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Old 05-02-2018, 06:14 AM
  #6  
Expat87
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Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 78
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I flew for Copa as an Expat pilot for 5 years and just recently made it back to the US. You can search for some of my reviews of Copa but here they are in a nutshell.

1. Training is horrendously laughable in the fact that you are under constant pressure and the threat of termination is outlined day 1.

2. Yea, lets keep that fact going. Termination is a constant threat.

3. As an FO, youre expected to do your job and not interject much with Panamanian captains. Boy did they love us expats from the US and Europe...

4. Management, your Chief Pilot and anyone else with a desk job is absolutely useless and will never answer an email or advocate for you at all. You are ALWAYS on your own. Remember that, accept it and watch your back.

5. UNPAC *the Panamanian Union*, is one of the most corrupt organizations I have ever seen. And they flaunt it. You will pay union dues as an Expat however you cannot vote at all. The union reps are on the company dime. Whenever a contract passes, the union reps are promised cushy jobs in the headquarters if they promise to just push for little gains with the pilots.

I loved living in Panama. I loved the flying and the maintenance on the airplanes was superb. It could be a dream job but its just not. The pay is FAR substandard for the type of hard flying we did in Central and South America for all the redeyes.

I got in, got the experience I needed and got out. Took longer than I wanted but thats how this industry works. PM for more details.

Good luck out there.
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