BMI701EGCC

What is the current situation on English Pilots at AF?The reason why i ask is that my mum and dad are moving to Bergerac in the summer, me wanting to be a future commercial airline pilot is wondering if its possible i could get on at AF?im not that well up on the fench language but im always learning

is their any english pilots on the A330 or 747?


thanks PPRUNE,

Scott Waterworth

Doug the Head

Well, I suppose it never hurts to ask...

Diabolo

Hello,

Maybe you will be the first.

Presently, No Brits at A330/B747 and the rest of the fleet.

Good luck.

Piltdown Man

Fluent French, excellent secondary education and a good scientific degree: Then you night stand a chance! They are a little "picky".

flyblue

Doug ,
I have flown with an Irish Captain and at least a British FO in AF. I also know of a few Belgians and an Italian flying as pilots.
A DGAC rule says you must be fluent in French (for safety reasons) to fly as crew on a French registered aircraft, so this is the real obstacle, not the fact of not being French. Plus, the entry tests are set to be difficult even for French mother tongue (but there are schools with training courses for AF entry tests ).
This is what you get on the AF site about the requirements:


CONDITIONS DE RECEVABILITE DES CANDIDATURES 2005

Conditions générales

- Ne pas avoir été éliminé 2 fois à une sélection PNT à Air France quelle que soit la filière.
- Ne pas avoir été éliminé au cours d'une formation PNT à Air France.
- Respecter un délai de 3 ans et avoir effectué 1000 heures de vol pour présenter une nouvelle candidature après la date d'élimination à une première sélection PNT.
- Etre de nationalité d'un pays membre de l’Espace Economique Européen ou de nationalité Suisse et s'exprimer couramment dans la langue française.
- Etre titulaire du brevet théorique de pilote de ligne délivré par la DGAC ou par un pays membre des JAR/FCL. Pour les PL théoriques obtenus avant le 01/01/97 être titulaire du certificat "Facteurs Humains" ou avoir suivi un stage de rattrapage FH au sein d'une compagnie.

Conditions particulières

- Etre titulaire de la licence française de pilote professionnel avion avec la qualification IFR multimoteurs en cours de validité ou d’une licence CPL/IR « multi engine » validée JAR/FCL (licence CPL/IR française en attendant l’agrément JAR/FCL des licences européennes obtenues hors de France) et présenter une expérience significative en heures de vol pilote avion par rapport à l’âge.

Also have a look at the "recrutement cadet" section on AF "Become an AF Pilot" website (I don't know your age but maybe you are young enough) http://devenirpiloteairfrance.com/

Good luck

BMI701EGCC

i understand the biggest obstical is being fluent in the frech language, im studying my A-levels at the moment, in Math, Geography and IT, im hoping to go to an English speaking college in Pau next year, have to see if i can change course content first. it all depends on what my mother and farther decides on though.

i know being an English pilot at AF is a long shot, but i thought i would just ask, would it be possible to get my PPL over in France, my farther is in the property business around the Bordeux area, he has this crazy idead about him creating a small runway on one on his plots and starting up a small commuter airline, i wish!

on that note does anyone know if Bordeux - Tolouse would work with a baron or a beech? (crazy i know)

thanks guys, your info is much appriciated


scott waterworth

Farrell

Hey Scott

You can of course get your PPL in France - but it is expensive.

And don't be too quick to knock your father's dream of building a commuter airline......stranger things have happened.

The French language is beautiful, and someday, I pray that with enough effort I will speak it well and not like 'une vache espagnol'

There is no better language training than the total immersion method, which you will experience if you move here.

Best country in the world.......except for banks or anything requiring a trip to your local 'prefecture'

36050100

Air France own KLM, KLM own KLM Cityhopper uk, the former Air UK. There are 150 pilots at KLC uk; I guess we're working for Air France............................sort of !

jam123

No chance mate - especially when we beat them for the 2012 olympics!

saman

Scott,

I wish you luck with AFR but looking a your posts, a wee bitty work on the English language might not go too far amiss.

LightTwin Driver

To fly for AF,you must be fluent in French and then speak said language at every opportunity,totally ignoring the fact that the rest of the world has adopted English as the internationally agreed ATC language



"OO eez calling ?"

The Real Slim Shady

Scott,

An English chap, ex bmi, initials ABC, mother British, Father French, works for AF.

He was educated in France and was fluent in both languages.

As Flyblue said, that is the rub.

flaps to 60

As well as alll the usual nationalistic preventions to letting in "Le Johnny Foreigner" into AF........Dont you have to have done your supposedly "Work European wide" JAR FCL's in France.

I knew several French born and bred chaps who did their ATPL's in the UK and were to "allez vous petite merde" (as you can see i'll never get a job in AF due to my challenged French linguistics) because they weren't done in France!!!!!

Any non French national working in AF must have something on Spinneta!

Bon Chance mon amie or something like that.

tournesol

Hi Scot,
I had to learn English to become a pilot. Trust me that was not easy. In your case you have to learn French and improve your English.
Good luck young chap.

Complex_Type

Living in France does not mean that AF is your only career option.

PPRuNeUser0215

Agree with the last comment... Work in the UK, commute from France and enjoy cheap(er) houses. Way to go !

Rogi

interesting topic

@ FlyBlue,
any info on those schools that do AF selection training ??


Thanks

skydriller

Hi,

I would just like to add that in my experience, doing a PPL in France will be a lot LESS expensive than doing one in the UK.

Alot of French Aeroclubs are REAL clubs, by which I mean that they are not out to make a profit, they exist for the benifit of their members only. As a result I 'hire' our Robin at around 85-110 Euros an hour depending upon if I fly with an instructor and which aeroplane I take. In the UK I was paying that in Sterling - and more!!

Regards, SD..

flyblue

Rogi,
the following are the schools doing the selection training (that I know of).

-Institut Aéronautique de Paris IAP : 5 rue Joseph Sansboeuf
+331 40 08 08 37

-Institut de Langage International Aéronautique ILIA : 92-98 Boulevard Victor Hugo, Clichy
+33 1 42 70 70 25

also have a look here

Many people also find
this site useful, and there are lots of websites that give tips on how to prepare the selection tests like this one for the Cadets or this one

Doudou

The last one is the best, my advice (only MY opinion), don't spend soi much money with ILIA or IAP, Flying mike's software is almost enough, I went all the way till the interviews (missed it )with it.
I have to admit ILIA or IAP can bring you self confidence, which can be important.