Just out of curiosity, do you have to be a Brazilian citizen or Brazilian resident to work as a pilot in Brazil?

 

To answer most of the questions brought up:

Currently you have to be a Brazilian citizen to work as a pilot down there. I say currently because they are experiencing a major pilot shortage which is only getting worse.

As for transfering your FAA licenses to ANAC standards, it takes roughly 6 months from start to finish.

You first have to present all your FAA certificates to them in Brasilia then wait while they verify everything with the FAA up here. Ditto if you have a college degree.

After everything checks out they give you permission to take the Commercial pilot written exam which you have to pass. Somewhere in that time period you also have to get your Brazilian medical done (CCF).

After passing your written you then have to go up in a twin for a practice flight or two before taking a checkride with an examiner from ANAC.

Again, the whole process takes roughly six months which is not bad. The bad part is that each stage is spaced pretty far apart from the last which means you need to either be living in Brazil or be willing and able to fly back and forth multiple times within a six month period.

Then you can apply for a cushy job at TAM, GOL, AZUL, or TRIP and start making what a 4th year FO at Delta makes. Plus down there you get 30 days vacation per year as soon as you are hired.

And yes: The FAs down there are hands down beautiful...as are the female pilots.

 

I am a Brasilian citizen.

 

Thanks for the info! I plan on starting this process soon. The only part that scares me is the length of time this will take. I def can not stay in Brasil for 6 months. (family, JOB, MONEY etc.) I will have to bite the bullet and try to get it in 2-3 trips although it will cost me a fortune!

 

I worked for colt aviation. I also flew for chiclete con banana, that was the best pilot job in the world, I hope I have an opportunity like that again

 

I worked for colt aviation. I also flew for chiclete con banana, that was the best pilot job in the world, I hope I have an opportunity like that again

 

Chiclete com banana the band? How did you land that gig?

 

4th year FO Delta pay ? Only if you are flying the 330 for Tam, plus 4 years with them you won't be flying the wide body. The pay rate for Trip and Azul are compared to a regional airline in the USA. Yes , in Brazil you will get 30 days a year for vacation, however, you will only get 8 days off a month when flying domestically.

 

Sorry, not true.

Starting pay at TAM for an FO is roughly $6,000 with extra pay for night flights. Most FOs at TAM make over $100,000/year.

8 days off a month is the minimum required by ANAC (currently under revision) although pilots on domestic routes average 12 days off a month. Those on international routes only fly once or twice a week.

TRIP and Azul start their FOs out at $4,000/ month... Not even close to a regional salary here in the U.S.

 

Lucky I guess, it was a blast!