Interview with TACA

[1dayA320]

First off, I'd like to thank everyone on this website for all the useful insight and quite entertaining chatter. I wish I would have found this site a whole lot sooner. So yesturday I received the email from the chief pilot at TACA and it bascially said that they have selected me to start the interview process. Everything I've read on this website is pretty accurate. QOL is poor but an improvement from where I'm coming from. And the only reason Im getting a chance to interview is because I have a family member who works there and personally handed my Cv to the chief pilot. So my question is this: does anyone have more insight to their interview process? Gouge possibily? ANY positive advice is welcomed.

[ROI1900D]

Hello 1day320,
May I ask what's your experience and how can the outsiders apply?

[NVpilot]

This is a family owned company and outsiders don't have a chance, if you don't have the right connections, you will never make captain.

[MDT06]

I believe Avianca owns 66% of TACA now, so I wonder if anything is changing at TACA.

MDT06

[1dayA320]

Well I received my Salvadorian I.D called a DUI. The DUI I got because both my parents are Salvadorian. They went to El Salvador to get a birth certificate under my name which I have rights to because both my parents are from E.S. Once I got the DUI I applied for the passport which proves you can work in E.S. So to sum this up and answer your question about outsiders applying......you NEED a Salvadorian passport and an insider who can give the chief pilot your Cv. Flight time and experience in central america really doesnt matter. Its who you know that can get you in. I have 2000TT and 500 multi, no turbine time. So if anyone has additional insight or has interviewed with other airlines in Central America, your info would be greatly appreciated.

[enrique757]

Good luck man, I assume you speak spanish too. You are right on many things, its who you know within the airline that gets you the job. I have many pilot friends and if you are latino , you will get along very well, good jokes, friendships and chat.
Taca doesnt recruit foreigners, since they dont have the need, your newhire group is indeed very small. Most pilots including captains are young so there is not need in hiring. You also need to be from E.S.

I am waiting for chance in the Taca regional, possibly gettting the call within days, good luck to you, review stuff ( Jeppessen is one of them).
Enrique

[1dayA320]

Thanks. Fortunately for me my parents taught me spanish first so im fluent in both languages. Its true, the pilots are young and the hire group is small. Ill be in SAL the last week of May. I guess we'll see how it goes.

[johnrico]

Dude, hope you can live with $1200 a month, 10 year contract and non commuting...been there seen it.

[johnrico]

Schickfuss....estas con EK?

[Joshua G]

Hi....I was just wondering,since it's been a few months are you working for them now?and how was the interview?

[Heading090]

WOW, pretty funny post out here lately..... TACA used to be a great company to work for, but look where is heading to... Now, the worst is, that AVA had purchased a big chunk of the Pie and AVA pilots are going to suffer those consequences. GOOD LUCK TO ALL... STOP FLYING FOR PENUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :=:=

[TOFFAIR]

Does anyone know if TACA hires DECs on the E190?

[1dayA320]

Well after a couple of months here is where I stand.....no job. :D
So I met up with the chief pilot. It really went well. We got along, I had all the required documents that would allow me to work there. But he dropped the bomb on me when he told me that I had to convert my license to the Salvadorian equvilant on my own dime. So out of curiousity I called the appropiate aviation department at the government and I pretty much have to take all my checkrides and writtens to convert with the exception of my PPL they will honor that and my hours as well. So I called around and priced it around $3000 to do all this. At the end, it didnt matter. Approx two months later he sent me an email saying that at this time they have met their pilot staffing needs but that he will keep me in mind for future staffing needs. So i've moved on. Ill wait on this supposed hiring boom here in the states. :bored:

[johnrico]

Yea, I know. And no they do not hire DEC.

[Joshua G]

1dayA320 you'll be fine...You'll get a job sooner or later:ok:!!I have a question if you dont mind,when he said that you needed to convert licences to the equivalent,which specifically?Commercial,IFR only??I'd like to know so I can start going over those question I found the website of the "Autoridad de aviacion civil de El Salvador"they have the sample question and they're the same as the english version.

