COPA Airlines interviews
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Guahan
Age: 65
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Applied for DEC position. Would appreciate corresponding with expat who is flying or who has flown as Captain for COPA. Would greatly appreciate it if someone is willing to PM on the topic.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Eu
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Copa
Hey, hell I'm going 4 it. It seems like fun to live in Panama. i'm retired myself after 34 years of AirForce.
If they'll have me I'm moving and "we" are going to drink beer and play golf. And after 1 year I'll probably offer them, I'll only fly 70% and make 100%
Hows that, cu you there mate.
If they'll have me I'm moving and "we" are going to drink beer and play golf. And after 1 year I'll probably offer them, I'll only fly 70% and make 100%
Hows that, cu you there mate.
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sand pit
Age: 54
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With regards to whether or not Copa only hires US FAA pilots....I don't believe that is true. I know there are many nationalities and know several Spanish pilots who went there after Spanair became defunct
Join Date: May 2011
Location: North America
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You guys should forget all together about this outfit, please.
It is not worthy your time.
how many times people here has repeated over and over again and the are still guys willing to try !!!!!
what else you need to know ????
It is not worthy your time.
how many times people here has repeated over and over again and the are still guys willing to try !!!!!
what else you need to know ????
Join Date: May 2011
Location: North America
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No, I dont work for COPA. I know a lot of people that work or did work for them.
I also did a lot of research about them and I read most of the post here, because I was considering to give them a try.
Pay is very low, numbers have been posted here and I've seen pay stabs from my friends that work and worked for COPA. I've also seen their pilots log book where you can quick figure out that you will work like a dog.
Training is very long and the pay is even less that when you are released in the line.
Dont forget that COPA owners are in the trucking business , so for them you are just a truck driver. Without offending truck drivers but I know about the truck drivers working conditions in South America.
They dont hire NG Captains, if you have some experience in NG's, 767 or 757 chances are that they wont hire you even if you speak Spanish and have experience in South America.
I understand they've been hiring unemployed Spanish pilots and RJ guys from the USA.
Hiring process is for an astronaut, you even have to pass a disgusting lie detector test.
Panamanians are rude, very rude.
The list goes on and on. As I said, It has been explained so many times here.
Guys, at one point you have to believe something of what you read here.
Yeah I know, you still want to give it a try, then go and have fun !!!
Dont forget to tour the Panama Canal, that is the only thing well organized and interesting because it was done by somebody else.
I also did a lot of research about them and I read most of the post here, because I was considering to give them a try.
Pay is very low, numbers have been posted here and I've seen pay stabs from my friends that work and worked for COPA. I've also seen their pilots log book where you can quick figure out that you will work like a dog.
Training is very long and the pay is even less that when you are released in the line.
Dont forget that COPA owners are in the trucking business , so for them you are just a truck driver. Without offending truck drivers but I know about the truck drivers working conditions in South America.
They dont hire NG Captains, if you have some experience in NG's, 767 or 757 chances are that they wont hire you even if you speak Spanish and have experience in South America.
I understand they've been hiring unemployed Spanish pilots and RJ guys from the USA.
Hiring process is for an astronaut, you even have to pass a disgusting lie detector test.
Panamanians are rude, very rude.
The list goes on and on. As I said, It has been explained so many times here.
Guys, at one point you have to believe something of what you read here.
Yeah I know, you still want to give it a try, then go and have fun !!!
Dont forget to tour the Panama Canal, that is the only thing well organized and interesting because it was done by somebody else.
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Nicaragua
Age: 45
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Snowcat:
Interesting input.
However this forum is not only for US or europeans retired captains trying to make money out of a new place and company to fly with.
Central and southamerican pilots have little or no airlines that are hiring as COPA. I can say that all pilots on central america (except salvadorians) have no other airline to apply to than COPA; and salvadorians have TACA (which now owned by Avianca will hire more colombian pilots).
Southamerican companies are not hiring either (LATAM is very slow).
European companies are not hiring (unless you want to pay for your type rating and give it a try with Ryanair). That's why there are a lot of spanish pilots flying in COPA.
If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't.
US low time pilots can definetly start flying for a regional (making $20k a year), which is way below the poverty line. So, flying with COPA makes sense to a lot of people.
Interesting input.
However this forum is not only for US or europeans retired captains trying to make money out of a new place and company to fly with.
Central and southamerican pilots have little or no airlines that are hiring as COPA. I can say that all pilots on central america (except salvadorians) have no other airline to apply to than COPA; and salvadorians have TACA (which now owned by Avianca will hire more colombian pilots).
Southamerican companies are not hiring either (LATAM is very slow).
European companies are not hiring (unless you want to pay for your type rating and give it a try with Ryanair). That's why there are a lot of spanish pilots flying in COPA.
If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't.
US low time pilots can definetly start flying for a regional (making $20k a year), which is way below the poverty line. So, flying with COPA makes sense to a lot of people.
Join Date: May 2011
Location: us
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Enough said
Snowcat is correct!! And a us regional pilot makes 20 an hour first year yes but they have pay scales and make 30 to 35 an hour the second year and it only goes up. Remind you health insurance, a retirement account, dental and vision and effortless Nonrev free travel. Profit sharing and reduced stock options for purchase. The list goes on but it is a free upgrade from a crj or erj but with a paycut and no pay scale beyond first year pay for a captain. Fo pay is between 30 and 33 dollars an hour and if you do the math and with the training schedule in copa, you will finish your ioe in a year because captain training is always finished first while the first officer sits around and waits for an available instructor. Good luck with the schedules also. Call sick for fatigue and that's an automatic suspension in that place
