To those who are enquiring about job prospects in Italy

[pinguino]

Hi everyone,
I sometimes recieve e-mails enquiring about job prospects in Italy, here is my brief answer:

first of all I suggest you to post on the forum instead of writing to me so that you can get much more feedback from the whole community,

then, all I know are only rumors:

for low hours pilots it's very hard to get an airline job at the moment (as usual), the only two airlines I heard are taking on pilots are airone and airdolomiti due to fleet expansion. Maybe also alitalia express will hire but I think they will take from their own school. Airone seems to prefer experienced type-rated pilot (what a news!)

use the following links to get a list of all italian air transport, air-work and flight school firms.

http://www.rai-enac.it/info_on_line/download/eci/albo.xls

http://www.fly-net.org/aeromedia/rubcomae.html

[erjdriver]

Thank you Pinguino...your information is, as always, priceless.
For what it's worth, I'll give some feedbacks from my "search for employments" in the beautiful country of ours.
As stated, both Air Dolomiti and AirOne are hiring, but so is Alpi Eagles, Alitalia and Volare. The first is taking low-hours pilots, but you gotta sign a training contract (I don't know what your thoughts are about pay-for-trainng, but it's definately a no no for me).
Alitalia hires from their school.
Volare, although appealing because of the fleet and expansion, doesn't seem the best place to work at, so do a thorough search before joining.
My experience is that Air Dolomiti is among the BEST out there - very, very professional and ery stable. The fleet kinda sucks - mostly ATRs, although they have 5 CRJs which are nice toys.
Bottom line: hours and qualifications in Italy are not that important. I know a few people who got hired recently wih 500 hours and a CPL (did not go through the Alitalia school), but they had good contacts. Who you know is everthing. At an interview a couple of months ago, the interviewer asked me if I had a "sponsor" (as he called it), and proceded to tell me that having a sponsor was a determining factor on receiving a job offer.

Good luck to all of you wannabes. Remember that there are jobs out there, but, in this economy, you can't be too picky. Don't do like some folks that Pinguino was talking about, who got a job offer from AZ Express and they turned it down because they didn't want to work for Express. That attitude will get you nowhere...remember, this is a small world.

PEACE

[ArcticCircle]

Can any of you share some details about Alisea and their B737 opeation, please ???

[Fwd Wonder Cerebrum]

While you're at it: How 'bout MiniLiner? Hear they're expanding, only a rumour??

[williamsf1]

Hi everyone! Im just after some brief information on what is involved in gaining work in Italy....
I'm currently flying in Australia, in 2 crew operations with 3000 TT and 1600 ME Turboprop. with an Aussie ATPL, I understand that my licence is virually worthless in any european country, so what is required to be completed i.e. Licencing etc? and the time frame involved? also costs would be good too!!
What sort of work would I gain with this type of experience?
I have the right to work in the EU, so that part isn't a drama...

[tarjet fixated]

AirOne doesn't require you to pay for training,as far as i know they have been hiring experienced pilots (type rated and not) apart from a couple of young guys coming from the Alitalia and Lufthansa schools.
On the other hand Volare is bonding their pilots even when upgrading them from one type to the other and unless you are a Cpt. you get peanuts at the end of the month.
Alitalia usually only hires from their own school and apart from 6 dutch guys who came during the KLM/AZ deal the rest are all italians.

[GEENY]

The latest from VLE: take the Alitalia(non-bonded) FOs straight into command training (bond them,of course) to a great joy of the long time VLE (even ex AEI) FOs.Needless to say: the ex AZ FOs are friends from Aeronautica or their sons.
Was Duce from Sardinia?

[gus320]

Dear all,

I'm Italian and I've been trained in UK.
If you ask me where I could say.
Well at Oxford Aviation Training School, one of the best european training school for airline pilots....
...well you know what?

It doesn't count at all.
I know my country, and I'm struggling to get a job as a pilot.
I've been also en engineer for Volare Group, but this doesn't seem to be important.
And you know why? Because I haven't got the right contacts.
Human factors, Flight safety, Pilot selection process....these are all bull****s my friends, and every italian pilots could confirm this.
During an interview, I was expressely told what my profile was good to invest on it, but unfortunately it would have gone better if I had known someone ..."powerful"

Think twice before investing here!
Cheers

gus320

[AYR521]

Hi gus320,
I completely agree with you!Maybe it is because I also come from a British FTO.
In Italy to get a job it is not what you know but who you know..
Sad but true!
Ciao!

[gus320]

Dear AYR521,

I feel less lonely now.
Email at [email protected] if you want, I have a couple of things to ask you.

Cheers Gus320

[tarjet fixated]

Ciao,
i'm also italian,i have also studied both in the US and the UK (and precisely at Oxford like you did),i have been doing all sorts of crappy flying jobs in the beginning just to do some hours,i have been working both in the States and here in Europe and it took me 8 years of gypsy life-style around different foreign countries before i was able to come back to Italy and get a flying job.
I guess the message is that if you really want something you'll get it sooner or later..but believe me nothing comes for free and many times you have to be ready to give up important chunks of your private life while chasing your dream.
By the way everywhere in the world where i have been there were "raccomandati" and there is just nothing you can do to stop people doing their own interests.
But believe me there is always room for those who deserve what they are after.
Good luck and don't give up!

[gus320]

Dear tarjet fixated,

thanks. I won't!