Guys, the only ones who succeeded are not the average pilots. They were TRIs/TREs, lecturers, management pilots, test pilots,...not basic captains. 15 years in the industry and more than 10000h. With a good lawyer and most of all with top notch references from high profile indutry experts. And they already had their FAA ATP to help the case. If you go for the visa first and the licence after, you don't understand how things work.
Going without a lawyer is in theory possible, but you don't stand a chance. Again, if you go without a good lawyer, you don't understand how things work in the US.
The point of the EB2-NIW is to show that you have extraordinary skills and credentials.