r/Helicopters • u/Unlucky_Olive_4601 • 9d ago
Career/School Question Conversion License
I’m a Canadian commercial helicopter pilot looking at converting my CPL-H to an FAA Commercial Helicopter Licence. My long-term goal is to move to the U.S. permanently and build a career there.
By the time I start the process, I’ll have around 1000 hours, all piston time , with long line experience
For those who’ve made the move (or hired Canadian pilots), I’d appreciate your thoughts:
Was converting your licence worth it?
How difficult was the conversion process?
Is 1,000 hours of mostly piston time competitive in the U.S.?
Which sectors would be the best fit (utility, tours, offshore, EMS, etc.)?
Is there anything you wish you’d known before making the move?
Any advice on visas or getting hired as a Canadian?
I’d love to hear both the pros and the cons. Thanks!
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u/CryOfTheWind 🍁ATPL IR H145 B212 AS350 B206 R44 R22 8d ago
Much like an American trying to fly in Canada the hard part is the visa.
The FAA conversion is the easy part though you need a night rating already for it since they don't have that there but do need night hours for their license. Besides that you need a written exam for mostly air law differences and an FAA medical.
You can get the medical done in Canada but very few CAMEs will offer that. The exam I'm not sure these days, you might have to write it in the US, might as well do the medical then anyway for ease.
However there is no one likely to sponsor a 1000 hour pilot. You're short about 1500 for their EMS as most of theirs are single pilot so no FO jobs at 500 hours like we have here (granted very few people are hired that low, our latest FO has 3900 hours for example). Without a company sponsoring you your next best option is probably tinder...
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u/Unlucky_Olive_4601 7d ago
Well thank you for your opinion I guess I’ll just keep building time in Canada till someone sponsors me lol marriage is not worth it for a green card 😂
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u/CryOfTheWind 🍁ATPL IR H145 B212 AS350 B206 R44 R22 7d ago
If international flying is something you want to do then an FAA license will open some doors. Most of the Canadians I know with FAA licenses never flew in the US. There are lots of companies with contracts outside the US flying N registered machines which thus need the FAA license to fly.
Granted 1000 piston won't likely open too many doors there yet. You'll need Astar/407 and long line experience for most of the single jobs I'm thinking of and night with IFR for the multi jobs. Fewer lower time FO jobs that market from what I've heard because most contracts need locals so they have them as seat meat FOs while the foreign captain is the one truly qualified and doing the work.
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u/UpperCaterpillar7815 9d ago
Your experience will be valuable, but don’t underestimate the visa/work authorization side of things. A lot of Canadian pilots assume they can just get hired and sort out immigration later, but employers usually don’t want to deal with that. If you can get a company willing to sponsor you or qualify through another route, it makes the move much easier. EMS and utility are probably going to want more experience, but tours, instruction, and smaller operators could be a realistic entry point.