Looking for some adventure
 

Hello, I am a 2200TT regional pilot. Currently in a situation where my home base will be shutting down by the end of summer. Looking for ideas and recommendations on good foreign airlines that American citizens can go work for? My wife and I are keeping any options open and think it might be fun to relocate for a few years.

thank you

Excuse me, but that’s insane. To begin with, you’ll need to get all your US certificates switched over. then you are going to have to get hired someplace that doesn’t require you to be an EU or local nation citizen:


Assuming that does happen and you don’t hit a zebra on the runway flying for Air Zimbabwe or a Caribou flying for Viet Air, and actually manage to survive the malaria, they are still unlikely to let you upgrade to captain, so you are STILL going to have to come back here and get enough 121 time to let you upgrade here. In the meantime, your peers who sucked it up and went to a regional that is hurting for pilots have been flying 900 hours a year - 900 hours that really COUNT for upgrade - and are either already at a ULCC or are getting competitive for a top tier.

While you’ve f@rted around playing George of the Jungle, they’ve gotten 2000 seniority numbers ahead of you where you do eventually end up.

but to each his own...

https://pilotcareercenter.com/Search.../All%20Regions

There are lots of options open to you...I think...

Check Emirates for a start..or any middle eastern airline (Qatar, Etihad etc).
You could also look to China. I know there are a couple of recruitment companies that are taking American and British based pilots (and paying very well).
Copa Airlines were hiring a few months ago, not sure if they still are...
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All of the above will take you with US license...you can forget Europe as I don't believe they accept US licenses...I could be wrong...

Oh, also consider Virgin Australia...

Hope this helps.

As somebody who has lived and worked overseas for most of the last 20 years I would advise against it. Stay in the USA and get on with an LCC or major airline. When you are 55; kids grown and gone; retirement savings in the bank; and you're still ready for an adventure then retire early and go fly overseas for awhile.

I'm with Typhoon on this one, right now it would be just plain foolish to try to go abroad to work. Even LCC's like JetBlue or Spirit with their growth projections over the next few years will give you a much better QOL that you can possibly ever get working abroad! It is culturally draining to work for some of these carriers, the amount of nonsense you will have to deal with is just worth it during down times on the industry, that is definitely not the case now! Stay in the US and work towards building seniority at one of the carriers, doesn't matter which one. Even at one of the least desirable ones you will have a better QOL overall and you will be happier. Abroad even the guys that are at some of the best gigs are formulating exit strategies.

Dom and Typhoon are spot on... In down times drag your bags abroad... The USA is the best gig going right now... Stay put and get a upgrade and 5000TT... Then look if you must... However the USA market will be the hotspot for the foreseeable future less any Blackswan events...

Kampai

Ever thought about Alaska? There are a few 121 options up there both pax and cargo. If you do go overseas, you'll have an experience none of your peers will have when you come back. Yes it will cost you seniority. Maybe that's worth it to you. Maybe it's not. If you stay, are you going to spend the rest of your life wondering what if? If you go, don't let anyone reading this catch you whining when guys younger than you get the lines you want.😉

I agreed with what Tyhoonpilot and the rest said. I myself is trying to get back to the US airlines.

Welp this thread didn’t exactly go as I thought it might.....lol

Thanks for the input though!