Billboard and Apache
A little about my background first.
I was an Instructor for many more years than you have been in aviation. I was the International Student Manager and specialized predominantly in training Indian students.
My observations through years of experience.
Most of the student pilots sent to us on their parents money wasted most of their parents money.
Some, a small percentage were some of the best students I have ever come across. Diligent, hard working and focused. One thing was common with all of these students. Either they were paying their own way not relying on their parents or they realized that every second they spent overseas training was costing their parents enormous amounts of money.
On the most part though, the majority (all males) were lazy, spent their nights enjoying themselves their weekend drinking themselves to sleep not realizing that every night they partied was costing their parents a minimum of a months wages.. One night of fun, one month of hard work for their parents.
I got sick of this at one point and brought all of them together.. Explained to them that the money they were wasting was going to cost them in the long run. Their parents had a limited amount of funds and there guys were drinking a fair percentage of it. That meeting ended with tears in the eyes of a few of the slightly smarter ones. The end result was a lot of them never finished their courses, went home empty handed. Some came back years later but non the wiser.
As mentioned some of the Indian students I trained were the best I ever saw. Most of those are now in the airlines and deserve to be there, they worked exceptionally hard for where they are now.
I am now in charge of Hiring pilots for an expanding operator in Asia..
What I write below is not hear say it is fact.
I have had thousands of applicants over the past year from all over the world including India.
It was only the Indian pilots that offered me money if i gave them a job. They would come to my office, uninvited, demand to see me and then offer to give me money if i hired them. Now this didn't just happen once. It wasn't just a one off. It happened numerous times by numerous different individuals all with Indian passports.
This is the fastest way of getting black banned by me and our company.
Before you jump up and down like a child. I have hired Indian pilots, I have 2 new ones starting in the coming months. Both of these come highly recommended and have proved that they work and study hard.
The Asian country where I work looks down on Indian pilots because of the past experiences. Most companies will not hire, not interview and not even talk to Indian Pilots. The local DGCA has made it extremely difficult to hire those holding an Indian passport. Its not impossible but it is difficult.
What lilflyboy has said about Indian pilots in the most part is correct. Like it or not in the countries i have worked, Indians have a VERY bad reputation. Perceived or otherwise. This is not my view, it is the view of the entire industry where I work.
If your looking for work, send me your CV, have a go. Stand up and be counted but dont just hide behind PPRUNE and complain that your victimized or stereo typed. If i dont normally reply individually to the 1000s of applications I get, but I will happily look at your CV and if you meet our requirements I will offer you the same as I offer everyone else, "A Fair Chance".. If you dont meet our requirements or I don't like the way you've written your CV, I will also tell you why. (NOTE: Onetime offer only to Billboard and Apache).. Everyone else follow the normal channels.
My words of advice to any wannabe pilot, from any country holding any passport..
1. Do NOT ever offer to pay money to get a job outside your own country
2. Do NOT ever offer to work for free
3. Work and Study hard
4. Dont come to an interview not knowing anything about our aircraft
5. If you dont meet the above then DO NOT waste my or my colleagues time, your name will be added the long black banned list throughout this country.
Andy