JAA to FAA to instruct......?

[Bensonian]

Recently got my JAA FCL blah CPL(R) and since I only have 220 hours approx am hoping to Instruct in the states(MN) since girlfriend is there!
Just wondering if anyone can shed any light from experience etc on..... 1:CONVERSION(order of courses)
2: J1 VISA Whatisit??!
3:RRRENUMERATION $$$$$$
4:Chance of Brit getting US Ins Job?
Many thanks in advance For a much needed INFORMATION OVERLOAD.......Ben

[ronchonner]

you have to pass written test and check ride for IFR (written is easy) check ride will be harder for a JAR pilot with no experience.
pay is 15-20$ per flight hour...you have to do the cfi,cfii (instrument) prior to teach.
(initial cfi minimum)
you can make 800-1300$/month if you are in a good school.it s hard to live with this, USA is expensive.
you will need your own car.

you will not get a job and you can not apply to the green card lottery.but you can work as a contractor for a school.

i can tell you it s hard.I live in the USA since 1995.I did my ATP FAA.I flew for sky divers and small companies (freight,schools...)
but you can fly and log time.
I do nt understand why guys like you, spend so much money in a JAR license if it s to go to USA, why do nt go in an airline, like easy jet, lufthansa...you have been trained for, so what do you wait?
if you go to the USA, you will ever get a job back, cuz in the USA, we have a lot of bad habits.we fly too much, we do nt pay to fly, we teach,we fly hundred of different planes in the busiest airspace of the world.It s very risky, lot of crash (www.ntsb.gov),I lost several friends who crashed.we fly IFR night on single piston engine,if you lose you engine and you land in west texas, you die.most of planes are crapt, bad maintenance,...in winter, they force you to fly in icing condition with a non approved plane for ice.
anyway, I warn you:if you are a real pilot, you will like to fly in the USA but you risk your life.if you are one of these rich pilots who prefer to stay at home and dream to fly an airbus 320. stay in europe with momy!
J1 visa is a student visa for 2 year.during 6 months, u are authorized to work in the school.to get a J1 visa, u have to pay around 20'000$ in a training.My advise is :go with a tourist visa B2.when you enter in the USA, write on the I94 form http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/tongue.gifrospect student.
you will have 3-4 months to find a school.
most of schools are M1 approved, it s a visa for 1 year and it costs only 120 $ (www.ins.gov).
if you want join a good school www.flypinnacle.com (http://www.flypinnacle.com)

1:CONVERSION(order of courses)
2: J1 VISA Whatisit??!
3:RRRENUMERATION $$$$$$
4:Chance of Brit getting US Ins Job?

[willbav8r]

Well that is one persons viewpoint......

Visa is the first obstacle I would say.

As for the flying, well instructors do not earn much, but is that any different to the UK?

The difference here must be the amount of flying. More schools than you could shake a stick at. Weather is generally better, so more flying. Alternatively, the weather can be worse (MN), so there is true experience of IMC and IFR.

Not sure what is needed, but the license conversion isn't going to be tough, as long as the real flying is up to scratch.

As usual, watch out for the cowboy outfits, fly lots, and get in some real experience.

Good Luck.

[rolling circle]

willbav8r has got it about right, the visa is the big problem. Compared with the JAR FI rating the FAA certificate is a walk in the park, as is the licence. If you've done the JAR CPL Skill Test and FI you should be able to cream the FAA ATPL and CFII with your eyes shut.

Remuneration is generally a joke and a majority of the schools are cowboy outfits who are just dying to rip you off - something to do with being frustrated colonials, I guess.

On balance, go for it. But, let's be careful out there!!

[robkey]

You'll probably find that going to the States with a couple of hundred hours to instruct is a great way to actually start learning about flying! A pilot with 200 or so hours essentially knows nothing, and over there you can instruct, learn, maybe move on to charter flying and build yourself a bit of experience. Most major US airlines won't look at civilian candidates with less than 4000 or so hours because there's a fair amount to be said for actually getting out in the real world and learning to fly in the system. You may have completed a JAA course and spent months learning how to plot nav exercises across the poles, but these 14 exams full of fascinating but useless info will have done little to give you any experience in actually flying.
My advice is build some time in the States. Make sure the school is reputable, and safe. Common sense that applies in any country. Though the pay isn't too hot at $15-$20 dollars an hour, the midwest is cheap to live compared to the EU. Food costs half, and fuel for the car at around 70 pence a gallon.
You'll have to pass the FAA Commercial Pilot test single and multi, followed by the CFI rating for basic instruction. If you want to instruct instruments this will require a CFII rating appropriate to the class of aircraft. The commercial written is straight forward as is the instrument, however, be prepared for extensive oral exams associated with the flight tests unlike in the UK,...especially the CFI initial.
Good luck!

