Working as a Pilot in China
07-27-2015 | 03:53 PM
#31
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 474
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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)
The only "reassuring" thing I took away from that document is that I hope the Chinese military is as completely inept as their airline industry. If they are, we have little to fear from them as a rising power.
07-27-2015 | 05:10 PM
#32
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 58
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Thanks to everyone checking in, reading the book and offering opinions. The team really appreciates it. Please do feel free to share it with your friends and colleagues. Someone suggested I send it over to ALPA but I don't have any contacts over there at the moment...
Anyhow, just in case you thought it was all over, in the past, ancient news, here is an article from a couple of days ago depending on your timezone:
Not that I'm the biggest fan of Huff, but they do report on interesting junk from time to time. This excerpt is particularly worrisome:
Yikes. So, it's not out of the ordinary for some dillweed to set his seat on fire and go grape-ape? Hmmm. Sounds like Flying Upside Down to me...
Cheers!
Anyhow, just in case you thought it was all over, in the past, ancient news, here is an article from a couple of days ago depending on your timezone:
Not that I'm the biggest fan of Huff, but they do report on interesting junk from time to time. This excerpt is particularly worrisome:
It was the latest in a rash of dangerous incidents aboard Chinese flights, including passengers opening emergency exits and fights between flyers and crew members.
Cheers!
07-28-2015 | 04:06 AM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 447
Likes: 0
From: non reclining seat
Terror on Chinese flight as passenger tries to start fire 'with petrol and lighter' | South China Morning Post
Here is the link with pictures from South China Morning Post. Got a little chuckle reading it this morning after reading your book on the way over here.
Xiexie!
Here is the link with pictures from South China Morning Post. Got a little chuckle reading it this morning after reading your book on the way over here.
Xiexie!
07-28-2015 | 02:26 PM
#34
Don't say Guppy
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,926
Likes: 0
From: Guppy driver
Just finished reading this document this afternoon on a long flight home, having read bits and pieces here and there over the past couple of weeks. Very entertaining. Very scary. I never had any interest of doing an overseas contract flying in China, and I certainly do not now.
The only "reassuring" thing I took away from that document is that I hope the Chinese military is as completely inept as their airline industry. If they are, we have little to fear from them as a rising power.
The only "reassuring" thing I took away from that document is that I hope the Chinese military is as completely inept as their airline industry. If they are, we have little to fear from them as a rising power.
I am back at a US legacy carrier now. By comparison, it seems third world.
I will be returning soon to the "inept" chinese airline industry.
07-28-2015 | 02:48 PM
#35
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 73
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Just finished reading it. Classic American Contract A**holes. You are exactly what should have never left San Diego. Americans have the sh*ttiest rap with contract flying and this just underlines it all. Thanks for the bitter diatribe against the people's republic.
07-28-2015 | 05:21 PM
#36
Banned
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 309
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Just finished reading it. Classic American Contract A**holes. You are exactly what should have never left San Diego. Americans have the sh*ttiest rap with contract flying and this just underlines it all. Thanks for the bitter diatribe against the people's republic.
I'm also a yank. I ran a crew leasing company for years and employed plenty of US guys in India, Russia, Africa and had very few problems.
That's total BS about Americans having that stigma associated with them. I have seen lots of Brazilians gone home or sent home here. And still I wouldn't say that about them either. It's the individual.
07-28-2015 | 05:52 PM
#37
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 58
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Just finished reading it. Classic American Contract A**holes. You are exactly what should have never left San Diego. Americans have the sh*ttiest rap with contract flying and this just underlines it all. Thanks for the bitter diatribe against the people's republic.
This one should give the legit visitors here a little chuckle:
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/re...-thread-3.html
Subs, you might want to go do a little more homework before you go trolling; I'm curious, how is it you have such specific knowledge about a dumpy little American regional (Mesa) that only code-shares for their flying? Mesa fanboys? It's an interesting choice for your first post under this profile you just created.
Well, go ahead and concoct whatever story you need to repair your cover. But if you really love the PRC so much, I fully encourage you to bid us all adieu and plunge yourself headlong into the superior culture and society over there! I'm betting if you survive a month, you'll be ready to take Goose's advice on p. 294 and, "Stop being so pro-China."
Or, maybe I'm wrong! Maybe you'll keep advocating for the PLA military leaders who pull the strings that make the DPRK threaten the USA with nuclear war every other week. Either way, your choice at any rate, LOL!
07-28-2015 | 07:46 PM
#38
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 879
Likes: 18
From: outside
Just finished reading this document this afternoon on a long flight home, having read bits and pieces here and there over the past couple of weeks. Very entertaining. Very scary. I never had any interest of doing an overseas contract flying in China, and I certainly do not now.
The only "reassuring" thing I took away from that document is that I hope the Chinese military is as completely inept as their airline industry. If they are, we have little to fear from them as a rising power.
The only "reassuring" thing I took away from that document is that I hope the Chinese military is as completely inept as their airline industry. If they are, we have little to fear from them as a rising power.
07-29-2015 | 01:13 PM
#39
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 58
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Some people have complained when downloading from mobile devices like a smart-phone etc.
Here is another alternate link in case the others have problems:
C.S.
Here is another alternate link in case the others have problems:
Mega File Upload - Flying Upside Down.pdf
[31.77mb Flying Upside Down.pdf]
NOTE: Please do NOT sign up for their service to download this file.
Previous links:
Zippyshare.com - Flying Upside Down.pdf
http://www.filedropper.com/flyingupsidedown
I'm actually surprised the previous links have lasted so long (I just checked and they are still up); since I assumed most of these file-sharing sites are run by the Chinese, I expected them to have purged our uploads by now. If anyone else has problems I recommend downloading to a computer. I can add other download links as necessary.[31.77mb Flying Upside Down.pdf]
NOTE: Please do NOT sign up for their service to download this file.
Previous links:
Zippyshare.com - Flying Upside Down.pdf
http://www.filedropper.com/flyingupsidedown
C.S.
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