Moving from the UK to the USA

[Oliver787]

I have recently found out that I cannot be a pilot in the uk due to the caa’s medical requirements (my prescription is too bad at +7 in each eye, any help on solving this initial issue is appreciated) but from my research my only option is to go to the USA, so I’m have a few questions to the people who may have done something similar,1. Will I get a funding if I’m not a citizen as i don’t have £100,000 2. How will it work with getting a visa/ green card (I have no family) and will I need a us passport or citizenship ( as aposed to a visa) to get a job.

any help is appreciated, don’t hesitate to ask for more info!

[rudestuff]

It's probably not going to happen. It's possible, but you've really got your work cut out for you if you have no right to live and work and no money. Your options for immigration are limited to marriage or employment based (meaning you would have to spend maybe a decade working in a completely different qualifying profession).

Are you sure you can't get a medical with surgery?

[Beaker_]

I thought a medical would still be possible with your eyesight following an assessment from an opthalmologist. Have you spoken to an AME yet?

[421dog]

You still have to correct to 20/20 distant and 20/40 near/intermediate for a first class with acceptable phorias. Nobody much cares what your uncorrected vision is.

[allert]

Have you actually been to a Class 1 Initial medical assessment and got rejected? As long as your vision is correctable to their standards, like 421dog said, no one cares what your actual vision is like (wasn’t the case 15 years ago). Before the initial medical you’ll have to see an ophthalmologist and get a detailed report about your eyes to take to the AME, who will then put an appropriate limitation in your medical.

[Oliver787]

I thought a medical would still be possible with your eyesight following an assessment from an opthalmologist. Have you spoken to an AME yet?

I will try to organise a class 1 but on the caa website it says the maximum is -+6 and I’m 7 i don’t think it matters if I have correction (when I do it is better 20/20)

[Oliver787]

You still have to correct to 20/20 distant and 20/40 near/intermediate for a first class with acceptable phorias. Nobody much cares what your uncorrected vision is.

I have better than 20/20 corrected it’s just that on the website my prescription is too high. I don’t have any experience however my theory is that I wouldn’t want to get an ATPL or cpl, going over £100,000 in debt just for my first year some AME having a bad day to fail me because they can (which they could) please correct me if this is completely wrong

[Oliver787]

Have you actually been to a Class 1 Initial medical assessment and got rejected? As long as your vision is correctable to their standards, like 421dog said, no one cares what your actual vision is like (wasn’t the case 15 years ago). Before the initial medical you’ll have to see an ophthalmologist and get a detailed report about your eyes to take to the AME, who will then put an appropriate limitation in your medical.

So if I have a good doctor report (which I do, from moorfeilds) than I can get a license that may just have limitations even if my eyesight is too bad.

[Tranwell]

Go see an AME - ask them about the requirements for Class 1 and ask whether you would be eligible. The regular AME's who do the Class 2 PPL medicals are usually also capable of doing (non-initial) Class 1 renewals too, so they will know the deal. Better to spend £300 on a Class 2 and good information than to spend £700 on a class 1 which may result in your class 2 being withdrawn!

https://www.caa.co.uk/aeromedical-examiners/medical-standards/pilots/conditions/visual/visual-system-guidance-material-gm/



CLASS 1 - AMC1 MED.B.070(d) Refractive error and anisometropia

(1) Applicants with the following conditions may be assessed as fit subject to satisfactory ophthalmic evaluation and provided that optimal correction has been considered and no significant pathology is demonstrated:
(i) hypermetropia not exceeding +5.0 dioptres;
(ii) myopia not exceeding -6.0 dioptres;
(iii) astigmatism not exceeding 2.0 dioptres;

(iv) anisometropia not exceeding not exceeding 2.0 dioptres.

(2) Applicants should wear contact lenses if:
(i) hypermetropia exceeds +5.0 dioptres;
(ii) anisometropia exceeds 3.0 dioptres

(3) An evaluation by an eye specialist should be undertaken 5-yearly if:
(i) the retractive error is between -3.0 and -6.0 dioptres or +3 and +5 dioptres;
(ii) astigmatism or anisometropia is between 2.0 and 3.0 dioptres.

