Foreign students are always welcome at Gauntlet Warbirds. We have had the pleasure of working with students from Canada, the UK, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Malaysia, Australia, Israel, and Japan. The application process to train in the US is easy, especially for holders of US or ICAO Private / PPL certificates or higher. Training in the US is much less expensive than other parts of the world due to our lower fuel costs, lack of landing or user fees, extensive aviation infrastructure and no VAT or other taxes. Our listed prices are what you will pay for each hour of training. The Chicago-Aurora airport is open 24 hours, seven days a week for training and has Class D airspace with a friendly control tower and three runways. Contact Gauntlet today to discuss your training goals and we will help design a program for you and assist you in planning your visit.
Security and FAA Requirements to Fly in the US
If a student is seeking in a training in an aircraft that is under 12,500 pounds MGTOW (all of Gauntlet's aircraft are in this category) Transportation Security Agency (TSA) approval is not required unless a student is seeking training for an initial airman's certificate, an instrument rating or a multi-engine rating per current TSA regulations. Gauntlet prefers that foreign students get a US Private Pilot Certificate / License (PPL) before training and we will happily assist in that process.
If you already have a US Private certificate or higher there is no approval or authorization required to fly at Gauntlet. Note that a US PPL can not expire unless it was issued on the basis of a foreign license which itself has lapsed.
The application and approval process to get a US PPL has two distinct paths depending on if the applicant has an certificate at the PPL level or higher issued by an ICAO country or not. If you do not hold an ICAO PPL please reference the TSA's web page for a full explanation of the application and approval process.
Application with a Foreign PPL
A US PPL and medical certificate can be issued on the basis of your foreign PPL from any ICAO country. Your foreign PPL can not include a statement saying that the holder has not met ICAO standards for that license, you can not hold a US certificate at a level higher than student (in that case you do not need to apply or be approved at all to fly at Gauntlet as you would hold a US certificate), and you must hold either a US or foreign medical certificate.
The application process is quite easy. Simply download and complete the Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License, Rating and Medical Certification. Block 11 asks for the name of the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) where you will pick up the documentation. The DuPage FSDO is the closest to Gauntlet, their address is 31W775 North Ave, DuPage Airport, West Chicago, IL 60185-1056.
With the application you must submit a copy of your foreign license, a copy of your foreign medical certificate and a certified English translation (if the documents are not in English). Once you have completed the application and collected the required documentation fax it to the FAA Airman Certification Branch at 1-405-954-9922 at least 90 days before you intend to pick up your certificate. When your certificate is ready call the FSDO at 1-630-443-3100 and schedule an appointment to pick it up, appointments can often be made the same day and are always available during business hours the next day. The FSDO is located at the DuPage airport about 35 minutes from Aurora at 31W775 North Ave, West Chicago, IL 60185-1056.
Note for United Kingdom and Australian Applicants
In addition to the steps outlined above you must also also contact your CAA to complete and submit some additional required forms before you send your information to the FAA Airman Certification Branch. These forms allow your local CAA to release your information to the FAA. Links to the required UK and Australian CAA documents are provided:
UK Required CAA Document 1
UK Required CAA Document 2
Australian Required CAA Document
Airline Service
Flying into Chicago from anywhere in the world is easy. Chicago O’Hare is the second busiest airport in the world with over 2,400 operations per day and flights to over 60 destinations outside the US. O’Hare is approximately 45 minutes from the Aurora Airport and 30 minutes from downtown Chicago.
Hotels
Gauntlet students have a variety of hotels to choose from when planning their visit to the Chicago area. The first decision is would you rather stay near the airport or stay in downtown Chicago. The area around Aurora is inexpensive and nice but doesn’t have the variety of things to do when not flying that downtown Chicago does. Students who stay in downtown have to plan to travel to and from the airport each day they desire to fly, this usually takes about 60 minutes.
Gauntlet’s recommended hotel near the airport is the Holiday Inn – Aurora. Mention you are training with Gauntlet Warbirds and you will get a discounted room rate along with a free breakfast each morning.
Students who choose to stay in downtown Chicago enjoy the variety of entertainment, cultural and dining options that one of the US’s best cities has to offer. The Chicago Tourism Office is an excellent resource for planning things to do when not flying during your visit here. Gauntlet recommends theWit Hotel, the InterContinental Chicago, The Peninsula and the Swissotel Chicago.
Car Rental
Renting a car at one of Chicago’s airports is easy and relatively inexpensive. Major rental companies at O’Hare include Hertz, Alamo, Budget, Avis, Enterprise and Dollar.
Although one is not required an International Driving Permit is a good idea to have if your license is not in English. In case you are stopped by US law enforcement for a traffic violation the IDP and your license will allow them to verify that you have proper driving privileges. |
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