American's flying in Europe

[changeover]

I was hoping that some professional pilot's with Commercial flying experiance could give me some feedback on getting a job in Europe. I have completed all of my written test for the ATPL and have a class 1 medical, and a RTL. I have around 5000 hours commercial flying time with a large regional airline in the United States, my PIC is only 1000 hours of small aircraft time due to the very bad enviroment that was created after 911, with a twist of S@@@@ managment decisions. I have been trying to get back to Europe with my wife( who is a EU national) and childern for the last year. I am starting to have reservations thou, It seems that I have been getting the silent treatment from many companies that I thought might me interested in a individual with my background. I am really looking for a Full time flying positon in Europe in the next 6 months, and no I am not willing to work for free if you are wondering. For all of you American friendly Professional European pilots that my even have spent some time flying in the United States I am kindly asking you what the heck is the next step for me. My motivation is very simple at this point in my career. Get to the place that my wife and myself want to live for the remainder of our lives, provide for resonable life for our childern and just get on with it. So any rational, and reasonable thought will be kindly considerd, Thanks so much for any insight.

[Lemper]

Lessee...
1- JAR - medical class 1.
2- JAR - FCL commercial + IFR and/or (frozen)ATPL, multi engine, multi pilot.
3- Type rating by JAR approved TRTO.
4- The right to a) live and b) work in EU country

That is all.

[acebaxter]

First off, congratulations on thinking of life outside of Florida. Though I really do miss Key Largo!

If you don't have a JAA type rating then your only option is to find a contract job where they will validate your FAA rating. It's only a temporary solution. Eventually you do need to re-learn everything you rightfully forgot since leaving college and sit the 14 exams over here. They aren't as bad as some will tell you but definately not any fun!

If you go into Google and look for something along the line of contract pilot jobs you will get a reasonable list of companies to contact. There are also some who advertise on here. One note, if you don't have the right to work in the EU then you may not be able to use a contracting company. Some countries won't let them sponsor you for a work permit. That doesn't mean you can't get the job, just that it will have to be a contract with the airline rather than with a third party. Married to an EU national I would think you could persue some options not open to most of us Floridians. I'd start there. If you can get a passport via your wife the options would be more numerous.

All that said, get ready for the anti American wanting to work in the EU bashing that will surely follow on Pprune. Don't think the angry people posting here are representative of the ones you will work with in the cockpit. The vast majority of them are great people with open minds and are interesting to fly with and learn from. Enjoy the adventure and the demise of the dollar.

[BelArgUSA]