(4) An evaluation by an eye specialist should be undertaken 2-yearly if:
(i) the refractive error is greater than -6.0 dioptres or +5.0 dioptres;
(ii) astigmatism or anisometropia exceeds 3.0 dioptres.

[421dog]

In the US (and I’m a senior AME who does a bunch of Class 1 medicals), if the airman can’t read anything in the eye chart (20/200 is the lowest resolution on my machine) we record it as such and then check them corrected. 20/20 distant, 20/40 near and intermediate corrected, and you’re good to go. Nobody here cares about uncorrected vision. Heterophorias allow +-1 vertically and <6 laterally (though we issue with a warning that the airman may get a request from the FAA for additional evaluation if they exceed those values. I am pretty sure I’ve never had an Airman who got a letter about phorias…

[MichaelOLearyGenius]

Yeah I'd really get the UK medical done, a guy I knew was born with one kidney and passed. The USA is a non starter. American airline pilots are very xenophobic and highly unionised and don't like any foreigners upsetting their monopoly on jobs. Even though there is a shortage of pilots in the USA, senior pilot's are quite happy with the status quo. Recent union negations have set senior long haul pilots on over $500,000 salaries due to supply and demand. There would be nothing easier than the airlines to fill cockpit seats with foreign pilots, just like what happens all over the world, especially in Asia and the Middle East. but the American members want to keep foreign pilots of the USA and artificially keep their salaries and benefits high so I'd forget about working in the USA for the time being at least.

[galaxy flyer]

Yeah I'd really get the UK medical done, a guy I knew was born with one kidney and passed. The USA is a non starter. American airline pilots are very xenophobic and highly unionised and don't like any foreigners upsetting their monopoly on jobs. Even though there is a shortage of pilots in the USA, senior pilot's are quite happy with the status quo. Recent union negations have set senior long haul pilots on over $500,000 salaries due to supply and demand. There would be nothing easier than the airlines to fill cockpit seats with foreign pilots, just like what happens all over the world, especially in Asia and the Middle East. but the American members want to keep foreign pilots of the USA and artificially keep their salaries and benefits high so I'd forget about working in the USA for the time being at least.

That’s simply not true, there are many foreign pilots at US 121 carriers, I’ve flown with several at a now-defunct carrier. I’ve met UK, Canadians, Aussies, even a Rhodesian. Like any country you have to have the right to work, but that’s not up to the Union to decide. Also, you need to meet FAA ATP minimums.​​​​​​, contrary to opinion, that was passed by Congress, not ALPA.

[MichaelOLearyGenius]

That’s simply not true, there are many foreign pilots at US 121 carriers, I’ve flown with several at a now-defunct carrier. I’ve met UK, Canadians, Aussies, even a Rhodesian. Like any country you have to have the right to work, but that’s not up to the Union to decide. Also, you need to meet FAA ATP minimums.​​​​​​, contrary to opinion, that was passed by Congress, not ALPA.


Yes I agree but these are exceptions rather than the norm, most of the ex pat pilot's in the USA have American wives. If it is the case that foreign pilot's can work in the states, then why are the majors not plundering the excess pilots, or advertising jobs in the USA to our excess supply of pilots in the USA. Its just a slight conversion from an EASA to an FAA and if the airlines sponsored them they'd be allowed to live and work in the USA no problem. Maybe not the union per se but senior captains have the airlines by the cahoonas.

[605carsten]

What people have to remember is that being “sponsored by an airline” means you are beholden and chained to that particular airline.. if they go bankrupt or furlough, then YOU get canned and no longer able to stay legally in country. Its not a free-for-all greencard where you can swap and change companies…
So maybe wiser to get married or just forget the idea totally.

