Oz CPL to US ATPL. Anyone done it?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oz CPL to US ATPL. Anyone done it?
Scenario -
You are a pilot with several thousand hours in your traditional pistons and turbo props and some multi crew stuff (read no MCC requirement) and you have all 7 ATPL subjects done.
What do you do... Battle it out with CASA and try and do the flight test on say, a King Air, without any 2-crew procedures, or do you shoot off to the States and do one of their courses?
Now this is the first I have really thought of it, so this post forms part of the research that some of you will surely flap your gums about going and doing before posting...
You are a pilot with several thousand hours in your traditional pistons and turbo props and some multi crew stuff (read no MCC requirement) and you have all 7 ATPL subjects done.
What do you do... Battle it out with CASA and try and do the flight test on say, a King Air, without any 2-crew procedures, or do you shoot off to the States and do one of their courses?
Now this is the first I have really thought of it, so this post forms part of the research that some of you will surely flap your gums about going and doing before posting...
Do some research first; FAA process is now similar to the CASA one in that it too requires an MCC course (although it might be called something different).
Also requires the US school to verify all your records from CASA first, which can take time. Lots about this in the North America forum.
Also requires the US school to verify all your records from CASA first, which can take time. Lots about this in the North America forum.
Yeah I did it back in the day (kinda). I just went through with converting to a U.S. PPL and then doing the Single Commercial, Multi Commercial and Instrument Rating flight tests.
Much easier to get a job then get the U.S. ATP later on....Then they changed the rules.
I was having trouble getting full time employment on a twin and got a much needed jab of experience flying over there. Most days I wish I wouldn't have left!
Much easier to get a job then get the U.S. ATP later on....Then they changed the rules.
I was having trouble getting full time employment on a twin and got a much needed jab of experience flying over there. Most days I wish I wouldn't have left!
Once upon a time it was easy:
Arrive in the US with an ICAO CPL or ATPL licence, do the theory exam, go to any examiner & do the flight test. No training (but recommended. Things are a bit different from Oz) or instructor sign off required.
Then insecurity paranoia got a foot hold and the TSA waded in with their useless contribution to 'security'. It added a requirement for a background check with fingerprints prior to training. That, in turn, requires a sponsoring school so rather fewer schools are approved for that.
Then the 'we don't trust your licence you presented to us' so now you had to add the back & forth 'release my info to the other regulatory body' stuff.
It was still easily do-able, albeit with more paperwork & time to prepare required.
Then a year ago the US changed their prerequistes for sitting the ATP exam (for multis). Now you have to do an approved preparatory course that includes time in a full motion sim. Very, very few organisations are approved for this.
So...it's no longer the quick, easy & cheap ATP it used to be!
Arrive in the US with an ICAO CPL or ATPL licence, do the theory exam, go to any examiner & do the flight test. No training (but recommended. Things are a bit different from Oz) or instructor sign off required.
Then insecurity paranoia got a foot hold and the TSA waded in with their useless contribution to 'security'. It added a requirement for a background check with fingerprints prior to training. That, in turn, requires a sponsoring school so rather fewer schools are approved for that.
Then the 'we don't trust your licence you presented to us' so now you had to add the back & forth 'release my info to the other regulatory body' stuff.
It was still easily do-able, albeit with more paperwork & time to prepare required.
Then a year ago the US changed their prerequistes for sitting the ATP exam (for multis). Now you have to do an approved preparatory course that includes time in a full motion sim. Very, very few organisations are approved for this.
So...it's no longer the quick, easy & cheap ATP it used to be!
