advice for a chinese wannabe?

[mrsurrey]

Hi everyone,

I've got a chinese (not chinese english) friend who's just finished a 2:1 masters degree in engineering and his english is now pretty much fluent.

I keep reading that there is a massive shortage of pilots in china due to the reluctance of the chinese to hire foreigners and 'structural' problems (not sure what) with chinese training school capacity. I've also read about how the terrible english speaking abilities of some chinese pilots (still can't believe this! --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob7mc8gIyrE) so he must make a strong candidate.

Does anyone know the practicalities of how a chinese national should go about becoming a pilot (I think joining the chinese air force is out of the question due to his politics)? Or know of any chinese pprunes that exist?

Thanks for your help!

MrS

[Brian304]

Well this factor is dependant on his age, but if he's a chinese national and under 21 I think it was (but you should re-check it) then he could get a fully sponsorship course over there. Also if he is planning to fly in china, then it would be an advantage and more economical as he would not have to do all that conversioning and extra flight training when he goes back.

Brian304:ok:

[mrsurrey]

Thanks Brian, he's 23 so it could be a bit tight but will look into it some more.

:ok:

MrS

[Brian304]

Though I must warn you china is a very communist country, and it isn't such a good place to be a pilot in. Well i've been hearing bad things about the agreements and terms and conditions, I rather think this is the main issue you should research up first before being committed to a chinese airline or undergoing any such training. Especially about that chinese eastern pilot who seeked asylum over in the states because china was trying to hunt him down or somthing like that. But if you want to self sponser then maybe "Pan Am" in beijing might be able to help you out.

Brian304:8

[mrsurrey]

Hehe I really am surrey born and bred, no plans of living in china!

My mate grew up and went to uni in Tjinjin (spelling?) so is definately a chinese guy in the chinese system. He's used to the communist goverment as well - his grandfather had the cheek to own a factory so they took it off him. Then when they caught his grandfather trying to board a plane to Thailand they put him in jail and threw away the key. So my friend is under no illusions but his family and friends are back there and things are comfortable for the city professionals :ok:

i think that chinese eastern pilot was part of a banned religion whose followers are often executed for their organs :(

Having said all that he's one of the most cheerful people I've ever met. Same can be said for a guy from Baghdad I used to work with. So there's probably something to be said for growing up in s**t holes!

Thanks for your help :ok:

MrS

[Brian304]

lol well still the same advice, if he wants to work in china, get trained in china. Its alot cheaper I think to get it done over there aswell anyway by paying with RMB, it like £1 to every 15RMB. Anyway I would rather think he would have difficulty of getting training over here with a chinese passport, but thats a specific point i'm unsure about. Anyway all the best.

Brian304:D

[219joochiat]

The rate between £ and RMB has nothing to do with the training cost.
Before the Euro, it was thousands of Liras for 1£, yet training was much more expensive in Italy than UK.
At the moment the only trainees at PanAm Beijing are all cadets. No room for individuals...

[The_Flyin_Kiwi]

Hi ... I worked for Beijing Panam for over 1 year. The fact that your friend is over 21 years of age should not be a problem. Some of the students there are in their early to mid 20's.

The other thing to consider is that they do a very thorough back ground check on all potential students. Not only do they have they have to have a squeeky clean behaviour record ...... SO DO THEIR FAMILY!

If any family member (Right back to Great Grandfather) has been arrested "OR SUSPECTED" of being involved in any criminal or politically criminal behaviour then you will not be accepted. It even goes to the extent that if extended fmily have been sent to prison then you are also out. I know that one day when I was working at Panam my students had to take a couple of days off so they could go and pledge their alleganc to the communist party. This increases their chances of promotion once in the airline.

The medical is also very strict. If you have any type of allergy then you are out. Any slight eye defect even if it can be corrected by glasses ... you are out.

One thing I suggest your friend may want to look at is this ..... Do his PPL overseas. Then once he has that try to negotiate with a flight school n China to sponsor him for the rest of his training. Then at the end of his training he is "Marketable" and can be "SOLD" to an airline. I know that Panam is doing this with some of the Chinese air force pilots they are doing military-civilian conversion training with.

I would advise your friend that if he decides to go this way that he really does his home work on the flight schools in China. I know that at Panam they say the course is meant to be 14 months from start to finish ... PPL to graduation with ATPL .... But things take WAY longer. At Panam some students have taken more than one year just to get their PPL. Since February 2004 Panam has only graduated about 8 - 10 students. Some of the first class that started in October 2004 have still not graduated.

Another way to do it is to do all his training overseas then return to China and convert the licence. It is not difficult to do .. CPL and Commercial exams based on FAA .. thn a flight test with the CAAC. He should have no problem getting his licence issued ... its only foreigners seem to have that problem.