Any jobs in Caribbean?
 

Hello everyone -
I am a career changer. I put my MBA on hold and left a management job (great timing) and am currently flight instructing. I will cross 900 tt this week with 150 multi. My long term goal was Cathay Pacific's direct entry SO program, but I just found out that I will not qualify for years. So where can a guy afford to break into the industry with a wife and two little kids? I don't think I can afford to go to the regionals unless I continue schooling with student loans. Is there anywhere I could work where I can earn turbine time AND pay my bills? Maybe in the Caribbean or overseas?
Thanks!!

Damn, I hate to be the dude that breaks it to you, but looks like you are in for quite the ride. This indusrty is very volatile as you may have noticed. Nothing is certain until it is certain. In otherwords, you might get offered a job and get through training only to be told that the airline that hired you in the first place is closing. well, I am sure you have done your research. Right now the best and possibly only thing you can do is keep instructing because no one is hiring. A lot of places overseas do not train their pilots. They want you to be typed on the equipment they fly before you even show for the interview. The ones that might show interest will be small operators with light twins and C206'S or 210's, in which case I think you are better off in the states. It is just the way everything seems to be playing out right now. So right now just grab that six pack and sip away and wait for the door bell to ring. It could be tomorrow or next year....no one knows for sure. Once again, foreign operators always want you to be typed with time in type as well. So a brief stint at the regionals might be your alternative and then take that rating with you on to wherever. Good luck and keep them safe up there!

Thanks ugflyer. I'm trying to keep plugging away, I'm just feeling especially antsy because I already took a huge pay cut to do this. Ideally we should all do what we love, but we still have to pay the bills.

Anyone else have any ideas?

I know that I am going to get slammed for doing this, but I don't care. Colgan Air is hiring Saab 340 FO's with 1000TT and 100ME. If you bust your butt, you could most likely upgrade within a year or so, and then start building your Turbine PIC time. I know it's not a dream job, but if it gets you to where you need to be to get a job flying internationally, then so be it. Best of luck to you and your family.

Lax

Thanks laxrox43. Some might dog it, but I know I have to pay my dues. I am eager to do so. Colgan's website says they are hiring, but the APC website says "Not hiring for remainder of 2008. 40-60 pilots being furloughed beginning in November. Voluntary furloughs until then." What gives? PSA did the same thing. Their website said they were hiring too. I called them, and they said they were not hiring and would change their website...

Spoke to a friend that was to be furloughed by Colgan in November and he confirmed the furlough would not happen. And they are also hiring SAAB drivers. I have the time, but I am going to hold out for a while. So what you have heard is not mere speculation, but concrete facts..........

Proskuneho,

Where about do you live? You don't need to give your exact location, but maybe list a couple of airports that you live by. Maybe some of us corporate guys can stear you in the direction of a local company looking for an SIC?

Thanks for the help. I currently work in coastal central Florida. I own a house near Charlotte and have relatives near Asheville, NC. I also have family north of Detroit, so I am willing to work in any of those areas. I'll probably be willing to go anywhere that I can afford to pay my bills. By the time we pay for childcare, it is not worth it for my wife to get a job until she completes her degree. Therefore, I have to carry the load...
Thanks again!!

Well, if you can get an interview with Colgan, I know that Dulles is relatively Jr. for Saab FO's, and I also know that it is VERY commutable from Charlotte, NC. Let me know if you need help with the application process. It might be a good idea to get started sooner then later. The application takes a couple of hours to fill out.

Lax

PS. What flight school do you instruct for?

I only have 900 tt with 150 me. I'll have to wait a month or two to meet Colgan's 1000hr threshold. I'll probably wait longer than that because I made a verbal agreement to be here until maybe spring. They refused to put something in writing though. How long will it take to earn a line if I did commute to Dulles? I can't afford a crash pad on top of my mortgage in Charlotte.

Where do I work now? The Aviator. I know it does not have the best reputation, I knew that before I came here. I have been a pilot since 1994 and I only have 900 hrs because I was on the management side. I just came here to get away from management for a while and build experience faster.

