Instructing in the USA

[flyingwigwam]

Anyone out there done any instructing in the USA? Can anyone give me any information / advice on converting my commercial licence to FAA commercial and gaining the flight instructors rating there. How does one go about getting the neccesary visa (J1 I presume). Any advice on schools? What were your experiences?

Any advice would be very useful to myself and others contemplating a similar approach to building hours.

[FAAJAA]

OK here's the scoop on doing it. First Find a School. Sierra Academy of Aeronautics offers work visas for instructors. However, you should get an M-1 to start with. Here's why:
You cannot "convert" a JAA CPL to an FAA one. The FAA will give you a private with the class ratings you hold on your JAA CPL (Single or Multi engine land).
If you have your IR, you take a written test and get IR privledges on your converted license. If you do not have an IR, you must obtain one in the US. You cannot instruct in the US without an IR.
Next, you must do some training in a complex aircraft (Cutlass, Arrow etc) and take the practical test for Commercial-pilot ASEL. Requirements to take this test are 250TT, 50 PIC Cross Country (Greater than 50NM), 10 hours in a complex aircraft.1 written exam, 100 multi-choice questions.
Once you pass this, you do the same in the twin and add multi-engine class to your commercial.
Next you embark on the CFI, which when passed allows you to teach Single engine VFR ratings. CFII allows instrument, MEI twin instruction. After getting all this muck, apply to Sierra or a school that gives a visa and have them issue you a J-1.
The only snag you may hit is a lot of places have FN CFIs that work for free for the time, and wont sponsor a J-1. Best of luck in your quest mate.

[WX Man]

Coversion aside, do you mean to say that it is legal to upgrade your status from M1 to J1 *after* you complete your training?

[FAAJAA]

Absolutely...you just leave the country and reapply. Plenty of my colleagues did exactly the above scenario.

[britavia]

The M1 visa has some advantages over a J1. For example, you can extend an M1 several times (not sure if there is even an upper limit) and remain in the USA whilst doing so. Working on it is possible, but only at the school where you did your training (your M1 visa sponsor). I did know someone who had extended his M1 for at least 4 years!

The J1 is valid for 24 months maximum and usually cannot be extended unless you are going to get additional work experience from the sponsor, for example, working in flight management etc. Even then, I believe it's limited to 6 months max. However, you can work anywhere on it.

[Delta fins]

Check out www.ufly.com! (http://www.ufly.com!) Go to the Non USA students forum and use the search engine. Many questions are answered by Carl! He knows what he is talking about!

Good luck!

Delta fins

[flyingwigwam]

Thanks for all the info - much appreciated. I reccomend checking out the ufly.com site for anyone considering flying in the US.

WRT to the M1 visa: How easy is it to get one of these visa and how long does it take? I am suprised that there are instructors over there working for free - I was under the impression that there was a shortag of instructors in the USA at the moment.