Hi
Is anyone working there or know anything useful how it is to work there on the ATR or how it is to live in T&T?
please write or contact me.
/dyktt
Zigzoggafus
10th Feb 2024, 18:46
Hi dyktt,
There's an ongoing expansion at CAL, many pilots needed over the next few years. 3 more Max's coming, 5 EMB175s, a few more ATRs.
You'll need 2 things, a Trinidad & Tobago license and the right to live and work there.
The license isn't hard to get these days, if you have an FAA or JAR commercial all you'll need is to write a local air law exam and a few other minor exams.
The right to work there is a biggie, obviously I don't know if you have a Trini passport or maybe are married to a Trini but the only way to get in otherwise is as a contract worker. With the expansion it's likely that might happen, there's not enough qualified local pilots to fill the positions needed.
I believe a new law is about to be passed within the Caribbean that would allow other Caricom (Caribbean Community and Common Market) countries the right to work as aircrew in Trinidad. That should increase the supply a bit.
Management has, over the last few years been quite confrontational with the pilots and the relationship between the two is sour. There have been promises from both sides to repair the relationship but you know how that goes. Suffice to say the vast majority of the pilots are disinclined to go the extra mile for the company. Quite obviously counterproductive with a big expansion planned.
The ATR does 20 minute flights between Trinidad and Tobago all day, known as the airbridge, as well as longer flights to nearby islands. As far south as Guyana and as far north as St. Maarten.
New routes have been planned up to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands which would be too much of a stretch for the ATR, hence the Embraer's.
Living in Trinidad isn't everyone's cup of tea, there's gang related violence linked to the drug trade that makes the news daily.
But almost all visitors love the place, the food is exceptional, there's lots of eco-tourism, rain forests, rivers, sports, carnival, a vibrant nightlife scene. Tobago has some truly spectacular beaches and diving.
Hope this helps.