2000 TT, 1000 Jet, 1100 PIC. current 121. ATP/RJ type.


By the way license conversion itself is $2500+ and bunch of other hidden costs.

I worked for COPA and a 737NG Capt in PTY.

I cannot speak for the FO "deal" I am sure it is crap as I remember that they had to pay $2500 to convert to a Panama certificate. That is not for CAPTAINS, however we had to pay various "fee's" (read BRIBE'S) and some of that was paid back by COPA.


I worked for a Bolivian Carrier on a wet lease contract a few years back so here is my experience:

1. The job is crap. They treat gringos like hired help and the Panama Pilots get priority in trips/layovers--just a fact of life.

2. You will work with VERY few days off. It was very hard to get a Jumpseat out of Panama ---its all about "control"

3. Pay is a mess---figure you will get around $6000-7000 a month as a 737NG Capt. The cost of living in Panama is NOT CHEAP! Trust me I had to figure that one on my own. It is cheaper to live in the USA.

4. Panama has VERY LITTLE LATIN CULTURE compared to other countries I have lived. The people in Panama are LAZY and very incompetent in what they do. This will drive you crazy after awhile.

5. Plan on not commuting, very little time off, low pay, no schedule as it will change all the time, LONG GROUND SCHOOL-SIM-IOE--like 5-6 months!

If you need to go there and there is NOTHING else--go get a "free" type on the 737NG and 500-1000 hours and bail---like 75% of expat pilots do....COPA plans on this and they are happy that you do not stick around.

ALSO--and this is important DO NOT SIGN ANY TRAINING AGREEMENT--tell them you want to look it over and have your Lawyer view it---put it in your flight bag and never give it back. SCREW THEM! $36,000 training contract that they use as a "GUN TO THE HEAD"

I had a good time in PTY. No regrets--however if they ran the airline like other South American Carriers like Avianca, LAN, TAM, etc....I would still be there! They are very "different" and sometimes you have to go see for yourself!

Copa Airlines
 

Do you know who is in charge as far as HR and any available contact email?
How is the situation relating to recruiting process?
Thanks

Very well said. I was a F/O there for almost 4 years. I agree 100% and then some.

Copa Airlines
 

Sonny Crockett

As you said you worked for Copa,so you probably know who is in charge
in HR for the recruitment.
Do you have by any chance email relating to HR?
Any help most appreciated.

Thanks

Ambar Rodriguez

[email protected]

ph: 304-2838

Pretty good at replying to emails so if you qualify you should hear back in short order.

Has anyone with similar experience as me got an email like the one Critichal Mach got?

I have 1050 tt piston all, 300 me 800 PIC

I went to the Aerocrew Job fair in March, talked to their people and gave them all the papers... they told me to update the web profile and that the Fo recruiting process was gonna be starting around August.

Havent received an email yet.

Copa Air
 

Any latest update related to captain's recruiting process?

Amazing. You could tell recruits "At Copa, the FO holds a gun to your head on approach. If you deviate from the GS more then a dot, he blows your brains out and takes the controls from your bleeding corpse." Desperate and ignorant pilots will still line up to interview.

I don't get it. This place is a dump. Have some integrity people.

Well, I can at least understand why the f/o's are lining up for interviews. You have to supply your own sidearm, though.:D

Given the prospects in the US... what are the other alternatives in getting on with a carrier that pays more than minimum wage, let alone McDonalds.

Copa Application
 

Shake the tree and give them a call,

My buddy who works for them said they have 4000 applications on file.

Copa App
 

With thousands of regional-airline Pilots in the U.S that would love to get a 737 type so they'd have a shot at Southwest at a later time, yeah I wouldn't doubt it

That's what he told me. He wasn't exaggerating either. Remember they have guys applying from Canada to Argentina. What they pay seems to be in the ball park with other Latin American airlines, so to a Chilean or Venezuelan they look at is differently then you and I. His class had guys with all kinds of experience from all over the world. Also said the training is much harder then any 121 airline in the US, and 3 times longer. So expect to be paid that $800 for about 6 months.

Contacted Copa
 

I contacted Copa last week about my FO application and they say it will be January or February by the time they look over the applications and start e-mailing people. I know what their official mins are. Does anyone know what it takes to be competitive?
My times are: 5400 Total, 2400 SIC EMJ 145, and 1000 SIC ATR 72

Yeah but that is only an IACO SIC type. For F/O's anyway. Not woth the plastic it is printed on in the US.

