Seeking Career Guidance as a Foreign Pilot Candidate
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: Azerbaijan, Baku
Seeking Career Guidance as a Foreign Pilot Candidate
Hello,
I am a Georgian citizen currently living in Azerbaijan and aspiring to become a pilot. I am very passionate about aviation but have some concerns and questions due to my situation. I would greatly appreciate insights from experienced pilots or aspiring ones, especially regarding the following:
1. What is the biggest motivation for choosing a career as a pilot?
What inspired you the most when starting your career?
2. What are the main challenges of being a pilot?
Are there any significant difficulties I should know before choosing this profession?
3. How high is the unemployment rate among pilots?
Do you think it’s really hard to find a job at an airline?
4. How does being a foreign citizen impact the chances of finding a pilot job?
As someone without citizenship in the countries where I may apply, is it harder to be hired?
Are there airlines that are more open to hiring foreign pilots?
5. What is the process like for a newly graduated pilot to find a job?
Is it possible to get hired immediately after graduation, or does it take a long time?
6. Which licenses and training are most advantageous in aviation?
Do you have recommendations about CPL, ATPL, or other certifications?
7. What skills are important for someone who wants to become an international pilot?
Especially regarding language proficiency, simulation experience, or other aspects?
8. What would you suggest to someone torn between computer engineering and pilot training?
How should I make a decision between these two careers?
Your responses would be incredibly valuable to me as I try to shape my future career, especially in understanding how to navigate potential challenges as a foreign pilot.
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Emil
I am a Georgian citizen currently living in Azerbaijan and aspiring to become a pilot. I am very passionate about aviation but have some concerns and questions due to my situation. I would greatly appreciate insights from experienced pilots or aspiring ones, especially regarding the following:
1. What is the biggest motivation for choosing a career as a pilot?
What inspired you the most when starting your career?
2. What are the main challenges of being a pilot?
Are there any significant difficulties I should know before choosing this profession?
3. How high is the unemployment rate among pilots?
Do you think it’s really hard to find a job at an airline?
4. How does being a foreign citizen impact the chances of finding a pilot job?
As someone without citizenship in the countries where I may apply, is it harder to be hired?
Are there airlines that are more open to hiring foreign pilots?
5. What is the process like for a newly graduated pilot to find a job?
Is it possible to get hired immediately after graduation, or does it take a long time?
6. Which licenses and training are most advantageous in aviation?
Do you have recommendations about CPL, ATPL, or other certifications?
7. What skills are important for someone who wants to become an international pilot?
Especially regarding language proficiency, simulation experience, or other aspects?
8. What would you suggest to someone torn between computer engineering and pilot training?
How should I make a decision between these two careers?
Your responses would be incredibly valuable to me as I try to shape my future career, especially in understanding how to navigate potential challenges as a foreign pilot.
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Emil
Joined: Dec 2005
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,978
Likes: 329
From: Hong Kong
1. Wanting to be a pilot. Decent money. Travel.
2. Paying for the training, getting through the training and finding the first job.
3. It's a cyclical industry. The unemployment rate is highest amongst the least experienced.
4. It is almost impossible to be hired at an airline at a country without the right to live and work in that country. Exceptions are made for experienced pilots in certain 'expat' airlines in the middle east etc, but they do not generally hire new pilots.
5. There are plenty of opportunities for newly trained pilots in the EU and US (if you have citizenship). Much fewer in other countries.
6. You will need a CPL licence issued by the country in which you intend (and have the right) to work. An ATPL (other than the USA) is generally only issued after you have got your first a pilot job an flown for a few years.
7. A good knowledge of maths and physics is needed for certification. Fluency in English is mandatory for flying internationally.
8. Do you have €50-70k? If not you should become a computer engineer. There are likely 10x as many jobs which require only 10% of the money to become qualified. Use that qualification if you must to get the right to live and work somewhere where you CAN work as a pilot. Unfortunately your nationality makes it hard but not impossible to become a pilot.
2. Paying for the training, getting through the training and finding the first job.
3. It's a cyclical industry. The unemployment rate is highest amongst the least experienced.
4. It is almost impossible to be hired at an airline at a country without the right to live and work in that country. Exceptions are made for experienced pilots in certain 'expat' airlines in the middle east etc, but they do not generally hire new pilots.
