The Dominican

The contract market is developing very fast, T&C'S are changing and improving weekly it seems, there aren't very many non-type rated opportunities out there still but even that is starting to develop as well, the next decade will be very interesting with the US in the upswing and the EU not far behind, I know....I know! The EU is as gloomy as it gets right now, that is true! But it is also true, that all the destruction of the western economies that were predicted between 08/10 didn't materialized, I believe that a resurgence of the EU's economy along with the US, driven by the appetite for goods from the east and the emerging economies, will result in more pilot jobs worldwide that we will know what to do with...!

Probe

KaptLt;
I only agree with about half of what you said. I think for the right individual, Emirates can be a great deal. What is the right person?

Maybe 30-40, married with kids. Kids go to world class schools free. You get a 3-7 year path to wide body Capt.

Flying? Some is great. Doing nothing but India turns at night? Maybe not so much.

It is non-commuting.

It is not for me, and many others. I have never given it a second thought. But for some............good deal.

ANA has probably been the best deal long term. Lots of money, and time off. The biggest negative is that it is a 767. Great plane, I have many thousands of hours in 75/76. But for a contract pilot it is a bit of a dead end right now. There are very few opportunities now, and for the past few years.

A couple of the Chinese jobs are OK as well, with huge money, tax paid locally. If you are a US citizen, you will not only not owe any US tax, you earn foreign tax credits for future US taxes.

If Emirates was a commuting contract I might have considered it. If I was 32 with kids in school - same.

The best contract job? I guess it is up to the individual. I am back at my legacy carrier in the US, planning my escape back to the contract world. This time for good.

Kapitanleutnant

Probe...

You make some valid points but I don't think ANA pays for all the extra's that Emirates pays does it? Maybe it does and I'm not aware of it.

My colleagues and I have figured out several times that the total overall Emirates package is worth about 200K all said and done when everything is included. Does ANA have that total package for it's pilots? Just curious as to the upgrade time for FO's there. I really don't know.....

I realize there are some intangibles in the equation like rostering, how the company treats you, training and other things that are hard to quantify.

Kap

The Dominican

Career Opportunities

There are the T&C'S, time for upgrade is running at about the 4 year mark right now. Pretty stable roster with 14 days in a row (but that includes your commuting days) business class confirmed ticket and you keep the miles, or 2,000 additional in pay and you buy your own (ZED/Ticket) flying about 55-60 hours a month with a mix of freighter and passenger flights. But you do the work on the venerable 76
Lots of rumors but here is a rumor of my own, when ANA parks the last 787 in the dessert, they'll bring the crew back to Japan on a 76

EXPAT1

Good discussion and comparison of Emirates and Air Japan. Looking at the numbers you can have all the cushy benefits but be stuck in the ME with housing, retirement, education for kids and a driver for work at Emirates, making about 12K per month, flying 110 hours and paid for 90 hard time. If you go with Air Japan you have 17K per month and commute back to your residence in home country with 12 days off per month flying 55 hours. It is truly a personal choice comparing days off in home country or living with family and not commuting with all the benefits in the ME. Both great options just different strokes for different folks. Disclaimer: I am using approximate data.

The Dominican

Different strokes for different folks indeed....! You can't just use a spread sheet with T&C'S on it and make a decision based on that, there are too many variables of tax liabilities, lifestyle changes (having all your days off in a row vs. coming home for less days but more often) your loved ones adjusting at a life abroad vs. adjusting at life at home with you gone for 17 days in a row, ease or difficult commute, many factors will influence your job satisfaction on the long run, many guys base their decisions on only pay or type of A/C, then working in China making 22/M and flying brand new equipment sounds pretty good until you try to adjust at being 6 on and 2 off, others move their family there and are very happy. Spread sheets don't paint the whole picture, you have to sit with your better half and determine what's best for YOU! not what's the best job.

Kapitanleutnant

Yep... Those "intangibles I was talking about.

They more often than not make or break a decision.

Kap

Finnley

Dom

How recent is the 'Career Opportunities' link that you posted in #14.
Thanks

BlueHenFR8Dawg

If Dom posted it, it must be current, but here is the link to all jobs via CReW.
http://www.crewresourcesworldwide.com/positions.htm

skypine27

I have a group friends (from the USA) who left and are on the 767 at ANA/JP Express (I think they are one contract now).

They seem to like it.

History of them:
Skywest CRJ Capt, went to ANA pax side as a 737 capt. Did it for X years, then went to 767 Capt where you fly both pax and cargo

Furloughed AA FO:
Went to ANA 767 FO, freight side. Upgraded to CA and now flies both pax and freight, as they are "one" operation now.

Skywest CRJ Capt:
Same as above AA FO, Went to ANA 767 FO, freight side. Upgraded to CA and now flies both pax and freight, as they are "one" operation now. Got sick of "it" and came back to the USA as a Virgin American FO. He saved a LOT of money while working for ANA though....

Furloughed ATA 757 Capt:
Went to NCA Cargo (diff company) as a 747-400 FO. Upgraded to 747-400 Capt after XX years. Still there. Thought about quitting for FedEx while he was still an FO at NCA. Now that he is a capt, I dont think he'd quit for anywhere.

Seems ANA and NCA are good contract gigs.