I have no idea what to do with my life. I wish Morgan Freeman can smile his knowing calming smile and tell me it's all going to work out. Well I've been considering overseas jobs for a while now. I'm single and willing to move outside the states except maybe to Africa. India is a little iffy for me too (although I'd probably do it for the right opportunity), so I was thinking East Asia. I've looked at crew leasing companies.. some of their contracts seems pretty good. I've considered many points of it, and it seems ideal for me.
But the problem is that I don't have any turbofan time. Right now I fly a turboprop for a 121 regional. I contacted HACS and they said they take RJ time. Should I make a lateral move to an RJ carrier so I can get the required 1000 jet time?
The dilemma there is that I'm only about 5-6 months from upgrading at my current regional. I guess I should also insert in here that I'm miserable at my current company and want to get the hell out even though I'm kind of uncomfortable with the very idea because of the upgrade. Obviously, the turboprop PIC I get once I upgrade is valuable for US airlines.. but it's kind of useless outside of the US. I'm not totally comfortable with not having TPIC because then I'm throwing my options away of being eligible for a US major. I should keep all my options open.
The other thing I was considering was applying to an East Asian carrier that doesn't require turbofan time.. then getting my jet time that way.. then trying to move on to the real overseas job I want (ANA or KAL or similiar.) Or maybe I should stay my regional, upgrade to captain, then try to get on with an ACMI carrier.. then try to get on with ANA or KAL (or similar)?
What are the realistic mins for crew leasing companies anyway? Like I mentioned, HACS told me that they take RJ time... but I don't want to be caught in a situation where I make a lateral move to fly RJs.. get the required jet time, but then turns out I'm far from being competitive because everyone else applying for jobs at HACS is a 747 driver with 20000 hours under their belt (which probably is the case.)
As far as I can tell, the contracts seem good. But I've neither worked at an American legacy or at a foreign major. Is the QOL just as good at those foreign companies? As for pay.. I can tell a pilot would top out at a much higher figure at US legacies... but they also start you out at like $30/hr here, and then there's the instability. The only US major I don't see myself getting possibly furloughed is Fedex or UPS and realistically speaking my chances of getting hire there in the future is slim to none. But then again, contract flying is contract flying. I suppose they are "extendable" but who knows. I figured it all kinda evens out if you take into consideration the different variables. But honestly, what do I know?
and I almost feel like once I leave the states, I won't or maybe can't come back. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing.
I know I wrote a lot, but I'm trying to plan out my career path and I honestly have no clue. I feel like there are 10 forks in the road I can possibly take, and no one knows which one is the right one or even that any of those forks will take me to my ultimate goal. That uncertainty is the toughest to deal with. I feel like the most I could do is take an educated guess and hope for the best. Korupilot, TP, anybody else care to offer their experienced opinion?

 

This may answer A LOT of your questions;

http://japanpilots.19.forumer.com/

One thing, most of the Japanese contract gigs require jet time, AS WELL AS a "command rating" on a two person jet aircraft. That means it has to be a full PIC type, not that pansy SIC thing we all got. It's a JCAB thing. Also, don't forget, the physical can be tough for guys that are out of shape.

I was trying for the NCA job a couple years ago. That is/was one of the most highly coveted contract jobs out there. Both in pay and qol. Things there have changed though since they got spun off to NYK shipping lines.

 

If I was an American at the moment looking at legacy carriers I would be very nervous about this merger thing. Many people are pushing for it and it would appear that the voices quelling those possibilities in the past are being silenced. Good or bad I don't know, but it might just happen this time. And if they let one merger go ahead, then they'll likely let the other as well. I'm no rocket scientist and was never that good at math, but I don't think the end result will be a bunch more job's at the majors. Just my two cents on that one.

If it's jet's you're looking at overseas at the moment you will likely have to buy a rating though. For the HACS contract you'll need 1000 jet on top of the command type rating so that'll be down the road. Koreans numbers look doable but in reality they are getting pretty experienced people still. The commute is quite good from what I hear and the pay is sweet; thing's there it appears have changed. The two other choices might be Eva or China Airlines as the pay is lowsey and people are not happy (read, you can fill the shoes of the departing for greener pastures, namely KAL); but if they are paying for the rating. . .

