Time to move on or stay??

[Servo]

G'Day Crew,

At that point in my current employment where I am in a rut.

I work for the second largest airline in Australia, B737NG Training Captain, with 10,000+ hours total time and 5,000 on the NG. 3,000 hours are in command.

Although things are going quite well, they have slowed down dramatically with expansion, fleet change etc.

Movement between fleet types is very restrictive due nil movement.

I am looking for something different, a challenge, a change.

Would prefer wide body command position, on contract. Am I being realistic in saying that it wont happen without previous wide body time?

Was interested in Korean, Vietnam or China Airlines - A330/340, 747, 777.

I do appreciate what I have, just want to experience aviation outside of OZ.

Your thoughts?

Cheers,

Servo

[Metro man]

If you don't mind going back in the right seat for a few years then Emirates would be worth a look.

Do a search and you will soon forget the idea of Korean.

Vietnam Airlines need A320 Captains, I don't think they're recruiting on the B777.

China Airlines or EVA Air(Taiwan) might be worth a look if that's your thing.

Search for horror stories on mainland Chinese Airlines, you may be put off.

Basically you need wide body command time to get a contract wide body job (sound familiar ?) as nobody will just give you an endorsement, especially without international experience.

Air Atlanta Icelandic might let you pay for a B742 rating and have you fly for peanuts on the next Hadj or one of their freight contracts.

QATAR or Etihad would probably employ you on a narrow body and you join the queue to switch fleets.

Singapore Airlines Cargo would be worth considering, not sure if they're still recruiting. New long haul low cost division might be a better option.

Jade Cargo might look a you as a cruise Captain, be carefull about what they tell you regarding upgrade time.

[Servo]

Thanks Metro Man!

Appreciate your info. Always a sacrifice, cant get a widebody command without obviously spending time in the right seat, again.

We actually do limited "international" on the 737-800, Denpasar and Phuket, but obviously not wide body or longhaul.

I have read a few "horror" stories on various operators, but thought it may be a minority........

Our current system sees people out of date of joining moving up the ladder, because they have had previous time on type............. sigh.

[vserian]

Servo, try Qatar Airways, they are hiring non-type rated captain on the widebody. This is what I found on their website for Widebody captain position.

Total hours 7000.
Minimum 2000 hours in Command on Multi-Crew, Multi Engine Jet Aircraft in excess of 100,000kg MTOW.
Valid ICAO ATPL
Valid instrument Rating
Valid Class 1 Medical.
ICAO English Proficiency Minimum level 4.
*To be eligible for a direct entry Captain position, candidates must be currently flying as Captains

I am sure you meet all the conditions above so you might have the chance to get the 777 .First, call their HR to see what they are saying about your case and then try talking to few Qatar pilots here.

All the best

[blackhawk777]

I am looking for something different, a challenge, a change


What better place than INDIA if u looking for something DIFFERENT(its a different world here), CHALLENGE (surviving here is indeed a challenge)and a CHANGE ("change" is an understatement).

Would recommend JET AIRWAYS only.... No one else would be able to match up with your work environment.

Though they haven't mentioned anything on their website... But am sure with the experience you have... they'll be more than happy to have you on the WIDE BODIES....

[vserian]

@Blackhawk777

He can get into Jet Airways easily but not on their Widebodies. Firstly Jet airways is not going to invest money on expat pilots for another type ratings, they have enough guys to transfer, next they are badly looking for 737 TRE TRIs to train the locals so its sensible for them to put him on the 737s and finally it wont be a permanent job, although he wanted to be on contract I dont think he would want to get out of the airline in 6 months or 1 years cause most of the airlines in India treat the expats like use and throw.....and I am sure everyone of you read the "DGCA wants expats to leave by 2013"

[mototopo]

Hi Servo, hi All,
have a look here:

Air China Cargo - B744 Non-rated Captains - 1401209127 - Flightglobal Jobs (http://www.flightglobal.com/jobs/job/air-china-cargo-b744-non-rated-captains-china-1401209127.htm)

maybe could be worth a look...
:ok:
Moto

[mach 84]

vietnam airlines has no 737's
there are no positions on the 777 at the moment and also in the near future,
for all other types they ask for 500 hrs min on type,

[Fratemate]

Basically you need wide body command time to get a contract wide body job (sound familiar ?) as nobody will just give you an endorsement, especially without international experience.

Not strictly true mate. There is the AJX (ANA subsidiary) job, flying 767s from Japan. Servo qualifies in terms of hours for direct entry captain and you don't need to be type rated or have prior wide body experience. Now, whether he'd want to fly out of Japan or not is a different story but at least it's a commuting job, unlike Vietnam or Air China :)

See here for AJV link (no longer called AJV though) (http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far-east/247182-b767-ana-jp-express.html)

[flyjet787]

If you are a TRI/TRE Air India EXPRESS has an urgent requirment for the 737s. I think they are offering USD 11,000 per month and an annual bonus of USD 13,000.
2 months on and 2 weeks off.

[capt. solipsist]

Would prefer wide body command position, on contract. Am I being realistic in saying that it wont happen without previous wide body time?
Was interested in Korean, Vietnam or China Airlines - A330/340, 747, 777.

Got a friend who was also 737NG rated who passed EK screening for 777 Capt. Another was a 737classic Capt. who was taken in by SQ as Lear Jet Av-Sch instructor but later trained as 777 Capt. KA continues to offer 330 Capt position to qualified applicants w/o previous wide-body time. More than 3 dozen narrow body pilots have already been trained by HKA to the 330.

