Working as a commercial pilot or Instructor in the USA
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Join Date: Mar 2014
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Working as a commercial pilot or Instructor in the USA
Hi all,
I have a vacation booked to the US in October/November and while I was there I thought that I would check out the aviation industry and the prospect of flying in the US. We will be around the west coast on our vacation.
I have recently been instructing a lady from California who tells me that Kiwis and Aussies get on well in the US due to their work ethic, flying standards and calm nature.
On reading the forums and doing some research I hear a lot of negative things to do with working conditions, pay, vacations and visas. The forums that I looked through though were slightly older (2011) so I'm not sure if the situation is still the same.
I am a New Zealand CPL holder with 700TT, MEIR and an instructor rating. Rated in PA38, PA28, PA34, R2160 (Robin 2160), C172 and Partenavia P68. I am sitting around 500+ PIC (our PIC is slightly different to the USA I think, see below) with 350+ hours instructing. I am also a current part 135 line pilot with commercial experience in scenic and photography/formation.
Note: referring to PIC above. We have an american guy training with us currently who has a given PIC in the USA but when we account for the differences in rules, his PIC is a lot more then what ours would be. To my understanding, in the USA PIC counts as any time that you fly the aircraft and have a license regardless of if there is an instructor on board. In NZ this is not the same, you only accrue PIC if you are the sole pilot responsible for the flight e.g; instructing, ferry flights, solo practise.
Thanks for the help in advance!
I have a vacation booked to the US in October/November and while I was there I thought that I would check out the aviation industry and the prospect of flying in the US. We will be around the west coast on our vacation.
I have recently been instructing a lady from California who tells me that Kiwis and Aussies get on well in the US due to their work ethic, flying standards and calm nature.
On reading the forums and doing some research I hear a lot of negative things to do with working conditions, pay, vacations and visas. The forums that I looked through though were slightly older (2011) so I'm not sure if the situation is still the same.
I am a New Zealand CPL holder with 700TT, MEIR and an instructor rating. Rated in PA38, PA28, PA34, R2160 (Robin 2160), C172 and Partenavia P68. I am sitting around 500+ PIC (our PIC is slightly different to the USA I think, see below) with 350+ hours instructing. I am also a current part 135 line pilot with commercial experience in scenic and photography/formation.
Note: referring to PIC above. We have an american guy training with us currently who has a given PIC in the USA but when we account for the differences in rules, his PIC is a lot more then what ours would be. To my understanding, in the USA PIC counts as any time that you fly the aircraft and have a license regardless of if there is an instructor on board. In NZ this is not the same, you only accrue PIC if you are the sole pilot responsible for the flight e.g; instructing, ferry flights, solo practise.
Thanks for the help in advance!
Join Date: May 2008
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First off it may help if you do a little more reading of these forums on this subject and you will find a lot of advice with regards to the question that you are asking.
Not wanting to burst your bubble but it is not as simple as just deciding you would like to come and work in the USA.
Take it from someone who has gone through the process. I am a Brit who has been in the US for almost 25 years. I am here purely through marriage. If it wasn't for my wife there is no way I would have obtained a work permit.
To work and reside in the US you will either need a work permit or a Green Card. The work permits are for specialized professions for which the US cannot fulfill positions with American talent alone. Aviation does not qualify on this basis. Trust me I tried. The Green Card is not easy to get. It took me over 3 years after I was married to finally get a permanent card.
More importantly based on your experience and flying hours you are extremely low time. Again sorry for the bitter truth but there are many many US pilots with several thousands of hours more experience than you looking for work.
My advice is to stay where you are and build your time and don't think that there is some easy path to aviation glory just by moving to the land of milk and honey.
The rugby is better in New Zealand anyway!
Good luck and all the best for the future.
Not wanting to burst your bubble but it is not as simple as just deciding you would like to come and work in the USA.
Take it from someone who has gone through the process. I am a Brit who has been in the US for almost 25 years. I am here purely through marriage. If it wasn't for my wife there is no way I would have obtained a work permit.
To work and reside in the US you will either need a work permit or a Green Card. The work permits are for specialized professions for which the US cannot fulfill positions with American talent alone. Aviation does not qualify on this basis. Trust me I tried. The Green Card is not easy to get. It took me over 3 years after I was married to finally get a permanent card.
More importantly based on your experience and flying hours you are extremely low time. Again sorry for the bitter truth but there are many many US pilots with several thousands of hours more experience than you looking for work.
My advice is to stay where you are and build your time and don't think that there is some easy path to aviation glory just by moving to the land of milk and honey.
The rugby is better in New Zealand anyway!
Good luck and all the best for the future.
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Join Date: Mar 2014
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Yeah have been reading since posting.
Looks like I will just enjoy my holiday there instead. I will shoot around a few places and do a couple of short dual flights because I am so keen to fly in the US (purely from an interest point of view).
Any more input is much appreciated!
Looks like I will just enjoy my holiday there instead. I will shoot around a few places and do a couple of short dual flights because I am so keen to fly in the US (purely from an interest point of view).
Any more input is much appreciated!
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where will you actually be?
I would tell you that california / nevada offers interesting flights to high altitude/mountainous airports. Lake Tahoe by way of either Truckee, South Lake Tahoe, or Reno airports would make a nice flight from the San Francisco area.
The bay area of san francisco is a very pretty area to fly over, esp when you have an instructor who knows the area.
IF you are down near Los Angeles a flight to Santa Barbara along the coast is very nice too.
tell us where you will be and we might have ideas for you.
sorry about work, but that's the way it is.
I would tell you that california / nevada offers interesting flights to high altitude/mountainous airports. Lake Tahoe by way of either Truckee, South Lake Tahoe, or Reno airports would make a nice flight from the San Francisco area.
The bay area of san francisco is a very pretty area to fly over, esp when you have an instructor who knows the area.
IF you are down near Los Angeles a flight to Santa Barbara along the coast is very nice too.
tell us where you will be and we might have ideas for you.
sorry about work, but that's the way it is.
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Haha no worries, I was just tossing up ideas.
Hours are creeping up. Flying around 40 hours a month at the moment but I am a bit tired of single engine (piston), instructional hours.
Would rather fly 135 scenic, freight, cargo etc all the time.
Hours are creeping up. Flying around 40 hours a month at the moment but I am a bit tired of single engine (piston), instructional hours.
Would rather fly 135 scenic, freight, cargo etc all the time.
