FAA & EASA - Do I finish my FAA & find work in another country or convert?

[HighFlyerr]

Hi all, in a bit of a weird one at the minute. Would love some good advice!

Basically long story short, I went to Florida to complete my flight training. I have an FAA PPL & IR and 183 hours under my belt and I could finish the CPL & ME in a month.

I'm from England and I've just come back here with intentions of doing my EASA ATPL's. Now I have several friends that have been through all the exams no issues, except one friend who's going through it now and is saying quadrant is pretty much screwing everyone over and it's twice as hard. He then questioned me as to why I'm not finishing my FAA CPL to build hours and work towards an airline job somewhere.

So in brief, do I finish off my EASA ATPL's, and end up with a easa fATPL and full FAA CPL/ME/IR/PPL, or do I try and pursue an aviation career in another country? FAA is ICAO so I assume it's rather easily transferable as long as the country I'm in is ICAO compliant?

Appreciate the help, cheers guys.

[paco]

A licence being ICAO compliant doesn't necessarily mean that other countries will accept it, at least not easily. What I'm saying is, don't bank on it! But it is true that the process between most countries will work. if you got your FAA then went to EASA, you would get a reduction in study time but would still have to take the 14 exams. if you went to Canada, you can get an equivalent licence for just a small exam. Just depends where you go.

Quadrant is just a different way of accepting the answer. It doesn't affect the questions otherwise, except maybe you do need to know the answer :)

[HighFlyerr]

A licence being ICAO compliant doesn't necessarily mean that other countries will accept it, at least not easily. What I'm saying is, don't bank on it! But it is true that the process between most countries will work. if you got your FAA then went to EASA, you would get a reduction in study time but would still have to take the 14 exams. if you went to Canada, you can get an equivalent licence for just a small exam. Just depends where you go.

Quadrant is just a different way of accepting the answer. It doesn't affect the questions otherwise, except maybe you do need to know the answer :)

Ah I see yeah. Thanks Paco. Any idea what it's like for foreign pilots in Canada by any chance? I'd love to move out there and build some time and live there long term. I love the place! That was on the list to check out as I would have assumed Canadian and American licences will be easily exchangeable

[Jaair]

As Paco said, Quadrant is just answering the question in a different format. The problem with Quadrant questions is that since it's new, there are a high amount of new questions being added so students who rely directly on the QB struggle quite a bit (unlike those in neighbouring CAAs).

[rudestuff]

Are you allowed to work in the US?
Yes - go FAA
No - bite the bullet.

[HighFlyerr]

Are you allowed to work in the US?
Yes - go FAA
No - bite the bullet.

Haha, yeah I get that. But if my FAA licences allow me to work in a country like Canada or Australia for a complete example with just a simple conversion, I'd like to weigh up my options :)

[redsnail]

HighFlyerr,
I haven't checked the conversion process recently in Australia, but it may be a bit more than a simple conversion depending on your experience.
Also, this probably applies to Canada too, the licence doesn't give you the right to work in a particular country. I know Australia is quite strict. (Although, right now, an experienced pilot can get a visa relatively easily in Australia)

[bafanguy]

But if my FAA licences allow me to work in a country like Canada...with just a simple conversion, I'd like to weigh up my options

HF,

The license itself likely won't "allow" one to work but at least the conversion FAA-TCCA appears about as painless as one could expect. You may know this already:

This advisory circular (AC) provides the procedure and eligibility requirements for a Transport Canada Civil Aviation Authority (TCCA) pilot license holder converting to an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) pilot certificate and an outline of the procedures and eligiblity requirements for an FAA pilot certificate holder converting to a TCCA pilot license.

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_61-135A.pdf

[paco]

It's a simple, mostly law, exam, with more questions on the US side it would appear. FAA/TC licences are now directly exchangeable, although you don't give up one licence for the other - you end up with two.

But you would still need to sort out the immigration side of things. I would check that out first. Lists of desirable occupations are on the Canadian Immigration website, for example. The usual stuff applies - you have to be young enough, etc. It's all done on points.

[Underrated and Moderated]

Interested in this thread.

I'm an FAA ATP. 4500 hours....3200 hours as PIC and COPILOT hours in 5 multi engine jets (Falcon 900, CL604 and down..). I have not yet fu**ed up so bad that anyone got hurt or the plane wasnt reusable, however, EASA think all of us are useless without studying and then forgetting irrelevant tripe the day after an exam.

So...my question....is my real life/World knowledge combined with a question bank, good enough to get through the EASA ATP exams....or do I need to sell my house, ignore the wife and kids, quit working on my jet and my own business and go on the dole, so I have the time to do it all??

Sensible advice please...to my tongue in cheek question... Thanks all :ok:

[rudestuff]

Why don't you try a few and find out? You're exempt training so it'll just cost you the exam fee and a few quid for a months subscription to Bgsonline or whatever. You're not a newbie so you don't need to worry about first time passes, take a punt.
Smash the QB for a week and take the test. You won't know unless you try.

[Transsonic2000]

is my real life/World knowledge combined with a question bank, good enough to get through the EASA ATP exams. I'm afraid, but the answer is NO! Common sense and real world experience is not going to get you through the exams. I did the conversion myself, also hold an FAA instructor license, the EASA ATP question database (QDB) is not based on understanding and knowledge! It is more about stupid repetition and hammering the QDB over and over again! Thus, very time consuming and frustrating at times! I didn't have much of a social life, nor time for anything else during my ATP studies, particularly during the preparation and revision before I took the exams (started in March and passed the last one in October).

[vatir]

Hi Negan,
How is Poland easier? Aren’t all the EASA states use the same questions?
Thanks