The first question is, where do you have the right to live and work?

If the answer is Europe and the UK, then this is a good option for you as you could work for any airline in the UK or Europe. Also you would have all the FAA qualifications which are internationally recognised and sometimes preferable for Middle Eastern airlines for example. Also in the past US carriers have opened up visa options to allow foreigners to fly for them, once they have 1500 hours flying experience.

If it is British Airways, then they only require a UK fATPL. If is is Ryanair, then they only require an EASA fATPL. Wizzair were accepting either a UK or EASA licence depending on where they want to base you. So having both licences is always handy.

If you are American but have the right to live and work in other European countries then this course would open a lot of doors for you and remember European and UK airlines have recruited pilots with only 250 hours experience in the past so you may be able to get ahead of your counterparts and gain airline experience sooner in Europe. But if you just want to fly for a US carrier and have the right to live and work in the USA, just do our FAA commercial course instead.

The short answer is, yes, you could just do a combined EASA/UK licence with us. However because our specially designed programs have FAA elements built in, there is no financial advantage to cutting them out, so you essentially get the FAA licences thrown in. We can remove the FAA commercial which will reduce the course cost slightly.

 

Can I fly for most of the airlines globally if I do the Global Program? 

Yes, as long as you have the right to live and work in the country that the airline you want to fly operates in. Remember if you are looking to fly for a US carrier, you need 1500 hours total flight time. EASA and UK airlines normally require 250 hours minimum flight time, which this course will provide you. 

Will it cost 3 times as much as just doing one of the airline licences separately? 

ABSOLUTELY NOT! We have structured this course so it will only is that it will cost you around 10% more to get all three licences rather than just one! 

How does it work? 

First thing is first, start with our Flying Start (PPL+) course and in one combined course over 12 weeks you will gain your FAA, EASA and UK PPL, all in Florida. 

Next is the all important structured Pilot-In-Command (PIC) time where you will fly all around Florida in the beautiful weather and see the wonderful sights.

Next is the full 40 hour ICAO (FAA) Instrument Rating which is recognised globally. It also allows you to build the all important Instrument PIC time. 

So in 6 months you will have 165 hours of flying time under your belt, an FAA, EASA and UK PPL and ICAO Instrument rating. 

I’m afraid it is now time to face up to the dreaded EASA and UK ATPL ground school exams which will take 9 months of study at either our French (EASA) or UK base. It will take approximately 3 months extra to do the exams for the other authority, so allow approximately 1 year to do both EASA and UK ground exams. I’m sorry there is no way around this bit as it currently stands! You could choose at this point to just do either the EASA or UK licence, rather than both. This would reduce the course cost quoted. 

With those dreaded things out of the way, it is back to the fun flying bit and time for your FAA/EASA/UK Commercial, Multi Engine and Instrument finishing course in European and UK airspace. Now the key to remember here is that the EASA instrument rating finishing off, has to be completed in European airspace which will be our Belgium base. The UK Instrument rating finishing off, has to be done in the UK in our Gloucester base. Whichever one is completed first, you will need to do the other also, but the good news is, we use DA42 aircraft at both sites which reduces your training cross over burden. 

So you learnt to fly in the USA and gained your Private Pilots Licence, completed your 9-12 months of ATPL studies in France or the UK and finished off your FAA, EASA and UK CPL Multi IR. Congratulations! 

Your Airline Pilot Standard (APS) and Multi Crew Cooperation (MCC) course is next in either Airbus and/or Boeing sims in our Belgium or UK base. You now have a Global Airline Pilot Licence and are ready for airline applications which we will guide and support you through. 

Do I have to pay for the whole course upfront?

No. It is a staged payment plan so you are always in control. A deposit to reserve your place on the course is required. Payments for most of our courses are taken before each major stage of the course. See payment plans in course details.