Quote:
Originally Posted by germanaviator
Lot's of interesting views here. Thanks. I don't see lot's of foreign pilots flocking to the US to fly for the regionals. Most developing countries (China, India etc) need all the new pilots they can get. Most experienced pilots anywhere in the world make more than they would as an F/O in the US.
The way I see it: The regionals will have to increase pay significantly, but the positive effects won't be immediate and therefore the airlines may have to start being inventive when it comes to filling those gaps. I agree with those who have said that foreign pilots won't be the solution to the looming regional pilot shortage but they might be a mitigating factor.
Personally, I would like to do it for the (life) experience, but not at current first year F/O pay. I would prefer working for a good fractional or corporate operator but I think those are far from facing a pilot shortage. In any event it would be like a sabbatical for me and it would mean a pay cut. But life is not all about the money.
It's true that a regional airline sponsored work visa might not fit in with the current visa structure because H-1B visas require at least a bachelor degree as far as I can tell.
One poster commented on the better pay and training in the US vs. the EU but I am not sure he was comparing apples and apples. Airlines such as BA and Lufthansa have excellent training and most Legacies still have very good pay.
Sure, there are some low cost, regional and air taxi operators that offer neither decent pay nor quality training. NetJets in Europe for example is similar in pay and training to NetJets US. Lufthansa CityLine is probably the best-paying regional in the world.
Short answer... Jet time.
In Europe if you have not been to the right flight school nor have a type rating with 500 hours on type, forget it.
I know 5000 hour turboprop pilots in Europe who cannot get an airline gig, mainline, LCC or regional due to the 500 hours on type rubbish.
The other is Pay to Fly (P2F) that European pilots love prostituting themselves out for and the carriers are milking it.
They hire 20 year olds out of Oxford aviation who have paid for a type rating rather than a 5000 hour turbo prop pilot with real worl GA experience.
I know this because Im South African, Australian and EASA/JAA licenced with ATPL. It is disgusting how they treat pilots in Europe and allow these P2F schemes to go ahead.
So believe me when I tell you for 22K a European pilot will sell his soul and his mother to get that precious 500 hours on a jet type for 2 reasons.
1. To actually fly the type in Europe such as a ERJ 175
2. Join somebody like Emirates because they will not look at a 8000 hour king air pilot but will take a 1000 hour ERJ pilot due to weight category(over 25 tons), glass cockpit and jet time.
I have taken a job with a regional as an Australian citizen because there is a visa (E3) that allows us to work in the US and which I qualify for. I have a 4 year BSc Comp Science degree.
I also want to live there and commit my future to the US.
The pay is rubbish to start but my wife also works(60k plus salary) and it is the first year that will hurt the most, after that we will be fine
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