EASA Flight Instructor in USA

[Bubi352]

Please educate me. United States has always been an ideal location for flight training for pilots seeking a CAA/JAA license. My understanding is FAA licensed flight instructors are allowed to give instructions under a CAA/JAA operated flight training organisation. But I was told this rule is about to change in mid-2009 (under EASA) allowing only qualified CAA/JAA flight instructor to teach CAA/JAA flight students.

Obviously, I can see this affecting several flight schools in the country but also giving an enormous opportunity for qualified flight instructors to make good $$$. I doubt it is easy to find fully qualified CAA/FAA flight instructors with the right of work in the US.

Am I right? Can anyone expand on this? What do you guys know about it? Are flight schools already struggling with this? What would be the average pay for a EASA flight instructor in the US?

[andrepilota]

I doubt it is easy to find fully qualified CAA/FAA flight instructors with the right of work in the US

I guess you meant CAA/JAA.....

[Whopity]

My understanding is FAA licensed flight instructors are allowed to give instructions under a CAA/JAA operated flight training organisation.CAA/JAA training allows a certain proportion of FIs to hold an ICAO FI qualification but must also undergo JAA instructor training. At PPL level this has been minimal, but for a commercial instructor teaching CPL or IR they effectively have to complete a JAA FI Course, which can be reduced based on the recommendation of the instructor training them, to a minimum of 15 hours flight training and 30 hours ground training plus a JAA FI test. Addition training and testing is required for ME and Instrument training.

This provision which exists under JAR-FCL does not exist under EASA-FCL. So far it is not EU law and the time scale for implementation could take us to March 2012.

To work in the US you would indeed need to be both EASA and FAA qualified.

[Bubi352]

Whopity - Thank you for your answer. I am however slightly confused. I understand the new provision hasn't taken effect yet but you make it also seem (if I understood correctly) that if an US based flight school has a CAA/JAA program, flight instructor must be both EASA and FAA qualified? The bottom line I am trying to get is does a US fligth school need to have flight instructors both EASA and FAA qualified now? And where is the rule written.

I am in charged to establish a JAA program at our flight school and I need to "prove" that we need to hire EASA/CAA/JAA flight instructor.

[Whopity]

In order to teach for a PPL you would presumably need a FAA Instructor qualification because of the solo elements therefore, you would need to be dual qualified. I have heard some commercial instructors say that provided you have a FAA commercial licence, you can do non FAA instruction on the basis of a foreign FI rating. If this complies with the FAA requirements then that would be OK. In the UK if you wished to teach FAA you would need both FAA and JAA FI qualifications.

Something that you should be aware of is that to run a European training system you must employ a European Qualified Chief Flight Instructor who has experience of running JAA/EASA training before. App 1a to JAR-FCL 1.055CHIEF FLYING INSTRUCTOR (CFI)
15 The CFI shall be responsible for the supervision of flight and synthetic flight instructors and for the standardisation of all flight instruction and synthetic flight instruction. The CFI shall:
(a) hold the highest professional pilot licence related to the flying training courses conducted;
(b) hold the rating(s) related to the flying training courses conducted;
(c) hold a flight instructor rating for at least one of the types of aeroplane used on the course; and
(d) have completed 1 000 hours pilot-in-command flight time of which a minimum of 500 hours shall be on flying instructional duties related to the flying courses conducted of which 200 hours may be instrument ground time.

[Bubi352]

Thank you. I started to hear flight schools like Oxford Aviation in Arizona having issues finding dual (EASA/FAA) qualified flight instructors. It seems to be an issue among flight schools in the US. I read Oxford Aviation have some kind of "waiver" in the meantime.

[jez d]

There is indeed a waiver in place for FAA instructors teaching JAA licences at UK CAA-approved European FTOs operating in the US.

But this is a UK CAA-only waiver - it will not be in place when the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) take control of all European FCL (including the UK's).

Under the new licencing proposals (currently under consultation) EASA are saying that European Union regulations dictate that in order to teach a European licence (flying, driving, swimming... doesn't matter) the instructor has to hold that licence and instructor rating and not a foreign equivalent.

The reality of this happening (EASA assume full control of FCL April 2012) is slim however. Both European FTOs and US TRTOs have been lobbying the European Commission against this restriction and the latest scuttlebut to come out of EASA HQ is that the restrictions will probably be lifted.

This is all highly political and I suspect has more to do with the Open Skies Agreement than anything else, and ultimately a recipricocity deal between EASA and the FAA is being sought.

For flight training, a recipricocity deal is unlikely to happen in these terrorist driven days, as the FAA will no doubt not want foreign FTOs training their 'terrorists', so EASA and the EC are more than likely going to have to back down on this one.

It's all a bit of a shambles at the moment - EASA is grossly underfunded and short-staffed - so expect plenty more ridiculous regulations to appear, and disappear as quickly, as common sense prevails.

[Bubi352]

It's some very good insights. What a mess. Thanks!