A Lovestory - How to get a job with an EASA CPL (A) in the USA
 

Good evening community,

tonight, I'm asking for your help so that my lovestory may end well. :)

I'm a C56X rated young pilot, holding an EASA CPL (frozen ATPL) and working as a Copilot on the Cessna 560 XLS/XLS+ in Germany.
Also, if this is for any importance for anyone who could maybe help, I'm also holding an FAA PPL and having a Masters Degree in Aeronautical Engineering and working experience in Continuing Airworthiness.
Unfortunately I fell in love with a girl in Atlanta, USA.

Which possibilities do you see for me to work as a pilot in the US with my current EASA CPL? Right now I'm seeing two options:

1. "Convert" my EASA CPL to FAA CPL. However, after doing some research, I found out that this would basically mean to do the entire FAA CPL. Correct?
Also, it would be hard to find a job thereafter, as I'm having less than 1500 hours TT.

2. Find an operator of an EASA registered Aircraft in the US. This would allow me to work for that operator in the US. Correct?
But how to find such operator? And are there any more terms concerning the operator and its kind of operation so that I would be allowed to work for him?

ANY comment, any help, any idea is highly appreciated! Thank you!

It is very competitive to get a job in the states. There is a thread about it, you can find and read it. There is no frozen ATPL in states. You basically have to work yrself from 0 to 1500 TT. And even after you did it, it doesn’t guarantee a job.
The way how all Americans does it is, starts with a PPL then IR then CPL. In the pass you need a multi eng for CPL, but now you just need a retractable year airplane and you can knock off yr CPL. After which, you get yr CFI SEL, then start instructing and accumulate hours towards 1500. Most of them transit to charted and accumulate turbine time hopefully.
Looking at it, you need a lot of time and money to get a CFI job first. Hope this helps.

Before you can take any commercial training in the USA as a non-american you need to look into visa and TSA requirements. I would recommend to get a medical first (1), then look into getting in touch with a school that can help you with a visa(2). When you can get a visa you can get a TSA clearance(3). Then you can complete a CPL training (4), then you can start applying for jobs (5).

All That Rice and Gravy Too!
 

Dear av89 - I wish I could give you substantive advice concerning your aviation conundrum (and I cannot), but I compliment your surrender to one of our "Jawja Peaches"! They are gorgeous and who can resist that accent? (BTW, I am from Hotlanta!)

- Ed :ok:

Your immigration status is going to be far more limiting than converting your CPL.

Whats your plan for that?

Get on tinder!

As others said before, your license is not the limiting factor, the work permit is/will be.
You need the right to live and work in the US, which you will most likely not get as a pilot (especially with not much experience). Maybe finding an employer in the US with your master's degree is more likely if you have specialised work experience.

Otherwise, and I hate to break it to you - even if you get married to your girlfriend, it will take a year or two until you get your work and residence permits for the US. Unfortunately "pilot" is neither a job that's rare nor skilled enough for you to be attractive to the US employment market - especially as a foreigner. I myself have EASA & FAA licenses and 4000+ hours and wouldn't give it a shot simply because I lack the necessary visas. It's unrealistic unless you have a US company to sponsor your visa application.

Why not get her to move over to Europe for a while - that's definitely gonna be easier. She can enjoy a new country and its culture, there's lots of English-speaking jobs depending on where you live, esp. in the bigger cities, and you can in the meantime build hours for experience.
With that said - it'll take a while on a bizjet for you to reach anything that's "experienced enough" for a good pilot gig in the US. Maybe a low-cost airline will get you there faster... (900 hrs a year)

You need to try to win the Green Card by applying to the official lottery, provided Trump has not cancelled that, or marry an American. After this, everything will be easy.

ahahah best advice ever

Not too sure CPL with a bank-loan statement work there, though.

Best piece of advice so far. Many native English speakers in Continental Europe don't speak the local language and yet can get a job.

From someone who was in the same situation (a while ago):
The only thing that you need to worry about is a work permit. There is not a single company that will sponsor your application for a work visa as a pilot. You might get a visum based on your degree, but that would prevent you from working as a pilot. The only way (AFAIK) to get a work permit is to get married. When I did this I got my then girlfriend to come over to the Netherlands, we filed the paperwork, and a few months later I had a green card (I was working as a pilot in the EU back then, and came over to the US every month on the waiver program. If you apply for a green card in the US you have to stay here, if you apply in the EU you can visit the US on the waiver program, at least this is how it worked back then, in 2002).
This is what I would do:
- See if you can fastrack a Green Card through an American Embassy/Consulate in Germany (the only requirement for my wife to prove residency in the EU was physical presence, but that might have changed).
- Get an FAA medical (if you have an EU medical, you will not fail an FAA one).
- Get your FAA CPL (better, if you can get your 1500hr TT, get your FAA ATP, got to https://atpflightschool.com/ , and see what it would cost.
- get a corporate job as an XL pilot in the USA, and get hired by a regional/LCC as soon as you can.

All this will take at least a year, and a lot of money. You could consider having your girl move, but realistically, not a lot of Americans would like to live in Germany. They love coming for October Fest, but when they realize they will have to be fluent in german to be accepted, the shine wears of. Similarly, it won't be easy for you to move to the states and give up your country (Germany won't let you keep dual citizenship, and with a green card you are one speeding ticket away from being deported). I made the move, and 15 years later am happy, but it wasn't easy.......

