Air Transat is hiring pilots
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canada
Age: 51
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Air Transat is hiring pilots
I agree with brucelee, europe has many languages and adopted english for aviation like the rest of the world.
I though that to be a pilot for an international airline was important to:
1. fly the plane and be good at it
2. speak english because all ATCs around the globe speak english
I wonder why all these non-sense requiremnts in Canada!!!!
My friend got hired in Italy from an instructor position to a 747Cargo job with 900TT, he flies to Asia and they asked him if he speaks ENGLISH!!!! No wonder why he move out of Canada!!!!
This is a beautiful, no.... sorry, AMAZING country but resources are wasted if all these policies are in place to make minorities happy.
I though that to be a pilot for an international airline was important to:
1. fly the plane and be good at it
2. speak english because all ATCs around the globe speak english
I wonder why all these non-sense requiremnts in Canada!!!!
My friend got hired in Italy from an instructor position to a 747Cargo job with 900TT, he flies to Asia and they asked him if he speaks ENGLISH!!!! No wonder why he move out of Canada!!!!
This is a beautiful, no.... sorry, AMAZING country but resources are wasted if all these policies are in place to make minorities happy.
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: out of a suitcase
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Air Transat is hiring pilots
I can tell you that the French issue is no big deal to 95% of the pilots at AT. There are only really two reasons for the French language "requirement". One is so that a pilot will be able to understand what is going on when the crews go out for a beer on layovers, and the other is so that certain longtimers can get their sons/ nephews / friends into the company ahead of better qualified Anglophones.
Of course similar things go on at other airlines, but language is not usually the excuse used.
Having flown with both A310 and Gumbi, I can tell you that they are both excellent people and great fun to fly with. One is Francophone (or what passes for French language in Quebec
) and the other is Anglophone.
I would be more concerned about how long you have before your first layoff notice when joining AT than any worries about language.
Of course similar things go on at other airlines, but language is not usually the excuse used.
Having flown with both A310 and Gumbi, I can tell you that they are both excellent people and great fun to fly with. One is Francophone (or what passes for French language in Quebec
) and the other is Anglophone.I would be more concerned about how long you have before your first layoff notice when joining AT than any worries about language.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: U.A.E
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Air Transat is hiring pilots
Gentlemen, Having flown for AT for five years and nor being bilingual. i can safely say that @ 90% of the Toronto base are unilingual Anglophones.
I was hired because they thought being of English Canadian background
I would be happy in that base. So where the other twenty guys on my course.
AT is a great outfit. If you are bilingual then the better your application but it is not necessary. We had a great bunch of guys and girls from Air Atlantic years ago. Basically people from all over the country. It is a Quebec based company, however doing 75% of it's operations in the other provinces. The Francophone part just makes it a more interesting palce to work.
Good Luch, you wont regret it.
I was hired because they thought being of English Canadian background
I would be happy in that base. So where the other twenty guys on my course.
AT is a great outfit. If you are bilingual then the better your application but it is not necessary. We had a great bunch of guys and girls from Air Atlantic years ago. Basically people from all over the country. It is a Quebec based company, however doing 75% of it's operations in the other provinces. The Francophone part just makes it a more interesting palce to work.
Good Luch, you wont regret it.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: C-YUL
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Air Transat is hiring pilots
Sorry i wasn't able to log in before ( log in problem) so i had to re-register again.
Willie, no problem with apologizing, it's fine. I think we all conducted a great discussion towards the subject.
On my side of the fuselage, i've worked in YYZ and YVR and if i see that one of the pilot is uncomfy in french, i've no problem switching to english
I think it's all a matter of respect towards each others.
One of my colleague was telling me that interviews will be held pretty soon and that 32 candidates will get interviewed.
I do wish everyone the best of luck and in the hope to fly with some of you pretty soon.
Willie, no problem with apologizing, it's fine. I think we all conducted a great discussion towards the subject.
On my side of the fuselage, i've worked in YYZ and YVR and if i see that one of the pilot is uncomfy in french, i've no problem switching to english
I think it's all a matter of respect towards each others.One of my colleague was telling me that interviews will be held pretty soon and that 32 candidates will get interviewed.