[1dayA320]

Yeah the AAC is a copy/paste of the FAA. Everything is identical. So, they told me I had to take my instrument and commercial written. As for the checkride it would be a multi comm instr. checkride. If its similar to what they do here, you would do commercial maneuvers in a milti with a single engine ILS. They funny thing though.....Im pretty sure El Salvador only has one ILS and thats at comalapa airport which apparently that airport isnt used for training. This is coming from the chief pilot so ill take his word on it. Maybe someone else can clarify this point. The writtens are $20/ea the examiner fee for the checkride is $80 not including the rental fee for the airplane. Renting a multi over there averaged $400/hr. I called a couple places and that seemed to be the average. So you see how this process can quickly get you a few thousand dollars in debt?! I cant drop any more money in this career. Its enough that this industry pays starting pilots very little. Good luck.

[Joshua G]

1DayA320=Wow Good info.....Yeah I also called A flight school down there called "dardanos" based at Ilopango airport(which I think you are right about the ILS,San Salvador, I think is the only one that has that approach and Ilopango does not)Anyways Dardanos charges about 380 for a multi, I was :eek: wow but on the other hand checkrides and writtens compensate for that.Well thanks for the info and good luck to you as well and God bless!

[turbovela]

I am probably extremely late, but I trained in El Salvador for a year or two, and yes their only ILS is in comalapa, or MSLP. Even though they do not use it for training, as a student pilot there, you do shoot a few ILS there to minimums during the light times of the day. I was also wondering if there are any more news on TACA, any hiring info? I heard a rumor that they are hiring again for bot the embraer and the airbus.

[Nutforflying]

Does anyone have any tips or inside info on TACA Peru?

[carlin]

Buen dia !! cuales son las horas requeridas para volar en TACA ?

[Joshua G]

1daya320 how are you...hope you are doing ok and hope you,re flying for the airlines now!
well just wanted to ask if you know the chief pilot's contact email and name,since i already converted my FAA to salvadoran equivalent.
it was really easy only spent like $3000 and the writtens are the same as the us.....cost of that is 20 for the writtens and 50 for the ckeckrides........the examiners go very easy on you if they know that you hold all FAA licences and speak english.
so it was simple............
Im trying to apply for TACA now I have a friend that works there as a flight attendant and her cousin is a pilot his last name is MELARA I asked her if he is the chief pilot there but she is not sure since she has not talk to him in a while but she will find out.
but anyways hope to hear from you take.......

[Steveperou]

Hello,
Lots of people only explain the negative aspects with tissue if lies and tendency for exaggeration but I want to explain my proper experience in TACA PERU :
I am french, living in Lima for 8 years, and had the best opportunies of my life in Peru. Recently upgrade as a A319/320/321 Captain, I never had any contacts, friends and some other helps to fly in that country. It was not easy but working a lot, with patience and some opportunities and luck, all things are possible !
I am very happy in Peru, the way of life is attractive, the country is beautiful with a lot of culture and remote scenic places, the people are friendly and welcoming but you must learn spanish and be open minded to accept the differences.
I like the work in Taca, I have a lot of good friends, peruvians, salvadorians, costaricans, hondurians, argentinians...The ambiance is familiar, the people love fiestas and barbecues and it is not rare that we drink some good french wines with my bosses...
The roster is heavy, we are flying between 75 and 85 hours ; 5/6 ON with 1 OFF and 3 OFF per month, with 2 choices of days OFF or flights. The destinations are great, 2 weeks ago I last my week end in Cuba, this week I was to El Salvador, we are flying in all South and Central America, Carribean and Miami, lots of airports are very difficult to operate, Cuzco, Quito, Mexico, Bogota, Medellin...so our flying experience is rich. The standard level of knowledge of the company is very demanding.
We have 30 days holidays per year. The salary is good, as a new Captain I reach 90000US per year with one of the best medical insurance of the country, a good pension scheme with some extras insurances (Oncology, life, cars, houses, school, wife and children...)
I think that conditions of working and living are better than Europe now, a lot of southamerican countries are growing very fast without any economic crises.
Sorry but I must leave my computer now, the beach, sun and Pisco sour are waiting for me, cheers !!!

