FAA to JAA??!!

[pilotjc925]

Hey guys (and girls too)

I'm in quite the bind at the moment... A quick overview on myself, I am a FAA CPL/MEIR CFI,CFII working as a instructor part time while finishing up college (graduation Dec 2011). I've got around 600tt/60multi and the "shiny jet syndrome" is starting to set in, after graduating from college in December I could be flying for the regional airlines here in the states. My goals though are much larger: I'd like to live and fly professionally in Europe. Before some of you go and kill my expat dreams, I do have a UK passport which I just got this past year. I understand the JAA conversion is very extensive: 14 written exams (not the easy ASA test bank either!) following that a CPL conversion, and the MEIR conversion. Being a poor college student and all the costs of a conversion would be impossible, but I have a friend who is a chief instructor for a JAA/FAA school here in the states who offered me a bonded contract for two years in exchange for regular wages and a JAA conversion. I was wondering if anyone had any advice? Two extra years of Flight instructing can't be that bad (Im hoping! I also know there are many fATPL's out there who are having trouble finding jobs.

Hopefully someone can give me some advice, I know that was a lot of info in a short time!

[Tinstaafl]

Take the offer.

[SloppyJoe]

I was going to convert my FAA ATP to a (f)ATPL in the UK but got a job where my FAA license was good so did not finish it, did all the exams but none of the flying.

If you just came to the UK to do the conversion it would take you the best part of a year, six month minimum for the exams via distance learning and the mandatory month of refresher in house teaching.

You would then probably spend at least a few months doing the flying and would then have a grand total of a whopping 650ish hours which would not put you near the top of any airlines recruitment lists.

You would then move back to the US once you found it impossible to get a descent flying job in Europe.

What you should do is accept the offer, spend two years instructing and get a FREE conversion. By the time your two years are up you will probably be getting close to 1500 hours and a US ATP. You can then look for a job in the EU but will also meet the requirements for regional FO jobs in the US, you are far far more likely to get a job in the US as an FO. If you still want to get to the EU keep building your multi crew turboprop/ regional jet FO time and eventually a job will come your way in Europe.

To be honest doing it any other way is total madness.

[zondaracer]

If I were you, I'd try to get hired at a regional in the US, and simultaneously work on the 14 exams via distance learning. It will take you longer to finish the exams, but you will get a type rating and lots of time on type. Once you get your FAA ATP, and your JAA exams are finished, you could convert the license on a simulator that you are typed on (with 500+ hrs on type)

It really sounds like you are ready to move beyond the instructor stage, do you really want to be bonded for two more years of instructing? Sure, a regional is low pay and lots of work, but the European carriers seem to value jet time quite a bit. Plus, the way the US economy is going, who knows how much longer they will be hiring... Same goes for the European economy... After your two years of being bonded, the little bit of hiring that is happening right now may not be happening at all anymore. It is too hard to predict. So, worst case scenario, a two year instructor bond could turn out to be a much longer instructor stint. Maybe being a career instructor turns out to be what you want, but currently it is not in your stated goals.

Just my two cents

[SloppyJoe]

I think that after the crash in the -8 you now need 1500 hours to get a job in a regional US airline by law. Even if you don't he would not have a chance with 650 hours and a hand full of twin time. The US is not like Europe where you can get an airline job with 250 hours if you pay for a rating and are very lucky. In the US you need to work your way up the ladder and instructing is a good way to do it.

[cyrilroy21]

Since you meet the minimums why dont you go ahead and apply

Pilot Job - Mesaba Airlines - PILOT CAREER CENTRE

[iceman2605]

Is anyone aware of airlines or charter companies or even a flying club in the US who hire foreign citizens (Indian without us passport or green card) and give them a work permit there..plz let me know..

[SloppyJoe]

Sierra Academy of Aeronautics: Individuals

The only way is a course like this one, you have to do a bachelors degree to be able to work temporarily in the US.

There is no way any company in the US can sponsor you for a working permit as a pilot.

The ONLY way is a course like the one above, a normal flight school can not issue this type of visa, you have to do a degree as well as the flight training.

[zondaracer]

I think that after the crash in the -8 you now need 1500 hours to get a job in a regional US airline by law. Even if you don't he would not have a chance with 650 hours and a hand full of twin time. The US is not like Europe where you can get an airline job with 250 hours if you pay for a rating and are very lucky. In the US you need to work your way up the ladder and instructing is a good way to do it.
*

Not correct. The 1500hr rule kicks in in August 2012. The regionals in the US are hiring like mad and my friends tell me that they can't even fill the hiring classes. Hiring minimums are anywhere from 1000hrs for the likes of Skywest to 600hrs for other regionals. They are trying to get their hiring done before the 1500hr rule kicks in, the change in rest rules which will require additional crews, and the anticipated retirements at the majors which will lead to pilots jumping from the regionals to the majors.

By the way, in 2008, some of the regionals did have 250hr hiring minimums in the US.