Great thread: View from a old guy who did the ex-pat deal during the 70's in Indonesia, ME, SE Asia in B707's. I retired from a 121 Airline with retirement in tact, good health, and lots of B737NG time.
When Bush signed into law the fly to age 65 bill I started to look at doing the foreign country thing again. The "dream" was to find a country that needed a experienced B737 Capt with the goal being to learn about a different country and culture. What I found was yes there are lots of countries that need qualified Capt's but there is a huge downside.
Most operations will fly you max on and min off. 6 days on and 1 off seems to be the norm. The dream now becomes the stuff that nightmares are made of. Most people really don't know what to expect when taking on a new job in a new country. The WX, culture, food, bugs, ect ect. All this takes time to adjust to and working that kind of sched. will cause a event in attitude or health issues. What was fun and exciting at 34 or less was now at 63 looking more painful than not.
I don't need anymore practice flying the B737, as Im as good or as bad as I will ever be. Will I be able to take advantage of the country Im a guest in or will I be slaving over a hot auto pilot most of the time. With little or minimal time off would I have time to enjoy the country and it's people or would I fall into bed exhausted with my one day off.
Now if I was building time I would take this gig in a heart beat. Did it when I had to and loved the experience. Real grateful that someone with the grace and kindness gave me a job when I really needed it.
SpiceJet, weirdjet, nojet, anyjet. You will pay a heavy price to pump handle a Boeing around these days. When I retired and set the brakes on the B737-900 in 2004 I should have known that I had seen the best of it.
Not to be a downer, just a different view from the particular ox that Im on.
