Career inflight restart

[Bernardg]

After a long pause I want to pick up my flying career again. I've been out for 6 years setting up a second career. I got a bit out of hand... But the cockpit keeps on pulling me in...
I have 4500 hrs total time of which 3000hrs B737NG, 1200hrs Dash 8 and rest small jet and piston.
I just revalidated my ME IR on my license and have some money to spend on a type rating (preferably not of course).
I would like a job in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany or in that region. Further away is not no go but preferably not.
Question 1: What type rating is at this moment most desirable? What gives me the biggest change of getting hired with an outfit in the region mentioned above?
Question 2: Which companies should I apply for?

Thanks for the advice!

[Meester proach]

Norwegian and Ryanair both crying out for 737 drivers.

[Avenger]

After 6 years unless you revalidated the type within this period you will be conspired " expired" so another type rating would be needed in any event. Probably you would be considered as non rated for application purposes, but having been through the mill before you may have an advantage. Agency work is a non starter as they require flight within the past 6 months, but as mentioned some other players may be interested based on your previous experience. 41 yr old as FO may be an issue if not current..

[saddest aviator]

Avenger, sorry but not strictly true, he will have to do sufficient training at the discretion of the ATO to achieve the standard to pass an LST on the type on licence that of course if it's an EASA licence

[Avenger]

Unless the rules have changed within the past 11 months, which is possible!

AMC1 FCL.740(b)(1) Validity and renewal of class and type ratings
RENEWAL OF CLASS AND TYPE RATINGS: REFRESHER TRAINING
(a)
Paragraph (b)(1) of FCL.740 determines that if a class or type rating has lapsed, the applicant shall take refresher training at an ATO. The objective of the training is to reach the level of proficiency necessary to safely operate the relevant type or class of aircraft. The amount of refresher training needed should be determined on a case-by-case basis by the ATO, taking into account the following factors:
(1) the experience of the applicant. To determine this, the ATO should evaluate the pilot’s log book, and, if necessary, conduct a test in an FSTD;
(2) the complexity of the aircraft;
(3) the amount of time lapsed since the expiry of the validity period of the rating. The amount of training needed to reach the desired level of proficiency should increase with the time lapsed. In some cases, after evaluating the pilot, and when the time lapsed is very limited (less than 3 months), the ATO may even determine that no further refresher training is necessary. When determining the needs of the pilot, the following items can be taken into consideration:
(i) expiry shorter than 3 months: no supplementary requirements;
(ii) expiry longer than 3 months but shorter than 1 year: a minimum of two training sessions;
(iii) expiry longer than 1 year but shorter than 3 years: a minimum of three training sessions in which the most important malfunctions in the available systems are covered;
(iv) expiry longer than 3 years: the applicant should again undergo the training required for the initial issue of the rating or, in case of helicopter, the training required for the ‘additional type issue’, according to other valid ratings held.

But getting back to the OP, my thoughts are you would be classed as " non-rated" for job seeking purposes.

[VJW]

Avenger is correct - and while I haven't looked at this stuff in a while I'm surprised to learn it's now even more restrictive at 3 years and not the old JAA 5 years from expiry before being required to do the full type rating again.

Personally I'd email both NAS and RYR to ask what they'd need for you to be in a position to apply. Even if you got the 737 back on your licence off your own back, RYR would probably treat you as a cadet in terms of training once you join. The OCC courses are for current type rated people. Course you'd get a command within a couple years most likely as your previous experience doesnt expire, but I'd email them beforehand. If you're going to pay for a full type rating, you might as well do it only once (as RYR would make you do the full course as you're not current) and pay Ryanair as a cadet.

You should just apply for RYR right now the more I think of it.

[dire straits]

Avenger is not correct. what he is referring to is an AMC (Acceptable Means of Compliance). It is still completely up the the ATO that evaluates in accordance with Paragraph (b)(1) of FCL.740. There are alternate means of compliance, and that is the ATOs job to figure out how much training is required. Just renewed a rating on an aircraft I haven't flown in 14 years after having an individual training plan created by an ATO and then accepted by the Authorities that issued my license, my individual plan was three sim detailed sim session followed by a skill test.
It is important to NOT read an AMC as they are the rule, they are guidelines. Not all authorities has understood this completely and stick to what the guideline (AMC) from EASA suggests.

[VJW]

In any case - applying to RYR with a valid rating with zero hours in more than half a decade means you'll go in as a cadet and do a full type rating.

And FWIW, the fact you did 3 sims followed by LST to renew a rating that had expired by 14 years is a joke and/or plain wrong. Most of us pretty much do that many sim sessions a year just to maintain our rating.

The whole point of EASA replacing JAR was so that the rules and requirements were not to be taken as guidelines. So it's no wonder why not all authorities do as you say. IMO opinion they treat AMC's exactly as intended. Be interested to know who your authority is.