Hi, I´m not defending any part, I´m only relating my own experience. If you want to compare, there is nothing to compare, as I told in my last email the best of aviation is in the USA.
If you want to hear personal experience, I will tell you that I´ve lived in Spain the first 35 years of my life, I´m Economist, graduated by the University of Granada, worked some years in banks and became, first glider pilot, and then private pilot several years ago. When I came to Brazil my decision was to do what I always wanted to do, that is to fly, and finished my course obtaining the CPL-IFR-MLTE ratings.
Refering to your words, when you said that you have to take all the written test and checkride there to obtain the FAA license, there was nothing new. If you, a fellow with an FAA license, would try to convert your license to a JAA´s one, would have to do also the complete written test and checkride.
Licenses, most of the cases are valid in your country or area (like the european union), and if you want to fly in another country need to make the conversion.
I´m very happy with the knowledge that I have after doing the course in Brazil, nothing quite different than in other country. As you know, JAA requirements to obtain a license are quite higher than FAA´s, and I have the private pilot JAA license, and really, don´t think that the level is really far than in other countries.
Pilots that you say you trained, maybe are "old" pilots that forgot most of things, or it is just a question of "individuals". I like what I do and I paid a lot of attention to get the maximum that I could.
In terms of quality in the flying skills, nothing to claim, I´ve learned a lot with several planes and today, I can say that I could fly most of single´s and lots of multi-engine planes with no problem.
To get a job is not so difficult as you say, I was flying without paying before finishing my hours, and now I´m about to get my first job in a Seneca, with only 220 hours on my log book. What I always had in mind is that if you want to work in aviation, you cannot sit in front of your computer sending CV´s in the hope of somebody hire you to fly a 737, the only way is the active way, and you must be able to fly the first thing that appears, call it a C152 or a Baron 58.
Why would I wanted to have a FAA license? I plan to live and work in Brazil, and for me is good enough the license that I have.
Cheers