Hello all,

I'm at a bit of a dilemma in my career progression. I'm getting ready to apply at my regional of choice here in the US, but my wife brought up an interesting idea I had not considered. She is from Bulgaria, and says I could easily get hired there with my hours at a mainline (she used to be a FA), and essentially live like a king there due to the pilot pay vs. cost of living. Only clincher is, have to move to Bulgaria, halfway around the world from friends and family. A good friend of mine from school is my age (25) and is FO on a 737-800 for Turkish Airlines, so I know it is possible. Just wondering if anyone has any insight on this sort of thing, going from CFI in the US to pilot for a major elsewhere. My wife is really pushing it because she'd be in her home country. I'm still planning on the regionals, but any info on license conversions, training, QOL, etc would be appreciated.

-Sargeanb

 

Love Eastern Europe. . . but are you sure about the pay? I thought the ex iron curtain countries were still paying fairly well below par, but I could easily be mistaken.

Whatch out for the JAR ATPL as Bulgaria may require one, although you can fly in the right seat with a commercial.

Many of the airlines in the region do have applications online though, so perhaps it could be pretty easy to find out.

 

Do it. You will love it. Some of the hottest women in the world are from there. (In case your wife doesn't want to come back). You are young, go for it and have a ball.

 

I was hired by the regionals at age 26 and spent 14 years with them. If I were in your shoes I'd head overseas!

 

My flight instructor is from Bulgaria. He's been offered to fly the MD88 for their mainline but has turned it down, cause they dont pay what they say, their schedule is no good, maintenance is not the greatest, and you have to sign a 5 year commitment with them. One thing he says is Bulgarian night life is like no other, drop dead gorgeous women all over, like they dont let ugly girls go out or something.

You also need to switch your certifications

 

Something people forget about outside of the equipment is the quality of life. I love overseas life, but will it give you the QOL that you want. Look at the fine print.

 

With the pay issue, I guess the cost of living over there is very little, though the pilots are probably paid less than the norm in the region, but my wife tells me pilots make something like 10 times what most people in the country make, if that's possible. I do not have an ATP (studying for written right now), but I'm not sure if they hire without the ATP. How tough is it to convert my current licenses to JAA? (Comm, multi, MEI)?

 

The Comm multi IFR isn't too big a problem with the JAR (check EU civil aviation web site for the requirements, but getting an FAA ATPL is a waste of time if you want to convert it; unless you have a bag of large jet command time you will have to write all the exams anyway.

They do have somewhat of a shortage of pilots, experienced pilots, in the EU. Personally, I'd just give the company you want to work for a call.

 

dude...I LOVE Bulgarian women...does your wife have a sister??? ha ha

anyways...here is the #1 thing you should be concious of: Bulgaria's accession to the EU. Right now, there are still heavy work restrictions on Bulgarian nationals and their foreign spouses...i.e. you can't go to England and work as a Bulgarian, but you could work for an English/Continental European carrier as an Estonian, Czech, etc....

BUT--the bottom line is this--all countries eventually have to lift work restrictions on the accession states--for Bulgaria and Romania, it will probably be 2010 or so, if not sooner, depending on what each individual country decides.

Your options seem to be: 1) Fly an RJ/tprop in the US for god knows how long for $20/hr at a possibly high-cost-of-living-base, or 2) Fly a mid to heavy jet at lower times for an LCC in Bulgaria/Turkey for 2-4 years, and eventually have access to Ryanair, Easy, Air France, BA, LH, etc. etc. etc. once the other Euro countries lift work restrictions on Bulgarians in 2010 or 2012, ready to get an outstanding job since you have heavy time and a EU national spouse.

1) Cheap apartment in the US, where pilots are treated as glorified bus drivers by many....or 2) massive house in the Bulgarian countryside or coastal regions where property is appreciating 300% over the next 5 years as post-accession as capital investment flows into the country...in Eastern Europe (or Europe in general) where pilots are treated with a heck of a lot more respect and prestige than they are in the US.

doesn't seem like a tough decision to me.

 

"Nicholasblonde"-

Where does Poland fit in in all of this? 2010 as well? Is there a place where US pilots who are married to EU nationals can educate themselves on these issues (other than PPRuNe)?