250 tt FAA

[carboceramico]

hi folks! I'm posting to get some advice about my next step, I'm european with 250 hours total time with CPL/IR FAA.
I decided to do the licences FAA due the awful pilots condition in Europe in the last years.....But as i can see the rest of the world is not much better.
Do you think i can get any kind of job in the Caribbean in my conditions?
any suggest is very appreciated! thank you very much

[factor-x]

Panama or Colombia

Marry a Panamanian woman, obtain Panama citizenship and fly for Copa with 250 hours total time. Do the same thing in Colombia (much better since women are nicer) and you can fly for VivaColombia with 250 hours total time.

[RedBullGaveMeWings]

Not planning on moving to Latin America anytime soon, but I was wondering if a FAA licence is a must or if an EASA licence, being also an ICAO licence as the FAA one, is good to work (provided the immigration issues are not a problem)?

[carboceramico]

it doesn't matter if FAA or EASA, you just need to have an ICAO licence and you do the conversion for each CAA.
In south america there are so many N airplanes, so if you go there with an FAA licence you can get more chances to fly an N airplane and you don't need to convert.


thanks for the reply, but in case i don't like latin women? any chance to fly a twin otter or a caravan over some lost island?

[RVR400]

Nil

Your chances are pretty much nil anywhere since you are European and have an FAA License. With an EASA license you would have been able to build time somewhere like Africa flying bush and then Return to Europe when the time is right. Now that you have an FAA you cant return to EU to fly unless you convert to EASA.

Its best if you went back to the US and get yourself the CFI/CFII/MEI. When you do look for a school (maybe the old school you trained at), try to see if the school is authorized to issue whats called an OPT before joining the school. This OPT allows you to work as an Instructor for that particular flight school ONLY to build time. Yes, you have to complete your training first and it depends on the demands for instructors (this time around is very high).

A lot of people do it this way, and it may be your only way to build flight time so as to work on your ATPL. At the ATP level with over 2000 hours, you may now try for COPA Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Qatar and other Airlines that interview low time non-type rated foreign Pilots.

I am offering these tips because my path is almost exactly as I wrote above and it was the only way and the way most people who got licenses in other countries but cant work there.

Think about it, 250 hours is for contracted nationals in Asia, Africa and M.E. Not a national of any of these regions? Welcome to the long road to the Airlines.

[carboceramico]

thank you for replying RVR, to be honest i wanted to avoid the flight instructor path, but i think is the only way for now.
I don't really know yet about Africa, Asia and even Australia, (I'm gonna post in those sections soon ) but i did the FAA thinking that was the faster, cheaper and most accepted in the world. In some countries companies prefer FAA as mother licence. I know i can't fly in EU but i can fly anywhere in the world.

[LimaFoxTango]

I know i can't fly in EU but i can fly anywhere in the world.

No you cannot. Simply having a FAA license does not give you the right to work anywhere. You still have to convert said license to the local equivalent where ever you go. However, doing so is useless unless you get the right to live and/or work in any given country. At this point, you best bet is to go back to Europe, get your EASA/JAA license and apply for work there.

[Flying Mechanic]

you have no chance of any flying job, unless you are a local.

I went to the Caribean in 2002, with 2000 hours, was hard to get a job then.

[bringbackthe80s]

You never know in life so if you have money and time give it a try, but I had the same. Backpacked around the caribbean for a month 10 years ago, with a licence, fluent in the language a little hours...I couldn't even find a banner towing job.
Good luck

[carboceramico]

the fact is that if i go back to europe, i will be one of the thousands low hours unemployed...and i don't want to be. Unfortunately i had no money enough to study at OAA or FTE, I can't pay type ratings or line trainings, i spent all my money to get my licences, i want to be productive.

[zondaracer]

Lots of people want to be productive. The truth is that your investment won't yield the best return. Unfortunately, that is the reality. Hopefully, something will work out for you.

[darkroomsource]

the fact is that if i go back to europe, i will be one of the thousands low hours unemployed...and i don't want to be. Unfortunately i had no money enough to study at OAA or FTE, I can't pay type ratings or line trainings, i spent all my money to get my licences, i want to be productive.

Here's the bad news, wherever you go, you will be "one of the thousands of low hours unemployed". But, if you don't have the right to work there, then you are one of the thousands who will remain unemployed.

Here's the good news. You spent all your money, but DIDN'T GET A LOAN that you have to pay back.

You want to be productive?
Get a job in a warehouse or factory doing menial labour and save up your money to fly on the weekends. And if possible get a degree in engineering or accounting or medicine and move to that as a profession, and keep flying on the weekends.

Be happy that you find this out now, not after you've taken a loan for advanced ratings.

[carboceramico]

thanks for cheering me up guys, and for the advices, you more than anyone else can understand this kind of situation, I've been spending the last 4 years of my life planning how to be a pilot and saving, I'm 26 and I'm not so young anymore, i can't change plans now, i chose this way and i have to get it.

[TowerDog]

Been there, done that.
From Europe, came to the U.S. For flight training.
Ended up back in Europe driving taxi cabs while converting licenses and flying sky-divers Saturdays and Sumdays.
Ended up back in the states, then the Carribbean where I lived on a sailboat in St. Thomas and flew DC-3s and Twin Otters from island to island.
Good life it was and 30 years ago.
Still flying the Caribe, but now on 757/767s.
Get a green card and go to San Juan or St. Thomas.
Bring sunglasses and bathing suit.

[lilflyboy262...2]

Not so young?

Mate, you have 40yrs of flying ahead of you... whats the hurry?

[Flying Mechanic]

When I had 250 TT, I was in California, as a Brit, so no work permit. I had about 5 different jobs, pool cleaner, chauffeur etc. Did that for a year, and spent all on building time. through chauffeuring , I probably got a few hours just by flying clients. You need to be creative, the states is an easy place to exist with cash in hand jobs, and also aim fora rich girlfriend to, keeps you fed!

[sspencer1248]

Did you land your first airline job in CA with 250TT?? I'm pretty much exactly in the same situation as you once were..young lad in Diego trying to get it done

[Flying Mechanic]

No , I left USA with about 400 hours, then to Australia for 3 years, got a bush job, then the Caribean flying twins, then Middle East. never got a airline job until I had 4500 hours. Did the airline thing for 3 years, left in 2009, went corporate and never looked back. My first 3 flying jobs, was all knocking on doors.

[flash8]

Here is something carboceramico I learnt from many years of life... well 46 ))

You make your own luck. Believe in yourself and just get out there and try your best.. people DO notice... and eventually you'll get a break. Go to the Caribbean.. knock on every door possible (and more), speak/phone/email people until they get sick of it... you'll be surprised how fast a break will come, because I truly believe it will. Call it Magic if you wish. Attitude is EVERYTHING.

Also try and meet face to face... your chances go up 1000% if you do... folk are folk.

I got my old 737 job by turning up uninvited with CV and wearing a suit in the capital of a SE Asian country (not China!!!) knowing NO local language (beyond a week or so self-taught crash course) and having no contacts, but a readiness to do anything and total determination to succeed, confronting the CP and making my case. If things hadn't worked out I'd smile and move on... motivated as ever. Never take a rejection personally.

Good luck mate.