Phil-J,
it is true that there are additional Helicopters on order, and indeed some have been delivered already. I believe that the delivery has been delayed from the manufacturer so not HAI's fault. The other problem at the moment is the amount of JAA instructors that have recently left due to visa's running out. I'm holding my breath with HAI because of the reputation they have and I hope that the problems being experienced at the moment are short lived and will be sorted out soon. However I have certainly started to think about a contingency plan if all goes to pot.
The M1+J1 thing to achieve 2 1/2 years is still an option, there are folks here that are doing exactly that. You will also need to arrange permission to train in the USA. This is a new thing that costs $130 through the Transport Safety Agency(TSA) and it is seperate to the visa requirement. Once permission has been granted you then have to have your fingerprints taken by the police on arrival in the US. About a week later (after arrival) you should be granted permission to train.
One of these Days
