First Job/Building hours stateside

[flying_phonebox]

Looking at emigrating to the states in a year or so and wondering what sort of entry level jobs pilots get in the states to build hours (talking bout being a pretty fresh aussie cpl/IR pilot).

I've read heaps about all these first officer producing schools over there, but surely there must be some people who build there hours the traditional (hard) way.

Anyone have any insight?

cheers

[druglord]

Hey pal...the only way to build hours over here is flight instructing until you have 1200 hours. You wont get useful flying any other way. I'd suggest get some charter in oz first before you come over. You need 1200 hours before you can fly charter over here. plus it'll cost you a lot of $ to convert. Something you can consider anyway. Easy to get work instructing though. check out the thread below this one...aussie needs info

[Ozgrade3]

So whats the instructing scene like over there now. I know that after Sep 11 there were thousands of instructors back on the market, so jobs were hard to come by, particularly for an Aussie without a Greencard.

Has it changed, now, would any schools be interested in an Aussie with about 1,000 hrs instructing and all the certificates.

[slim_slag]

CFI positions still hard to come by. You need an FAA CPL and CFI to instruct, nothing else will do. If you don't have work authorisation you will not be able to work anyway, and if they catch you working or overstaying your visitor visa they will ban you from the US for years.

In a year or so, things should be better on the job front, though you still need greencard/US passport.

[weasil]

Time Building,

As a flight instructor I am asked this question a lot. It seems to me that there are lots of methods for time building but flight instructing is by far the most common, the most convenient and the fastest way. Also you learn a lot by teaching others.

Some other jobs I have seen,
Banner Towing ( I have seen ads for banner tow pilots with tailwheel experience - working in the summer 250hrs/yr)

I have a few friends who fly for survey companies in a duchess. They were all hired with less then 300 hrs and now have over 600 multi time.

Sky Diving is a huge sport and a popular way to build time and also to advance to larger aircraft like caravans and king airs.

Radio Stations often employ people to fly highway patrol (2 flights a day) in major cities.

Most of these jobs though are never advertised, you have to find them through talking to people and going to companies and saying hi, i'm here.

I have one friend who was given a fo position on a Citation X with 260 hrs total time, jobs are out there. They are just hard to find.

Weasil

[flying_phonebox]

Thanx for the reply weasel, some food for thought!!!!

I guess in the end everything comes down to knocking on doors and saying hello. Might have to dust off that US passport and check it out in December.

thanx again.