FAA or EASA ATPL(H)

[pilot_tolip]

In your opinion, which is best to get an FAA or EASA ATPL(H)? Why?

[paco]

Only do the EASA one if you need it.

[GoodGrief]

An EASA ATPL is virtually impossible to get.

[pilot_tolip]

An EASA ATPL is virtually impossible to get.
Why is the EASA ATPL virtually impossible?

[GoodGrief]

There is the multi pilot helicopter thing in the regs. Who flies multi pilots ops ? First and foremost oil & gas. Very few VIP ops maybe.
A mere mortal will not be able to self fund a type rating on a MPH, let alone 350 hours after that. With the shortage of airline pilots some helicopter guys might have gone the transit route
but there are still plenty of highly eperienced guys looking for work.
You might want to get in line and draw a number.

[paco]

Let's just say you won't get that type of machine on the licence without the help of a large company....

[Bravo73]

In your opinion, which is best to get an FAA or EASA ATPL(H)? Why?

It depends upon whereabouts in the world that you have a ‘right to work’.

[Bravo73]

Who flies multi pilots ops ? First and foremost oil & gas. Very few VIP ops maybe.

More HEMS operations are going multi-crew, certainly in the UK. And then there is obviously the military as well.

To the OP - an ATPL is not a licence that you train for ab-initio. You initially train for a CPL and then qualify for an ATPL once certain experience requirements are satisfied.

[Robbiee]

In your opinion, which is best to get an FAA or EASA ATPL(H)? Why?

FAA, because I live in the US.

[jeepys]

As stated earlier the answer really depends on where you want and can work. If you want to be Europe based then a FAA license is not going to help you fly commercially.

[hueyracer]

Question should be:


Where do you have the right to work (and live)?

As a European pilot, it is almost (not fully, but almost) impossible to get a work permit in the US......

As a US pilot, it is almost (not fully, but almost) impossible to get a work permit in Europe...

[murdock]

Neither. The industry is busted. Save your money and do something that has a better future, or at the least, just go fixed wing.

[tottigol]

Go fixed wing, there's money to be made in the East side.
You can get an FAA ATP with ME and a (relatively) heavy TR (A320 family, B737) for chips compared to the cost of a EASA ATPL(H) with any valuable TR on it.

[TukTukDriver]

I’ve been involved in the industry actively working/flying for the past 40+ years and am currently Captain on both the AW139 & B412 operating offshore in the Persian Gulf.

Holding both FW & RW ATPL’s (FAA & Canadian) I was also previously type-ck’d as Capt on the B737 back in the mid 1990’s. (Not current at present)

Having left Canada in ‘96, I’ve worked the past 23 years continuously in the helicopter offshore oil & gas industry in Qatar, KSA, UAE, Nigeria, Canada, India, Yemen.

If your plans are to work as an expat overseas for global operators (FW & RW) not including Europe, the most valuable license that you can get yourself where you’ll make the most $$$$ will be the FAA ATPL.

The company that I currently work for in the UAE can’t find enough “qualified” offshore Captains. We’re about 15 guys short. What is “qualified” you ask...? Mid-Late 30’s, FAA ATPL, 5,000+ Hrs, Offshore Oil & Gas experience, multi-crew ops, multi-eng experience ie Bell212, Bell412, AW139.

That all said, your getting an FAA FW ATPL and throwing in a B737 type-ck (B737-300 Non-Glass cockpit at $10,000USD approx) will certainly fast track you to where you want to get to. Don’t worry about the Glass cockpit. The employer only wants to see the type-ck on the license. The airline will put you through a Glass Transition Course.

If your plans are to work in Europe, disregard all the above.....

Good luck.....

[Same again]

The company that I currently work for in the UAE can’t find enough “qualified” offshore Captains.

If they cannot 'find' people - by which I assume you mean pilots are not banging on the door perhaps they should try advertising?

[TukTukDriver]

Saudi Aramco insist on all their pilots having FAA ATPL(H), they won't even look at anyone with just an EASA ATPL(H), even though the EASA ATPL(H) is much harder to get and demonstrates proper mutli-crew experience. Figure that one out.

Simple explanation. All Aramco aircraft are “N” registered. In order to fly any American “N” registered aircraft worldwide, the crew must hold an FAA ATPL.

[TukTukDriver]

If they cannot 'find' people - by which I assume you mean pilots are not banging on the door perhaps they should try advertising?

Unfortunately the new Egyptian CFO and the “In-Human” Resources Dept have opted to bring in junior crews at much reduced rates of pay vs what was being paid just 10 years ago. What they are offering now, is what I was earning 20 years ago....!!!
Guys who have the experience and the brains, are all going elsewhere.....

[GoodGrief]

Are you saying 40+ is too old ?
Madness I say.

[TukTukDriver]

Are you saying 40+ is too old ?
Madness I say.
I never said 40 was too old. Hell, I’m 60 and still flying an 8/4 rotation.
It’s HR and the CFO who want to hire younger crews because they can get them at much lower salaries. The more experienced and slightly older guys are going elsewhere.

[TukTukDriver]

Well, they don't seem to consider FAA ATPL with A139 experience (EASA Type rating) either ;-)

35 years old, 5200 hours, FAA & EASA ATPL(H), CPL(A)/IR(A), 3500 hours offshore, EASA 139 & CL65 typed, but no FAA type ratings >12.500

​​
If you have the AW139 stamped on your FAA ATPL, no problem. With the exception of Europe, you can go anywhere.

[pilot_tolip]

Thanks for the good advice for going the FAA route and the EASA route. Very interesting to hear opinions and not sugar coated too. Great stuff.

[Helisweet]

The big difference is that EASA is against aviation busines an FAA works for the industry, like Transport Canada or other aviation friendly organizations.