Ekka, I forgot to add another point. I currently carry loans exceeding 100,000 Euros. This is what it costs a European to get all their ratings, and of course here in Europe we have painted ourselves into a corner by paying for our type ratings too. I could have saved about 50K Euros by taking FAA licences and getting a Validation from the IAA. They won't let me but they will let people from Outside the EU. It is very strange behaviour. Those of us who know how the IAA operate are not suprised.
I can also say as a Statement of fact that even though the IAA will say that they will only give a validation for a period of one year, during which the 14 ATPL exams have to be done. People seem to be granted multiple validations without having sat any exams. Again this is not against the Americans or the Brazilians or any other nationality but it should not be happening.
I'm not going to get into a cultural and political pissing match in anonymity on a public website.
Good move. Have you seen how completely mental people go in Jetblast!?
Best of Luck again.