Edit, to answer your questions specifically:
1) Redoing or converting would probably be close in time & effort. FAA is much easier to get than EASA (I did both).
2) I would be surprised to see any EU-REG in the USA, it is generally cheaper to have an N-number (that's why you see N in the EU...)

Get a job with Virgin! I’ve currently got 5 Atlanta’s this month!! 😂

Does an FAA ATP make one more employable internationally?(e.g. middle east/ far east)

someone mentioned that the FAA ATP, unlike some ICAO licenses that expire ever 5 years. is this correct?

and with a green card you are one speeding ticket away from being deported).

Not true.

In the biz jet world, certainly. I've twice been asked if I was interested in very highly paid long range N reg roles, but had to turn them down not having an FAA ticket. They may be easier to get than EASA, but not nearly as easy or quick as they used to be.

Apparently you’re right. I remembered traffic violations being in the list when I had mine. Smoking weed still qualifies. You have to admit it is quite a list:

• Was inadmissible at time of U.S. entry or of adjustment of status, or violates the terms of his or her visa, green card, or other status. (Permanent residents who have been absent from the United States for fewer than 180 continuous days don’t have to worry about admissibility upon their return except if they have committed certain crimes).
• Had conditional permanent resident status (applicable to certain spouses, sons, and daughters of U.S. citizens as well as investor/entrepreneurs, with their spouses, and children) but had this status terminated.
• before, during, or within five years of the date of any U.S. entry, knowingly helped smuggle any other alien trying to enter the United States.
• Committed marriage fraud.
• Got married less than two years before getting a U.S. green card on that basis, then had the marriage annulled or terminated within the following two years, unless the immigrant can prove that the marriage was not a fraud, meant to evade any provision of the immigration laws.
• Is convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude that was committed within five years after the date of U.S. admission (or ten years if the person received a green card as a criminal informant) and is punishable by a sentence of at least one year.
• Has been convicted of two or more crimes involving moral turpitude at any time after U.S. admission, where the two crimes did not arise out of a single scheme of misconduct.
• Has been convicted of an aggravated felony at any time after U.S. admission.
• Has been convicted of high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint.
• Fails to register as a sex offender.
• Has been convicted of a drug crime (or a conspiracy or attempt to commit one), whether in the U.S. or another country, at any time after U.S. admission. There’s an exception for a single offense involving possession for personal use of 30 grams or less of marijuana.
• Is, or at any time after U.S. admission has been, a drug abuser or addict. Notice that no actual court conviction is needed to be deportable under this section. The person’s own confession to drug use, or evidence on a medical report, could be enough.
• Has been convicted of illegally buying, selling, possessing, or engaging in other transactions concerning firearms, weapons, or destructive devices, at any time after U.S. admission.
• Has been convicted of committing, or conspiring to commit espionage, sabotage, treason, or sedition, if punishable by at least five years in prison.
• Has violated the Military Selective Service Act or the Trading With the Enemy Act.
• has violated certain travel and documentation restrictions or imported aliens for immoral purposes.
• has been convicted of domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, child neglect, or child abandonment, at any time after U.S. admission.
• Has violated the portion of a protective order that is meant to stop credible threats of violence, repeated harassment, or bodily injury.
• Has committed or conspired to commit human trafficking inside or outside the U.S. or has apparently been a knowing aider, abettor, assister, conspirator, or colluder with someone else in severe forms of human trafficking; or is the trafficker’s spouse, son, or daughter who, within the past five years, knowingly received any financial or other benefit from the illicit activity.
• Failed to advise U.S. immigration authorities, in writing, of a change of address within ten days of the move, unless the person can prove that such failure was reasonably excusable or not willful.
• Has been convicted of providing false information in connection with a requirement to register with immigration authorities or of other violations relating to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other entry documents.
• Has received a final order of deportation for document fraud, forgery, counterfeiting, or related violations.
• Falsely represents himself or herself as a U.S. citizen in order to gain any immigration or other benefit. An exception is made if the person’s parents (natural or adoptive) are or were U.S. citizens, the person lived in the U.S. before age 16, and the person reasonably believed himself or herself to be a U.S. citizen.
• Is engaged, or at any time after admission engages in espionage, sabotage, or violations or evasions of any law prohibiting export of goods, technology, or sensitive information, or in any other criminal activity that is a danger to public safety or national security, or acts in opposition to, or attempts to control or overthrow the U.S. government by force, violence, or other unlawful means.
• Has engaged in or appears likely to engage in terrorist activity, or has incited terrorist activity, or is a representative a terrorist organization or group that endorses or espouses terrorist activity, or is a member of a terrorist organization (unless the person proves that he had no idea of its terrorist aims), or endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to do so, or has received military-type training from or on behalf a terrorist organization, or is the terrorist’s spouse or child, if the relevant activity took place within the last five years.
• By being present in the U.S., would create potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.
• Participated in Nazi persecution, genocide, torture, or extrajudicial killings, severe violations of religious freedom, or recruitment or use of child soldiers.
• Within five years after U.S. entry, has become a public charge (dependent on need-based government assistance) for reasons that did not arise after the person’s U.S. entry.
• Has voted in violation of any federal, state, or local law. An exception is made for people who, based on parentage, reasonably believed themselves to be U.S. citizens