5. There are plenty of opportunities for newly trained pilots in the EU and US (if you have citizenship). Much fewer in other countries.
6. You will need a CPL licence issued by the country in which you intend (and have the right) to work. An ATPL (other than the USA) is generally only issued after you have got your first a pilot job an flown for a few years.
7. A good knowledge of maths and physics is needed for certification. Fluency in English is mandatory for flying internationally.
8. Do you have €50-70k? If not you should become a computer engineer. There are likely 10x as many jobs which require only 10% of the money to become qualified. Use that qualification if you must to get the right to live and work somewhere where you CAN work as a pilot. Unfortunately your nationality makes it hard but not impossible to become a pilot.
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: in a house
Hello,
I am a Georgian citizen currently living in Azerbaijan and aspiring to become a pilot. I am very passionate about aviation but have some concerns and questions due to my situation. I would greatly appreciate insights from experienced pilots or aspiring ones, especially regarding the following:
1. What is the biggest motivation for choosing a career as a pilot?
What inspired you the most when starting your career?
2. What are the main challenges of being a pilot?
Are there any significant difficulties I should know before choosing this profession?
3. How high is the unemployment rate among pilots?
Do you think it’s really hard to find a job at an airline?
4. How does being a foreign citizen impact the chances of finding a pilot job?
As someone without citizenship in the countries where I may apply, is it harder to be hired?
Are there airlines that are more open to hiring foreign pilots?
5. What is the process like for a newly graduated pilot to find a job?
Is it possible to get hired immediately after graduation, or does it take a long time?
6. Which licenses and training are most advantageous in aviation?
Do you have recommendations about CPL, ATPL, or other certifications?
7. What skills are important for someone who wants to become an international pilot?
Especially regarding language proficiency, simulation experience, or other aspects?
8. What would you suggest to someone torn between computer engineering and pilot training?
How should I make a decision between these two careers?
Your responses would be incredibly valuable to me as I try to shape my future career, especially in understanding how to navigate potential challenges as a foreign pilot.
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Emil
I am a Georgian citizen currently living in Azerbaijan and aspiring to become a pilot. I am very passionate about aviation but have some concerns and questions due to my situation. I would greatly appreciate insights from experienced pilots or aspiring ones, especially regarding the following:
1. What is the biggest motivation for choosing a career as a pilot?
What inspired you the most when starting your career?
2. What are the main challenges of being a pilot?
Are there any significant difficulties I should know before choosing this profession?
3. How high is the unemployment rate among pilots?
Do you think it’s really hard to find a job at an airline?
4. How does being a foreign citizen impact the chances of finding a pilot job?
As someone without citizenship in the countries where I may apply, is it harder to be hired?
Are there airlines that are more open to hiring foreign pilots?
5. What is the process like for a newly graduated pilot to find a job?
Is it possible to get hired immediately after graduation, or does it take a long time?
6. Which licenses and training are most advantageous in aviation?
Do you have recommendations about CPL, ATPL, or other certifications?
7. What skills are important for someone who wants to become an international pilot?
Especially regarding language proficiency, simulation experience, or other aspects?
8. What would you suggest to someone torn between computer engineering and pilot training?
How should I make a decision between these two careers?
Your responses would be incredibly valuable to me as I try to shape my future career, especially in understanding how to navigate potential challenges as a foreign pilot.
Thank you in advance!
Best regards,
Emil
Where do you want do you want to be a pilot? If you do not have citizenship/working rights then that would be hurdle number 1 to figure out.
finding a job can be very very difficult even with those rights. Do not expect to be hired at the airlines straight away, it could take years after training maybe never. Be prepared to be a flight instructor for your career or at least for a very long time. Some people may dismiss this - they will tell you they got jobs quickly or only after a couple of years. Read up on survivorship bias.
Also do not listen to anyone that suggests there is a “pilot shortage.” There may be for very very experienced pilots but not for you. Flight Schools and the press always trot this out - it’s not true and is designed to get you excited to spend money.
and that all said I do not recommend it at all. There are lots of industries that actually want people. Aviation is not one of them. Supply and Demand. If they needed you, you would not have to pay 100k€ for the pleasure.
But if you are determined to do it anyway, Like rudestuff suggested I would go into a more in-demand field to save money first. Get yourself secure enough where you can save for training and if changing jobs would be worth it to be a flight instructor your whole career.