Thanks for the advice. I'll take any more that anyone can give!

I went there to build time...I had a blast and flew with some cool folks. No worries.

Here are some Carib operators (PR area)
Vieques Air Link
Isla Nena
Air Flamenco
MN Aviation

The pay is below 100/day, the aircraft is not turbine, but you will put more than 1k/yr in your logbook multiengine PIC.
No, you will not be happy, and you will work your a** off, ... but besides Colgan who else can you interview/get a job with right now?
Just trying to help a little ...
Good luck!

Thanks theladypilot. I will look into those. I have 900/150 so I just might wait a few more months. I talked to HR at PSA and she said they hope to resume hiring between November and January.
Thanks again.

Any info on who to contact regarding employment with these companies? Only one with an employment section on their website was air flamenco.

Thank you for any help.

Hi LadyPilot,
Do you know anything more about MN aviation? It looks like a pretty decent place, and I'd love to fly a Caravan, thanks for any info.

Air Flamenco - Ruben Torres (D.O.) - 787-724-6464
Vieques Air Link - Francisco Cruz (D.O) - 787-741-3266
Isla Nena - Naomi (owner) -787-741-1577
Air America - Air America Inc. - Private air charter all over the Caribbean - High mins! ... don't know the management
MN Aviation - High mins! ... most likely will not hire unless you have time in a/c
Seaborne Airlines - Pilot Careers at Seaborne Airlines: US Virgin Island Charters Travel St Thomas Ferry Airline In Puerto Rico Travel - High mins., AMES req.
The first 3 have 135(VFR) mins (500TT and 30-50Multi), Vieques sometimes hires Comm. multi. instr. (no mins) FO tri-islander pilorts.
As for waiting until some airline may (or may not) hire in the next few mo., ... well, I would advise against it ... time built now may make you more competitive down the road to that (or any other) airline.
But as I said before: life as pilot in the Caribb. is not nice/easy (be prepared for some hard work, long days, language/customs barriers, etc), but you will build your time FAST!
Good luck!

I would check with a freight outfit in your area. There should be some piston (Navajo, Aztec, C310, Cherokee, etc) operator out there who is more hungry that you are. Make sure the planes are safe and be smart about flying. You will need to meet 135 mins. before they hire you but a lot of them used to let beginers ride along to learn the airplane, airports, approaches, etc. You will rack up time and good experience quickly.

Good Luck.

That's a great idea. I'm not from around here, so I'll have to ask around and keep networking. Thanks for the input!

Mesaba is hiring with 500 hrs. They are looking for SAAB drivers right now. I am SAAB typed and also live in central FL. They are wanting pilots for their Memphis hub as most of their pilts want Detroit and Minn.

I can't afford to go to Colgan, it would be hard enough to go to Mesaba. Right now, I would be thankful to take Memphis. However, I got the email that said something like "Thanks for applying. We are lucky to have so many qualified applicants. We have applicants that are more qualified than you. We will keep your resume on file for a year."
I guess 915 total time with 165 multi, a bachelors degree, a partially completed MBA, ten years of total management experience, and five years of aviation management experience is not enough to merit an interview.
My current plan is to re-apply (or just update my resume) in about three months when I should have 135 mins. Maybe I should remove the management stuff from my resume?
I would love to work for Mesaba. I think I'll just have to wait a while. Although they are publishing 600 tt as their required minimum, I hear they are hiring mostly guys with 121 experience. The only guys that are getting hired with low time probably know someone.

Do you work for Mesaba?

When it comes down to it nothing really matters until you are competitive in the flight time category. If you had 2000 turbine and previous 121 experience you might be very competitive with all your other experience added to it.

I like your avatar.:D

So should I go the 135 route as soon as I have 135 IFR PIC mins? When spring/early summer rolls around, I'll be a 2 year CFI. Add that to managing flight schools for 5 years, and you can imagine that I am eager to get out and fly in the real world for a while.

