Hey everyone,
As some of you know, I am high school student who has wanted to become an airline pilot since birth. I am getting ready to start college in about 18 months and am definitely looking at UND and CWU for my flight training. I'll be glad to fly where ever I am needed. Whether that be flying boxes or for a regional to start. Anyway, I'm curious if the American aviation hiring industry sucks by the time I get there...What are the options for foreign flying? How would an American graduate with say a CFI or so go about getting a job with a Mexican Airline or a Canadian airline? Are they as restrictive as Qantas or what? Do you need a different type rating for flying for them? Lastly, is it worth flying internationally or should one stick through the time and attempt to keep getting on with an American airline? I appreciate the advice and would love to know what you guys think. I love speaking spanish and one day hope to be bilingual in English and Spanish. Therefore, flying in Mexico would be a great cultural experience (I vacation there at least once a year currently). And I also have an entire side of the family of "step-relatives" who live in Victoria, BC so I spend a lot of time in Canada too so Canada wouldn't be too shabby at all. thanks APF'ers!

 

You won't be able to fly in Mexico because you need to be a native born citizen. You are not really missing anything, Mexico is not a good place to fly for, I've heard bad things about them. I do not know about Canada but there's probably not much their either. I'm like you in college, etc. If the airline industry continues its downward slope I plan on going to Cathay Pacific, or Emirates. Emirates is more for expats but Cathay Pacific would be a good place, after spending a few years at a regional I maybe able to transfer there as a Second Officer of a 777, the dream. Do some research, search fo Cathay Pacific SO, in this forum, a guy whose avatar was Bambi, wrote some good info on Cathay Pacific, I think he was a second officer. As far as Europe, I wouldn't even touch it those guy are having enough problems as it is. On a positive note let us hope that the baby boomers continue to retire alowing room for us, their retiring should lead to them having nothing to do but travel (by air). By baby boomers I mean the entire population, not just pilots. This could be a postive thing for the airlines, I see noting but glory ahead of us.LOL

 

You can try your luck in Canada, our immigration system is not nearly as restrictive as the Aussies', but from what i've heard you need about the same amount of hours to land it with the majors up here (aka Air Canada, West Jet, Jazz, Skyservice) that being in the 3000-6000 hour range for the most part, as you do down your way. I guess it comes down to what the state of the industry is in our countries by the time your ready to land that big job, right now it could be better up here but in 5 years who knows, things may pick up down there.

Good luck!

 

Not familiar with Mexico but Taylor brings up a good point. Right now the states have a lot of jobs at the regional level. In Canada you most likely wont see a jet or even a turbo prop until you hit about 3000 + hours. Getting immigration to Canada is not so easy, although it will help that you have family living there. The Canadian carriers require Canadian licenses and permanent resident status. For a CFI trying to make it into a regional, you would get into an airline a lot faster here in the states then up north. With that being said if you really want to work there, working here for a few years then trying to go up there may work out a little better. You may want to check out www.pprune.org and click on the Canada section. When I last checked the average new hire at air canada jazz had around 5,000 hours.

 

Have you considered flying in college, getting your degree and then joining the Air National Guard or the Air Force Reserves? I remember at pilot training having a couple of guard folks in our class and many of us were shocked to find out that they already knew what they would be flying and where they would live. Myself, and many others, were wondering how the hell that happened? Nobody had told us about that route and how great it could be. It may or may not be your thing.
International flying, IMO, has been a great experience.
Best of luck in whatever you decide.