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View Full Version : Jumping ship to The Middle East - Hypothetically speaking...


Blueskyrich
4th May 2009, 17:04
Hello all,

Hope you people in the land of sun, sand and no bacon can help me?

I currently fly the Dash 8 in the UK and things are progressing well. Whilst I am certainly not in any great rush to up sticks for something else (for many, many reasons), the next move that we make has certainly been something my wife and I have been talking about.

The idea of moving to somewhere such as The UAE has been mooted and at face value, it does seem attractive. Now, I know as with many things, it isn't all a bed of roses and there certainly are negatives to working and living out there. If it is to ever become an option for us, we certainly have a great deal of research to do.

I'm initially keen to look at what likely prospects there would be for someone of my experience. In two years' time, I hope to have around 2000hrs TT, with 1800hrs of that on the Dash 8. Of course, with the world as it is, this is all hypothetical. For instance, I notice that Etihad require applicants to have at least 1500hrs TT with 1000hrs of that on multi-engined jets in a multi-crew environment. Fingers crossed, I hope to have more than that sort of figure, but it will be turboprop time. Do you think that the likes of Etihad would welcome an application with that sort of background or realistically, would I be looking to move to a jet job in the UK before I made the move?

Naturally, this is hypothetical and assuming that things will eventually turn the corner and we begin to see a more bouyant global economy and the possible upturn in recruitment that may accompany it.

As an aside, my wife is established in a career that we know is portable and her skills are quite well sought after. As usual, it's me that's the problem!

Any advice would be most welcome.

Severely Jetlagged
4th May 2009, 17:45
The Etihad First Officer requirements you quote are for the A320 only. The 1000 hours must be pure jet and not turboprop. If you read on it states of which 500 hours should be on the A320.

salsaboy
4th May 2009, 18:49
Yes, it does say 1000 hours on multi crew,glass cockpit jet aircraft of which 500 hours should be on the A320

However, it also states...

Preference would be given to candidates with Airbus experience

Which I think leaves it open for the times (not at the moment!) when they are short of type rated applicants.

skywaytoheaven
5th May 2009, 06:04
It depends on the market at the time. At the moment you dont have much chance due to the surplus of jet rated pilots, but in 2 years who knows...I would recommend getting on a jet first in UK, if your at Flybe (a guess since your flying Dash 8) get on the Emb195 a soon as possible and build that jet time. Emirates have a stringent 2000 hrs jet requirement but no type rating requirement. Etihad and Qatar have had a A320 rating requirement for a long time. Gulf Air used to take non jet rated pilots but not any more, that is very likely to change back however. Otherwise check out Air arabia, Jazeera or Oman air - i doubt any of them recruiting right now, but down the line im sure they will be.

Blueskyrich
10th Jun 2009, 09:21
A belated thankyou for the information - we plan to visit the UAE next year for a holiday with a view to investigating what life would realistically be like should the opportunity to move present itself.

Then, maybe (big maybe!), in around 2 or so years, with 2000ish-TT, 1800hrs on the Dash, the situation may be such that a company out there would welcome an application from someone with my background.

Fingers crossed...

Che Guevara
10th Jun 2009, 15:44
Gulf Air used to take non jet rated pilots but not any more, that is very likely to change back however.

How do you figure that?