sms8
2nd Jun 2022, 01:36
Hi All,
I'm a current UK student on an EASA whitetail Integrated frozen ATPL course (Danish Authority) in one of the major flight schools with a presence in the UK, U.S and Europe who has an option (which I think has to be taken up) to get the UK license by completing a bridging course (2 months extra ground school) and re-taking all the ATPL's under the 2020 syllabus (very bitter pill to swallow and a long story) and then doing the MEIR's for each. Long story short circumstances have changed and I'm now married to a U.S citizen and we are both weighing up some options on whether we wish to stay here in the USA and alter the initially intended course, leave the EASA program maybe after my multi-engine skills test and gain a refund on the difference to pursue an FAA CFI license and then ultimately go into an airline. Or whether to just stick and we both reside in the UK and continue with my EASA/UKCAA training and hope that opportunities arise. Possibly I could try and do a blend of both although I feel costs will rule this out. That said I am finding it a struggle to make the case for doing both if one may not ever be used, I'm starting to see it as a bit of a costly insurance policy. As far as I'm aware to date my training has been performed by FAA-approved instructors despite doing an EASA-based program.
My logbook shows I've done...
103 hrs total time. 56.9 hrs dual. 46.1 hrs Solo PIC time of which 32.9 is PIC Nav and 9.8 hrs instrument. I'm scheduled to do some night dual flying and solo's over the next few days, I've also done around 8hrs Simulator time which I'd imagine isn't of much use. All of this has been done on a PA28 with a G1000 and the time will increase as I progress until I leave the U.S having completed some multi-engine time and doing a CPL a skills test on a Seminole (note: I'm told that as I'm integrated I will not be awarded a CPL license).
I guess I'm throwing my net out here to see if anyone has done something similar or can shed some advice on whether this alternate plan is not totally bonkers, or if anyone can add some info that may help my decision-making process one way or the other. I see that the prospects here for pilots do seem much more fruitful it seems there is a heavy demand whereas in the EU or more relevant to me the UK (unfortunately I do not have the right to work in the EU) it seems a lot tougher. I'm very concerned with where Brexit has left UK pilots I kind of feel the most likely employer for a UK passport holder with an EASA license would be Ryanair at the moment (so long as you have the cash upfront for a type rating which is rather depressing), I don't currently see too many options for a UK pilot with a freshly minted UK license... maybe Easyjet but I find it a stretch that they would hire a new whitetail when they have their bespoke MPL program?
p.s Something I should also add we are currently facing significant delays to our MEIR training of around 10 months for EASA/UKCAA once leaving the U.S.
Any wise words are appreciated, thanks in advance.
I'm a current UK student on an EASA whitetail Integrated frozen ATPL course (Danish Authority) in one of the major flight schools with a presence in the UK, U.S and Europe who has an option (which I think has to be taken up) to get the UK license by completing a bridging course (2 months extra ground school) and re-taking all the ATPL's under the 2020 syllabus (very bitter pill to swallow and a long story) and then doing the MEIR's for each. Long story short circumstances have changed and I'm now married to a U.S citizen and we are both weighing up some options on whether we wish to stay here in the USA and alter the initially intended course, leave the EASA program maybe after my multi-engine skills test and gain a refund on the difference to pursue an FAA CFI license and then ultimately go into an airline. Or whether to just stick and we both reside in the UK and continue with my EASA/UKCAA training and hope that opportunities arise. Possibly I could try and do a blend of both although I feel costs will rule this out. That said I am finding it a struggle to make the case for doing both if one may not ever be used, I'm starting to see it as a bit of a costly insurance policy. As far as I'm aware to date my training has been performed by FAA-approved instructors despite doing an EASA-based program.
My logbook shows I've done...
103 hrs total time. 56.9 hrs dual. 46.1 hrs Solo PIC time of which 32.9 is PIC Nav and 9.8 hrs instrument. I'm scheduled to do some night dual flying and solo's over the next few days, I've also done around 8hrs Simulator time which I'd imagine isn't of much use. All of this has been done on a PA28 with a G1000 and the time will increase as I progress until I leave the U.S having completed some multi-engine time and doing a CPL a skills test on a Seminole (note: I'm told that as I'm integrated I will not be awarded a CPL license).
I guess I'm throwing my net out here to see if anyone has done something similar or can shed some advice on whether this alternate plan is not totally bonkers, or if anyone can add some info that may help my decision-making process one way or the other. I see that the prospects here for pilots do seem much more fruitful it seems there is a heavy demand whereas in the EU or more relevant to me the UK (unfortunately I do not have the right to work in the EU) it seems a lot tougher. I'm very concerned with where Brexit has left UK pilots I kind of feel the most likely employer for a UK passport holder with an EASA license would be Ryanair at the moment (so long as you have the cash upfront for a type rating which is rather depressing), I don't currently see too many options for a UK pilot with a freshly minted UK license... maybe Easyjet but I find it a stretch that they would hire a new whitetail when they have their bespoke MPL program?
p.s Something I should also add we are currently facing significant delays to our MEIR training of around 10 months for EASA/UKCAA once leaving the U.S.
Any wise words are appreciated, thanks in advance.