corklad
Yeah I do enjoy a good argument... probably learned that in some of the pubs around Donegal that I used to frequent!
Ok, so the thrust of your argument is that you dont want qualified current US crews flying irish registered aircraft because they could POSSIBLE be taking jobs from people in other european countries. Is that correct? Isnt that assuming that said possible EU candidates will pass an interview..sim check..etc etc.
Pretty much, yes. In the case of my friend, he is typed with about 3500 hours on the 146 and a training qualification as well. Not sure about the chap on page 2 of this thread, but he sounds experienced on the 146 too. Both are being passed up in favour of American Mesaba pilots... or so the agencies are saying. It makes sense when you think about it, if Cityjet were committed to taking local people first, these two guys would have been hired immediately - there simply aren't that many 146/RJ rated pilots left in Europe.
So could you at least admit it may be hard to find people who are curent, speak english fluently and are ready to go ASAP???
I absolutely agree. All I am saying is hire the locals first. If Cityjet need to make up numbers after all the locals have been soaked up (subject to the usual checks and so forth), I don't care where they come from. The only other thing I am saying, is that if you are going to open up the employment market to foreign licence holders, there should be a reciprocal agreement.
Second, honestly know, you dont think you have anything against americans???
Not at all. I have lived in the US - Illinois, California and Upstate New York - and loved the place and the people. I often go back there for visits, and have many good friends there. This isn't (and has never been) about the US - they aren't doing anything wrong. Nor are the Mesaba pilots - there is nothing wrong with taking a perfectly legal opportunity that is placed in front of you. I would be the first one to buy a Mesaba pilot a beer in Dublin or Paris - it isn't their fault. My objection is solely with the IAA and Cityjet.
would you object to me...an Irish and british citizen working with a non-JAA license too???
Not at all, because I don't think the licence matters. As a Kiwi, I had to do the NZ licences, and when I travelled to Europe, I had to do everything again - except morse, they gave me that one! Took me a year and £60,000 to re-qualify.
My view is that there should be one international pilots licence, and that countries shouldn't be able to restrict the terms of that licence, as for example the French do.
What does matter is that each nation should be able to protect the interests of both their nationals and their wider community, and that it shouldn't be made easy for airlines to hire foreign pilots for economic reasons. America is the most protectionist country in the world when it comes to allowing pilots to work there permanently - until they open their borders, Ireland should maintain a similar policy. Looking after your own should always be paramount, it is what governments are elected for.
If you think about it, this current situation may be good for you if you want to return to Ireland, but it is going to kill the chances of many of your less experienced countrymen, who will now have their career progression halted until all the expats have left. It might be good for you, but if you were in their shoes, I'm sure that you would be spitting nails.