Jobs flying Private N-reg aircraft in the UK

[VGOIII]

This is a long shot, but worth putting the question out since there are a lot of knowledgable people on here.

Sorry if this is a repeat question that someone else has asked some time back. Always worth asking again incase things have changed.

A guy that has just mainly FAA certs (FAA CPL MEIR) due to not being able to get a JAA Class 1 medical due to an eye site defection. Has the intention of eventually emigrating, but is stuck in the UK for a long period of time yet. So needs to find something in the short term, in the UK.

From what I can gather with EASA stopping all FAA reg aircraft operating Commercially, the only hope of any work for guys like me in the UK that has FAA certs, but no type rating or turbine time, is if there is a privately owned by businessman, light twin or single on the N register, and the owner needs a pilot to fly him and his business partners around in it.

Long shot, but does anyone have any knowledge of businessman with N-reg light aircraft, needing FAA Qualified pilots in the UK, to fly them around in their own aircraft?

[MIKECR]

Unless you've got experience then forget it. Anything smaller than a King Air and the owner will probably be flying it him/herself. Should it be a King Air or something bigger...then experience of corp/biz jet/TP will be required. The likes of most N reg King Air's or Cessna 401's etc are single pilot ops so lots of multi engine and IFR time is a must. I know someone with the guts of 1000 hours ME turbine time( and corp) just now with an FAA licence here in the UK who is struggling to find a job.

For anything bigger( 2 crew eg cessna citaion etc) then its also time on type im afraid.

Best bet is pobably to look at the FAA register of UK based N reg a/c and start making sme phonecalls. Theres also the Isle of Man 'Manx' register, where the M reg accepts FAA licenses. Lots of biz jets and TP's being registered there.

[portsharbourflyer]

I would say that as FAA SIC ratings are quite cheap then it may be worth investing in a Citation SIC rating. If you have the cash spare it may be worth a try.

There are one or two flight schools in the UK conducting FAA training (eg Willow Air) so getting your CFI and CFII would add some limited chance of flying. You could also get your JAA PPL issued and do the SEP CRI course, this will allow you to do club check outs, revalidation training and differences training, but not instruction for initial licence issue. However I can't recall if the SEP CRI needs 300 hours total time, or 300 hours p1.

[VGOIII]

Thanks for your advice guys. What about becoming a ferry pilot on N reg singles or light twins? Would anyone know if there are opportunities there for guys with 1100 hours and my kind of qualifications?

[MIKECR]

Do you you mean ferrying the likes of piston stuff from across the pond? Extremely dangerous work, little to no pay...certainly not enough to make a living from. Experience, again, is the stumbling block.

If you have 1100 hours, and are current(in terms of recent experience, including IR), you'd be far better off sending off some cv's to some of the smaller biz/corp outfits flying small biz jets around the UK and the EU. The EASA plans to scupper FAA registered aircraft and pilots in the EU hasnt materialised(yet!!).

Also consider the Isle of Man, Manx register, lots of biz/corp aircraft being registered there, with FAA flying licence's accepted.

[VGOIII]

Oh?.. thanks for that. Does that mean in the rest of Europe at the moment, an N reg aircraft can operate Commercially, hence there is a better chance of getting a job over there on N reg than here in the UK?