Not exactly, the US is also an ICAO member state, there are bilateral agreements between members that allow credits for licenses held within ICAO, you can then get a reduced training syllabus here in the US and get your FAA type rating for less money (based on the credits of your Panamanian license, experience on the A/C) so it is not exactly worthless, lets just say it is as worthless as an FAA SIC type

Tis true tis pity… tis pity tis true… another threat that has turned into a beoch session.

How many F/Os and Captains have flown with each other and wished the trip was a one hop trip around the traffic pattern so they could get away from each other? But alas… its day one of a three day trip. Read other threads on APC about this issue. The same goes for the cabin crew team too.

Nice thing about working for overseas carriers is that there are far less SKYGODS and PRIMA DONAS to deal with. Definitely a much healthier, more mature, culture .

With solid training, and observations the monovalent malcontents on both sides of the border of the cockpit and cabin are weeded off the property.

Now what was this thread supposed to be about?:rolleyes:

................................. oops wrong thead

Has anyone got a call from these guys lately? Have things slowed down over here?

yeah, still hiring direct entry captains? a furlough doesn't look too far off for me.

Does anyone know what Copa's interview process is like? How long after an interview do people normally start training?

It is a 2 day interview. Computer aeronautical knowledge, math, memory, instrument interpretation, psych. eval, and coordination test ( keep the ball centered while you climb and turn. Interview usually with a pilot and HR person. Lie detector test, physical and a simulator evaluation. This eval does have a V1 cut.

Begin training any time from 2 weeks - 2 or 3 months after the interview. Subject to change of course.

250kts is spot on. I interviewed a year ago. Very friendly in HR the sim ride guys r really nice bunch.

I have a friend there now said it took 8 months for an Panamanian Background ck. Yes 8 months.

Confronted a captain in the PTY airport on the return home. He said as a 73 capt. you will put $4,000 in pockit a month. Could be different now, but not likely much. No line bidding, schedule comes out about 28th of the month. You get 6 days off a month.

Remember if you spend 1 day in the states a year you will pay income tax in the states plus income tax in Panama.

This is a perfect example as to why people should NOT take information on taxes from any of these pilot sites, make sure that you talk to a tax professional that works with foreign based income and educate yourself as to how the taxes for foreign income, the non-double taxation agreements and the foreign residency tests work.

This is too important of an issue to make assumptions, get the facts from a professional

The Dominican is correct and prat985 is dead wrong. If you are a US citizen, you will not pay tax in the USA generally speaking. You will be a resident of Panama, and that will automatically qualify you for the big exemption. Based on the Copa Captain wages, you will not owe Uncle Sam. Also, you can spend over 30 days in the USA per year and this scenario will not change. If you have other sources of income, then generating a USA tax liability is possible. As always, consult your tax guy though.

Lie Detector? What kind of questions would they ask during a Lie Detector? Seems anything relevant to the job could be found in pilot records somewhere.

Lots of issues on the expat pilot's market with false hours and over inflated resumes. But I agree that a lie detector test is over the top, specially since it is unreliable.

Too.cheap.to.perform background checks

The actual law is 35 days in the US, then you have to pay a full income tax on the money earned for that year, but if you remain over seas for more than 365 days, up to (110k is tax free).

American applicants DO NOT have to take the Lie Detector test.

....and what Dominican said there is a lot of resume inflating going on, like the guy in my class who said he had 1000 PIC JET by flying "part time for Higher Power" after he bought his Type Rating.

Evidently Copa changed this sometime last summer. In the past they did not require the polygraph for US citizens. They were able to do a background and PRIA check. However, now to be fair all candidates are required to take the test. I have been told that there are questions about drug use and alcohol abuse.

I checked with a source inside COPA.

It appears you are correct. Same for all applicants, also they are looking for NARCO TRAFFICO activity.

I would not worry about it for 95% are honest people, but they have hired some real losers in the past that they should have weeded out however COPA gets desperate for warm bodies.

Are you sure they are desperate?

I meet their mins even though I don't have jet experience and have been applying for almost a year getting my resume from different sources and they haven't even call me or email me, AND I'm sure they would be happy with my english and my background.

Someone else commented they have over 4000 apps.

Please, please tell me you are joking...

Type Rating Requires for FO's?
 

Is a type rating required to get interviewed for an FO position?

Is there a training bond?

What is the actual pay an FO can earn? Another website claims it is only $2,000 a month.

Thanks guys.