FAA and CAA medical differences

[4885]

Hi,

Basically i have a astigmatism leval above the CAA eyesight requirement (its 2.00, i have 4.00 i think im not sure).

Now, if im not mistaken, at the FAA in america there is no such requirement, you just have to pass a eyesight test with your glasses on.

Is this true?

So if I became a commercial pilot i could only fly in america but i could still nevertheless become a commercial pilot correct?

I thankyou for any replies it is really helpful.

Philip AKA 4885

[4885]

Thanks for the reply so call ap, its intresting what you said about the US residency laws etc because a a fliying school in Florida was painting a very different picture to me.

Pay something like $70.000 up front, do your course, get your ppl then cpl etc etc

What happens when I qualify i will only have 2/300 hours?

He said stay and become a flight instructor, thats sounds like employment to me? he then said he would give aplace to rent near by the school.

He then said 2 english students are already there plus he said he has forworded them on successfully to airlines such as southwest etc

I'm going to look this into to further details, i dont wanna get out there and end up with a licence thats not valid in the UK and not have a visa to even be able to work.

About the medical part, that seems quite confunsing and i think i would have to simply buck up and spend the money going out there and just getting the medical to see ounce and for all.

[GlueBall]

"He then said 2 english students are already there plus he said he has forworded them on successfully to airlines such as southwest etc"


Do you actually believe that 2 foreigners fresh out of flight school would be hired or otherwise work-visa sponsored or "green card" sponsored by an airline such as Southwest?

Do you believe in Santa Claus?

[4885]

thankyou so much!!!

'your more naive then i thought' Sorry but I am im afraid to say!!

And again when someone says it back to you, your right, when there's experienced US pilots out of work, and im assuming even more fresh US students with just there licence out of work.....why would they hire someone from the UK??? all that hassle just wouldnt seem worth it.

About the FAA medical AND licence

I emailed KAL about a week ago, they replied and said they would accept a FAA liceence and medical aslong as you had the hours and type ratings etc etc which gives me some encouragement.....i just need to get about 2000 hours...to even bother sending my CV

I am so glad theres forums like this, i would of simply handed of 70k thinking, well atleast ive paid for it now....

At first i was anoyed that i had to travel to the US to train but im trying to look at the glass half full rather then half empty...

cheaper, warmer, nicer people etc #


In the FAA medical rules so call ap pointed out, it never states the word 'astigmatism' whilst the CAA regulation does....alough it does say 'No acute or chronic pathological condition of either eye or adnexa that interferes with the proper function of an eye'. At the end it says 'However, if otherwise eligible, the person is issued a medical certificate pending the results of the examination.'

So that gives me some hope.

Again thanks for the feedback positive or negative.

[mathieupv]

No US passport, no green card = NO JOB !!!

Don't even think about it, US airlines will not sponsor you. It's probably the only job who can't be sponsored, trust me I tried.
And now, even the US pilots are out of job. They'll never hire a foreigner like you or me. FAA medical is easy to get, you're right, you'll just read letters on a sign with and without your glasses.
Good luck man.

[4885]

Well i guessthe plan could be, TRAIN in the US, get the medical, enjoy the time there, stay and become an instructor to get some more hours (if they let you stay on which is seming less and less likely considering just about every person who trains is gonna wanna doit).

Problem is, i probably wouldnt be able to join vigin/ba nfact any european airline. i do wonder what happens to those guys who pay 60k at oxford aviation school...