I just learned about the long waiting times. Obviously I have not taken any serious and definate decisions yet, since it is a huge step. I wouldn't ask on this forum, if I knew everything for sure.

Unfortunately it’s not.
A family sponsored ‘dependent’ green card takes that amount of time as it’s the lowest priority in processing.

https://www.immi-usa.com/family-based-green-card/

Well, I can see how he's got lots of questions...and maybe doesn't quite know what questions to ask.

He's a young guy with a toe in the door at Lufthansa and trying to decide between continuing down that path vs something different and puzzling here.

Yeah, I've found a good flight school in Florida (Skyborne Vero Beach) which offers Purdue Online Bachelor simultaneously. I'd focus on that for now.

1. How do you know it’s a “good” school
2. There are lots of schools that have agreements with online “academies”
3. An online bachelor degree isn’t worth very much.
4. Airlines that require a “degree” mean a 4-year degree.

The school on question is also very new and at an airport already busy with training aircraft.
https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/20...ed/6805258002/

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/...light-training

I know you don’t want to listen but with the greencard that far away concentrate on getting on with Lufthansa or a University degree in Germany.

Yeah problem solved, they don't accept international students. That's at least what they told me for the current state.

Don’t jump on the first thing you see.
There are at least three different (foreign) student visa and only one or two allow you to work for a limited time in your field of study like working as an instructor till you reach ATP at 1500 hrs.
Be very careful that you don’t end up on the for you incorrect visa that you then can’t change anymore.
Look up and really read up on the following visa’s
M-1
J-1
F-1

According to nearly any flightschool M-1 is needed. And after that I would probably have to apply for a work visa.

Do you perhaps know how hard it is to convert an EASA ATPL to the FAA counterpart in order to fly in America after studying / greencard?

Michael,

As it stands now (who knows what it might be when you reach that point), you don't "convert" to an FAA ATP license in the sense you might be thinking.

You apply the EU flight time to the FAA Part 61 requirements for an ATP. And...you take the ATP-CTP course, pass the ATP written exam and take a simulator check, likely in whatever type you flew in the EU. So you're essentially getting the license from scratch...no shortcuts at the moment unless you have a Canadian license. Lots of people have done it.

I should add that there is a way to "convert" an EASA license to FAA but it only gets you a PPL and IR. Doesn't work for an ATP.

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/.../AC_61-143.pdf

Thanks, but would that mean, that my hours in Europe won't be recognized? And I assume I just take that few courses needed for ATP and not the whole "flight school" process. Anyways, who knows what might be in 15 years from now or so.

EU flight time does count towards FAA ATP flight-time requirements.

I didn't previously go deep into the issue in the interest of keeping my answer basic. But most of the people who come to the US to get an FAA license appear to have heavy airplane experience and usually take the FAA check ride in an airplane type they've flown previously. This makes it easier for them as you might imagine. And it also reduces the amount of sim time to prep for the check ride hence reducing cost. These "courses" are sort of tailored to each candidate depending on circumstances vs a full type rating syllabus for a person with no time in type.

This would be one example: https://www.panamacademy.com/type-rating-training/


A person can also take the ATP flight test in a light twin in lieu of a large airplane. For a person with previous flight time I'd imagine the necessary number of hours prep time to get ready for the flight test would vary with each person's level of comfort and performance. It'd give the ATP and ME rating.

Thanks, according to your american perspective, how long do you think would that process of "coversion" for a major airline take? Around a few months? I've heard that it can go quiet quick...

10 days. It takes 10 days.

Alright, sounds like you didn’t research it yourself.
For just training the M-1 is indeed sufficient but if you want to work as an instructor towards your 1500 hrs and FAA ATP you need an F1 or J1 and very few schools can issue those.
Thats what I meant by coming here and starting with flight training on the WRONG visa.

All license issues are government issues and unrelated to an airline. rudestuff is correct. For an experienced pilot going for an FAA ATP, it'd take about 10 days. For a young guy with 1500 hours, I don't know but assume it'd be longer depending on what route he took to get the license.

Under ICAO all member states recognize each others flight times and licenses under the various agreements.
It’s generally considered that conversion/transition from EASA(European) > FAA (American) is much easier then the other way around.

61.153(3) of the US regulations

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/61.153

yeah I read that. For the school itself I'll need M1, I thought that I would apply for a work visa directly after, but for now it is future music, I'll focus on Lufthansa now, since it still is kind of beneficial, but I'll keep you updated after I apply in June.

You can’t go from a M-1 to a work visa.
Thats why F1/J1 would be more suited.
https://pilotteacher.com/u-s-flight-training-visas-your-easy-helpful-guide/

Alright, thanks.