Experience needed to gain work in Europe

[mcgrath50]

Out of pure curiosity what kind of experience do you need to get a job in small charter (single engine or small twins) in Switzerland, Germany or the UK?

I have always wanted to travel Europe and a few years working there once I get the experience would be awesome.

[TheBeak]

Well for a kick off you'll need a JAA licence. I have always fancied doing the same in Aus, will they accept a JAA licence?

[INNflight]

And the right to work in Europe too... as said, the hrs needed is the smallest problem you would face. Getting a JAA validation on your license can prove to be a very long and financially exhausting task unless you have 10,000 hrs. :oh:

[mcgrath50]

I am a British citizen so right to work in the UK (and the rest of the EU?) shouldn't be too bad. Shame to hear the conversions are hard.

[TheBeak]

Yes so you'll have the right to work in the EU but you'll need a JAA CPL, a JAA IR conversion and JAA ATPLs......then you'll need to find a job.

Shame to hear the conversions are hard.

I'm not so sure about hard but expensive and time consuming for your purpose.

[wingisland]

I'm on small twins at the moment (and loving it by the way!)

Legally you need 700hrs of which 100 is multi to fly single pilot in the UK, so I'm sure it'll be the same in the rest of Europe.

Do you speak french or German, because if you don't then your chances in those countries are pretty much nil, also the chances of you being able to live and work in Switzerland are pretty small.

In my opinion the main problem you'll face (except converting to JAA, which is hard and time/financially consuming!) is competition, I'm constantly being asked by instructor friends if my company is taking anyone on, and I'm sure lots of operators are constantly hounded by CV's and phone calls.

If you realistically wanted to get work over here on twins I'd recommend 1500hrs total of which 500 is multi, and you'd still be lucky in this current climate! We don't really do single engine charter like you do down under as we cant guarantee VFR like you guys can!!

[BigNumber]

One option is to get your JAA licences then sign up for a 'line taining package'! You will get to see europe. Check out 'Airline Training Partnership'. Sadly, this is not the cheap option.

There are very few jobs in GA unless you have 500 hrs on type and personal references. A strong command of other european languages is usually required once you leave UK.