FAA Conversion Flight Training

[kwikenz]

Having landed one of those elusive Green Cards, I'm looking to head to the USA.

Hoping to land a job there and am looking at doing the CPL, CFI, CFII and IFR thing all in one big hit.

Anyone suggest any good schools that are well thought of and who are well connected with entry level employment.

Currently I have about 1200TT and an Aussie IFR and would like to get into GOM work or similar... any thoughts and ideas as to whether that whole package is worth it or wether I should just do the basics would be gratefully recieved.

At this stage I have only spoken to LA Helicopters and Heli Adventures (not too helpful thus far)... anyone have any expereince of them to pass on

[Bravo73]

I've got no personal experience of them, but if you want to get into the GOM, you might want to look at Vortex Helicopters. They seem have the connections and get a reasonable reception in this thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=158549&highlight=vortex+helicopters).


Regards,

B73

[Flingwing207]

Hi kwikenz,

Is your 1200TT rotor time? If so, then any school can help you convert your certificates to the FAA IFR/CPL, and you would not really need to go the CFI/CFII route, as you would have what it takes to apply for a tour job or entry-level GOM job at any of the biggies (no turbine required).

If you are a fixed-winger, then I'd recommend the aformentioned Vortex, HAI, or Guidance in Prescott, AZ - all have a good track record of placing their graduates, and all have an excellent reputation for turning out trained professionals.

Now if you want to go to a small school in Minnesota, I know a place...

[rotorboy]

WOuldnt bother with the cfi/cfii if you have 1200+pic. You will get a job in the gulf quick, espically if you have some jet box time.

Lookinto Paml beach helicopters. They do a lot of forigen conversions. There are still some background and lic checks you should do ahead of time , even with your green card. Palm Beach , can crank you out quick and have a examiner on staff or easily available. Wx in fl is good and there is lots of aviation there, It is also close to the gulf.

Vortex could be an option but like HAI they are busy and it oculd take you a while to get what you want done. I am imagine you could do your CPL and IFR conversion in 1-2 weeks if you wanted to at palm Beach.

hope this helps


RB

[kwikenz]

Cheers Bravo and FlingWing. Yeah all heli time... only about 150 gas turbine.

Thanks for the heads up re the green card... itll be a few months in the processing so Ill have to go the student visa route anyway... man what a head ache!

As for the CFI thing... some bloke up there told me the big operators like piston and instruction time / ratings... sounds all ass about face to me... down here its all turbine and thousands of hours to get anywhere... what do you reckon?

Any other pointers on what might secure a GOM posting... type ratings, specific schools etc etc.

Plam Beach's websites has gremlins :confused:

Oh and cheers to you too RB... you must have posted whilst I replied.

Ill shout you a cold one if I\'m ever in your guys neck of the woods:ok:

[chester2005]

Kwikenz



I have found LA helicopters very good so far and am going back there in september to do my FAA commercial and IR , Fred Cei and the chief pilot know all about conversion stuff and are a very professional school.
If you want to go the CFI route, most if not all of the instructors at LAH did training there so that might give you the start you are looking for.

Hope this helps Chester.


PS the 2 owners of LAH are from Oz and the Chief pilot is French (but don't hold that against him):D