dera

I'd say OP would do better if he would aim for Spirit, JetBlue etc. He would be much more competitive there.

rickair7777

It happens. It's also very, very, very rare and nobody can figure out why some get the call. Like I said I think they randomly select a few. Most civilians have thousands of hours TPIC.

You will need TPIC to be competitive for the best majors. Plan on 2K.

Legacies absolutely don't care. They operate multiple fleet types and what you get assigned as a new hire involves luck and seniority, they don't assign new hires to a type based on previous experience. they are more concerned with a well rounded background since you'll likely fly multiple types over your career anyway. All US airline pilots must complete the full airline specific type training, regardless of past experience or type ratings (very rare exceptions in regionals).

Some of the LCC/ULCC which operate only one type will likely give you extra credit for having experience in that type.

badflaps

I have a feeling you would not be happy at an American carrier.

BA320

I know a guy who worked for Emirates as b777 fo and CA for 15 years and now he is an FO for AA flys the B777. It’s all about luck.

Everything you have said makes total sense!! Thank you for sharing!! I believe, I’m going to apply everywhere and wait for every company response. And I’ll try to pick the best one that is if someone hires me. If not, I guess I’m going to commute 19 hours for the rest of my life

I always wanted to fly for SWA but I heared my chances are very slim.

Sliceback

Release the mic button for a second and listen to rickair, zonda and dera. They pointed out the reality you’re facing and you’re not listening.

1. You’re not flying 121
2. It’s hard to get hired as a civilian if you don’t have 121 experience.
3. It’s hard to get hired with the TT you have. Avg among your competition is 5000-7500 and that includes 3-4K PIC time.
4. US airlines don’t care that you’re current in the AB. There is no training cost savings.
5. You have no PIC time.
6. You have no 121 PIC time.

Your current resume is a low probability path to getting hired. Staying at Saudi is a low probability to getting hired. There are options (AA WO) that are almost 100% that you’ll get a major US airline job. Almost all your options for success go through a regional job.

Your current salary is great. It’s in Saudi’s Arabia. The Chinese are paying more and young guys intent on improving their odds of getting a job at the majors airlines in the U.S. aren’t chasing the current dollars in China. They’re taking a long term view and doing the job you think is beneath you.

galaxy flyer

No, it’s all about seniority. He is now senior enough to fly the T7; flying it at AA has ZERO to do with his time at EK.

GF

dera

I think his timeline is off by a magnitude of about a decade too.
Emirates got their first 777 in the late 90's. Flying that for 15 years would mean he was hired at AA 6-7 years ago. I don't think that seniority can hold any group 4 at AA?
But it's a cool anecdote anyway.

He also needs to understand the US visa system better. A "job offer" isn't enough for that. Fastest way for the OP is to get permanent residency via his spouse. Budget a year or maybe 14-16 months for that. He cannot even apply without a legal right to live and work in the US.

Sliceback

Since the number of new hires (2014 or later) that can hold the 777 is zero I think we're talking about the same guy -

No, it's not about luck. His resume was light years better than yours - he'd already had flown U.S. 121 before going to Emirates. I don't recall if it he'd upgraded. At EK he was a 777 FO, CA and then CKA. I think he had at least 3, and perhaps 4-5, type ratings. You have none of that on your resume. His built his resume and didn't rely on "luck" instead he stood out among his competitors. That's how you make "luck."

Part of "luck" is analyzing the market forces around you. He made some timely decisions before getting hired by EK, and when he decided to go to EK, and when he decided to leave EK. He'll have about 24 years as a Captain at AA and 15 yrs of that will be as a 777/787 CA.

He got his flight department job by applying and competing against his peers.

His seniority is too junior to hold 777 FO. He's holding a flight department technical job that he got because of his 777 and CKA experience and because of that he can fly the 777 as an FO for proficiency. If he leaves the flight department job he'd be a junior n/b FO and too junior to hold the 777.

Sliceback

He's a late 2014 AA new hire. Good guy.

I forget how long he was at EK. He's too young (<40) to have been hired before 9/11. I'd guess he was hired by EK in the 2005-2008 time frame.

aviatrix28

I’m a foreign pilot as well. Unfortunately, that’s not how it works. You need more than an “offer letter” from any U.S. based company. You need a company that is willing to sponsor your work visa. Delta, along with other majors, does not sponsor work visas.
It’s stated in Delta’s qualifications page that you need to be legally eligible to work in the U.S. (possess proper working documents). That’s a requirement before you can even apply.
Your best bet is to have your fiancée/wife sponsor you. The process took me and my husband a year. If you can wait until you’re married (+1 year), the spouse visa is the cheaper option.

This is an e-mail from American. It’s most likely the same at Delta.