Any other suggestions?

Mesaba....
 

I've recently seen Mesaba reject some really good candidates, and then take some **** poor candidates. I know an 1100TT Falcon driver from a 135 Company that got the same rejection as you. I also know a 450TT 7.5Multi Flight instructor that is starting training in the next month. Both guys applied the same way and didn't know any higher ups at Mesaba. I haven't been able to figure them out yet.

There are other places in Puerto Rico that might pick you up for some right seat time. You can try Air Tahoma (not sure how to contact) or Mountain Air Cargo (they've got a website for sure).

The regionals are slowly starting to hire again, but you know there's really no money there, just time. I would start handing your resume out to every part 91 op on your field or even in your area. Corporate just might take the jump to pick you up with your management background and they would pay a lot more.

Good Luck!

Wow, 7.5 multi? I thought maybe my 165 multi wasn't enough! Thanks for the great input.

Here is my .02 cents. In this day and age you are going to have to find a way to bite the bullet. I know my first year at a regional I was hurting bad. Basically kept my phone off to avoid creditors. Second year I got everything in line but was still broke. Then back to 1st year at a "major" and got furloughed.

If this is what you want to do there is no way around getting that first crappy turbine job that doesn’t pay anything. If you take one of these jobs in The Cab flying caravans or 421's your still going to be in the same situation 2 years from now but you will have 2500TT with either more worthless piston Multi time or worthless single engine turbine time and you will have struggled for 2 years already. It will just make you more competitive for the **** poor regional job. I would say try and find a regional with decent commuting options or no commute at all where you fly some thing larger than 50,000 pounds, has two engines, and burns jet fuel. You can normally make the pay work for a year, the kicker is to find a place with good second year pay. If first year is 21 and second is 24 don’t do it. Example 2nd year pay examples bad: Colgan 26, Lynx 24, Trans States 25, Pinnacle 24. Better option for 2nd year pay GoJet 30, Air Wisconsin 36, Republic 31, Skywest RJ 35, Horizon 39.

I listed the sets in no particular order, with no other factors considered. I waited 6 months until I was able to qualify for one that I could survive on rather than others who would have taken me right then. Even though some of those listed with better pay are not hiring, it maybe be your only option to continue doing what you do now and survive until some of those hire again.

anyone know more companies that are in the Caribbean? I have about 2000tt and about 110 multi been flying C208s and PC-12s looking to put my commercial multi to use. Thanks in advance.

Yellow Air Taxi in FLL is looking for part 135 PIC's. Four Star is looking for some slots still I think but the pilot group is striking.

Check Belize. they are hurting for pilots. I was offered a job at a cocktail party by the chief pilot for Maya Air. They fly 208s the pay is not good but, the fishing there is outstanding and a good place to hangout for a while.

Flyr72, know anything more about Maya Air? Heck I have 4 more months on my LOA and I'd love to go down there for fly a Caravan around for awhile.

I would instruck until part 135 mins (1200), then get a job with Ameriflight, airnow, or Keylime

What are those places like to work for? I should have 135 mins in about 2 months...

The flying in the Caribbean is fun, that's for sure but it is a very expensive place to live.
Not for the person who is on a budget or has a family.
Good luck.
PB

Go to Ameriflight.. They have a base in PR as well.. www.ameriflight.com

Why do people do this to their families?

Do you think my family is better off if I stayed chained to a desk for the rest of my life and I was totally miserable? Either you have my dream job, or you are interested in the same thing. How does your family handle it? My goal was to join the DESO program at Cathay, but I guess I need to get some real world experience first. I have their published mins (over 1000tt with 250 multi and 935 PIC), but I know that will not even merit a glance unless I have turbine PIC. :(
I would LOVE your advice on how to gain what CX wants!

Proskuneho,

Maybe none of my business ... but here's my $.02;

Get your MBA and get a good job doing something lucrative like investment banking or something. While you are on your way to that position, keep flying. Maybe continue to flight instruct or look locally for a part time job in something turbine sitting in the right seat and swing the gear for a while. Or buy a small single or an old light twin when you can and slowly build some hours that way. Add to your knowledge by taking some aerobatic instruction. Look into creating a side business with your plane by creating a syndicate or partnership of some sort.

