Originally Posted by
Dudule54
Hey guys,
I am a captain in a major European airline, always wanted to move to USA, I’ve tried several years the diversity lottery with no positive results and tried the EB2 on my own a few years ago… same results.
I now have the opportunity to try the EB2 again with the help of someone who made it successfully, and getting is experience may help in doing it right this time…
My question to you guys is, what are the odds to a 50 yo captain to make this opportunity a successful and/or a wise move ?
I am willing to take the chance but a lot of uncertainties make me think about it, how long before I can get a job, will this job be better than the one I presently have, how about salaries and QOL, will my family be granted to move with me (a wife and 3 kids)…
Feedbacks welcome 😉
There are a lot of things that only you can answer if it is the right move for you and your family. I was in the same situation/ position as you 6 years ago and made the move. I’m overall very happy that I did it. I stayed 3 years at a LCC and I’m now at a Legacy carrier. The question that you should ask yourself is- are you willing to go back to the right seat for at least 1000 hours? You won’t be able to upgrade unless you have flown 1000 hours in a pt 121 operation. Unfortunately, all your foreign experience doesn’t count here. Regarding salaries- Go and check out APC. Take the hourly rate and multiply it by 1000. That should give you a good ballpark number of what salary to expect. If you get hired at a legacy carrier you should be making the same money latest around year 3 as an FO. Once you upgrade to Captain you should be around $300K. But also be aware that the cost of living is much higher in the US than in Europe. That is especially true for having 3 kids. Also know that seniority plays a much bigger role here in everything compared to Europe. That’s at least my experience. For example- if you upgrade to Captain early you won’t have a schedule for many years. You will be on reserve/ standby for a looooong time. That is something to think about. That is one of the reasons so many FOs don’t want to upgrade because you have a much better QOL and control over your schedule and your life. And with better seniority in the right seat you’re absolutely able to make the same money as a narrow body Captain. It’s also easier to work only 10 days a month and have 20days off as an FO. Another thing to consider- Airlines are still hiring but they have already hired a significant amount of pilots. That said I’m sure you will get a good job here, but don’t expect to be a Widebody Captain at a Legacy carrier. That ship has sailed. You can have an excellent QOL as a NB/WB FO or if you choose to upgrade early you will have to wait many years for your schedule to improve. All that said- I don’t regret coming over and wish you all the best!