anyone who has worked for a foreign airlina and is willing to share the experience

[shon7]

Would like to get a first hand perspective from any person who has worked as an airline pilot in a foreign country. Was is strange? How did you adjust to the place? How did you get the ob in the first place....

[shon7]

Sorry that should be spelt - airline but airlina has kind of a nice twang to it!!!

[Kamil]

Hi.../ I would like to hear some experiences as well. Many British pilots join very foreign airlines...I probably dont know much about these stuff compared to a lot of people here...But would like to know how pilots get into jobs with airlines way down the globe!

[redsnail]

At a guess I'd say they checked the residency requirements and the required hours/experience for the company. Then applied.. .You may have more luck asking the respective regions on PPRuNe.. .Yes, it is hard work at times adjusting to a new country. Even if the language is roughly the same.

[BoeingBoy]

I spent some years working for PARC and directly for a number of airlines, mostly in Europe from 93 to 97.. .. .Basically, compared to the UK most of the smaller operators don't treat their crews with much professional respect. Payment tends to be more biased to productivity rather than straight pensionable salaries. Wannabe's, especially in Holland and Germany were very much exploited by the holiday airlines, paying vast sums for ratings for very long bonds, and then being flown to death.. .. .Living abroad when you are not fluent in the local language produces a feeling of isolation that is only relieved by being part of a small group of similar ex-pats. At least you can discuss your problems in the hotel bar!. .. .Working on your own though leads to problems that has resulted in many going 'Stir Crazy'. (I remember one Pilot turning up drunk, wearing only his pyjamas to operate a flight at 0900!) I will say that PARC worked very hard to keep people's morale as high as possible, as any poor behaviour or loss of goodwill reflected on them.. .. .Generally contract flying is only where you go when there is nowhere else to go! It is generally enforced slavery, but PARC were very good to me.. .. .Working as a highly paid ex-pat is great until the novelty wears off. After that you had better have a good team behind you, a good bunch of understanding friends around you, or a good agency employing you.. .. .Also don't assume that a contract is great because it's tax free. When you take medical care, loss of licence and pension in to hand most contract rates are undercutting what you could earn at home.

[G.Khan]

I agree with a lot of what BoeingBoy says, BUT, don't confuse working for the agencies, like PARC, with working for, say, Emirates, Gulf Air, Brunei, Singapore Airlines where you are a part of the airline, to a greater or lesser degree, depending on which airline.. . . . <small>[ 14 March 2002, 22:25: Message edited by: G.Khan ]</small>

[LimaNovember]

G.Kahn is right. Being a contract pilot and working for a foreign airline on a permanent contract shall not be confused as being the same thing. I have years of experience as a contract pilot, and Ì do not have the same experience as BoeingBoy. I guess mine is a more positive one. . .. .Contract work is different. Do not read this as negative. Contract work is a challenging way of working as a pilot. It is a very individual experience. Most pilots can adapt to the kind of life that comes with it, and some have more trouble with it. If you really interested in contract work, check out <a href="http://www.cockpitforum.com" target="_blank">www.cockpitforum.com</a> where you will find hints and tips on the subject. . .. .Good luck.

[Hot Rod]

I definitely agree with LN, contract work "is a very individual experience". Some like it, some dont.. .I have done some contract work and I liked it. You (sometimes) get to go to places no-one else goes to and see places no-one else sees.. .But there are some risks in this, like not getting paid in the end. PARC is very good (I´ve worked for them) but then there are agencies like Sea and Air Consultancy (SAC) which was run by a Belgian couple named Perreman some years ago. Anyone knows where they are now? I know some people who probably would like to kill them.... .I dont want to be a contract pilot for the rest of my life but if the chance of doing it for a limited time comes up I would definitely go for it again.... .Have fun.

[Flight Detent]

Just don't get hooked up with Direct Personnel, out of Dublin, or IAC, out of Sydney, neither of these agencies care anything for you at all, all they are interested in is their cut of your salary!. .And these are not the only ones, just a couple of the more visible!