FAA/JAA or Australia? Student pilot needs advice

[Lift me up!]

Hi Everybody,

I was studying one semester Aviation in Australia as an international student. Now I am standing before a big decision: I want to pursue an aviation career and become a professional pilot but I do not know if it is best to complete the training and Uni here in Australia, or if I should go to the USA.

I am originally from Germany. If I complete all the training and University here it will take 3 years and then I have to hope I will find a job here or somewhere else to work with the Australian licenses.

If I go to the States I would go through a two years professional pilot program with a J1 visa to get the FAA licenses. This would allow me, as most of you probably know, to go through the commercial licenses in approximately nine month and to instruct as a CFI for the rest of the time. Enabling me to build up my hours. If I return then to Europe I need to go through the theory again to get the JAA licenses or I can stay for a longer time in the USA to do an extended Campus program with Embry Riddle, giving me the chance to keep on working as an instructor and at the same time to gain a Bachelor of Science in Aviation degree.

I am absolutely not knowing what I should do. I do not even know if the idea to go back to Europe and get the JAA licenses just by doing the theory again is possible. I do neither know in how far the Australian licenses are regarded compared to the FAA licenses. Can someone please give me advice and tell their opinion? Which way is better for an aviation career?

Thanks a lot for any advice,
Peter

[dorosenco]

Peter,

You are not the only one asking that kind of questions. As an EU citizen only you will have a hard time working in the US after your J1 visa expires. I don't know about Australia but the US will be extremely hard. Converting your license to JAA in 2 years time will cost you extra money that you need to count into your flying budget. Getting your CFI in the US (or Aus) will allow you to build some time but you won't be able to save any money, you will make less than the McDonald's guy. Paying for a Bachelor Degree in the US (Embry Riddle) won't give any advantage in the EU, that's a nice to have for the US market ONLY.

The budget to convert your FAA license to JAA (also valid for Australian license to JAA) is around $13,000-$15,000 if your flying skills are sharp enough. But, in the same time you will save money on your initial training since FAA training is cheaper than JAA training (if done in the EU). Also, you can prepare and sit your ATPLs in the US while working as a flight instructor. I don't think that you can do that in Australia.

My suggestion:
- If your goal is to come back to the EU, forget about your Bachelor Degree with Embry Riddle and save your money for your license conversion. Your JAA ATPLs count as a Bachelor Degree in the US or EU. Work as a flight instructor for 1 year in the US while studying for your license conversion.
- If your goal is to live and work in the US (impossible unless you get a work permit) or Australia, forget about license conversion and get yourself a Bachelor Degree with Embry Riddle. It will give you a better opportunity with the Majors in the US. The actual forecast is that Major US airlines will not hire NEW pilots before 2012.

good luck,

:ok: