If you have £40k to spare (from scratch, maybe less if you already hold PPL), you train in the US for a couple of years, get an FAA ATP with 600hrs multi, 500 of them in a turbine, like a B1900, and the JAA conversion, meaning that you end up with FAA ATP, JAA ATPL, 600 Multi, 500 turbine. Then you need to do an MCC course for a couple of grand.
Ok, but all of this hour building...especially multi turbine is easier said than done. Usually people require 1500 to 2000 hours with like 400+ hours multi before they take you for a turbine job. And those people require that you are "legally allowed to work the US". Which is hard to do.
Then you best bet during those two years in America, is either apply for the Green Card lottery if you are eligible, or fall in love and get married There is virtually no chance of getting anything other than a cash-in-hand-slightly-dodgey instructors job unless you are eligible for residence.
Yeah...the lottary, I'm applying this year. That's just chance. It would solve ALL my problems if I got it. But again...it's a long process and it's just luck. Getting married...I don't wanna marry a woman just because of my job. Rather go back to Europe.
One point, turbo prop aircraft in the states < 12501lbs do not require a type rating, though in JAR land, many do. So when you convert to JAR you may need to also pay for the type rating on the type you've already been flying for 500 hrs!
That is pretty crazy. IFTA advertises their new program where they type you in their King Air under JAA "for thousands of pounds less than in Europe"
I wouldn't bother going to a JAR approved school in the US. What you get there is essentially the same training as a US school would give you, but you pay extra for those three little letters (J A R). Its just as easy and probably costs no more, to get all your FAA ratings and then convert to JAR later on. There's schools which now specialize in this....
Well, for example IFTA trains you in JAA and gives you FAA training at no extra cost.
in EFT the difference I think is 6 grand for all the FAA converstions.
So it's pretty worthwhile for not much of a cost difference. The only question is...is it better to train JAA/FAA ....or train FAA and then later convert to JAA. I heard the conversion process is very difficult, tideous and costly.
I built my time overthere...came back with over 2500 hours..2400 hours multi turbine including 1400 hours single pilot in SA227 and Be1900s..was paid under the table while waiting for the H1 visa...
Came back to europe to convert..all 14 exams and the grant of a PPL!!!!unless you fly jets over 30T with time on type..yes you have to get type rated which is not commomn for a F/O in the USA..just a SIC check..your hours wont count to get passed the 14 exams...
Plus,you may go to a JAR school but believe the Airlines in Europe dont get a rats ass about your time in the USA eventhough you went to a JAR approved school..
How did you get to work in the US without an H1 visa? 2500 total, 2400 multi trubine sounds like you went straight into the right seat of a turbine...did you have a good amount of hours before you did this? I don't understand...to get a turbine job you usually need, as I said at least 1500 hours and at least some 200 hours multi...bare minimums.
I want to find out about FAA to JAA conversions...cause FAA training can be much cheaper...especially at some of these schools that offer you all the training in a multi like allATPs and Ari-Ben...
Archer