Hello all,

I'm currently active duty in the US Air Force with a retirement date in early 2014. When I retire from the service, I'm considering flying for a foreign carrier(preferably European based but possibly Asian as well) I'm looking at Turkish, Emirates, and several others. My background: C-17 IP 4000+ hours. Here is my question: Which license should I obtain? FAA or JAA ATPL? The reason I ask is because I can get the FAA ATP and possibly a 737 type rating for free using military benefits but then if I did that, would that license be honored by foreign carriers? Or would it just be better to get my JAA ATPL? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hello all,

I'm currently active duty in the US Air Force with a retirement date in early 2014. When I retire from the service, I'm considering flying for a foreign carrier(preferably European based but possibly Asian as well) I'm looking at Turkish, Emirates, and several others. My background: C-17 IP 4000+ hours. Here is my question: Which license should I obtain? FAA or JAA ATPL? The reason I ask is because I heard that I can get the FAA ATP and possibly a 737 type rating using the MGIB(BTW, has anybody on here done this?) but then if I did that, would that license be honored by foreign carriers? Or would it just be better to get my JAA ATPL? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

If you're interested in Asia/Middle East - definitely go with FAA - The JAA is extremely long and expensive. If you're interested in Europe you'll need a JAA

 

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/mi...-training.html

Here's a good thread about the Post 9/11 GI Bill and flight training. I think some are getting ATPs through some commercial schools, but there's a bureaucracy to negotiate. Imagine that!

 

correct me if i am wrong, but i dont thnk JAA will even help in Europe right now. You still need the "right to live or work" in Europe, aka dual citizenship, a spouse with EU citizenship etc. Back in 06-08 when demand for pilots was strong in the EU, some companies were sponsoring non-EU pilots that had the JAA certs. ymmv

 

Not only the right to work in the EU (language requirements in some of the countries) but the fact that pilots from the EU are looking for jobs on the expat market because there is nothing there at the moment. We just had several guys from the EU interview here recently.

 

I have not heard of any flight schools which have GI Bill programs for JAA training. But I also cannot think of any reason why such a program would not be allowed by the VA so keep asking around (google is your friend). I'm not sure there is enough demand to make it worthwhile for a school to certify such a program though

Call these guys, they would probably know if anyone would: Scandinavian Aviation Academy Inc

If you're set on going overseas, the JAA ticket would probably be more flexible. Other than the US, I doubt that anyone who accepts FAA tickets would not also honort JAA. However...

I assume you have done some research on military conversion and FAA vs. JAA? An FAA ATP can be acquired in a matter of days based on your military experience. The JAA ATPL will probably take many months, maybe a year and will be much more expensive. The tests are vastly broader in scope than the FAA written. I'm not even sure JAA will grant you a commercial, you might have to do that training too.

If it came down to a lot of time and money, I'd get the FAA ticket and focus on airlines which will accept that (EK, CX, other asian, etc)

 

Get your USA ATP and work on your JAA/EASA ATPL.

I believe there are 14 exams to take. It is the equivalent of two years of college.


So if you think you are good? The JAA ATPL will make you better.

What is grivation?
What is the minimum micro tesla units for a magnetic compass to operate properly?
Name the layers of the ionosphere and what altitudes are they found?
What is the maximum compass deviation allowed for a standby compass?
What is an optimum frequency for an HF radio?

I believe I heard some of the Mideast carriers like the JAA ATPL and Cathay Pacific gets a ha*don over it. At least you could do a distance learning course and get through the exams and put it on Curriculum Vitae (JAA speak for a resume).

As someone once told me, “The more you know about a subject the more you realize you didn’t know.”

 

I just did my 737 and ATP at Crew Pilot in Dallas. You have to pay the 7300 up front but the VA will reimburse you in about six months. A good program and the ability to knock it out all in one shot was well worth it to me even though I am still waiting on the money. It will cost you about ten months of your GI Bill to do this. Good luck on retirment as I hit twenty next week and am looking at the same things.

 

Thanks to everybody for your insight, advice, tips. It's a huge help to have a network of people like you willing to support a fellow crew dog! I've done research on mil conversion and FAA vs JAA. Very extensive for the latter...just wanted to try and stay in Europe. I'm going with the FAA ATPL and I'll work on my JAA afterward as AIRBUSA320 suggests. I've been recommended Higher Power Aviation out in TX for the ATP/Type rating course. Anybody have any first or second hand knowledge of this school? Thanks again to all of you.