EMIRATE FO's & $$
05-09-2018, 05:25 PM
#151
Gets Weekend Reserve
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,611
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.
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.
05-12-2018, 09:54 PM
#152
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2017
Posts: 2,235
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.
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.
05-13-2018, 07:12 AM
#153
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Position: Licking the window
Posts: 461
Originally Posted by SoFloFlyer
Jesuuuuus...... some majors have been sleeping on pilots like you. Experience like that, no major should turn you down.
05-13-2018, 08:24 AM
#154
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2017
Posts: 2,235
Originally Posted by Locke
The sad part is that is very common experience for us "long haul bunk monkeys" yet there's plenty that can't get a call from a major.
05-13-2018, 02:45 PM
#155
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Sleeping in the black swan’s nest.
Posts: 5,709
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.
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.
My first jet job was flying a DC-8 all over the world with ATI. Moving to a foreign country was not needed, just saying, in case you're looking for a plan C.
05-19-2018, 06:23 AM
#156
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,083
05-19-2018, 11:59 PM
#157
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2017
Posts: 2,235
Purely out of curiosity, what would it take to get your A380 or 777 type added to your FAA certificate?
Also, can someone confirm that the only hours the FAA would count are the ones you fly as PIC? Are those PIC hours at EK only count as SIC time in the US? What if you have 1,000 hours of SIC in the 777 at EK and you came back to the US, what would the FAA and an airline company say about those hours?
Sorry for so many questions, but that’s been bothering me for a little while!
Also, can someone confirm that the only hours the FAA would count are the ones you fly as PIC? Are those PIC hours at EK only count as SIC time in the US? What if you have 1,000 hours of SIC in the 777 at EK and you came back to the US, what would the FAA and an airline company say about those hours?
Sorry for so many questions, but that’s been bothering me for a little while!
05-21-2018, 01:55 AM
#158
New Hire
Joined APC: May 2018
Posts: 1
Hi, Just wanna give my point of view, I've been 5+years down here and can say a few things:
1st regarding the money, yeah for sure is not bad, not that good either the basic is about 7 to 8k USD per month plus flight time and per diem your take home can be around 10 to 11k per month, now for this money you will fly around 100+ hours on the 777, that is a lot considering that you will get also some days off overseas, so at home barely 8 days if lucky, among these you will be very tired (politically correct term for fatigue most days) your wife and kids will not like that.
2nd benefits, qatar, ethihad and emirates pretty much all the same with small differences. What you really have to consider is that any of those gulf cities are very expensive, and yes you may find places to spend "less money" but remember you are not going to be in the US, we are here westerners, not always welcome by the middle eastern, so most likely your places of choice will be western=expensive. Housing is provided by the company but very basic so a lot of guys end up out of company provided housing, of course a villa yeah the one your wife likes will be way more expensive so you'll end up putting some extra from your pocket, maybe 1k USD extra, costs of living are much higher than europe, yes everything is imported, and if you want quality even higher. Schools, there are many international schools, of course very expensive starting from kindergarten at around 10 to 11k USD per school year and all the way up as the kids grow, plus all the extracurricular activities, and peripheral school expenses, being said that don't be surprise if you will put money from your pocket to the school.
3rd career progression varies, so far my understanding is qatar has a faster upgrade due to their growth, and attrition as well, same in emirates, the turn over rate is high, wonder why...., etihad is going through rough times for now so nothing there.
4th No unions, no law, you have no protection whatsoever if something happens whatever the case most likely you are fired, rosters are crazy the level of fatigue among the crews is really scary, again no protection.
I am not saying the US is better or China is better, just my humble opinion and things to think and consider before you decide to move and put your family in a golden cage.
safe flights
1st regarding the money, yeah for sure is not bad, not that good either the basic is about 7 to 8k USD per month plus flight time and per diem your take home can be around 10 to 11k per month, now for this money you will fly around 100+ hours on the 777, that is a lot considering that you will get also some days off overseas, so at home barely 8 days if lucky, among these you will be very tired (politically correct term for fatigue most days) your wife and kids will not like that.
2nd benefits, qatar, ethihad and emirates pretty much all the same with small differences. What you really have to consider is that any of those gulf cities are very expensive, and yes you may find places to spend "less money" but remember you are not going to be in the US, we are here westerners, not always welcome by the middle eastern, so most likely your places of choice will be western=expensive. Housing is provided by the company but very basic so a lot of guys end up out of company provided housing, of course a villa yeah the one your wife likes will be way more expensive so you'll end up putting some extra from your pocket, maybe 1k USD extra, costs of living are much higher than europe, yes everything is imported, and if you want quality even higher. Schools, there are many international schools, of course very expensive starting from kindergarten at around 10 to 11k USD per school year and all the way up as the kids grow, plus all the extracurricular activities, and peripheral school expenses, being said that don't be surprise if you will put money from your pocket to the school.
3rd career progression varies, so far my understanding is qatar has a faster upgrade due to their growth, and attrition as well, same in emirates, the turn over rate is high, wonder why...., etihad is going through rough times for now so nothing there.
4th No unions, no law, you have no protection whatsoever if something happens whatever the case most likely you are fired, rosters are crazy the level of fatigue among the crews is really scary, again no protection.
I am not saying the US is better or China is better, just my humble opinion and things to think and consider before you decide to move and put your family in a golden cage.
safe flights
05-21-2018, 04:33 AM
#159
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,083
Wow. Sounds just as awful as others have claimed. Eight days at “home” per month and you’re a basket case for most of it? It should be quiet at “home” at least, once the wife packs up the kids and leaves! You might as well chain smoke, drink heavily, and eat all the burgers you want. You can’t do much worse for your health with continuous rosters like those. Hope it gets better one way or another.
05-21-2018, 04:43 AM
#160
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: B-737NG preferably in first class with a glass of champagne and caviar
Posts: 5,909
Originally Posted by CousinEddie
Wow. Sounds just as awful as others have claimed. Eight days at “home” per month and you’re a basket case for most of it? It should be quiet at “home” at least, once the wife packs up the kids and leaves! You might as well chain smoke, drink heavily, and eat all the burgers you want. You can’t do much worse for your health with continuous rosters like those. Hope it gets better one way or another.
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