Uk Pilot with Canadian ambitions...

[skysoarer]

Hi there;

I was hoping some of you would be able to help with some advice. I'm a Uk atpl holder (still frozen though) currently flying the Embraer 145 for a regional airline based in England, with 600hrs on type and 800hrs total ... although the other 200hrs was training and private flying prop aircraft. I also have 200hrs of gliding, but generally airliners don't glide so that isn't very applicable.

After a number of trips to Canada, and meeting a number of friends and associates out there, I've decided on a long-term goal of working out there. Are you or do you know any English pilots who have moved out there previously, and what they had to do to successfully gain a job with a Canadian operator? Overall my favorite part of Canada has to be Vancouver Island, although the only operators I found are using floatplanes and I clearly have no time flying those. I'd jump at the chance though looks good fun! Of course when the weather isn't nice...

From what I've seen, clearly there is the points system for skilled workers to move to Canada. I went through the series of questions to see your points, and without a job offer I'm 1 point short ... and with a job offer I'm 9 points in. Makes sense I suppose! Looking at the licensing requirements, which seem clear as Mud... I'd have to do the medical, theory exams and a flight test in a twin.

Basically, has anyone done or experienced anything like this and in a position to offer some advice? What did a Canadian operator require them to have to do prior to application, or are they generally helpful with the paperwork side of things?

Many thanks;

Graeme

[Canadapilot]

i've just finished my IR/CPL in Vancouver and Calgary after moving here from the UK so can't comment on the airlines, all i know is a lot more pilots move from Canada to the UK than vice versa! I'm about to start my instructor rating, and many of my peers back home are RHS on an A320 or 737 with the same experience! You won't get the ATPL here until you've got 1500 hrs, so i'd imagine you'd be best staying at Flybe a while longer to make the transition easier, or come and instruct on some 172s haha!
As far as the immigration works i have no idea, do what i did and marry a Canadian!
Many will moan about the crap pay and years it takes to a job, but it's a great country from what i've experienced in my year here, and i certainly won't be moving back to the Midlands anytime soon!!

[skysoarer]

Thanks for the reply... I had a few pm's too so it seems being unfrozen is the main thing for now, so I'll keep going in the uk for now.

Many thanks again;

Graeme

[fernytickles]

If you are serious about emigrating, is it worth starting the emigration process now while you fly off the hours? From what I've heard, unless you take Canadapilot's route, it can take a couple of years.

I agree with Canadapilot - Canada is a great place to live. I visit there often and would move there in a heartbeat.

[Glorified Donkey]

What are your expectations? Vancouver area generally requires some time to get a job. The operators like to use the excuse that its because there are mountains. 800TT if you are really lucky might get you right seat in a Navajo. The magic number to get into most turbines is 1000TT here and Jet 3000hrs. I would switch with you if I could cause 800TT in an ERJ 145 sounds like a sweet gig to me. Oh and we dont have the frozen ATPL system here. You can write an IATRA exam to be a first officer on anything over 12,500lbs and you can write your ATPL at 750 hours but you dont get the ATPL until you have at least 1500 hours TT and have met the requirements. From what I see in other pilots they lack the night pic time to get their A's.

[lemon_torte]

Hi

I've just come back from Vancouver & I loved it!! I too am looking at how I might land myself a job over there. I'm currently sitting in the left-hand seat of a turboprop and I've clocked just over 2300TT (approx 700hrs command) As I have a full UK ATPL would I have to sit the Canadian theory exams and flight tests to gain a Canadian ATPL? Or do I not need to have a Canadian ATPL to apply for a job in Canada?

I tried to re-search my answer on the Canadian CAA website but I just became even more confused!!

Any help appreciated!

LT :)

[JB007]

Lemon Torte me old fruit!

If it's any help, our UK guys going over to operate Skyservice aircraft for the winter all have to complete the Canadian ATPL written exams plus an LPC/OPC on type for issue of the Canadian ATPL. Regardless of experience...
We have an instructor who comes over for 3 weeks, not sure how you would do it privately...

There are email addresses on Transport Canada's website - ask the question!

But you will require a Canadian licence to operate a 'C' registered aircraft...

Good luck!:ok:

[lemon_torte]

Thanks for the info JB!

LT

[ng78]

The company that is widely used in Canada to train for the Canadian ATPL's is www.aerocourse.com (http://www.aerocourse.com). You can either sit in their condensed ground schools in Canada, or simply purchase their workbooks and self study. The amount of studying you've done for the UK ATPL's, plus going through all of the questions in the Aerocourse workbooks, might just be enough to get the theory exams done for the Transport Canada exams. These are then locked in for two years, so choose your time wisely because you'll want to avoid rewriting the exams if you can.

The other option is to try and get hired by either Thomas Cook; Thomsonfly; or XL and go deployed to Canada with Skyservice or Sunwing.

Good luck!

[skysoarer]

Some stunning and helpful answers there; thank you to you all. Basically it looks like I need to unfreeze at 1500hrs total time before I can do anything, but I will keep an open mind of course. And working for a uk outfit based in Canada was not something I had considered, so that is certainly worth some research.

Many thanks again for the replies... :) ... keep em coming if you have any info to add.

Graeme

[MidgetBoy]

Wow, I'm surprised that I've heard that Canadian pilots lack the night PIC hours for their ATPL everywhere. It seems so easy to get if you're working your way up as an instructor or if you're just starting out. All you have to do is do all your flights in the summer, it's dark SO EARLY.
I think the reqs is 100 night PIC though right?

[Glorified Donkey]

its also 25 night x-country. For an instructor it might be easy but for a guy that worked on the ramp and then into a turboprop getting that wont be possible unless you rent a plane and do it on your own dime, or wait till you can upgrade

[V2-OMG!]

I have seen 737s and Dash-8s flying out of Victoria (south end of the island) so Vancouver Island is not just a mecca for "float planes."

Vancouver Island is a beautiful place to live. Many pilots live in Victoria because it is only a 90 minute ferry-ride/15 min. car trip from there to YVR (Vancouver International).

Good-luck!