Flying for an Arab businessman
 

I need a little advice. I'm a furloughed airline pilot from a domestic US airline. I'm not current and don't have a medical right now.
A friend I used to fly with contacted me and said he is working for a middle eastern businessman who owns a private 737. My friend handles all the maintenance and also manages the crew, and has full hiring/firing authority. He wants me to come over and take a captain position.
The airplane is based in the middle east, only flies 150 hours a year. Mainly flies to UK, Russia, and sometimes Africa. Lots of sitting around hotels (nice hotels). Skd is 3 months gone, 1 month home, flying is Part 91 (or the foreign equivalent of 91).

Other than the horrible schedule, Im a little concerned with the lack of training. He said the owner would pay for a PC at Simuflite or somewhere like that, but I feel I would need much more than just a checkride. The aircraft is glass, and I've never flown this type glass before, also I've never flown outside of the US, and I have no ETOPS training. I do have alot of captain experience, just all in the US and no overwater.

You guys with lots of Intl. experience let me know what you think, I feel Im way over my head being cut loose internationally when I've never done it before.

Saudi?


TP

Well... You could learn, and would, a lot by just doing it. But it would require a hell of lot of preplanning and studying before almost every flight, which it sounds like would have the time for.

You would absolutely be in over your head... But you might be able to swim up for air every now and then. It can get real tricky dealing with multiple FIRs at once when flying through eastern Europe and over the Mediterranean region, you've GOT to know how to read actual maps and use them. it can get stressful real fast.

As a "part 91" operator you'd have much less of a safety net as well. Then there is the dealing with local governments on arrival... which as PIC it sounds like you'd be responsible for. I don't know how that would even work (I've only done 121-supplemental).

Who would your FOs be?? Experienced? Wet behind the ears? If it didn't come with experienced/typed FOs I would walk away.

Overall, sounds fun and adventurous, but I think it would be a very brutal introduction into international flying.

Potato Chip has the best answer in here. I've never been offered a job that awesome, but I have been tasked multiple times to start up Flight Departments. Here we are again with the 'who you know' and not the 'what you know'.

I think this is an amazing opportunity for anyone, so take it. Own it. Do what potatochip said, and just make it work. In this kind of flying you'll have tons of free time for research. While nothing even remotely like flying a 737, I have set up flight departments, acquired aircraft and started flying them *safely* at zero time. Maybe it's a good thing it's a plane that requires a type rating.

You might want to ask if it is Co-Captains - that is pretty common in that type of operation. If it is then ask your friend if the other Captains are a good bunch and easy to get along with. If the answer is yes to both then no big deal dealing with the international stuff.

As far as the training for the aircraft find out exactly what they will pay for (budget) then contact Simuflite directly and talk to them about what you need and the cost.

Yes, it seems like a great opportunity and alot of fun especially if you're a single guy. There are only two crews in this operation and you fly with the same guys, no co-captains. The FO I will be paired with is new also and I think he has limited experience outside of the US, and has never been a Captain either. Seems like a nightmare waiting to happen.
I want the airline style international training, where you fly with a Check Airman your first few overwater trips. I don't think the owner is willing to pay for me to take the international training at Simuflite, it's cheaper for them to just hire someone who already has the experience.

Thanks guys for the responses. I should ad that I have a family. 3 months out is a bit extreme.
Screwing something up in a foreign country, especially in the middle east, I've heard you can be sent to jail. You're considered guilty until proven innocent.

Three months away from your family is not a bit extreme, it is virtually impossible to sustain it. After the first rotation your wife and kids will beg you to quit. Month on / month off is difficult enough, but can be rationalized with the extra time off at home. 3/1 is slave labor. It is not even equivalent to weekends off only, it is less than that.


TP

Hate to say it but he's right. Sounds like there's a reason they're open to hiring someone who's not current and doesn't have a medical. Caveat Emptor, I wouldn't touch it unless the pay is remarkable and you're willing to suffer the butt-pain as you go from 0-60 in 4 seconds knowledge-wise. Make sure you have a spare passport and a wad of cash at all times.

International flying is no big deal. Oceanic flying is no big deal. You can "gouge yourself up" in a few days doing nothing but internet searches, and maybe pmailing some guys on online forums. As long as you are able to prepare yourself, I am sure you will do fine.

You are no more dead crashing mid-ocean, than you are into the Rockies.

Europe and mideast can be a bit difficult, not because of bad ATC, but because of many dialects on the radio. Crossing a FIR, you will have a Turkish controller giving you a Spanish fix, or vice versa. You will screw this up the first 10 times, no matter how much you study. So did everybody else. It is not like South and Central America where every controller says "Royer".

BUT, a very smart contract pilot once told me,

1. If it pays a lot, it is because no one wants to work there.
2. If it is a commuter job, it is because no one wants to live there.
3. If they have low standards, see rule #1 and #2, and they are looking for someone desperate.

In your case, you might just be lucky and have an "in".

What the heck. Go for it.



"Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of the opportunities you miss, when you don't even try."

It's $9000 USD per month, cash.