Hola Changeover -
xxx
I probably can answer most of your questions regarding American/European relations in the airline and pilot world. I am a native of Belgium, but flew a 20 years career with PanAm 1969-1991, then re-expatriated myself again, this time to Argentina, but did fly several times with European air carriers. Now I constantly fly to Europe.
xxx
In Europe at the present time, realize that pilots there, have very good technical and licencing standards at the time they first apply with an airline, and get hired sometimes to the right seat of a jet aircraft with as little as 400 hours total time. Their training is awfully expensive, probably triple the price of US training. On the other side, US pilots have often to have some 2,000+ hours before being considered for hire by an airline. Europeans have minimum flght experience when hired as, i.e. A320 F/O. So, at the onset, there is a bit of jealousy between the two sides.
xxx
All I read here in Pprune are Europeans young pilots crying to get a "Green Card" to work for a US air carrier, while they do not even know that pilots for US regionals (and major carriers) are paid half the salary of pilots in Europe, and this with virtually no benefits, restrictive medical insurance plans, and dismal 2 weeks of vacation yearly. A European wants 4 or 6 weeks vacation. Shall we tell them that US unemployment is very little money and only lasts 6 months after the many airline layoffs or Chapter 7 bankruptcies (a popular sport in the US airline industry)...
xxx
So both sides have good reasons of being jealous, until you get educated...
xxx
Working in Europe, having a wife from there, will not be a problem for you as you will get the right to work in the EU, and acquire citizenship by marriage. Then I would urge you to give up US Citizenship, as you will continue to be subject to IRS income taxes as long as you hold US Citizenship. Taxes are high in Europe, but the benefits are great. I have ex-Sabena pilot friends that are enjoying good "retirement" in the French Riviera or in Spain, and do not want to "talk airplane" under any circumstances.
xxx
I worked a 6 months contract 15 years ago with Cargolux as 747-200 captain and enjoyed the way I was treated and paid. My FAA licence got validated in Luxembourg. Nowadays, it is JAA, and experienced pilots like yourself get validation after training. My training for Cargolux was done with Lufthansa and no different from any type training in the US. European airlines training departments will assist you through the hurdles of validation of your current certificates. I did a JAR validation recently in UK for Air Atlanta Iceland, just was a simulator check and a JAR Class 1 medical.
xxx
When you will be hired there, it will be because of your experience, based on your flight time which they rarely find among candidates. I suggest you seek companies operating same or similar type as what you fly now. Generally, your salary is function of your rank and seniority (date of hire) with the company in Europe, rather than the size of aircraft as it is in the US. The airlines in Europe do not make a fence between "regional" airplanes and "main line" airplanes, a given airline might operate both CRJs and Boeing 767, and you are not relegated to second rate "regional pilot" status as it is in the US regional air carrier airlines.
xxx
As I used to have a US passport in the long past, when in Europe, I was never rejected by the people there, who did not know where I was from. The Europeans are quite cosmopolitan people, in all social levels and all in the younger generations speak English, but, learn their language(s) too, as it is appreciated.
xxx
Quality of life... well, surely you will appreciate not to have to eat at a McDonald's anymore, but in small "Ma and Pa" restaurants, and enjoy a glass of beer or wine with your lunch spaghettis, pick up a fresh loaf of bread in the morning and some good cheeses that taste like real cheese. Forget your Chevrolet or Mercury gas guzzler, or your "redneck's-style" pick-up, and get yourself a nice Peugeot or Volvo, and at night, you will see real TV news (not propaganda) and watch an old John Wayne movie dubbed in French or Italian depending where you are.
xxx
My favorite places in Europe, well, I dont know where your wife is from, or where you will try to work. Americans have an easy time to adapt theirselves to the Netherlands, Ireland or Scandinavia. England is a bit more difficult, as they speak English (a language you and I do not speak). Actually I prefer the Southern parts of Europe, my favorite is Portugal, and Lisbon is lovely. Spain is great too, as Italy is. I like the milder temperatures and blue skies.
xxx
Last word, my airline will soon retire me, as the 747-200s are being retired, and because of my age... There are two or three air carriers in Europe who are interested in hiring me despite my age (63) for 1 year contract. Tells me that they need pilots badly... maybe I would enjoy doing that again.
:)
Happy contrails

[changeover]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts on this subject. I just went through the Marine Air Terminal in New York looking at the Pan AM pictures, that must have been like flying on the frontier of space, all alone in those flying clipper airboats. so, I really don't have any hang ups with flying with all of my European Expats at my company. Many have been with my current company for over 15 years. We have a great time in and out of the cockpit, its a breath of fresh air to fly with people from all over the earth. I frankly don't have time to worry about people that have hang-ups about were one comes from, as all of us are aware our job in the cockpit is to make sure no metal gets bent, and get the job done, and have a good time when the oppurtunity presents itself. I really was hoping that starting this thread would lead me to the open minded people on this site and let them know that I exsist so that I could speak out. All the information is great so far, and don't be suprised if I ask for more. I will start to look into some contract companies again. Like I said I have the 14 JAA exams completed, CAA Class 1 medical, and a RTL, and the right to work in the EU. The Practial is laking because of time. If I could find that dream company that would be willing to put me through a type course and make the Type ride the practical alot of my time would not be wasted, I know what yours saying "good luck", and so far thats as far as I have gotten. Thanks fokes for all the help.