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How's This for a Plan?

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Old 12th Sep 2008, 13:16
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How's This for a Plan?

I'm considering taking the wife and cats to the UK. She believes that once we got there she wouldn't be allowed to work, being a US citizen and all, but I would so she would take care of me and do volunteer work. I've got about 3,700 hours as PIC-helicopter, an instrument rating, experience in twins and singles, have most recently flown EMS. Here's the plan:
  • get hired on at Bristow, in this case Air Log
  • be an exemplary employee, completing my ATP along the way
  • talk my way into a twin-engine job (I've already got time in the BK and the Blowchow)
  • transfer to Aberdeen
  • move wife and cats
Okay, where's the problem? Would it work? If not, why not?

Thanks!

Last edited by Lt. Kije; 12th Sep 2008 at 13:17. Reason: turning on email notification
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 13:47
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Got JAA certificates?
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 13:58
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Nope, just FAA flypaper. I figured that when Bristow wants to approve my transfer, they'd have me checkride with the person that can issue the required certificates.
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 14:03
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No information at all on the subjects, whatsoever.
A bit naive, aren't we...
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 14:18
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Good Grief,

So, apart from snarky, insulting comments from the security of anonymity, have you anything useful to say? Perhaps, dare we to hope, an answer to what I hope I phrased as a polite, respectful series of questions?

However, I'll answer yours, though I assume your omission of the question mark was merely an oversight. What's education coming to these days?

I am not naive, I am confident. I realise that my confidence could be mistaken for naivete in one who know as little about me as does Your Eminence.

I have taken the civilian path in the US, and if you don't know how difficult that was, I suppose I can assume your lack of respect stems from that ignorance. I have flown junk helicopters because I had to in order to have a job. Can you recite the procedure for a tail rotor failure? I've had it happen six times and never scratched the paint. I've had engines quit in the weirdest way possible and gotten my people safely to the ground.

I've flown twins and singles, and been thanked by the families of the people whose lives I've saved.

So if I think I can find an oil platform, it's not that I'm naive, it's that I've done far tougher things than that. If I think I can learn the European variants on regulations that I already know, I have reason to believe that I can.
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 14:19
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Oh, and don't expect to see the cats for 6 months while they are in quarantine, and as for the rest, I suggest you look into it a bit deeper.Right now, as far as plans go, I would not even move across country on that one!
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 14:19
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Hmm - bit more than just a checkride. Try 13 written exams. You will look much more attractive if you've taken the trouble to do something about that!

Got any multi-crew time?

Phil
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 14:34
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The 800 hours of study for the ATPL exams you'll have to take to get a JAA ticket took me 7 months and that was studying full time, no day job and I believe that's reasonably quick.
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 14:56
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Lt Kije,

I wouldn't expect the big operators to do anything for you. They have a large pool of people who want to work for them who have already ticked all the boxes.

You may also want to look into the Psychometric testing that they do and the conduct of the interview. I feel you may fall at this hurdle.

I wouldn't want, currently, to move to this country but the best of luck.

FNW
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 15:28
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JAA - you need get through the ATPL writtens. You can do a distance learning course and you may have to travel to the UK for exams and an initial 1st class physical. You may need to budget $7,000+ for GS, travel, consolidation courses just for the ATPL writtens. Those exams are tough, you will be humbled. I started the course and got side-tracked, I did an MBA degree and it was an easier than the ATPL. An example is in the FAA IR guide they have not even one page on the magnetic compass, ATPL had 32 pages!!!! You even learn how to do a compass swing and calc all the coefficents. American ATP's KNOW NOTHING. I'm not putting down American ATPs but I'm telling you like it is. American ATPs get from point A to B safely but do they know falling snow may cause precipatation static and effect the accuracy of an ADF? Or how wide a 1 degree VOR radial gets from the station (Rule of 60). Lot's of good stuff but as a professional do you want to be the best or just someone who gets by?

Do you have a college degree? Garduate degrees are better. Search the web for UK Immigration. You may come across an online qustionare as they use a point system.


Also, after September 30th the OCS drilling ban expires unless congress votes it in again. If the OCS opens up you may have some good oppurtunities here in the states.



Best of Luck
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 15:40
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Lt Kije - our govt is broke, our cost of living is going through the roof and we don't have sun in the Summer any more - what on earth would possess you to move over here - even if you did have any of the right qualifications?
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 15:50
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Exclamation I am not naive, I am confident.

Lt Kije,

Some advice!

To use your words: -

I have flown junk helicopters because I had to in order to have a job.
Never admit this ever again outside of the USA!

