Originally Posted by
rudestuff
Pilot is a global profession. You don't get to choose where you live. Especially for your first job. Wherever you live in Europe now, you WILL have to move so don't artificially limit your opportunities even further.
Very true, however I was hoping to at least be on the same continent. How feasible is it to work in the States and commute back home to Europe? My understanding is, if you're lucky, you'll be on a 4 on 3 off schedule? Perhaps even worse since you're at the bottom of seniority. Hardly enough time for a trans Atlantic commute, less so if the airline I work for is based in the West.
Originally Posted by
rudestuff
With a US passport and a dream you are already closer to an airline job than most people with an EASA fATPL.
I've read that the States are(were?) hiring like crazy. I hear that the FO hiring has slowed down and most airlines are desperate for qualified direct entry Captains. A few regionals are offering 100k to 150k sign bonus for early 2023 class dates.
To be honest, I don't have much of a clue how bad hiring is in Europe at the moment. I was under the impression that, albeit slower than the States, we are recovering back to pre Covid levels of flying?
Originally Posted by
rudestuff
In your position this is what i would do:
You should plan to start your training in the US, getting an FAA IR and enough PIC IFR hours (50) to qualify for a 'no training required' EASA IR and enough total PIC hours (100) to qualify for the CPL
Pass your ATPL exams.
Come (go?) back to Europe with 180 hours and get an SEIR and SECPL.
Now your exams are safe for 7 years. You have breathing space to assess the job climate because you're only 6 weeks away from being employable in the EU (MEIR and MCC). If the EU market still looks **** you can continue with this plan:
Go (come?) back to the US. Go to a school that specialises in CFI training and spend on 50 hours of cheap hour building and RHS training for your CFI and CFII. Once you reach 250 hours, take your CPL check ride (but unusually in the RHS) followed Immediately by your CFI check ride (normally RHS). You might have to wait until the next day to take your CFII, I think there's a rule about how many check rides you can fly in a day. The 'normal' route is to get a CPL then start training for thy CFI/CFII, but there's nothing stopping you doing that training before your CPL as it's training as required.
Anyway, you now have an EASA CPL/IR with theory credit good to go for at least 7 years, and an FAA CPL/IR with CFI/CFII good to immediately. That's your ticket to the airlines in the US (once you've got 1500 hours as an instructor) - and the Multi Pilot time you get in a US airline is your ticket to an EASA ATPL with type rating should you be daft enough to return.
I think I will take this advice. Thank you so much, you've helped a lot. I hope to gain good experience in the States and hopefully can get hired and be back with my family in Europe one day. Ultimately, I'll get a citizenship in my current country of residence (hopefully within the next year), and hold 2 passports and make the best of both worlds.