Hong Kong Express was hiring with very little multi turbine time, but they just merged with Air Hong Kong and 14 guy's got laid off. However, I understand that the HKX side is still hiring as they are expanding, so 1000 or so (plus some reasonable total)in a two crew turbo prop might do it. I've just heard rumors about the Air Hong Kong side and it sounds very strange indeed, but my friends on the HKX side are still looking at 18 to 24 months to upgrade on the NG, the parent Hainan is still talking big expansion with A330's on the way, the domicile is Hong Kong (great city if you ask me) and they pay for the type rating. Many of their guy's are still jumping to Dragonair for the much better T&C's, plus it's Swire so to me it's like a free ride to a CX job without being an SO. Have you thought about that by the way?

I wouldn't go to Africa either, but if you're desperate for a jet job then go see the good people at Aeroservice in Miami, get a cheep rating on something like a B727, DC8, L1011, B747 classic or anything other of the museum pieces that I'd love to take a leave to fly, get yourself a recent copy of the JP fleet guide and a one way ticket to Lagos and have some lucky outfit put you in the drivers seat of the next departing flight. HBA (Hewa Bora) might be a start.

Lot's of options with more opening up all the time. It's just not going to be G&T's on the beach and white cotton sheets for the first while.

 

Thank you for the link, I didn't know about the website.
As far as the command type, I was thinking of just buying one if all they require is the type and not time on type. I figure it's worth it for the position.. cuz that job pays like at least 8k/month so you'll get the money spent right back within the first or second paycheck.
so what happened with the NCA job? were you trying to go through HACS? do you mind elaborating?

 

thank you as always for the advice.

 

How old are you and do you have 4 years of college? If not, go to university and get some degree. If you are under 25 go to Europe for a flying job. You probably don't want to go to Asia especially if you are not a captain.

I've been a contract captain for 3 different regional airlines in Europe. I had the time of my life over there. I highly recommend it for anyone. I don't recommend Asia though because of what I've heard. I don't think I would like the working environment. I've heard they are very demanding and hyper anal. The Europeans are anal enough. I don't think I could stand some IOE check airman yelling at me in a Chinese accent.

PM me if you want to talk more about contract flying.

 

I didn't have the "command type" at the time. I talked to HACS, spoke with a guy named Bruce M. Nice guy and able to answer any questions I had and encouraged me to update. The NCA job is super competitive, and I'm sure it probably helps to know somebdoy.

I do personally know some guys that have done the JALWays thing through WASINC and IASCO. Everything is relative, but like the one guy said, "hyper anal" sounds like a good way to sum them up. Totally different mindset and way of training, and a lot of "gaijins" can have a hard time adapting to the environment.

 

From very recent information you must have time in a jet for HACS, not just a type rating. When I looked at it over a year ago they would not take a cruise pilot (which I am), even though I have a couple thousand hours jet, three command endorsements as we are command rated where I work, and I was a training captain on a part 121 turbo prop with over 8000 hours. I checked again recently and the situation hasn't changed. Go figure. That said, I likely wouldn't go as my job is very good in a number of way's and for me it is an overseas operator anyway (I'm an expat technically) and my wife flies for the same company. I do love to keep up to date on the expat world though, but you likely noticed that.

Call Bruce and speak with him, as dojetdriver says he is a very nice fellow and will tell you what you need to know as far as going there is concerned. They'd likely try to put you in a TP (Dash 8) at AJX though.

 

Oh, and I don't have a degree. I quit college as I wanted to fly a plane, for which a degree with a major in history would not have helped.

Overseas nobody cares (perhaps in the EU at places, but none of my friends on jet's with DHL or Flyglobespan have them), they just want the experience.

Sounds like mike734 knows about the States though, so if it's the majors you want then his advice is best of course.