Low hours opportunities in the UAE/Gulf

[lpfflyer]

Good morning all, I'm looking for a little advice from those working in the region. I recently started modular pilot training with a view to a career change. I got as far as the PPL before we ended up moving to Dubai a few months ago with my wife's job. With a good income, a young son very happy here and another on the way, we're considering staying for the medium term at least. My question is whether there are any potential opportunities for low hours, modular-trained cadets in the UAE or Gulf more widely. In other words, do I push on with the training and hope for that all important first job out here. If that is unrealistic, I'll press pause, focus on filling the coffers for a couple of years and accept we'll need to return to the UK if I want to pursue this seriously.

I'm aware Flydubai have a sort of cadet scheme through CAE but the age limit is 30 and sadly I've just missed that deadline! I've also seen the AirArabia MPL but that is, apart from the other issues it seems to have, far too expensive. So basically, will networking get me anywhere here or am I just in the wrong place for my circumstances?

Any advice gratefully received, if any of you can see this from the UAE!

[lpfflyer]

Thanks very much for the reply. What you say, and the silence from others, suggest my chances aren't great. As expected really.

I presume your friends at Flydubai were all under 30?

[SeGMaN]

Yeah all under 30 sorry missed that in your initial post.

It is a tough position to be in. What about commuting?
Not ideal but say Blue Air a Romanian airline have a Larnaca (Cyprus) base. They take low hour guys and it’s 737. Could then apply to Flydubai once you have the hours.


Hello Sir , would you please give some more info about your friends who joined flydubai type rating , were all of them got accepted after training etc. I live in Dubai due to my wife s work and currently passed my atpl exams looking ahead me-ir I am 28 years old so I really want to go for Flydubai after I collect remaining ratings but I really cant afford 30-40 k if I am going to end up with type rating but no job.

[divinesoul]

Hi

Low hour oppurtunities in middle east is non existent.

​​​​​​Air arabia--they only take in their MPL students as second officers/cadets. So if you have a CPL then no chance.

Flydubai- The type rating is paid by the candidate and even after that there is no guarantee of a job at fly Dubai unless you pass through their selection procedure.

Qatar airways--they sometimes take in second officers but there is no guarantee of getting called as second officers training has taken back seat as they prefer young qataris who have their own cadet programme. It's been a while since they have opened second officer program for non qataris.

And general aviation is non existent in the middle east.

And most cadet programs age limit is 28 and some it is 30.

Good luck