Originally Posted by Boss Hoggin

Okay guys help me out and be very blunt with me. Why go fly for a regional when you can fly a triple 7 or a 380 and make twice as much money? What am I missing?

Originally Posted by Setopbug

Because in over 1500 hours of left seat US legacy time, I've flown with a whole damn bunch of former regional airline pilots. Dozens. And not one from EK. If I'm interviewing and have my choice between a hard-working regional grunt who's been flying four legs a day in and out of high density hubs with my customers on board, and some long haul bunk monkey whose current employer requires the autopilot to be on except for takeoff and landing, guess who's going to get hired?

Regardless, I wish you luck. If it's not too late, choose the regional carrier. You'll make that pay delta up by being hired at a legacy carrier long before the EK pilot.

Originally Posted by Setopbug

Because in over 1500 hours of left seat US legacy time, I've flown with a whole damn bunch of former regional airline pilots. Dozens. And not one from EK. If I'm interviewing and have my choice between a hard-working regional grunt who's been flying four legs a day in and out of high density hubs with my customers on board, and some long haul bunk monkey whose current employer requires the autopilot to be on except for takeoff and landing, guess who's going to get hired?

Regardless, I wish you luck. If it's not too late, choose the regional carrier. You'll make that pay delta up by being hired at a legacy carrier long before the EK pilot.

Originally Posted by CaptainDouglas

Hello guys, I would like to thank everyone for the advice given here about EK. I understand the situation at EK and Dubai itself is not the best and probably won't improve.. However, the ME still represent an attractive opportunity for South American pilots both professional and economically with the addition of living in a safe country. In this case, do you recommend Flydubai instead of Emirates?

I'm considering this because it might be a better option in the short term. After 5 years I could leave with a command on a popular type and hopefully be a in a better position to settle elsewhere with some savings and a happy family being at home almost every night (or day). On the downside, I will be missing A LOT the routes and the wide body route network. I always dreamed about joining something like EK and make a career there. But sadly, I think those dream jobs only exist at majors in US or EU these days.

Does Flydubai sound like a good alternative to EK? Am I missing something? Is there a better option in the region? I can't apply to Qatar since I'm not Boeing or Airbus typed. Even if I could, I think Dubai is better with family. Etihad appears to be falling apart. I also considered other airlines in Asia but I think lifestyle and benefits are just better at the ME without commuting (personal preference).

For comparison, an FO at Flydubai is flying around 65-75 hrs ALMOST the same salary and benefits as EK, no jetlag, 1 or 2 layovers per month (this might increase to 4) average days off is 11 (might increase to 12 days off + rest days) of course the first 2 years it will be around 70 % night flying as well as EK but then seniority will help build a better roster. It seems reasonable considering the paycheck for a 737, definitely a better position for me, but I'm just concerned about not enjoying the job as much as I would in something like EK or QR talking about routes and nice layovers.

Please let me know what you guys think. Thank you.

Originally Posted by Typhoonpilot

In defense of Americans at EK trying to get hired back in the USA your misperceptions need to be pointed out. Flying a widebody at Emirates and many other airlines in the Middle East and Asia is not at all like in the USA. There are numerous short haul sectors and sometimes even 4 sector days. A 10 year seniority EK pilot would likely have well over 1000 takeoffs and landings and never even come close to going to the sim for landing recency like many U.S. widebody pilots often have to do.

Originally Posted by T28driver

Legs. We call them legs.

Originally Posted by Setopbug

Because in over 1500 hours of left seat US legacy time, I've flown with a whole damn bunch of former regional airline pilots. Dozens. And not one from EK. If I'm interviewing and have my choice between a hard-working regional grunt who's been flying four legs a day in and out of high density hubs with my customers on board, and some long haul bunk monkey whose current employer requires the autopilot to be on except for takeoff and landing, guess who's going to get hired?

Originally Posted by RemoveB4flght

I came to a ME3 carrier after being 2008-ed when my previous carrier furloughed me within months of being hired (having done my time in the regionals).

