I am seeking information from pilots that are currently working in mainland China, current are previously. I am an experienced regional turboprop pilot looking to invest in an A320 rating for work with an Airline in China. Specifically the company is Active Aerospace in Vancouver Canada, www.activeaerospace.com ,that I am looking to train with. Does anyone have first hand information from this company. Anyone with first hand information regarding training in the US or Canada and getting employement in China. The offer I've seen seems to be to good to be true, good pay, decent time off, bonuses and a 3 year contract. I'm seriously considering the investment and looking for anyone with first hand info. I am aware of many differences in the lifestyle in China compared to what I am used to now but an honest opinion is welcome good or bad.

Thanks in Advance

 

Not to be the one to rain on your parade but I don't know of any contracts currently in China that are taking people with no time in type much less without significant jet time. Ok, there are a couple of 74 operators but you have to have widebody time. Some of those type rating schools will promise you the sky about how obtaining a type rating will increase your earning power. Maybe, if you have time in type and/or significant jet time. Remember its the salespeople making these statements and they don't have the first clue about how the biz really works. The salespeople are only trying to get you to sign up for the course, get your money and then forget who you are.

I would save your money and try to get on with a domestic operator that will pay for your training. Then apply to those ex-pat jobs.

 

This unfortunately has all the ingredients for a get rich quick scheme... and you won't be the one getting rich.

Sorry, but this scam is pulled too regularly.

 

This shoud open your eyes:

SIX TYPES.....including the A-320. (No PIC in it since I flew it at UAL)

PIC JET in the MD-80 with Heavy Widebody time, 12000 TT.....and I cannot..REPEAT cannot get a Capt slot over in China since I have less than 500 PIC in the Bus.


They make the rules, and I decided not to play with them.

 

Generally speaking, Asian carriers see their minimum requirements as hard numbers and if you are missing 30 minutes to meet their minimums you might as well be missing 500 hours because the bottom line is that you don't meet their minimums, If you try to argue the point that you are just missing 30 minutes they look at you like if you were from another planet because it is incomprehensible to them as to why you even applied without meeting the minimums in the first place. Not trying to be discouraging but rather trying to explain how they see it. Be very careful about anyone telling you that if you buy your type they can get you an interview because If the company requires 500 hour, they mean it literally.

I'm not speaking about this particular gig, I'm just saying to be careful and make sure this is a legit opportunity

 

I would be very very careful about a deal like that. There have been one or two airlines in China that have hired low/no time First Officers on the A320. That was a few years ago and they only hired a couple. Could be the deal is legit, but it sounds too good to be true. When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Now that all said. There are two airlines in the area that have been known to hire no time on type guys. They are Air Macau and Air Asia. I believe that Air Asia has stopped, but maybe not. Air Macau might be hiring because people don't tend to stay there very long. Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia, and Silk Air are other A320 operators.

I know two guys personally here at Emirates that went the road of buying their own 320 type. They then went to Air Macau for a little bit then down to Tiger. One of them has a father well placed in the area and certainly had connections that were beneficial. So it can be done but it's going to take some luck and good timing.



Typhoonpilot

 

Sonny is 100% correct. A type rating on any aircraft, without at least 500 subsequent hours in that type, is nearly worthless in regards to getting you a job with a foreign carrier. Save your money.

 

Thanks all, about what I expected. I agree if it sounds to good to be true it probably is and 99% of everything I've read and researched all points in a bad direction. Thanks for the input, this get rich quick scheme isn't for me.

 

Sonnycrockett et al - If you are serious about going to Asia try Air Asia instead. With your kind of experience they will employ and type you. Base is Kuala Lumpur and this is in my opinion a MUCH better place to be than China.... If you want info send me PM.

CP

 

Air Asia will employ you if you're a skipper. We have a number of Malaysians at GWL with friends there and they insist they are not hiring expat FO's at the moment, though they have in the past; worth a try though and if Captprop knows something they don't it wouldn't surprise me. . . hard to stay in the loop these day's. Lion Air is definately hiring as friends at HKX have recently been talking to them; the T&C however is quite bad.

HongKongExpress is always looking but the guy's I know who went there showed up on their doorstep, literally (as I did with GWL in Shanghai). My point being, if you are going to invest in a type rating make sure you have some money for a tour of Asia.

Heaps of cadets in China waiting for slot's, so to back up what the others have said I'd have to agree. That said, send a message to CargoKing as I believe he works for MU or MU Cargo recruitment.

Active has been good in the past. Some friends went there years ago for B757 rating's but they had jobs in hand.

One thing to think about; a type rating is great to have, but without decent line training you could really be left hanging in the wind. As much as we all think we're Chuck Yeager, a jet ain't no prop baby. Some airlines wil do the bare bones, leaving you totally ill prepared to deal with local captains who may be pretty random. You'll recall the B733 at Garuda that crashed; the FO told the skipper to go around and he landed anyway, and the FO was local. Most captains that I have flown with from Malaysia and Singapore are quite good and open, some shouldn't be flying airplanes (much like anywhere else, but you're an expat in their playground and that changes the dynamics). Without experience to back up your own opinions and decisions it could be pretty hellish for you. Just a little food for thought.

Herith endith the sermon (that went a bit off topic didn't it).