Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

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skydivepilot
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Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by skydivepilot »

Hi everyone. I'm in the process of getting my FAA commercial and would appreciate an advice on what to study. If anyone has any books they want to sell or can point me in the right direction, it would be much appreciated.

I just started flying again after a 5 year hiatus and will soon be at the 1000 hour mark. Of course my instrument rating isn't current but it looks like th job market has picked up for someone like me. I enjoy flying skydivers so am planning to do it full time in the US but am also considering renewing my IFR and staying in Canada. Any advice would be appreciated since I've been out of the loop for so long.

Cheers and thanks for any input 8)
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Post by Ralliart »

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Post by Bob A. Booey »

Gleim is all you need. And your Canadian texts are fine too for theory of flight, met, and the general nav stuff.

As for your situation, are you able to work in both countries? If so, it still depends on what you want. Definitely more jobs in the states, but the lifestyle varies greatly.

Good luck!
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skydivepilot
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Post by skydivepilot »

Thanks for the replies. Anyone have used books they want to sell? My info has been verified so I have to make the trip to Maine soon. I have to check more into the work permit, but was told if I had my FAA Commercial, I could work at a skydive operation in the US. Is it really that easy?
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stuckmike
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Post by stuckmike »

I've got the set...used...actually never used but whatever. 2 years old. $50 and you pay shipping. If you want 'em pm me.

cheers
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Post by golden hawk »

Best to use the most current version of the Gleim's books, in case the FAA questions have been changed.

Also, be sure the INS is onside with you working in the U.S.
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Post by xsbank »

You can't work in the US unless its for a Canadian company with a branch there and you need a company-sponsored visa. Otherwise you need a work permit or green card and they are only available to Canadians for professions that need higher education - not pilots.

No, it is not easy.
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Post by YOWFLYER »

easiest way to do it is:

new faa requirements for faa atp are 950 hours total time. go down to atp in nj for the day course. you take the test at the end of the day. you will be issued a faa atp. it isn't valid until you do the faa atp flight test but that is basically an ifr ride which you can do the next day.
the bonus is that you can bring it back to canada and convert to a canadian atpl immediately - $35 fee. a new loop hole in the system that opened up last april. i know a few guys that have already done this.

p.s. if you do the atp day course followed by the exam - there is no need to study. they give you all the answer.
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skydivepilot
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Post by skydivepilot »

Thanks again for the replies. Looks like I have some work to do to figure everything out. I stopped flying for 5 years but am now ready to get back on board. Problme is my IFR is out of date. Can I do the ATP without a current instrument rating? Right now, I want to fly skydivers full time and the only plance to do that is south of the border. I'm just looking for the best way to be legal in the US.

Also, I PM'd you stuckmike.
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American Licence

Post by CE-750Driver »

Hi All

Pretty Easy really

1. Got an American medical

2. Read the Gleim book

3. Did the written

4. Flew for a couple of hours in a Duchess and then did a ride to get my American ATPL.

The only problem was I now had a licence to only fly Twin-Engine aircraft. Had to do another ride to get a Single Engine Licence.

I left Calgary in Dec '98, and flew in St. Maarten for 1 1/2 years before moving to California. I would like to come home, but I get to fly a Citation X and the money is good, plus I have kids here now.

Easy to get a job down here - Mesaba has an ad looking for pilots - only need 600 hrs TT to apply.

Good Luck!

Gord
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LH
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Post by LH »

There's also the third option that few pursue.........apply for American citizenship. Few Canadians proceed in such a manner because they believe they will automatically loose their Canadian citizenship once they have the American. This is a false belief and based on rumpour only. The fact of the matter is that once you are born Canadian you can never loose it regardless of what other country you take-out citizenship with. Once you take out foreign citizenship, your National HealthCare benefits also stay in place for one year and if you move back to Canada at some future point, those benfits are reinacted once again after you have resided in-country for one year.

There is in fact only one way that you can loose your Canadian citizenship permenently and that's to renounce it in writing to Citizenship & Immigration. Other than that, swear alliegance to whoever, BUT once your toenail crosses back into Canadian territory, you are 100% Canadian all over again. Enjoy the fact because such is not the case with Americans nor the vast majority of countries on this planet.
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Post by xsbank »

If you think you can just apply and get American citizenship, I'll eat my (Tilley) hat. Pilots are persona non grata in the US. If you have a degree and are pursuing work in a technical area, want to pick fruit or are an artist etc. you can apply for a visa, then a green card and apply for citizenship. My cousin is a writer and her husband is a film director - they both got green cards. Unless you are working for a company that has branches in the US, like Bombardier, who can get you a visa to work out of one of their branch plants, don't waste your time.

If you are really interested, go on the US site and read all about it. Canadians have not recently been allowed in the lottery, either.

If any of you have wonderful stories about how you got in in the last 10 years and currently work for United Airlines, enlighten us.

