“. . . . Singapore are up there” with regards to?

Lumping them into the same category as Indo is not fair at all.

CX has ALWAYS had inexperienced joiners, that is nothing new.

And what makes you think KA is poorly run? Compared to which airline? Still an enviable safety record in a particularly harsh flying environment the likes of which most domestic pilots here in the US would never experience.

A quick look into the DL MD88 over run or the AA 737 over run or the UPS CFIT or the National 744 crash show that STOOPID mistakes are being made in airlines here too, often the result of very marginal CRM.

And lets not start discussing FEDEX and their stellar record.

As much as I hate to admit it, Lucky 888 has a good point.

 

Marrying for a green card is a long term plan, they'll give you a temporary work permit, and you can apply for the "full" green card after you've been married for 2 years.

 

Unfortunately, most carriers out here reserve the cadet slots for locals. Makes no sense as you end up paying for your own type anyways. If you feel like you can get a green card and citizenship in the US then I'd do it, unless of course being home in Thailand is what you want. There are plenty of jobs in the states to hold you over for a while. Green card takes 6 months and I believe you can apply with that. Then work until you get 1300-1500 and apply to a regional. It may seem like a long time but you have to think in terms of decades. This job is a long haul and your number one goal from day one should be to finish your career at your "dream airline". I think a lot of guys forget that and then end up finishing their career with 20 different jobs.

But you can try VietJet, or some carriers in Indonesia like Citilink, Batik Air. They will take anyone as long as you fork out the dough. Be wary though that some other carriers in the region look down on these carriers and it could hinder you in the future. Heres a video of a Citilink pilot. Maybe he'll be your training captain! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKdZt6ImXVg

 

Agree 100%. Also the rate they are flying as well. They are just beginning to expand and its going to catch up. Hopefully they realize that just because you paint your airplane like donald duck doesn't mean donald duck can sit in the flight deck.

 

All this talk about safety records...

Not crashing is not synonymous with "safe". Accident rates are only the final piece of the puzzle (and probably the smallest). Not having had an accident doesn't mean the holes aren't there, just that they haven't lined up yet. Being safe means active vigilance for and management of those "holes" in order to minimize risk and avoid an incident or accident. I think it is that vigilance for "holes" and willingness or ability to mitigate risks that some would say is lacking in the cultures at some foreign carriers.

 

Very good point. When I was in China, the airline and CAAC officials loved to brag about their (officially reported) safety rate was better than the United States and Europe since 2011. They said that was proof that the Chinese safety systems were better than what we have in the west. However the lack of standardisation, the over-reliance on automation, and the lack of a non-punitive safety reporting and auditing system convinced me otherwise. I am also convinced a lot of stuff does not get reported.

Last year, just before I left China, my airline had three Alpha Floor events (A320 operator) in the span of five weeks, two of them at high altitude and one after a go-around. These were with Chinese pilots at the controls. The only reason the expat group ever found out about them is that a few of the expat friendly Chinese FOs told us about them. Alpha Floor is a big deal and those events usually get reported globally, and are investigated by aviation authorities. Yet these three incidents were not reported outside of China. So yeah, I am convinced there is a lot of stuff in China we do not hear about, and never will unless it is too big of an incident to cover up.

 

The really fun times haven't begun just yet. I bet we'll start to see the accident rates jump up a lot when all these inexperienced FO's become inexperienced capts and are now sitting next to new 250 hr FO's.

 

After reading the comments here, I'm on the border as to whether I should stay in the U.S. or move back to Thailand. I applied for a permanent resident a few months back and it has already been approved. I can legally work in both countries without any issues. I recently just graduated from my university as well. As of now, I have about 350 flight hours. Working in Thailand only for a couple of years would allow me to advance a bit faster to the mainlines but working in the U.S. also interests me.

I am trying to avoid the CFI route since that will cost me more money so my choices are to apply to companies such as Mokulele and Air Choice One in the United States. Or if I go to Thailand, I'd most likely be applying to Thai Airways or Nok Air since AirAsia announced that they will no longer accept qualified pilots unless I have the requirements to join them as a captain. What are your opinions on this?

 

Word on the street here in Thailand is that Nok is on the ropes. Doubt they will last much longer in their present form and that certainly does not bode well for hiring. Air Asia or Thai Lion might be the better choices. Just make sure you do due diligence on the carrier you choose should you come back to Thailand.

 

I think you are on the right track. FWIW, after graduation, you could try and get on with some of the LCC's in Thailand and get your experience. You'll upgrade within 3-5 years and then you can try to get on with Thai Airways. Living expenses in Thailand are not to bad and you can live comfortably on your salary. I would start getting your CV together and start sending out 6 months before graduation. Read the responses here and weigh with a grain of salt. You need to come to a decision that fits you. Good Luck