Can you recite the procedure for a tail rotor failure? I've had it happen six times and never scratched the paint.


Yes I can - as a JAA TRE/IRE/SFE/FAA Check Airman/Instructor I teach the procedure on Class D 6 axis simulators but would question your sanity whereby you continue to fly "junk helicopters" that suffer this level of catastrophic failure.

Once again I suggest: -
Never admit this ever again outside of the USA!

Finally

and been thanked by the families of the people whose lives I've saved.
May I respectfully suggest that you didn't save anyone - you put lives in danger recklessly and needlessly by knowingly flying
"junk helicopters"
Trog

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Old 12th Sep 2008, 15:58
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I think Hitler had less maybe/what if's in his plan for world domination...

All the best to you and Eva !!!
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 16:48
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If neither you nor Mrs. Kije have UK citizenship and/or right to work here plus only having FAA licences, you're facing a whole heap of paperwork and permissions plus converting to JAA.

In order for Bristow in the UK to employ someone from overseas, they have to prove to the Home Office that they cannot find a suitably qualified and experienced EU citizen to do the job. That might be a tad tricky as there is not a great deal of recruitment going on at the moment.

You will have to sit the 13/14 JAA exams although with your hours, you may be exempt the classroom element. Your conversion for flying for CPL will be training as required and the IR conversion is a minimum of 15 hours plus a twin-engine rating.

Have you considered the cost of living in Aberdeen? If your wife cannot work here (and it's unlikely if you are both US citizens unless she has a qualification that is needed - we're short of bloodstock trainers apparently!) then supporting the both of you on a co-pilot salary may be difficult.

Your plan as it stands needs a lot more research and I'm not being rude or sarky!

Cheers

Whirls
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 16:56
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I'm sorry. I thought this was the PPRuNe board. From the level of politeness and respect I perceive that I have in fact wandered into JustHelicopters. My mistake.

I'll go over to PPRuNe instead, where I've had the experience of asking respectful questions without being insulted for my trouble. Good day.

Oh, wait a minute. While I was writing that, I see that Whirls has replied like a gentleperson. Thank you. I agree that the plan miight need more research. My research has begin with asking the people who are there. It seemed the shortest way of finding out whether or not to continue the research.
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 17:15
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I'm sorry. I thought this was the PPRuNe board. From the level of politeness and respect I perceive that I have in fact wandered into JustHelicopters. My mistake.
Actually, I think that you have been let off quite lightly at the moment! Watch this space.....
For somebody who states up front, "I am not naive, I am confident", you are obviously not confident enough to research your requirements through the normal channels before looking to Ppruners to do all the leg work for you.
However, in between all the wit and sarcasm, you have been given many gems of wisdom and truth from which you should be able to make a reasoned decision......

Brian

PS: What on earth does "gotten" mean?
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 17:34
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Don't know what to think of this guy...

Look at his thread here:
http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/339...ng-advice.html

It is from August,his wife has the job of her dreams, they don't want to move.

And

He had never had an accident or incident.

I would consider an engine out or a tail rotor failure an incident...
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 17:50
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Lt Kije,

Heed the criticism and information with respect to the way you present yourself. Despite similiar language and linked pasts, you will discover that there is a different culture and the people here are helping to educate you on that.

The cats may not need 6 mos. quarantine. Check out the Pet Travel Scheme at Defra, UK - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

They aren't kidding about licences, it is much more work than you've acknowledged.

Despite the problems with the country some have identified, I would quite willingly return there to work.

Good luck.


flyer43,
In some english speaking countries "gotten" is a valid past participle of "get". Also, gotten is still in use in the UK within phrases such as "ill-gotten".

(Goodgrief, sorry for attributing the last to you)


ATPMBA,
Having written a harder exam does not make a better pilot. More knowledge does not necessarily make a better pilot. Be careful of how you boast or who you criticize.



Troglodita,
May I respectfully suggest that you didn't save anyone - you put lives in danger recklessly and needlessly by knowingly flying
Well said. Not only did he admit to knowingly endangering his passengers, he also ensured that "junk helicopter" operators can stay in business.


Matthew.

Last edited by Matthew Parsons; 12th Sep 2008 at 21:08.
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 18:00
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Hi Matthew,

"gotten" wasn't me.
I know what it means.
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Old 12th Sep 2008, 18:16
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Stay in the US is my advice. I'm about to move to the US (CT) and life there seems much better but then I won't need to work as its my wife that has transfered. So its a FAA cpl for me and plenty of golf.
Our cat is coming, he has his passport and is all ready to go.
Jarvy
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