I do wish everyone the best of luck and in the hope to fly with some of you pretty soon.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: north of CYMX
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by Minorite invisible
Rumour has it that those in power made little case of the recommendations of the hiring committees, whose members included the two chief pilots a Union rep and a human ressources person. That aspect was just for public consumption. Although the AT Ops manual and the Union Contract both specify that F/Os must have 4000 hours TT and 1000 hours of medium turboprop or jet to be hired, it seems that 1200 hours total time and a father flying for the company qualifies you over people with thousands of hours of jet time.
Just like you say... Rumours!
Over 300 resumes and maybe 10 jobs available.. That makes for some dissapointed people.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: canada
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It is not a rumour that this person got hired with such low time (although it was more like 2500 hrs TT). I don't think it is really fair for them to ask for such hire requirements publicly and then hire someone with maybe 250 hrs PIC. But let's keep in mind that often it is who you know in this industry and not what you know. I do believe this person is a responsible and competent individual who will definitely succeed-how could he not beginning the airlines in his early twenties with his father by his side- although this is not to say that there weren't hundreds of other suitable applicants with much more experience both work and worldly. Let's face it, if any of us were in his shoes, we wouldn't care what anyone else thought either and there will always be people envious of others' success. On the other hand, there is also much pride gained in obtaining employment on merit alone and not relying on "connections". I don't regret having used up my early twenties to pursue university-there is nothing worst than someone in this industry that knows and can talk about nothing more than aviation.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Canada
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Apparently only 2 of the new hires are low time selections. Nepotism and or having an 'in' has always had a place in aviation. Try getting on with WestJet without knowing someone - it is a requirement. Take a look at the Air Canada seniority list and I am sure that you will see that it reads like a family tree. If the individuals hired at Transat with low time can get through the training and satisfy both Transport Canada and company requirements and standards then good for them. If they can't "walk the talk" then the A310 will chew them up pretty quick.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canada
Age: 51
Posts: 184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That doesn't make anyone happy, i am sure that they can "walk the walk" and nobody doubt that they can fly.
What p**s people off is all the mighty requirements in the name of safety, and then BOOM! you just need to know someone.... This is not good!
As i always say, requirements are there to fraud pilots, bring cheap labour to companies and keep pilots with the eyes close on safety.
Young guys belive in the industry, travel the country for 7.50$/hours, pump gas at -40 degrees, loose their job for what!!!!!?
I cannot belive TC is just an happy spectator!
What p**s people off is all the mighty requirements in the name of safety, and then BOOM! you just need to know someone.... This is not good!
As i always say, requirements are there to fraud pilots, bring cheap labour to companies and keep pilots with the eyes close on safety.
Young guys belive in the industry, travel the country for 7.50$/hours, pump gas at -40 degrees, loose their job for what!!!!!?
I cannot belive TC is just an happy spectator!
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Canada
Posts: 819
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I wouldn't worry about WHO got hired and who didn't. That's just the way it is. 
Did someone say it wasn't fair?
It rarely is. But one thing's for certain, if the nepotism DID pay off for some, it won't save them in the sim if they don't have certain experience to go with it and it ain't just about Total Time.
Like A310GUY says...the A310 will chew them up pretty quick! And that's a fact.
Good luck to those selected.
Did someone say it wasn't fair?
It rarely is. But one thing's for certain, if the nepotism DID pay off for some, it won't save them in the sim if they don't have certain experience to go with it and it ain't just about Total Time.
Like A310GUY says...the A310 will chew them up pretty quick! And that's a fact.
Good luck to those selected.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: north of CYMX
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by cplpilot
What p**s people off is all the mighty requirements in the name of safety, and then BOOM! you just need to know someone
Do companies set their minimum requirements in the name of safety?
I think it's up to the companies (in right and in responsability) to decide if a candidate, even with lower experience than their requirements, is able to safely operate whatever equipment they have.
I remember a time when AC hired guys fresh out of school with 270TT, wonder what their requirements were then...
I'd also be curious about Skyservice/Westjet/KFC/Zoom/(insert any preferred company name here) sticking to their posted requirements?
Still hiring ?
