Not that tough. if you are converting to an Irish certificate, you are given up to 18 months to take the 14 exams. If you convert to a UK certificate all but 3 exams are waived. Using the services of an immigration attourney in the UK will solve the right to work in the EU problem. The catch 22 is of course is that you need a contract in hand to qualifiy for such permit. Not that tough... just some bucks is all. But with the tax free income... it offsest the expenses in a short time.

 

Alright, so if you get a UK certificate, you get it down to 3. How much does a UK certificate cost? Besides the 3 exams, are there check rides involved? Airplane rental in Europe isn't exactly cheap. How much does it cost get an immigration attorney in the UK?

Not an easy process, especially if you don't have a "contract in hand". So, you interview with whatever carrier.

 

I am not sure about the 3 exams for a Uk licence, but any pilot with a type on a multicrew aircraft that meet the conversion minimum ( sorry, cannot remember them but if needed i can find out) can take a single checkride and have his/hers licence issued with that type rating.
I fly LJ35, so converting would not do me any good, but anybody with 737/A320 type might benefit from it!
Good Luck!

 

Generally you will have to start your flying career in Europe under a contract with an employment agency such as Brookfield Aviation, PARC, Direct Personnel, etc. They hire pilots for carriers such as Jet Airways, Ryanair, Sahara, etc.

Once you get a contract you will be required to take a JAR medical before you start training. The initial JAR medical will cost about $700. Subsequent exams will cost about $150. Effective October of this year first class medicals will be required annually rather than every 6 months.

You will also be required to take written exams as well. Each European country has their own specific requirements as to the number of exams required to convert your FAA certificate.

You will attend the carrier’s training program as if you were employed by the airline itself. At the end of training, a Type Rating Examiner (TRE) will administer the final simulator check ride. You take the paperwork to the aviation authority so a certificate can be issued.

The cost for a work permit with the assistance of the attorney will be about $3,000. You don’t need the work permit until you start your line training.


The potential tax free income out weighs the costs and inconveniences involved in getting the JAR certificate.

 

I have flown in Europe for 3 different airlines on contract. I even flew for Parc. I can tell you that the more they need you the easier it is to get certified. I never took any written tests. I did some sim work and was observed by a CAA (FAA) official and granted a "Validation." This paper allowed me to act a PIC for XXX airline on XXX aircraft for XXX amount of time. I know guys who did this for 13 years.

The thing about contract work is that you are only there because they need you. Once they don't need you, C-ya. No contract will matter. How are you going to enforce the contract anyway. One time one of my airlines did not have enough work for us for two months, so they fabricated some story about work permits. Another captian and I anticipated this and got the permits behind their backs. When they made the big anouncement, we brought out our permits and said, "Oh you mean these?" We got two months off with pay and the other pilots went home without pay. The company was not too happy and could have tried to screw us out of the money but they needed us in two months so decided to play by the rules.

If you decide to pursue contract work, save your money, listen instead of talk, and be prepaired to be flexible.

Anyone interested in more info can PM me.

 

Very Very True Mike734.

My certification went like a breeze from the time I signed the contract... got my work permit... validation license... and line training.

The key words are flexible and patience.

 

Thanks VERY much for these posts guys. I greatly appreciate it as I am considering the RyanAir option.

 

Are you going through Brookfield Aviation or directly to Ryanair?

 

Do you have any info on Ryanair? If so do you mind if i can ask you some questions, or are there past forums where you talked about them?


edik