PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Almost an FI! Where in the world do I go?!
Old 22nd Aug 2013, 14:03
  #10 (permalink)  
banjodrone
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Placey Place.
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Chances of getting a J1 are very slim. Some schools were offering that possibility if you did a complete programme from Zero hours to CFI with them but I don't know if they are still running. At best it was only valid for 1 year as "optional practical training" but only as part of a complete programme, not just an instructor rating. It has nothing to do with whether you come from a 1st, 2nd or 3rd world country as the previous replier has stated. One possibility that may emerge in the next few years is the demand for mandarin speaking instructors, both in the far east and around the world including the US. It would certainly give someone an edge and the possibility to break into aviation where they would otherwise be watching their qualifications lapse.

I don't want to be all pessimistic and negative but I've not flown since 2010 and have researched the possibility to get into flying overseas extensively. The bottom line is that it's not easy to emigrate anywhere now unless you have certain specific skills that are in short supply and flying is never on that list. I'm predicting that instructors who speak Chinese will have a distinct edge in the coming decades and that countries may relax restrictions for such individuals. It's something I'm seriously looking at.
banjodrone is offline