Need I go on? Keep the faith :ok:

[The Dominican]

Not strictly true mate. There is the AJX (ANA subsidiary) job, flying 767s from Japan. Servo qualifies in terms of hours for direct entry captain and you don't need to be type rated or have prior wide body experience. Now, whether he'd want to fly out of Japan or not is a different story but at least it's a commuting job, unlike Vietnam or Air China http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif



Be careful with those "glass half full" comments Frate, it will get you a "blanket party" by the prophets of doom in Naha:}
https://tbe.taleo.net/NA7/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=HACS&cws=2&rid=12

[Servo]

Thank you all for your replies and PM's. Invaluable. I have started to research certain positions, more in depth and want to ensure everything is in place, dotting my i's and crossing my t's. If you are going to do something, do it right the first time!

My second post may come across as being disgruntled etc. In a way yes. That is life, especially in aviation.

Keep the info coming, cheers.

Servo

[Metro man]

Bear in mind the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Many expats would love to come back home and would swap positions with you in an instant, especially if you've got a Brisbane base.:)

For Japan think astronaut medical and six months for licence conversion including ALL the exams and learning to fly all over again the Japanese way.

As mentioned above, Air China Cargo (Mainland not Taiwan) could be a possibility for a Boeing driver, possibly with a good base later on.

Unfortunately, without widebody PIC time you can't be too fussy (remember your first twin job ?) but being a training Captain is a big plus.

If you are in the right place, at the right time and know the right people.......;)

[fatbus]

Servo, I would give up my WB command for lifestyle. Its not really that big a thing.

[Luke SkyToddler]

DONT even consider Qatar Airways. Trust me on this.

We're hiring A320 captains here in Vietnam, the only widebody job going is A330 F/O and you'll need to be rated. It's fair to say the A320 roster is a lot harder than the other fleets, and A320 skippers don't actually earn a lot more than widebody F/O's considering they're doing at least twice as much work :(

Have you looked at Taiwan, China Airlines would obviously bite your hand off to get you into a B737 but EVA and China have both been known to give widebody commands to people with your kind of hours, it's apparently a bit easier going than the mainland base positions ...

[Neptunus Rex]

Servo

Chap I spoke to last week is a B737-400 FO, he had been interviewed by Etihad for a B777 FO job. He said that EY's B777 fleet is expanding, so they need quite a few. Not sure about the prospects for DEC or upgrade.

[Outtahere]

Air China Cargo loses more foreign Captains than it recruits despite the apparant upgrades & good terms. Captains even going back to Western FO positions for good reasons.

Hka A330 Captain salary will have you either living like a local to break even or going backwards to live as a Ka or Cx FO does.

The 'free' widebody upgrade comes at a cost. You have a good job with a Ceo who will eventually have you in a widebody. The widebody Sjs will wear off soon, Cheers.

[Roj approved]

Servo,

You have the good seat in the "happiest company in the country", that's a very enviable position to be in.

Talk to a few of your ex overseas LOM's, MFO (RH) or the 330 standards manager (PB), the constant thought is, "how will i get home when my kids need to finish school?"

Sure the aviation business has changed, but i am over at the 3rd biggest Aussie airline, and we have guys in the RH seat with 10+ years of widebody command, just to be back in the lucky country.

I came back from India for RH seat position for the same reason.

The Astro turf is always greener over the fence.

good luck with your decision.

Roj

[Servo]

Thank you ALL for your replies, I appreciate it. Sorry I have not replied sooner, been busy at home..............

I am VERY grateful for my current position and the direction that the company is headed, but frustrated by some of the decisions that are made from time to time.

More so I am bored? It is hard to describe. Need a new challenge/change.

Though if I did up and leave and as many of you have said, after the shiny new type wears off I will be in the same position, but overseas and probably wishing I had stayed.......

Suppose I wish there was a more defined time frame or greater guarantee of movement, but that is based on so many variables, it would be easier to pick next weeks lotto numbers.

I suppose time will tell. Cheers and again thank you for the idea's, contacts and thoughts.

Regards,

Servo

[ishi59]

Instead of complaining about being bored, look for ways to become "unbored" without leaving your airline.

get a life outside of your job. That way you can maintain your comfortable job and have a better life.

I'm sure there are many guys out there who would gladly swop their "exciting" positions around the world for your "boring" job

:*:=:mad:

[big white bird]

Servo,

Mate, go hard, just do it. Don't think about it too much. Get out there and mix it up with the best of the best. You'll advance quickly, expecially given your training experience.

This is what we all did as kids. No-one could hold us back even if they were trying. When you learnt to surf, did you ask yourself "wait, can I do this; can I learn to surf?" No mate, you just did it. Same goes for anything you tried as a kid. How could moving off-shore be any different? Why listen to the naysayers?

But here's the thing: For starters, you're not a kid anymore, you're an adult. You have responsibilities, if not to your family then to yourself. And you have a fantastic job. More to the point, not being a kid means things get harder as you get older. What seems like a good idea this year may turn out to be a lemon in five years.

As ishi59 said, go do something outside that bloody flight deck. Start kitesurfing, or surfing if you haven't already. Join a volunteer brigade, be it to hand out food at a poor shelter or just cleaning up rubbish at a beach. If volunteering for community service isn't enough to give you a good slap in the face on how good you've got it, perhaps nothing will.

Jesus, I can't believe you are seriously contemplating moving off-shore when Qantas, your main competitor, is about to fail in the spectacular manner commonly reserved for exploding stars.

So I guess you must not need the job security? Virgin Blue's been good to you? Got a few investments working out? Sweet, glad to hear it, in which case you're only after the adventure, not a way out of a job-induced rut.

In which case, back to what ishi59 said.