I'm looking for people's honest opinion on what would be a smart move here...Just this past week I was offered a job to fly corporate jets over in Europe. As it turns out, the dad of my friend from college just bought Eclipse Aviation, and is going to open up an air taxi service over in Europe http://www.aviation.etirc.com/index.php. They are going to be in need of pilots coming this fall, and he offered me a position to work there. I would have to pay for my second in command type rating, but they would pay for all of my schooling and conversions to JAA. Keep in mind I all I had planned for my future was to instruct to get up to 1000hrs and then join the regionals here, pay my time, and the move onto the majors...however this just fell into my lap.

Here's the questions I ask to you guys...

1) Would it effect my chances of landing a job at the majors if I have no prior 121 time, and only JAA flying?
2) Would it make sense to work at the regionals here for a few years, then jump over there in order to take away some of the JAA restrictions? - currently it would take me 7 months to convert everything, and previous air transport hours would reduce that.
3) If I only planned on working there for 2 years, would it make sense to come back here and start out at the bottom of some regional?
4) The future of regionals is starting to look more murky for potential new hires with the price of oil and mergers...is it better to get on now before this rapidly slowing hiring boom ends?

 

I would jump at the opportunity to get a complete conversion to JAA licenses. I would go to Europe and dont look back at the US Airlines for at least 5years+. Your pay potential/career advancement is even greater over in Europe. They are seriously short for pilots at all levels of aviation. Do you have a EU passport? Sounds like a great opportunity to get in at the ground floor of a new operation with big potential too.

 

"currently it would take me 7 months to convert everything, and previous air transport hours would reduce that. "


Don`t confuse the reduced requirements for someone with 1500 hrs TT, 500 Multi Crew etc with a reduction in time to study for the JAA. THe legal minimums for someone not meeting these requirements is 6 months (don't ask me to quote where it says that) but the realistic time for someone with 1000's of jet hours is still 6 months full time.

I have seen and heard of a few who have been the exception, but unless you are going to attend one of the two full time schools here in the US, the drop out rate for home study (known as distance learning) is around 80%

It will also involve alot of travel. You will need a class 1 medical, which cannot be done outside of europe for the initial, and the only exam center over here is owned by the two schools that are approved to conduct full time classes, so be prepared to pay $400 per visit to the exam center, in addition to the $110 per exam (there are 14!)

I don;t mean to disuade you at all, as it will really improve your long term income, but just know what you are getting into before you start.

 

I would love to do that...go for it dude...it's a chance of a lifetime. If they are looking for more pilots, shoot me a PM with an email address where I can throw my resume into. Thanks.

 

Go to Europe. From someone who has flown there, I can say that much of it is better. Not all, but much.

 

Someone lied to you. There is no pilot shortage in Europe.

 

People go to Regionals and get taken advantage of because most don't have an opportunity such as this. I'm sure you will make more than $500/week working there as well. PIC Jet time is logged as just that and not clasified as regional or fractional.

 

Unless the person doing the hiring is looking for that PIC time to have been in air carrier ops or in an aircraft above a certain weight limit.

 

Get enough time in Europe, and come back, probably won't have to fly for a regional.

 

There are some majors that (did) rank heavier ac time, that's one drawback.