[Elgatovolador]

Hey Schickfuss, I'm glad to hear that you are leaving that :mad: company soon.
Must of the things you mention are true. No benefits, poor salary ( except for MP,younger brother of CP, and RC who are telling everyone they make like $10K per month :=) and a lot of guys that think the pilots that left after 2001 are dying to get back!!!! But with a chief pilot like JC, what else can you expect. I wish you all the best, you'll see that everything will change for the good as soon as you put your resignation.

[Lu0724]

Buen dia !! cuales son las horas requeridas para volar en TACA ?

Carlin, I believe is 1,200 TT Comercial, Multiengine, and Instuments rating..

[Levraimatt]

Steve, are you resident or citizen ? (je suis français en colombie) ;)

[themagicman00]

I don't think that's accurate. I met a pilot who washed out from their training system and he had 250 hours. Commercial License.
Also TACA Peru will not be hiring for awhile, I spoke with their chief pilot and they are restructuring training post-merge with Avianca and does not forsee any hiring until 2014.

[Lu0724]

Taca Peru minimums are lower than Taca El Salvador for what I've heard F.Os at 250 hours TT in Taca Peru sounds accurate.

[Steveperou]

Hi, Taca Peru minimums requirements are Peruvian PC/IFR/Multi (Less than 200h with the new DGAC regulation) WITH Peruvian citizenship for F/O ; Peruvian TLA with A320 PIC or experience as a Captain for Captain direct entry, Captain upgrade with 4000h TT and 2500h A320 F/O minimum.

I am french but peruvian too, and it is possible that Taca Peru needs some F/O and Capt until the next months of may/june but you must be peruvian ! Remember, we are in South America and companies here take pilots when they need and want, and "protect" national pilots, accurate informations by phone to foreign people are almost impossible to obtain !
You must be here...

[themagicman00]

Steveperou,
Thanks for the updates from TACA Peru. It would be nice if you can continously update any new pertinent information on the status of Taca as it transitions to Avianca. Last I heard they had sent pilots from Taca Peru to Taca to fly the EMB as they stopped flying them in Peru.
Once again, we appreciate your updates.
take care,

[Schickfuss]

Merci to Steve Mader but this thread is about TACA INTERNATIONAL , is not about TacaPeru ...
an for those interested in Taca International , this week are interviewing 14 pilots , should be for the E-190 , there are good chances for the salvadorians due to the restrictions for foreigners to get the license ...
Just to clarify TAI , LRC and tpu has different pay , insurance , benefits , etc etc but I can tell You for certain nobody from TAI have done a bad job when they have left TAI , and that is why TAI Pilots are well accepted World wide !
Very Proud to be trained with TAI ...and to be an exTAI !

[Lu0724]

Schickfuss where are you now?? by any chance do you know if they will call for the airbus any time soon?? or its only for the E-190. Any info would be apprciated. thank you.

[Capt4lex]

There are only rumours here and there about needing pilots for A320.
Some say there will need some for june, other say that from the current 14 candidates they will form 2 groups, 1 for embraer, the other for airbus.
Point is, no one knows.

[Yankee Sierra]

Today in Costa Rica , 40 pilots were fired , on both fleets , the reason is yet unknown , but what can now TAI and TPU can expect ??? !!!

[wingflyer]

The reason is that the company will be reducing their flights to Costa Rica and rerouting them via Bogota and El Salvador. Here is a link to the article:
AviancaTaca reorganiza vuelos y elimina 261 empleos en Costa Rica - Revista Estrategia & Negocios (http://www.estrategiaynegocios.net/blog/2013/05/18/avianca-taca-reorganiza-vuelos-y-elimina-261-empleos-en-costa-rica/)

[Yankee Sierra]

Taca is reducing THEIR FLIGHTS FROM COSTA RICA !

[themagicman00]

It actually makes sense to either close Costa Rica or Salvador as a hub, one should survive. Its all about money and sense.