After a while, you will be in a financial position to buy yourself a nice aircraft and fly for yourself taking your family on vacations and really enjoying the experience of being a pilot.

Much better to own the plane you fly that to have a boss telling you when and where to fly.

I appreciate your desire to have a job doing something that you really love to do, but there is a terrible tradeoff when your career and your family's financial stability is in a totally unstable industry and often in the hands of some greedy morons who have neither the intelligence nor the vision to lead an airline down a survivable path.

I chose the path you are on and now regret it. Yes, I DO love to fly and have had many many wonderful hours aloft feeling that I was stealing from somebody when I was getting paid to enjoy steering a big jet all over the world. Now I, along with thousands of other pilots, are stressing over how to house and feed our spouses and children because fuel prices have spiked, or the industry is in a tailspin, or your company is mismanaged so badly that their best solution is to pay their strongest competitor a billion dollars a year to literally take business away from them while they fire a thousand of their own pilots (maybe you can detect a hint of bitterness here).

I had a student while I was flight instructing who took the path you are thinking about leaving. He now enjoys a financially worry free life and flies his family to vacations in his own Citation. On the weekends, he enjoys an occasional loop and roll in his Citabria.

Think twice before you leap into this industry. It looks sexy from the airport fence, but there is far more turbulence than meets the eye.

8

P.S. Then again, just be sure you don't go to work for AIG, or Indy Mac, or Lehman Bros., or Merrill Lynch, or ...

Well said.

I've got to agree, well said DC8Driver!

I too love flying and enjoy it more than anything else I've ever done...but the airline life has sucked that love clean out of me. Its no longer fun or even enjoyable. Its just another job that you go and do. You work long hard hours, live out of a suitcase, don't get to see your family and don't get paid much for your efforts (at least not for the 1st 10 years or so). I'm looking for the emergency exit right now...because I'm not going to last in this industry. It looked awesome on paper, but the reality of it stinks. The rest of the starry eyed dreamers on here will realize that in a few years too. I haven't met many 30 year pilots that are still totally in love with what they do. It pays the bills and its all they know.

The only perk I enjoy is the travel benefits. But its totally useless because I seldom have the time to go anywhere. When I'm not working I want to be home with my family and friends. Not sitting in an airplane or another airport.

You don't do this job because you love flying. Not for long anyhow. Not anymore. That glory is gone.

short-sighted gain
 

Exactly. I doubt I would be able to make that kind of money. My dilemma is that it seems like someone needs to be missing some moral scruples to guarantee that kind of personal financial success. I admit that I have met people who made millions the honest way, but most of the millionaires that I know certainly did not. I am not the type to backstab, lie, and cheat to claw my way up the corporate ladder to the place where I can buy my own light jet. Perhaps the largest contributing factor to my departure from management was the fact that another mid-level manager was undermining me to make himself look better. I don't want to play that game. I left middle school a long time ago. Two of the millionaires that I know told me that I was "too honest" and I would get eaten alive.
Meanwhile, "leadership" for some of the companies that you listed above have taken massive bonuses while their companies, employees, and investors all suffer huge losses. That's not my style. Short-sighted profit schemes will not make me happy. My conscience is too loud. I would be one of those guys who got fired for not "doing what it takes" (meaning something unsavory) to increase profits. Just as there are many pilots angry and disillusioned about greedy and/or incompetent airline execs, I feel disillusioned about what it takes to be "successful" in the business world. It seems the conventional thinking is so short sighted - make money NOW, no matter what. (And look what that has done to the world economy!)
I know that the airline life is hard. But at least my cell phone won't be ringing with everyone's crises every time I am with my family. Compared to what I did for ten years, I'm certain it will be less stress.
I agree that I need to finish my MBA as a fall-back plan though.

Thanks again.