Singaporean self-sponsored CPL holders - where are you?

[Droste]

CAAS + Foreign Licensing + Jobs

This post is specially for MightyBoo only. It's for him to read carefully.

Issue 1
1. Why not ask your Thai wife who can help you to gain aviation employment-stay in Thailand. So easy. Oops...
2. You thanked the wrong person. I think he is familiar with CASA regs.

To answer you, if I can still recall, before sitting for the CAAS ATPL papers, you will need a sponsor letter first. Full-stop.

Just like registration for FAA airman knowledge test, a student needs to be sign off in black-&-white by CFI before he is allowed to sit for the exam. You should know MDCA regs better than me when a student needs the club's/school's letter for any theory exam registration in Putrajaya. CAAS is no difference too! Understand?


Issue 2
You may get the MDCA license (frozen ATPL). Yes, with full MDCA ME+IR. After you got the license, inside the blue book, you will have a red-chop. That red-chop is an employment restriction in Malaysia only. BUT, there is way to lift it up, if you want to work in Malaysia aviation field. In the past, there was a Singaporean Indian-Muslim did it! He was an FI like you in Malaysia. Last known, he is flying for a private air-operator in Malaysia. Anyway, I do not think working in Malaysia interest you anymore. Right?

If a Singaporean (like you) with that the blue-book (do not show your FAA license), and over 700hours is magic. If any Singapore air-operator employs you, there's no sweat in conversion as the conversion term is "different". It does not clearly spelt out in CAAS SASP. Even if you ask the CAAS licensing office, they knew nothing about it. Probably the old timers who worked for the CAAS SP&L should know. Sorry, I cannot reveal what things are different.

Please note:
1. CAAS and another two foreign aviation authorities' licenses are "inter-exchangeable" (one of them is Malaysian DCA license). Many people do not know about it. Lots of information has been posted before. Use the mightly PPRuNe's search engine.
2. Do you know the relationship between Dato' Yahaya and CAAS? Jump down from MBS tower, if you don't know who is Dato' Yahaya. :-)


Issue 3
Did you know CAAS SASP "terms for licensing conversion" revised a few times? In the past (back 5-10 years ago), CAAS SASP for licensing conversion is totally mission impossible.

Do you know you (as a Singaporean) can literally "force" the CAAS to revise SASP Part 2 (Licensing Conversion)? There is a way to do it and it is legal and some people gone through it. This benefits for themselves and good for others. I will share only if you are interested.


Issue 4
To work in aviation industry, you must have a good network! Because, you don't know when you'll need them. Particularly, in the Asia, networking is a must. You can't afford to offend anybody. You have worked in Malaysia as an FI and you should know. I wonder, during your time in Malaysia, did you have a good network?

There are Singaporeans who are low-timer/non-jet experience working in the airlines overseas. I have heard Singaporeans working for airlines regionally in HK, Indonesia, Cambodia, China and etc.

Did you know that there are hundreds and thousands of pilot advertisements written in Chinese?! Search for it! The Hong Kees (low-timers) pilots are smart and got the job quickly because they understand Chinese advertisement well. There are many jobs available in China, many people rely too much on "Enggrish" pilot-job search engine.

Speaking Mandarin is not good enough, reading Chinese is equally important. Writing in (by email) to these Chinese airline does not work. Resume/CV written in super Queen's English gets you to nowhere. These are the silly mistakes that applicants made.

Applicant needs to call and speak to them (HR/Airlines) in Mandarin politely. Don't be stingy, please make the trunk call. It is inexpensive to get an international card in Singapore. By the way, many Chinese airline organisations' Directors are using WeChat! Please learn to use WeChat/QQ. People (working in HR/Flight Ops/Senior Management) like to see what sort of person you are through WeChat posts. Remember, facebook/twitter is useless in China.

Applicants who are Chinese and understand Chinese, do not need job agents. Apply directly to the airline without paying one. It is a long route but you get direct answer/latest news from Airline HR without going through 3rd party. Pilot recruitment agencies are out to suck money from desperate pilots.

Please do not day-dream, seeking interview through phones and it will not work. The tele-conversation and face-to-face meeting makes a big difference. In many cases, applicants need to fly to China (out of own pocket money) and talk to them personally. It is cold knocking but this is a very traditional way of Chinese culture (it shows your sincerity) of applying for job. The Chinese HR often wants to see whether the applicant is really black hair Chinese or not.

I believe Singaporean/Malaysian Chinese pilots can do it. Stop relying nonsense and depending the information in English forums.