VISA in the US

[Bramsen]

Hello everyone,

I`ve read several post about training in the US. Some peoble have advised those who go to the US not to return before they have build atleast 1500 hours. My question is:

How can I stay long enough to build 1500tt?

If I go on a J1 Visa I can stay for approx 2 years but one of them is used for training.
If i get a job as an instructor i maybe can build, lets say if all goes well, 1000tt. And that is IF i get a job as an instructor.
Is it somehow possible to apply for a working permit while you are training/working as an instructor or how is it possible not to return before you have atleast 1500tt??

Excuse my english. Im a bit rusty :)

Hope to see you upthere sometime!!!

[The Greaser]

I went to the USA with a J-1 visa and got 1500 hours in 2 years fairly easily. The training to CFI level should take no more than 6 months, at which time you'll have about 250 hours, then as an instructor you should be able to make 80 - 100 hours per month, which brings you to over 1500 hours.
With the new JAR rules about requiring 500 multi-crew hours for an ATPL then it is not a big deal to get 1500 hours any more - just get as many hours as you can - especially twin.

Good Luck

[Flying Clog]

I did the same thing as The Greaser from '97 to '99. Did everything through CFII at a large flight training school (NAIA in South Carolina) in 7 months. Left there with 250 hours, got an instructing job immediately. Flew 80-130 hours per month for ten months. Then, once I had 1200 hours, got a job flying single-pilot air taxi in singles and twins. Left the States in 2 years with 2000 hours and 500 multi. This made it relatively easy for me to secure a flying job in the UK after converting the licence.

It takes determination, but it most definitely CAN be done

[slim_slag]

Greaser

With the new JAR rules about requiring 500 multi-crew hours for an ATPL then it is not a big deal to get 1500 hours any more - just get as many hours as you can - especially twin

Just because it's a twin doesn't mean to say it's multi crew - and that's what counts. Multi crew twins will mean flying for the airlines which means more than a J1 visa. If you don't have a green card or US passport it's going to be harder than impossible right now.

[johnnypick]

As Greaser said, it's not a big deal getting 1500hrs anymore as 500 need to be Multi crew for the JAA ATPL. But if you're going to build hours in the States, isn't it worth staying another couple of months to get 1500hrs and the FAA ATPL. You should get the whole lot done in less than 2 years.

[Bramsen]

Thank you erveryone for your reply´s

Johnnypick,

I do seriously considder to get the FAA ATPL, but right now
I think,that I at somepoint would like to return,
and get job in Europe.

However does anyone know if its possible to stay in the US
for more than 2 years and maybe even start you career overthere?

Really appriciate your help.:)

[regional guy]

Bramsen:

Well, in order to stay and work in the US, you need either a work visa, which at the moment is VERY hard to get, or a green card (basically lottery or marriage). One way around this, if you are willing to work as an instructor, is to come to the US on a J-1, and when that expires you can try to transfer into an M-1 for another 1 year or maybe more.

[The Greaser]

slim slag

I'm well aware of what multi crew means which is why I stated that getting 1500 hours in single crew aeroplanes was not necessarily such a big deal under JAR rules as before. I was simply stating that multi-engine time building should also be a priority.
Incidentally on the same subject, I could not get an FAA ATP before I came home because it requires 500 hours X-Country time which is flights > 50 nm. As most of my time was as instructor I found this hard to build, and had only about 200 hours when I left.
And finally, Flying Clog, I was also at NAIA in 1999