Flying in The US
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flying in The US
Hi everyone,
Is flying in the US really worth it?? I'm looking at all my ATPL books waiting to take the exams in feb. Keep looking at the depressing weather here and familly in the states keep telling me to come out there and fly?
How do things work out there, exams, CPL, IR?? I can get a Green card out there so I'd do all my FAA ratings, whats the job front like out there for a wee english boy!!
Any info would be great,
Hope you all had a good christmas,
Lee
Is flying in the US really worth it?? I'm looking at all my ATPL books waiting to take the exams in feb. Keep looking at the depressing weather here and familly in the states keep telling me to come out there and fly?
How do things work out there, exams, CPL, IR?? I can get a Green card out there so I'd do all my FAA ratings, whats the job front like out there for a wee english boy!!
Any info would be great,
Hope you all had a good christmas,
Lee
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
Join Date: May 2000
Location: England
Posts: 1,688
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well the exams for CPL and IR are easier in the States for one thing as the questions and answers are released - you just get a grilling in the aural tests to show your in depth knowledge.
I personally would recomend flying in the States. It's a different kinda ball game over there in the sense that flying is for everyone. No suprised looks of "wow, a pilot? Really??" off strangers over there......
Florida is the place to be for any flying Stateside and a good school I would recomend talking to is the Florida Institute of Technology based at Melbourne International. Impecable safety record and the staff are great fun (and wild!) and extremely friendly when it comes to looking after foriegn students.
Job prospects are arguably worse in the States though so I would think the whole thing through thoroughly before making a decision. I am actually touring with the idea of converting my licences but it's a kinda pipeline plan at the moment as I don't yet have the whole shooting match!
I dunno how US pilots would feel about someone coming over to find work there but in my experience the USA is a cosmopolitan country and people from all countries live and work there so I wouldn't expect to come up against too much xenophobia.
If you have your JAR CPL/IR w/fATPL the process of conversion is pretty simple. A flight test and one written one if I remember correctly......but do a search on here as the topic came up about two weeks ago.
Hope that helps. Good luck whatever you decide. My two bobs worth (for all it matters!) is that you could choose worse places to go and fly - go for it!
VFE.
I personally would recomend flying in the States. It's a different kinda ball game over there in the sense that flying is for everyone. No suprised looks of "wow, a pilot? Really??" off strangers over there......
Florida is the place to be for any flying Stateside and a good school I would recomend talking to is the Florida Institute of Technology based at Melbourne International. Impecable safety record and the staff are great fun (and wild!) and extremely friendly when it comes to looking after foriegn students.
Job prospects are arguably worse in the States though so I would think the whole thing through thoroughly before making a decision. I am actually touring with the idea of converting my licences but it's a kinda pipeline plan at the moment as I don't yet have the whole shooting match!
I dunno how US pilots would feel about someone coming over to find work there but in my experience the USA is a cosmopolitan country and people from all countries live and work there so I wouldn't expect to come up against too much xenophobia.
If you have your JAR CPL/IR w/fATPL the process of conversion is pretty simple. A flight test and one written one if I remember correctly......but do a search on here as the topic came up about two weeks ago.
Hope that helps. Good luck whatever you decide. My two bobs worth (for all it matters!) is that you could choose worse places to go and fly - go for it!
VFE.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Sand Pit
Posts: 343
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dont wory bout the yanks not wanting you there.....there are PLENTY of foreign pilots over here....i'm one of them.
If you do come, I would suggest Arizona or Colorado.....the weather is more suited to flying here more days of the year than anywhere else....
I beleive you will have to take 1 written test (multiple choice) and a check ride (with a fairly in depth oral) its actually no that hard!
If you log onto the FAA website I beleive you can download Part 61 of the FAR's.....conversion information should be in that....
good luck with the INS....suggest you find a school that has J visa authority....
If you do come, I would suggest Arizona or Colorado.....the weather is more suited to flying here more days of the year than anywhere else....
I beleive you will have to take 1 written test (multiple choice) and a check ride (with a fairly in depth oral) its actually no that hard!
If you log onto the FAA website I beleive you can download Part 61 of the FAR's.....conversion information should be in that....
good luck with the INS....suggest you find a school that has J visa authority....
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 4,779
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lee,
No idea about the job scene in the US, but for hour-building, I'd definitely recommend it. And don't go to Florida... sure, that's where all the JAR schools are, so many European students don't go any further west, but if all you're doing is hour-building, there are far more interesting places to fly!
