EK f/o on 380 or continue LTC 320 in India

[iamanaussiemavrick]

Hi all,


Inviting some thoughts on it .. would love to hear from guys already in the sandpit...


I am a 27 year old presently flying as LTC on 320 for a LCC airline ...With 2500 hours PIC on 320 and TT 5500 hours... I am on notice period with my present employer...


I have few options with me but there are 2 I am keen on....


1. EK FO on 380.... Interested coz I get to fly around the world... Fly for a full service airline ... Better lifestyle etc...probably get command in 7 years ...by 35 command a 380...

2. TRI on 320 with another LCC in India....


Both fetch me the same pay check I guess....

[Sheikh Your Bootie]

Habibi. At Emirates right now, there is no lifestyle. We are ALL working our asses off. 100+ block hour/month, jet lag that you eventually will die for.

People are leaving Emirates in droves, ask yourself why perhaps???

Suggest you read many posts on here, you can get an idea of the way it is.

If you do decide to join, it may help me fly a tad less, fill your boots.

SyB :zzz::zzz:

[vfenext]

Both your options are turkeys!!

[Flyboy_SG]

EK is not a full service carrier :P

[littlejet]

27...and already teaching. You will fit right in EK. We can become LTCs here after only one PPC from upgrade

[Dking737]

Dear iamanaussiemavrick,
I understand you are an LTC in a LCC in India and are in line to become an TRI in the near future. I see that you are 27 and already a LTC with 5500 hours. In the sandpit with 5500 hrs you will be not be even considered for command because of your low experience(plz don't get me wrong). The average time when people are up for command is about 7000-8000 hours jet time where people have flown wide range of aircraft and the whole concept of command is very different here.
My suggestion to you is come to the sandpit not for the luxury or lifestyle but to improve your knowledge and skills as a pilot and to become an overall pilot, travel and lifestyle will fall into place depending on what you make of your time in the sandpit. There is obviously a lot of negativity around and it is personal depending on how you look at things. Lot of things are done very differently in this part of the world and the training standards are way higher.
You are young and can take chances, if the sandpit doesn't work for you, you can go back as a captain in India.

These are my 2 cents
Dking737

[320wonder]

Dear iamanaussiemavrick,

Do you have 4 years as an FO? If you do, you might as well try Korean Air NTR A330 Captain. I dont think that its a good idea to leave the LHS of A320 for a RHS.

Many have done it, and most have regretted it.

[Airmann]

Wait a few more years and then apply as Captain to QR or the other UAE airline (if I'm not mistaken you're too young to apply as DEC right?). Why go back to being an FO when you don't have to. It's not a good career move, don't let the Dubai/Emirates glamour fool you. So many Wide body FOs at QR and the other big UAE airline are dying to get on the left seat on the 320 including many 380 pilots.

The excitement of the 380 will wear thin in about 1 year I promise you then you'll just be starring into space for years wishing that you were in the left seat. At the same time guys who would join the 320 in the left seat at QR or the other UAE airline at the same time you would be joining EK will have moved up to the wide bodies way before you would come up for command.

Seriously man don't move down to the right seat no matter what you're offered. If getting out of India is a priority then there are so many other choices. If you want to live in the UAE then you could even give Air Arabia a go and gain experience in the region before applying to one of the big three as DEC.

[bringbackthe80s]

What they said.:ok:

[Airbuspilot72]

Don't do this mistake of leaving your left hand seat and come to EK as FO. They will beat you down so badly that you would start thinking am I in the right profession. Do not get fascinated by 380. EK Full service ha hahaha... That's foe pax for u it's just your work place. International layovers less than 24 hours ...either manage your sleep or visit few places in town like on your own money since the layover allowances are not even good enough to buy 1 proper meal forget about 3 meals.

[Airbuspilot72]

I did same mistake as you and now no one is ready to accept me back directly on left seat. Since I have been a FO here for 1 year my ex airline wants me to go on right seat and then work my way to left all over again.
Value your left seat. Don't give it up so easily. Most of the pilots here are from countries where they don't get upgraded for 10 to 15 years plus they don't earn well so for them it's a heaven but in India you already earn well plus low cost of living even after high taxes and with kind of money in your own home country you can afford best of the life style.

All airlines are same. If it's a brand it's for pax not any more for pilots. Your life will be hell as a FO. here FO is treated like a useless pilot even grade 2 cabin crew won't talk to you straight. If you think as a pilot you will get good meals in cockpit then you are in expecting too much. pilot meals are pathetic and you can not have pax meals, even they are also not that grt. Feeding cockpit is the last priority of cabin crew.
On 16 hours flight ( time from leaving home to reaching hotel around 19 to 20 hours) also airlines expects you to eat only once.
It's hell here. So sincerest advice don't come here rest it's your life you have to take decisions

[A320CaptDav]

Going from CAPT in your home country to F/O in another country is a something you really need to think about...

[harry the cod]

Moderator

Please can you give the reason for removing my post in response to Airbuspilot72's comments?

Harry

[wadefac]

popcorn......?????don't waste it here .......... Like who cares......problem today is there are too many choices. :rolleyes:

[littlejet]

mods please bring Harry's post back.
The post was spot on, however I think the airbuspilot72 is not real....

[Slash787]

I guess you are working with Air India at the moment, which is like hell, I can understand and I assume the other airline which you are getting the offer from is Indigo.

Honestly you will regret moving from LHS to RHS, EK might be good for you but it has its own problems.

If you are thinking you will get all the luxuries and free first class tickets and god knows what, then well forget about it.

I would say join EK for the experience, get more flying hours, but it will be very tiring. You are 27, thats young, so try it.

A friend of mine LHS was working in Indigo, he went to LHS Air Arabia rather than EK RHS.

[LadyMatilda]

Wow! 5,500 hours at the age of 27!

That means you've been flying 900 hours every year since age 21!

What's that fish smell.....?

[A320CaptDav]

EK is not what it once was... in India I have heard they hired pilots with just a commercial pilots license and get an upgrade at 2500hrs...in some places of the world people get a job on a jet after having flown 1500-2500hrs and not just 250hrs . Expect a longer wait to command than 7 years...nothing in the Middle East can be given in writing & things change quickly

[Vortex Thing]

If it's big planes you are after I get that it may seem worth going back to the RHS. I would be very surpised if you dint regret that pretty quickly.

Flying for a bigger better name, well I've been there and done that. If that is what you seek you could go DEC A330 at many in China, Korea, et all. If you go RHS there is never any gaurantee of getting back, airlines are screaming for DECs bothe scarebus and Boeing you would be incredibly foruntate to give up command and not regret it.

Please tell us all what you do purely out of interest!