So I know that everyone is going to have different opinions, and all are definitely welcome. A good discussion is what I am looking for.

First, my current situation. I am flying a Legacy 600 in Beirut, Lebanon. The company is not doing well at all due to the situation in the Middle East, and they have notified us that they will not pay for recurrent this year (my last PC was FSI in HOU Dec 2011), and also that I will be taking a pay cut after November, which will bring my pay to almost half of what I am making (which was still slightly below average for the 2011 survey). I am 31 with just a CPL, 1400 hours on the E135/145, 3000TT.

So... I really like living abroad, and I enjoy the international flying. I really need my ATP though, and was expecting to get it at this next recurrent. I used to fly for ExpressJet, and so I had the mentality that the ATP would just come whenever I upgraded... which is not quite the way charter/corporate see it. They see me with 3000TT and wonder why I don't have an ATP. But at any rate, it is affecting my ability to get a new job (I feel that way anyway).

So my options are to pay my recurrent and upgrade to ATP/PIC Type, and come back here at half my pay... or to just find a new job in the US and let whoever I work for pay for whatever training I require, or I was thinking since I want my ATP anyway to help with international job opportunities, would it be worth spending a little more and getting a 737 or A320 type rating, and just looking for an international gig that may require a type, but no time in type?

Advice and questions welcome!

 

All of the international jobs that I've seen require current in type, with a type and at least 500 hours in type.

My personal opinion, unless you have something equal or better line up and its long term, hold on to what you got.

I wish I had followed my own advice.

 

Unless you have something lined up, I'd probably do re-current to keep your job, get the ATP and type while you're at it, and start looking for a new gig.

If you can tolerate Beirut, there should be a wide variety of international locations that would work for you, and there's always back to the US.

 

I suppose it would depend a lot upon 1)How much your recurrent training will cost you out of pocket 2)If you believe you will continue to have a job after you complete your training and take your pay cut. Honestly, you can get an ATP in anything, and if that's the only thing holding you back from applying for other jobs, I'd say start there, first. Getting a 737 or 320 type without flying one for work probably won't get you too much farther and will cost you quite a bit.

 

I maybe should have also added that since the company is hurting for money, we rarely fly... maybe 3 days a month. In September we flew 10 hours and that was a good month.

So my other concern is of course whether or not the job will even be here come Feb/Mar, etc.

And unfortunately even though we sometimes go an entire month without flying, they want us here in Beirut.

Thanks for the input so far!