Pilots from abroad (especially cadets) not wanted by UK airlines?
 

Hi guys,

I had a flight this morning (currently holding a PP license, expecting to start ATPL/Cadet Pilot Scheme the following year) and I told my flight instructor what my plans were (We are from Barcelona, Spain). I am planning to apply for a cadet pilot program in the UK, and he told me not to do it. He said he knew at least 20 Spanish pilots that went to the UK with the same purpose, and they came back without any job and some of them bankrupted.

He especially focused on one of his friends, that was accepted in a cadet program (I don't where or when), he was hired by FlyBe and fired after 23h flight time. The reason? Because they don't want pilots from abroad... Apparently, it worked the same way for the other 19 Spanish guys.

I don't think that's true... I have never heard anything like that. If that was true it would have come up here in these forums, I think. Can anyone confirm what my instructor said? Does anyone know pilots from abroad (and from a cadet program) that were given the opportunity to fly with an airline?

Thanks everybody, just a bit worried about it (and surprised).

Safe flights

Absolute rubbish

That can't be true, just look at the Ryanair thread and you will see a lot of people getting interviews from outside the UK.

BA is awash with foreign pilots many of whom have returned to their native country and now commute to Heathrow. For example, I myself live in Scotland and commute south :-)

The thing about instructors is that they are generally very good at instructing but they are woeful at actually knowing what goes on at the pointy end of a commercial jet and more importantly how to get there. Its a sad fact that many will have fallen by the wayside at airline interviews and are bitter and twisted as a result.

The other thing to bear in mind is that when someone fails they are very reluctant to see that it was their fault. Blaming someone else is much easier and saves face. To use your example a pilot chopped after 23 hours at Flybe was either:-

- complete crap as probably only 50% of the way through their line training or only 5 sim sessions if they hadn't gotten off the ground yet
- very very unlucky and hard done by - boo hoo Flybe
- fictitious

You would do better to frequent watering holes filled with friendly commercial pilots and buy them a beer. Then you can find out what really goes on in the airlines. I was fortunate that I had friends in the industry whilst I was training who pointed me in the right direction. At flight school I politely nodded whilst these sorts of stories were regurgitated at regular intervals.

obviously it's tosh...but...

What makes you think we should take foreign pilots ?Can i apply to Iberia please ?

We have hundreds of well qualified british pilots without jobs, so as far as I am concerned the rest of the world can s%d off until they get a chance.

Thank you guys, I just wanted make sure that was not true....

Ham Phisted: That's true, I know some pilots living in Barcelona and working in the UK...

potkettleblack: Very good advice, I think you are absolutetly right. May I add something? This flight school is now offering a ATPL Scheme from September onwards (they only offered PPL and IR licenses before, but now that Top Fly and Airmed closed (two major flight schools in Spain) they are going to fill the gap...). I think my flight instructor thought I was the perfect client for the future... Even if he had to lie to me.

fade to grey: You can apply for it! Why not? Currently I think it is a mistake to think that - in all areas, not only in the aviation sector - the job market is limited by your country borders. Vueling Airlines have several pilots from abroad - and some of them don't even speak Spanish by the way...- . I have seen also foreign pilots working for Spanair, Air Europa... As long as you are good enough, why does the place you come from matter?

Thanks everybody, I feel better now :ok: I hope I won't see any future comment that confirms what my flight instructor said!

Safe flights.

go there, spend all you money in one of these training, and when they will left you dry on the side road with no money and nothing to eat, just a sandwich , you will know your FI was right. what do you think you are? Plenty of FIs look for job around!
have you see spaniards to fly for BA? have you seen blacks to fly at BA? have you seen indians to fly at BA? have you see Asians to fly for BA?

with all the britons without jobs, why should they give you a jet job to YOU?
are you so special?

WAKE UP!!! go get a normal NON flying job and stop to dream!

what you FI said is true, al they want is your dady money! they are not interested by you, gosh, you are all naive, and the other guys saying it' s not true here, are still JOBLESS! they can not even get a job as a FI!

personally I would prefer to ear the opinion of a FI instead of clueless unemployed pilots on Pprune who tell you to do this and that...