What is the better choice? JAA or CASA (f)ATPL ?

[maehhh]

Hi there,

I am half way done with my PPL training now, and so far i really enjoy flying, but who doesn't?

But when it comes to (f)ATPL training, there is da decision to make. CASA- or JAA-Land?

I am in the lucky situation to be an european permitted to work in Australia... so both regions would be an option.
I guess like everywhere else in the world the market for low-houred pilots is pretty weak in Europe and Australia too...

Despite this, what would you consider to be the better choice for me?...

In the offline-world it is hard to find somebody with experience in both markets, so i hope pprune can help me out!


cheers
maehhh

[KAG]

Do so me more research:

I have heard that with a UK ATPL theory you can go to some new zealand authorized flight school to get your CPL licence (NZ price is much lower than in the UK), then come back to UK to validate it and get a UK CPL licence (call it a frozen ATPL if you like it).
To get an australian licence from a NZ one, that's quite easy.

For the low price of a CPL NZ licence, you may have 3 licences at the end, including a JAA one. Could be interesting in your case I think.

Sorry I don't have more details than that, and didn't experienced it myself, you will have to do your own research.

An other point: there is a possible progressive career path in australia, thanks to the important GA.

[maehhh]

Thank you KAG, and yes i surely will do a lot more research!
This UK-NZ-AUS-thing sounds interesting and I will have a look at that!


Your last point is about what i am looking for here.
There is a lot of GA in Australia but almost no GA in Europe... but what is the better choice to start with when it comes to getting the first job? Especially when both markets are apparently saturated with pilots...

cheers
maehhh

[KAG]

There is a lot of GA in Australia but almost no GA in Europe... but what is the better choice to start with when it comes to getting the first job? Especially when both markets are apparently saturated with pilots...

There is no easy answer, it depends on you, what you are expecting, what you can afford...
If you insist to have an advice, here it is: if it were me, I would choose australia, without any hesitation, for those reasons:

1-Australia, (along with Canada), is one of the few countries that still respect the natural evolution of the pilot, and still have overall some honesty towards its pilots, from the little fish bush operator on C210 up to Qantas on A380/B747. Experience is better, for your skills and for the interest of it.
2- you can access your first job without Type Rating, without MCC, even sometimes without IR. Sure the pay is very low at the begining, but you won't have any debts, because good saving are enough to pay for a basic CPL (instructor rating doesn't hurt) in a small flight school.
3- in Australia-the same in canada....- you can find some small flight school that may give you an instructor job or bush job (won't give any name), it does exist, it is up to you to find this kind of flight school with a bush component, and accept to move to a place far away from the big cities.
4- Australian GA includes PNG, for different reasons... Further more Australia is close to Asia...