey Stefan, cld I just ask if u use a separate logbook? One for the FAA and one for CASA hrs?

[@AshleyWincer]

The US online study courses are very good and make it so much easier and cheaper to study and pass..

[@gtmako]

congrats

[@davidmartensson7594]

Good as always! I converted my EASA PPL about a year ago. The flight schools in America sais that I will need a few hours to be able to pass their check ride and get valid. "Few hours" is hard on my budget, and wondering if the difference is that big? Haven't done my FAA check ride beacuse of this. Though I only got a VFR license I would appreciate if you stumble upon or got the time to make anything about that. ✌️🍻

[@chillies4156]

Nice video

[@StefanDrury]

Quick as always!

[@stevendurick9441]

Hey man, I’m not sure if you’re gonna see this, but I wanted to ask an aviation question not related to this video. I’m in the market for a new headset and I’m looking at the DC One-X vs the A30. Not interested in Lightspeed because of TSO and not interested in A20 because of what I’ve heard about clamping force. I’ve got a pair of DC H10-13X’s which have served me well but are pretty heavy and I’m lookin for something with Bluetooth this time I’m wondering how the A30 works with sunglasses as that is something I’m factoring in to my decision (as well as price). Any other replies relating to personal experiences with either headset is appreciated.

[@nzcirruspilot]

Congratulations on passing the test and thank you very much for this video, Stef. Very timely - I'm going through this exact process at the moment to convert my New Zealand license and instrument rating. How long did you set aside to prepare for the written test? I've got the FAA instrument handbooks already which I plan to read first, then I'll hit Shepard Air. I'm thinking a couple of months should be plenty? Do you plan to do the Cirrus transistion courses so you can rent aircraft there? (or maybe you have these already). P.S. I would love to see a video about flying differences between the USA and Australia (which would be similar to NZ).

[@StefanDrury]

I had around 3 weeks to prepare for the written test. That was enough for me using the Sheppard Air system, but I'd say a month would have been a little more comfortable. If you know your NZ IR stuff then I think a few months to learn the FAA side of things should be enough. I already have my Cirrus transition certificate, so I'd just need to be approved by a CSIP to rent an aircraft overseas. Most likely one or two flights for a sign-off. Good luck with yours.

[@nzcirruspilot]

Thanks Stef! Enjoy flying in the U.S. Lots to explore!!

[@nzcirruspilot]

@@StefanDrury Hi Stef, I had a follow-up question on this. I don't believe an FAA IPC is legally required for you to fly IFR in the USA using a Foreign Pilot via BASA instrument rating (correct me if I'm wrong), but have you run into any issues with not being able to rent an aircraft without an FAA IPC being done? Thank you.

[@barrydraper]

Wow! Congrats Stef! Those new "N"ovember privileges should prove quite useful around the globe, in the coming years...

[@StefanDrury]

Thanks Barry, we shall never talk about “the trip that cannot be mentioned”, but in theory yes it would be very useful hey…?

[@rmgreenesq]

When I conveted my Canadian license to a US Airman Certificate, when I got to the end of the process, the FSDO told me to find.a Designated Pilot Examiner or DPE. One difference between converting a Canadian license and the rest of the world. I have a full FAA certificate. There's no disclaiming language tying my FAA certificate to a foreign certificate.

[@TonyHarrisonPhotography]

And riding a bike without a helmet! How did you ever survive Stef! 🙂

[@StefanDrury]

Imagine if the Queensland police saw me doing that!

[@spiro5327]

Very well done Stef though i dare say using Sheppard Air is a bit like cheating, haha. I actually got that last question wrong as i thought you got arrested for being an Aussie. Honestly though i do believe that this video could be very useful for people here in Australia that are considering going through the same or similar process .Thanks mate

[@jimiemick]

Sheppard air is amazing. The FAA conversion is well worth doing. FAA system is much better than the casa system Even the license is plastic not some shit paper lol

[@johnwilcox2239]

Very cool. How will our currency requirements apply to you? Do we say as long as your current t in US your current here, or do you have to meet our currency reqs? Does that have to be done in US airspace, or anywhere? Do you have to do BFRs too? I could see maintain both could be quite the challenge logistically, even though that actual skills are the same.