[Tor]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Posted by ronchonner:
you have to pass written test and check ride for IFR (written is easy) check ride will be harder for a JAR pilot with no experience.</font>

In JAA countries you have to have a specific number of hours before moving on to the next level of instructing, they just don't hand out any flight instructor certificate to anyone like in the US. Furthermore you can have any ICAO certificate validated by walking into a FAA office.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">
I do nt understand why guys like you, spend so much money in a JAR license if it s to go to USA, why do nt go in an airline, like easy jet, lufthansa...you have been trained for, so what do you wait?</font>

You have misunderstood something. Not all are sponsored by an airline and therefore has to build hours like anyone else.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">
if you go to the USA, you will ever get a job back, cuz in the USA, we have a lot of bad habits.we fly too much, we do nt pay to fly, we teach,we fly hundred of different planes in the busiest airspace of the world.It s very risky, lot of crash (www.ntsb.gov),I lost several friends who crashed.we fly IFR night on single piston engine,if you lose you engine and you land in west texas, you die.most of planes are crapt, bad maintenance,...in winter, they force you to fly in icing condition with a non approved plane for ice.</font>

If you think it's macho to fly a light single engine in known icing conditions, you're probably right. If you think it shows "the right stuff", you're wrong. It's downright stupid. I have flow in icing in single engines aswell (yes there is icing in Europe too), but never into known icing, and when there I have gotten the hell out asap. I also fly IFR at night in single engines, that's allowed in Europe too, just not commercially.

Just to clear up some misunderstandings http://www.flightcrew.dk/ubb//wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Tor (edited 16 March 2001).]

[Flare_you_fool!]

The FAA FSDO will not validate any ICAO certifcate, anything above ppl will need the appropriate written and skills test.
Regards
FYF

------------------
Oh no,not again!

[ronchonner]

right,i got my EU privat by presenting my FAA CPL,and my FAA privat by presenting my EU privat...!!!crazy no?
you can have all licenses you want as long you do nt work and make money.
its just a problem of job, money,politic...
actually only a ICAO PPL is recognized.

[flyingwigwam]

I was under the impression that a person would not be eligible for a J1 visa for training if one has more than a PPL. Anyway around this? What does it cost to get a CF1 in the states?

Rochrunner: You mention that can initially enter the states on a tourist visa to find a suitable school. How do you convert this to a working visa later on?

Reccommend checking out ufly.com for further info (check out the international students forum)

[Tor]

"The FAA FSDO will not validate any ICAO certifcate, anything above ppl will need the appropriate written and skills test."

As far as I know the FAA will validate an ICAO CPL, without any tests, however, with the restriction that no commercial flying is allowed.

Don't know what is required to instruct in the US, but in JAA countries a PPL is sufficient.

[sd]

What is the current situation regarding JAA PPL training in the States?
Do instructors at approved schools not have to have at least a JAA FI(R),if they are to teach JAA PPL, should this not mean that you could obtain a Visa on the grounds that you were taking up employment which could not normaly be filled by a US National?
I have to say that instructing in the UK during summer and in the US over Winter has a certain appeal.

[rolling circle]

Only the CFI of an approved modular school in the USA has to hold a JAA licence and instructor rating provided that the ratio of non-JAA to JAA licenced instructors does not exceed 6:1 for PPL training and 4:1 for CPL/IR/MEP/FI(A). There is no limit to the ratio at schools approved for integrated training.

The FAA refer to the process whereby a pilot certificate is issued on the basis of a foreign licence as 'conversion', but then they never were very good at the English language. They will 'convert' any ICAO licence but will only allow private privileges as detailed in FAR 61.75(a).

A PPL is sufficient for an instructor within the JAA only if no remuneration is given. To be eligible for a FAA flight instructor certificate, a pilot must hold at least a CPL and Instrument Rating as detailed in FAR 61.183(c)