[cryptoknight]

I have recently found out that I cannot be a pilot in the uk due to the caa’s medical requirements (my prescription is too bad at +7 in each eye, any help on solving this initial issue is appreciated) but from my research my only option is to go to the USA, so I’m have a few questions to the people who may have done something similar,1. Will I get a funding if I’m not a citizen as i don’t have £100,000 2. How will it work with getting a visa/ green card (I have no family) and will I need a us passport or citizenship ( as aposed to a visa) to get a job.

any help is appreciated, don’t hesitate to ask for more info!
Eagle air is your solution

[bafanguy]

Maybe not the union per se but senior captains have the airlines by the cahoonas.

How so... ?

[MichaelOLearyGenius]

How so... ?

There is a pilot shortage in the USA. Senior pilots have recently negotiated huge salary increases to over $500,000. They also have the scope clause limiting the size of commuter aircraft junior pilots fly and the remuneration they can get. This is why the E195-E2 does not fly in the USA, it is deemed to be a mainline aircraft by its weight and size and therefore you are deemed a mainline pilot if you fly one. Senior pilots want to limit the number of mainline pilots entering the profession to inflate their own salaries hence they don't want foreign pilots either.

[bafanguy]

There is a pilot shortage in the USA. Senior pilots have recently negotiated huge salary increases to over $500,000. They also have the scope clause limiting the size of commuter aircraft junior pilots fly and the remuneration they can get. This is why the E195-E2 does not fly in the USA, it is deemed to be a mainline aircraft by its weight and size and therefore you are deemed a mainline pilot if you fly one. Senior pilots want to limit the number of mainline pilots entering the profession to inflate their own salaries hence they don't want foreign pilots either.
MOG,

Just for purposes of gentlemanly discussion, I’m afraid you’ve assigned “senior pilots” (by which I assume you mean those at the top of the seniority list) far more authority and influence than they actually have.

The activities of pilot unions are conducted by representatives elected by the membership where a pilot one month from retirement has only one vote like a pilot at the bottom of the seniority list. This includes approving negotiated contracts where only membership ratification brings them into final being. And these days with large mandatory retirements and wild hiring filling up the bottom of the seniority list, there are many more “junior pilots” than ever before.

And frankly, I rather doubt many of them care who gets hired after them.

Pilots and their unions do not hire pilots or have the authority to control/influence who gets interviewed and hired…they just don’t. Pilot hiring is a jealously-fiercely-guarded management function. The unions certainly have their opinions (and will express them as ALPA has done) of who should be hired but the final say rests with management alone.

As for hiring expats, management at the likes of DL, UA, AA, SWA, FedEx, UPS have historically not wanted to mess with anything less certain than a green card. To “sponsor” expats in iffier immigrant categories is just too complicated and expensive to be practical in their estimation. I’d expect by the empirical evidence of hiring in the last few years, they have all the pilots they need and it will continue that way. And if push came to shove, I’d expect them to take 1500-hour CFIs before sponsoring expats. After all, it’s to be expected that airlines prefer hiring their own citizens. I can’t go fly for a British airline just because I want to…same in reverse.

True enough, there have been some LCCs, regionals or start-ups who’ve taken Aussies on E3s or a couple of other nationalities on H1B1s but they have a tougher time competing for/retaining pilots than the Big Boys who are unequivocally career destinations. And these non-green card visas are often country-specific…something else over which “senior pilots” have no control.

As for negotiated efforts to limit what flying is done at mainline vs subsidiaries, “scope” is just an effort to assure that any flying done by a company is done by mainline pilots…merely protecting mainline jobs. That’s what pilot unions do. I never shared the cockpit with anyone I’d mistake for Mother Teresa.

Personally, I’m neither for nor against hiring expats. I’m just an interested (and amused) observer whose opinion is certifiably irrelevant but have been intrigued by pilot supply/demand since the mid 1960s. And I do enjoy seeing airline management squirm and sweat to hire pilots. I also say there’s really no pilot shortage….just lots of hiring. Seats WILL be filled and airplanes flown. Watch and see...