HPIC

As I understand, WGA upgrades are “merit based”, not seniority based. I don’t think they’re gonna take some dude that’s flown a few years at a regional and in 6 months upgrade him to a widebody Captain flying all over the world with a bunch of other less experienced pilots.

If you don’t have the worldwide experience…you need to get it before you’re in the hot seat. Ever been through the bamboo triangle and dealt with that mess? What about 5 mins from China airspace and Urumqi isn’t answering your radio calls? Do you proceed into China or not? Ever been to a place that gives you altitudes in QFE? That would be a bad one to be surprised by while IMC in the mountains at night. How about something simple…like a last minute(less than 10 miles out) runway change at NRT to the short runway while you have a brand new FO flying…do you accept it or go around and possibly put you in a bad fuel situation? Did you even brief the possibility?

Until you’ve done some of this type of flying….you don’t know what you don’t know.

Wingdeagle11

All that and dealing with monsoon seasons over India and Southeast Asia while trying to understand 100 different ATC dialects ….

CRJJ

ATC dialects is what worries me the most to be honest. I guess you just get used to it at some point

captjns

Heck… weather issues are what they are… the greater evil is airports with non-grooved runways.. especially during pre-monsoon rains.

FIR boundaries used to be the big issue of days of yore. Being creative… what to do to avoid those nasty fines for not being able to make contact with the next country’s ATC. Still, I make it a point to initiate contact with the country about 20 minutes prior to reaching their FIR Boundary. Back in the day, for example approaching New Guinea FIR, Port Moresby would not respond. So we’d contact Perth Radio to advise Port Moresby to tell the we are knocking on their door. Saved lots of $$$ in trespassing fees. Now a days, one has many options… 123.45 for other aircraft in the area… Contact company via Sat Phone… Brisbane or Perth Radio… etc. It’s a lot easier today, to avoid these issues. Newbies who’ve flown solely across the Atlantic need additional education about flying in other parts of Planet Earth. Not hard to learn. A couple of trips with seasoned crews should do the trick.

US $$$$ is still king when the airport authority conveniently loses your landing/ground handling permits, customs/immigration, notification, even with copies of stamped approvals in your folder. It’s an inconvenience, but its also part of the cost of doing business. Makes the job interesting…. Just go with the flow. Remember US $$$$$ is king.

How many are old enough to remember MPS, Octas, Metres… etc?

anothermember

Go to Atlas. Mighty Mouse has serious personality issues. Unless you're The One you will rot in the right seat.

airgoose

Thank you everyone! I really appreciate all guidance or inputs you have given to me though this post.

Pilot4000

There is a guy that I follow on Instagram that is an MD-11 captain, and he said that WGA has 777's on order, they just haven't announced it yet. Any truth to that rumor?

Birdsmash

Believe it when you hear “V1”.

160to4

Geez not even “starting left” anymore lol

wjcandee

Interesting situation at WGN today (2/6/22).

One MD11 is flying a revenue mission. The rest are on the ground at SHV or RSW (their maintenance locations), except for 2 that are apparently not-flyable, one at ICN and one at ANC (after #3 engine failure in climb), and one that is in heavy-check at TPE. So all the flyable MD11s but one have returned to either SHV or RSW.

Something up? An AD? Something to do with the FAA? To have 11/12ths of the MD11 fleet (not counting 435KD and 804SN, which have been grounded for years) not operating is certainly an attention-getter, particularly in this high-revenue international cargo environment. I saw where National's chief said the other day that he could fill 10 more 747s than he has.