If you want to drive skydive planes in the US, if its a branch of your current employer, ok. Otherwise......
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skydivepilot
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by skydivepilot »

I'm back to looking for the Gleim conversion books. I'm about to order them but thought I'd check to see if anyone has one they might want to sell. Thank you.
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by Connor M »

Remember we have a licencing agrement with the FAA now.

All you need for a conversion is to get the appropriate medical, complete the licence verification form, and complete the TCCA to FAA conversion exam.

Gliem has an online course specificaly for this.

Then it is a trip to the local FSDO and have the licence issued.
There are no requirements to flight test and all licences and ratings on the TC licence are placed on your FAA Certificate.

Also Skydiving is a specialty air service under NAFTA and unless things have changed in recent years you can move fairly freely around Canada and the US doing this kind of flying.

And finally Pilot has recently been put on the list of professions eligible for resident alien cards. It seems that the regionals in the states are having trouble filling all the seats so they petitioned the government to start accepting pilots more freely.
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by skydivepilot »

Great. Thank you. I will probably just do the online course but was curious if anyone had any books they'd want to sell as well.

Also, does anyone know where you can write the tes. I searched the FAA for locations but all I could find was the FSDO lists for the US. I heard it might be possible to rite the test here in Canada. I know I have to go to the FSDO to get my licence but am unsure of where I actually write the test.
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Post by FastFlyBy »

xsbank wrote: If any of you have wonderful stories about how you got in in the last 10 years and currently work for United Airlines, enlighten us.

Marry an American, that's my plan.
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LH
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by LH »

Sorry, but marrying an American does not entitle you to FULL/COMPLETE American citizenship. You may reside there only and if you also wish to work, then you have further to go yet........on that and some other items.
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by The Old Fogducker »

Connor:

And finally Pilot has recently been put on the list of professions eligible for resident alien cards. It seems that the regionals in the states are having trouble filling all the seats so they petitioned the government to start accepting pilots more freely.

I went to the US Immigration site and checked the current list of professions but the word "pilot" failed to get a hit.

Do you have a link for that info?

Regards,
Fog
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by FastFlyBy »

LH wrote:Sorry, but marrying an American does not entitle you to FULL/COMPLETE American citizenship. You may reside there only and if you also wish to work, then you have further to go yet........on that and some other items.
Really? I guess I was ill-informed. To be honest I have not researched the subject yet.
Can you tell me what else I would have to do? Is it no different then at all if you want to work?
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by FastFlyBy »

Okay never mind I looked it up here. http://www.workpermit.com/us/us.htm

The US visa system looks more complicated than I expected.
The US has over 60 types of non-immigrant (meaning non-permanent) US visas.
The US immigration process can be confusing and bureaucratic
No sh&^ eh?
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skydivepilot
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by skydivepilot »

Tell me about it!! I have 4 job offers in the US but am having a hard time becoming legal to work there. I know its been done by other Canadians but its a gamble and takes time.
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by Lurch »

skydivepilot wrote:Great. Thank you. I will probably just do the online course but was curious if anyone had any books they'd want to sell as well.

Also, does anyone know where you can write the tes. I searched the FAA for locations but all I could find was the FSDO lists for the US. I heard it might be possible to rite the test here in Canada. I know I have to go to the FSDO to get my licence but am unsure of where I actually write the test.
Here is the link for the testing centers, only two in Canada that I saw, Hull and Mississauga

http://www.faa.gov/education_research/t ... enters.pdf

I used the Gleims CPL Study Guide $17.00 and just study "Airports, ATC, and Airspace, as well as the FAR section. They took almost all of the questions right from the book.

If your in YYC I'll sell it to you, I even have the questions we got on the exam highlighted.

Lurch
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by Kelowna Pilot »

The thing is though...

Let's say you get a job at a Regional as an FO...

You're gonna be making between $17,000 to $23,000.

You have to pay for health insurance I assume. Very expensive.

Cost of living in a major urban center... probably not cheap. Not sure what the cost of living is in New York City off hand, but I'm sure it ain't cheap.

Are you expected to live out of your car?

Small wonder their is such a demand at the Regional level... who wants to spend $60,000 to make as much money as the guy at Taco Bell?
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by skydivepilot »

Thank you for the replies everyone. I'm not looking at the regionals but thanks for the info. Obviously not many people get into flying to make money starting out and its terrible how low the pay is at the entry level. Now or never and I might as well do something I enjoy.
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Re: Wanted: FAA Commercial Coversion Study Guides

Post by Kelowna Pilot »

These wages are not just entry-level I'm afraid...

I'm sorry that's probably not what you wanted to hear...

A career as a pilot is becoming more and more of a working hobby for the independently wealthy.

What's happened in the United States is that the Major Airlines (which traditionally pay semi-okay) contracted out a good chunk of their flying to these little Regionals, who operate on extremely tight margins and who accordingly pay crap.

Hence, a huge boom in the Regionals over the last few years.
And finally Pilot has recently been put on the list of professions eligible for resident alien cards. It seems that the regionals in the states are having trouble filling all the seats so they petitioned the government to start accepting pilots more freely.
Where did you hear this from? What's your source? If it's true, this would mark an interesting change.
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