JAA & Europe?

[Aceninja]

I keep hearing about this JAA training? What exactly is it, what does it stand for and is it a prerequisite for seeking employment in Europe? And lastly is is easy for Americans to seek employment (as a Pilot) in Europe? Anyone know any americans working for British/European carriers?

[BlueRobin]

Rather than having separate national aviation authorities (NAAs) within the EU with lots of different ways of doing things, selective EU countries formed a committee to standardise aviation regulation. These are known as Joint Authority Regulations and signatories to the JAR system formed poart of the Joint Avaition Authorities. Think of it as an international FAA. However as it is with committees, decision-making is slow as everyone wants their own way. To this end, EASA was created to oversee all EU aviation in a "lord and master" role so that the aspect of the joint-committee was removed. Now each NAA will only act as a "servant" to carry out the work on the ground e.g. CofA, licence issues, inspections etc. EASA has been picking up responsibility from the JAA system in a phased-changeover. JAA in name wil be dead by the end of the year and EASA will be THE Aviation Regulator within the EU.

If you as me, the UK should hand over all regulation to the FAA. The charging system and common-sense attitude seems much wiser in the US. There are presently a significant number of UK-based owners operating on a N-reg. That tells you something.

[scroggs]

Under the Air Navigation Order 2005 it is possible for operators to lease aircraft from foreign owners for limited periods. If a dry (uncrewed, operating on the lessee's AOC) the aircraft must be exactly as certificated under CAA or JAA legislature. For a wet lease (operated and normally crewed under the lessor's AOC), the lessee must prove that the aircraft is certificated, maintained and equipped to the equivalent CAA/JAA standard. Wet leasing of N-registered aircraft in UK is very unusual; unions take a dim view of foreign labour taking UK/EU jobs. Both wet and dry leasing of foreign (non-JAA) aircraft can be very expensive for the lessee, and so the practice is not particularly common. The one area where N-registered aircraft do fairly regularly operate from a UK base is in corporate aviation.

For a US citizen to work in the UK, they must have - or acquire - the right to live and work here. Normally, that means having an EU domicile, which can be by parental lineage or by marriage. In other words, you must have UK/EU citizenship. This is similar in effect to the 'Green Card' procedure in the USA. There are, as always in these matters, exceptions and oddities, but, in general, unless you or your parents were born here, your chances aren't great. Exactly as it is if the situation were reversed.

For more - and more accurate - information, contact the immigration department of the British Embassy in Washington DC.

Scroggs