Does China take expat FOs?

[Arrowhead]

One agency telling me he has 10 FO jobs lined up in China, another agency telling me no expat FOs have ever received PRC ATP licences - and therefore there are no expat FOs in China.

Please can anyone confirm or deny?

[Dani]

There were several agencies taking FOs and Cpts for A320 operators. But I do not know if they succeded or if they received a license validation.

[Touch'n'oops]

A few months ago I swapped info with a chap flying for Southern China Airlines. He was on the A343, so I guess expats can go there. Also expect that they want guys with experience. China will certainly not take low hour expats when there is lots Chinese pilots waiting.
Big loss of face then!!!!

Arrowhead: Why China?

If you want Asia... Air Asia will probably take you on when the time for our A320s to arrive grows near!!

[yyzdub]

I don't know how much I would agree with the statement that there are a lot of Chinese pilots waiting for jobs. I think there'll be a lot of change coming to China in the next few months as the demand for pilots exceeds 10 000 between now and 2010 and China is only qualifying and putting out 800-900 pilots a year. Further, carriers are delaying their a/c orders because of lack of qualified pilots

Typically China has shyed away from foreign FO's but they are starting to trickly in with the new demands. Additionally, I am not sure if this has started yet but the US is starting to demand a Westerner on all flight decks for all a/c flying into the US.

[filejw]

I'v heard that westener bit for yrs and its not true.Big rumour really.:yuk:

[kwaiyai]

Hi Arrowhead,
Basic fact- I get based in Shenzhen occasionally and I here Shenzhen Airlines do and have I understand, have expat F/O's and Capt's on about 7k + us per month. you have to supply own transport and accomadation. I have no contact info as I do not work for them.
Hope it helps, :cool:

[noflow]

When I was in SIN I spoke to a China Airlines FO. We had a nice chat and before we parted ways he suggested I give some thought to working there. He said there several Americans working for the company. I thanked him for the suggestion but never explored it further.

Also that Westerner on the flight deck rumor is a myth.

[Kaptin M]

Westerner on the flight deck

Not so much sure it is a "myth", but more a request by American air traffic approach controllers working at high density airports (such as LAX), where the instructions are spat out like bullets from a machine gun, and no time between for "Say again".
(I did hear one foreign aircraft transmit a "Say again" into LAX some years ago, and he was immediately told to execute the missed approach procedure.)

More likely, the requirement would be to have at least 1 of the operating crew on the flight deck, who has experienced 5 or more approaches into the US airport, into which the flights operate.

[bear11]

Arrowhead,

check your PMs.

[willflyer]

I would think language would be one hell of an obstacle!...Considering the local ATC speak to the local carriers in mandarin!

The ATC doesn't speak english unless it's a foreign carrier...once they see your callsign they'll assume you're local and fire off instructions in local RT.

P/S noflow please specify was it China Airlines or Air China...one is Taiwan and the latter is China's national carrier.

[kwaiyai]

Language shouldnt be to much as once you call in English they tend to reply in English, Obviously would be an advantage to learn some Mandarin though.

[noflow]

Kaptin M,
From my experience in and out of LAX I suspect that a "westerner on the flight deck" is simply an ATC pipe dream. Half the international traffic has trouble communicating.

Willflyr,
I'm sorry. I can't remember which airline he worked for. It was back in November when I spoke to him. They say the memory is the second thing to go.

[Xfr8dog]

Being a "Westerner" is no guarantee of English profeciency. Why is it that only Asians are assumed to not be able to speak and understand English properly? I'm sure many people from "Western" countries have as much trouble as Asians communicating in English.

[if u can]

They do have expat instructors in China.
A new International Aviation Academy is in China with all expat Flight Instructors

[Kerropi]

Do Airliners in China hire low timers? Which company?? I am able to speak Cantonese and Mandarine fluently.. I have called to Shenzen Airlines they said to me I had to have a China Passport or contact to one of their agencies?? don't know what that exactly means.......

[astina]

Kerropi,

i think u have to go through agencies and not direct contact the airline,they normally dont direct hiring foreigners

[Kerropi]

Hello Astina,

Do you have contact adress of those agencies?? Thanx again for your reply :D

K.

[astina]

too bad i dont have any:ouch:

[kwaiyai]

Hi Kerropi,
Might sound daft but why dont you ask them direct which agency to try.
Regard's:}