I spent two months hour-building in Phoenix, Arizona last year, and had the time of my life. The scenery is absolutely stunning, and you'll get to learn all about mountain-flying with peaks of over 12,000' in the northern parts of Arizona. As with the whole of the US, the whole attitude towards flying is totally different. Airfields don't close down at night - if there are lights, you can land there. People actually consider light aircraft as a means of transport rather than an expensive toy. No landing fees and very low parking fees pretty much wherever you go, including big international airports. And I now have airfields in Las Vegas and Los Angeles in my logbook, as well as Grand Canyon airport and Tucson International.
If you decide to do the ratings and try to work over then, then good luck - I met one Englishman over there, who was entitled to work there because his wife was American. He was unemployed, and was training for an instructor rating when I met him, which he got shortly afterwards, although it didn't help him find work. One person isn't a good sample, so I can't say how it will work out for you, but I'd definitely recommend going over there to do some flying.
Have fun!
FFF
-------------
No idea about the job scene in the US, but for hour-building, I'd definitely recommend it. And don't go to Florida... sure, that's where all the JAR schools are, so many European students don't go any further west, but if all you're doing is hour-building, there are far more interesting places to fly!
I spent two months hour-building in Phoenix, Arizona last year, and had the time of my life. The scenery is absolutely stunning, and you'll get to learn all about mountain-flying with peaks of over 12,000' in the northern parts of Arizona. As with the whole of the US, the whole attitude towards flying is totally different. Airfields don't close down at night - if there are lights, you can land there. People actually consider light aircraft as a means of transport rather than an expensive toy. No landing fees and very low parking fees pretty much wherever you go, including big international airports. And I now have airfields in Las Vegas and Los Angeles in my logbook, as well as Grand Canyon airport and Tucson International.
If you decide to do the ratings and try to work over then, then good luck - I met one Englishman over there, who was entitled to work there because his wife was American. He was unemployed, and was training for an instructor rating when I met him, which he got shortly afterwards, although it didn't help him find work. One person isn't a good sample, so I can't say how it will work out for you, but I'd definitely recommend going over there to do some flying.
Have fun!
FFF
-------------
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lee,
If you already have a pilot license in the UK. The FAA will give you your Private license based on your JAA/CAA one. Since you will meet the hour requirements of the FAA commercial and instrument. All you will have to do is the written tests, demonstrate profficiency to your instructor (minimum of 3 hrs each for comm and inst). Then a checkride which is a oral about 1.5 - 2hrs long and a flight for the same amount of time.
There is a thread put in by Naples air center in Wannabe's on the procedures to have your license converted, post 9-11 they are a bit sticky.
As for the written it is multiple choice/guess. No negative grading and all you need is 70% to pass. This is easy as you get a disk with the entire question bank from where the questions you get on the test are taken.
The checkride the examiner sits down with you to make sure you are safe, understand the FAA regulations, charts and emergency procedures. Stuff you should know to fly - there are guides that outline what will be asked. Way easier than the written tests in England. The flight check also goes through basic manuevers. If you want to see what the checkride will entail. Goto www.faa.gov under publications (or just search) look for Practical Test Standards commonly called PTS for the rating you want to go for.
The job market is kinda weak if you wanna go to the airlines. But lots of other oppurtunities.
Cheers. GoodLuck.
If you already have a pilot license in the UK. The FAA will give you your Private license based on your JAA/CAA one. Since you will meet the hour requirements of the FAA commercial and instrument. All you will have to do is the written tests, demonstrate profficiency to your instructor (minimum of 3 hrs each for comm and inst). Then a checkride which is a oral about 1.5 - 2hrs long and a flight for the same amount of time.
There is a thread put in by Naples air center in Wannabe's on the procedures to have your license converted, post 9-11 they are a bit sticky.
As for the written it is multiple choice/guess. No negative grading and all you need is 70% to pass. This is easy as you get a disk with the entire question bank from where the questions you get on the test are taken.
The checkride the examiner sits down with you to make sure you are safe, understand the FAA regulations, charts and emergency procedures. Stuff you should know to fly - there are guides that outline what will be asked. Way easier than the written tests in England. The flight check also goes through basic manuevers. If you want to see what the checkride will entail. Goto www.faa.gov under publications (or just search) look for Practical Test Standards commonly called PTS for the rating you want to go for.
The job market is kinda weak if you wanna go to the airlines. But lots of other oppurtunities.
Cheers. GoodLuck.