[@c.j.5435]

Steph, there is (at least for European private pilots) a Private Pilot European Conversion Knowledge exam - a short 40 questions on US airspace etc - which, once passed, gives you the opportunity to get a stand-alone US license which no longer depends on the validity of the European license. Is that type of exam not available to Australian license holders?

[@StefanDrury]

Hey, not as far as I am aware. So does that European Conversion FAA license continue in perpetuity? Would you have to do periodical checks with an FAA instructor to keep it valid?

[@c.j.5435]

​​​@@StefanDruryThe exact name of the exam is "Private Pilot Airplane EU Part-FCL Conversion knowledge test with the code “PEP”. If you have done this, plus verification letter of the European license, a FSDO or DPE can issue you a stand alone license which does not expire. No practical test needed. However, as with any FAA Private Pilot License, you have to do what used to be called the "bienniel flight review" with an FAA CFI every 24 months. The advantage is that this stand alone license is completely independent of the European license.

[@StefanDrury]

@@c.j.5435that’s really interesting, thanks for posting that info for others to see.

[@philcrosby8931]

No flight test, Stef?

[@StefanDrury]

No flight test was required as part of this particular process. The flight test I took with my CASA (Australian) instructor suffices for the FAA certificate in this case.

[@VixionTech]

Hey Stef, I have to ask about the endorsements that I need to fly a da 50 or a cirrus or any other plane mabey a jet civilian ofc where can I get a mock medical for my ppl how do I pass my Written how do I prepare? I truly wanna be a ppl don’t know what I need and if I can get a mock medical ( class 3) love the content also where your talking bout BA-SA is that a navel ship?

[@JimOHalloran]

I guess you were going to New York for the marathon anyway (congrats BTW), but otherwise would it have been possible to take the test on American Samoa, or some other american territory (Hawaii?) a bit closer to home?

[@StefanDrury]

Yes tied a few objectives together into one trip. Returning with a marathon medal and FAA IR was a good result.

[@wagnertenor]

Sheppard Air basically rote learning. No good if that is all you do.

[@gtmako]

No Jac?

[@StefanDrury]

She doesn’t need much encouragement to have a day to herself in New York City whilst I go do aviation things!

[@xenimaging]

I took instrument, commercial, and all the tests for CFI and CFII using Sheppard air and got all 100%.its a bargain

[@callumclausen8658]

I always find the term 'conversion' confusing... sounds like your deleting the validity of one in order for the other one😅

[@StefanDrury]

Yeah fair point, officially it’s a “verification” process. But you’re right it’s not converting one to another, both still exist at the end of the process.

[@deansproductions]

It's pretty there's no way to convert a US Instrument rating to CA$A :(

[@g3monster89]

IMHO the 70% pass rate seems too low...They're basically saying you don't need to know almost 1/3 of the necessary knowledge to safely operate an aircraft in IFR conditions...IMHO it should be 95%

[@kmg501]

It is sort of hard to believe that you have to come all the way to America to get this permission slip...

[@KreatandZonalwolf2]

oh yeah can't wait to watch this one also i'm seeing 69 views :D

[@DanFrederiksen]

One thing I didn't care for in meteorology is that the tested topics, the criteria for passing has little to no bearing on the real world. What I learned can basically be boiled down to cold front bad. Might have thunder and icing. And Reality isn't that simple. We also had other examples from previous exams without which I don't think I would have passed. Seems like a bad premise that you basically need a cheat sheet to pass.

[@swarajsandhu]

Private pilot ‘certificate’

[@matsfrisk3653]

👍

[@tbon22s]

Pilot Certificate...

[@abrahamlevi3556]

It's not a license; it's a certificate.