Working as a Pilot in China
09-07-2016 | 10:23 PM
#232
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: Armchair Capt
12-17-2016 | 04:47 PM
#233
New Hire
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: B737NG
Modern Chinese culture is nowhere near 4,000 years old. The Communist revolution, Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution has destroyed the last vestiges of the ancient culture of "China".
Totally agree with Turbosina - regardless of their historical contributions to human development, the pollution, overcrowding, spitting, constant blaring of car horns, lack of food safety all make living in China intolerable for most people, even a great number of the Chinese.
Totally agree with Turbosina - regardless of their historical contributions to human development, the pollution, overcrowding, spitting, constant blaring of car horns, lack of food safety all make living in China intolerable for most people, even a great number of the Chinese.
The culture also affects how the leaders do their jobs and how they (not!) train pilots to operate on the line. Memorize the manuals, fly like a robot and do not talk about bad events or be severely punished.
One pilot here has a doomsday clock counting down at "ten seconds to midnight" meaning a crash. He thought they about bought the farm when BOTH pilots on a flight managed to kill BOTH IRUs on a plane, couldn't land on the first approach, but landed on the second one. No more lucky breaks are in the queue. Hey, what I just said was strictly forbidden by the leaders.
What is good? They pay on time.
Here, read another document about flying in China:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...t?usp=drivesdk
12-18-2016 | 08:25 PM
#234
Line Holder
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 0
From: 747 captain
Guys there are horror stories at every gig, also to group all companies as a single parameter as in "working in China" is just as ridiculous as saying that working in Delta and Kallita is one of the same....!
A lot of these stories are true...., but you get bad experiences in the US or Europe too...., a friend went trough hell at one of the majors in the US..., fired unceremoniously and had to spend half of his retirement and years in court to get his job back just for them to start messing with him again lately..., just because one particular manager doesn't like him...!
The same way there are people that have a tough time in China...., there are others (the majority actually) that are happier than a pig in...., Well, you know how the say goes!
A lot of these stories are true...., but you get bad experiences in the US or Europe too...., a friend went trough hell at one of the majors in the US..., fired unceremoniously and had to spend half of his retirement and years in court to get his job back just for them to start messing with him again lately..., just because one particular manager doesn't like him...!
The same way there are people that have a tough time in China...., there are others (the majority actually) that are happier than a pig in...., Well, you know how the say goes!
12-19-2016 | 07:55 AM
#235
Line Holder
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
Beware flying in China.
There are lots of ads with big money out there; the reality of living, working and in flying in China far outweighs the benefits in this humble pilot's opinion. Remember, if it's too good to be true, yadda yadda; there's a reason the offers are so exorbitant.
In the interest of disseminating information to fellow aviators, a few friends and I have put together a comprehensive document of the recent experiences of various expat pilots in China from a number of sources, anecdotal exchanges to company memos. Most of the stories circle around the toilet bowl that is Tianjin Airlines, but there are others in the mix as well. Suffice it to say, most of what is related applies to Hainan Group in general (of which mighty gorgon Tianjin is a wriggling tentacle) and can be extrapolated out from there to China in general as the reader sees fit.
Flying Upside Down:There are just too many stories to tell to be honest, but this should give people interested in the theater of ops a good taste of what it's like. Friends don't let friends fly China, and any aviator is a compatriot in this matter of grave significance.
Others who have stories, please do share; or send a PM so we can add what you have to share in our next volume if you don't want to post here. Comments of disbelief welcome; keep the flames to a minimum (we already know it's you, China); this document was prepared for free, accept no imitations.
干杯!
(Gānbēi)
There are lots of ads with big money out there; the reality of living, working and in flying in China far outweighs the benefits in this humble pilot's opinion. Remember, if it's too good to be true, yadda yadda; there's a reason the offers are so exorbitant.
In the interest of disseminating information to fellow aviators, a few friends and I have put together a comprehensive document of the recent experiences of various expat pilots in China from a number of sources, anecdotal exchanges to company memos. Most of the stories circle around the toilet bowl that is Tianjin Airlines, but there are others in the mix as well. Suffice it to say, most of what is related applies to Hainan Group in general (of which mighty gorgon Tianjin is a wriggling tentacle) and can be extrapolated out from there to China in general as the reader sees fit.
Flying Upside Down:There are just too many stories to tell to be honest, but this should give people interested in the theater of ops a good taste of what it's like. Friends don't let friends fly China, and any aviator is a compatriot in this matter of grave significance.
Others who have stories, please do share; or send a PM so we can add what you have to share in our next volume if you don't want to post here. Comments of disbelief welcome; keep the flames to a minimum (we already know it's you, China); this document was prepared for free, accept no imitations.
干杯!
(Gānbēi)
12-19-2016 | 10:09 AM
#236
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 0
Guys there are horror stories at every gig, also to group all companies as a single parameter as in "working in China" is just as ridiculous as saying that working in Delta and Kallita is one of the same....!
A lot of these stories are true...., but you get bad experiences in the US or Europe too...., a friend went trough hell at one of the majors in the US..., fired unceremoniously and had to spend half of his retirement and years in court to get his job back just for them to start messing with him again lately..., just because one particular manager doesn't like him...!
The same way there are people that have a tough time in China...., there are others (the majority actually) that are happier than a pig in...., Well, you know how the say goes!
A lot of these stories are true...., but you get bad experiences in the US or Europe too...., a friend went trough hell at one of the majors in the US..., fired unceremoniously and had to spend half of his retirement and years in court to get his job back just for them to start messing with him again lately..., just because one particular manager doesn't like him...!
The same way there are people that have a tough time in China...., there are others (the majority actually) that are happier than a pig in...., Well, you know how the say goes!
To each their own though.
12-19-2016 | 10:50 PM
#237
Line Holder
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 0
From: 747 captain
What does "simply tolerating it for the paycheck" even means? I know a lot of guys at Ucal..., UPS...., SWA..., Fedex of whom you can say the same.....!
We are a bunch of whiners and nothing is ever good....!
We are a bunch of whiners and nothing is ever good....!
12-20-2016 | 01:34 PM
#238
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 0
At the two airlines in the city where I was based, very few of the guys were in their 20s, 30s or even 40s. Most were in their mid to late 50s and had no other viable options back in their home countries after losing their jobs during the last downturn from 2008-2012. China is a means to an ends when it comes to being able to stash some cash in their last few years before retirement. There were a handful of younger guys who came to China to pay off debts, or to quickly build a nest egg while they were young, but they represented less than 20% of the guys I saw in China. And none of the younger guys planned on making China a career, they all planned on doing one three year tour of duty and getting out.
12-20-2016 | 03:34 PM
#239
Line Holder
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,569
Likes: 0
From: 747 captain
What expat job is meant as a career??? Recently spent some time with friends that work there..., Went out with them in Guangzhou to dinner and drinks and got their perspective about the job...., i'm 52 and all of them were younger than me. They are pretty content and everywhere we went, the food was great and I enjoyed my time there...., there are two sides to every story!
The preference would be to make a career at your home country, no doubt...., but if you have to expatriate for any reason and I would be given the choice of the ME or China...., I would go to China.
Is not for you! I get it...., but to say that everyone hates it.., it's just plain silly.
The preference would be to make a career at your home country, no doubt...., but if you have to expatriate for any reason and I would be given the choice of the ME or China...., I would go to China.
Is not for you! I get it...., but to say that everyone hates it.., it's just plain silly.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