I started on a narrow body flying to places around Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and North Africa that you couldn't pronounce, much less ever experience.

I've done night turns to Iran, fueled the plane and signed off transit checks in Dammam, raw data VOR into Peshawar, RTO in Khartoum, layovers in Damascus, Monsoon season to Chittagong, Screamed over the radio in ETOPS to Mumbai oceanic HF, and did the inaugural flight to Basra. (Oh, and this was how I spent my first 1500 "left seat" big airline hours)

Flying the wide body as a "bunk monkey" I've done ETOPS over the Gobi desert in Western China, Polar routes 207 minutes from the nearest alternate, Followed the Emergency Escape corridor over the Himalayas under a full moon, Traversed the ITCZ weather down to South America, QFE approaches and Metric altitudes in Kazakhstan, Worked performance for fuel laden aircraft in 45+ degree temps in high altitude airports, and lost Coms over West Africa... and I haven't even gone through my entire logbook.

The kicker: I don't even have the best stories among the pilots I've worked with here.

I'm not knocking regional pilots, I've been there... but yeah, those high density hub turns between the same city pairings all day with competent ATC and native English speaking coworkers sure does make my experience look substandard and irrelevant.

Originally Posted by RemoveB4flght

I came to a ME3 carrier after being 2008-ed when my previous carrier furloughed me within months of being hired (having done my time in the regionals).

I started on a narrow body flying to places around Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and North Africa that you couldn't pronounce, much less ever experience.

I've done night turns to Iran, fueled the plane and signed off transit checks in Dammam, raw data VOR into Peshawar, RTO in Khartoum, layovers in Damascus, Monsoon season to Chittagong, Screamed over the radio in ETOPS to Mumbai oceanic HF, and did the inaugural flight to Basra. (Oh, and this was how I spent my first 1500 "left seat" big airline hours)

Flying the wide body as a "bunk monkey" I've done ETOPS over the Gobi desert in Western China, Polar routes 207 minutes from the nearest alternate, Followed the Emergency Escape corridor over the Himalayas under a full moon, Traversed the ITCZ weather down to South America, QFE approaches and Metric altitudes in Kazakhstan, Worked performance for fuel laden aircraft in 45+ degree temps in high altitude airports, and lost Coms over West Africa... and I haven't even gone through my entire logbook.

The kicker: I don't even have the best stories among the pilots I've worked with here.

I'm not knocking regional pilots, I've been there... but yeah, those high density hub turns between the same city pairings all day with competent ATC and native English speaking coworkers sure does make my experience look substandard and irrelevant.

Originally Posted by RemoveB4flght

I came to a ME3 carrier after being 2008-ed when my previous carrier furloughed me within months of being hired (having done my time in the regionals).

I started on a narrow body flying to places around Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and North Africa that you couldn't pronounce, much less ever experience.

I've done night turns to Iran, fueled the plane and signed off transit checks in Dammam, raw data VOR into Peshawar, RTO in Khartoum, layovers in Damascus, Monsoon season to Chittagong, Screamed over the radio in ETOPS to Mumbai oceanic HF, and did the inaugural flight to Basra. (Oh, and this was how I spent my first 1500 "left seat" big airline hours)

Flying the wide body as a "bunk monkey" I've done ETOPS over the Gobi desert in Western China, Polar routes 207 minutes from the nearest alternate, Followed the Emergency Escape corridor over the Himalayas under a full moon, Traversed the ITCZ weather down to South America, QFE approaches and Metric altitudes in Kazakhstan, Worked performance for fuel laden aircraft in 45+ degree temps in high altitude airports, and lost Coms over West Africa... and I haven't even gone through my entire logbook.

The kicker: I don't even have the best stories among the pilots I've worked with here.

I'm not knocking regional pilots, I've been there... but yeah, those high density hub turns between the same city pairings all day with competent ATC and native English speaking coworkers sure does make my experience look substandard and irrelevant.