Seeking Info For Employment
 

Esteemed colleagues,
From reading the thread, I guess I am writing to Mutt however, I will accept the advice of anyone. I am finishing up my 25-year career in the U.S. Navy. I have 2200+ TT (CH-46/SA227/BE200), FAA and CAA ATP, will also get my A320 type rating before retiring in Jan. I am currently flying the BE200 out of Bahrain. Experienced flying in Asia, Europe and the Persian Gulf. Single (supporting elderly mother back in SOCAL). I am extremely interested in flying in the region. Do I stand a chance at Saudi without any jet time? I know I have flown anything over a MGTOW of 23,000 lbs, but I would hope that 2200+ hours of military flying and over 1362 sorties mean something. Perhaps in this venerated circle these numbers aren’t impressive. What do I need to do to get the nod??? Thanks for any and all inputs. Fly safe!!!

Flyby71, do you know you are leaving on the 23 or just assuming? I got the initial email but just waiting now. Nothing like waiting till the last moment! I need to reaarange somethings if I am going so it would be nice to know.

B747 slots close ?
 

Hi Mutt,
Urraca here. I am still waiting for Belal to say when the Visa is ready, but seeing you say the B747 is closing, maybe, could it be I am waiting in vain? My other contacts in SV tell me I will be called, I sure hope so, I WANT THE JOB.

NAY-VEE PILOT, if you want to fly corporate in a Hawker 400, then you can apply, but otherwise you dont have the required experience for their airliners.

Urraca, if you read what i wrote, i said that the recruitment for the 747 Classic should close if they get enough people at the Cairo interviews, there are only a dozen or so slots for that aircraft. If you have gotten to the stage of waiting for a visa, then this doesnt apply to you!

As for the rest of you, write to the man, i posted his email address a number of times. I do know that he is under immense stress trying to sort the whole thing out and believe it or not, its a one man show!

Hang in there.

Mutt

Many thanks Mutt
 

Mutt,
Thanks for your info, I better wait for the next e-mail from Mr. Karim. You have given me hope !!! I want to work for SV and hope to be able to get the job. Will wait, I know Belal is crowded, will not bother him, spoke with him not to long ago, Hey, do you know the WILDMAN by any chance? He is flying a B 707 in the area !!! used to be one of the big guys with the SAUDI faa. If I get the job, let us get together and thanks again.
Urraca

Hey 4Holer

I was just assuming that I had to leave on the 23rd to get there in time. As of now, no concrete details, except e-mail saying to stand by.

Sim and Medical check
 

I interviewed in Cairo at the end of May. I'm still waiting for a visa to go do the Sim and medical check in Jeddah. Anyone else in the same boat?
I was told that we should get a call soon for the visa.

Just received email confirmation for interview in Cairo on 6/29 at 08:30. Anyone else?

Askerl28

Did you specify that you wanted the interview on the 29th or they just assigned it randomly?

When asked for my availability during that 4 day block, I responded with 6/28-6/29. It looks like I will have to leave on 6/27 to make it on time. I'm coming in from SFO.

Congratulations askerl28. I responded that I'm available 24th and 25th, so I would have to leave 2morrow to get there, but so far no e-mail, except we got your availability and stand by. I'm coming from Fort Lauderdale/Miami area. We'll see what unfolds tomorrow. Once again, congratulations and go kick ass during the interview process.

I know the visas for the first group that interviewed in May came through. I know of at least two of us that they want to leave via JFK on Thursday and one other guy that is shooting for this weekend... Sim and medical supposed to be Sat-Mon.

For the guys waiting for travel to the interview, this seems to be par for the course. I got my travel at 2.00pm on the day before I travelled last month. Another guy got his at 6.00am on the morning he travelled (on a 9.30am flight...).

My suggestion would be to email the man and give him a call (his cell number was in the initial email he sent us all). I talked to him last week and he was out sick for 2 weeks (and like Mutt said, he's a one-man show), and they've been having internet (server) "issues" and losing emails... So, he's got to be swamped.

Good luck to everyone interviewing this week. Hopefully we can all get together to hoist a few cold ones (Cokes that is...) in Jeddah in a few months...

Hawker & Falcon
 

Hi Mutt,

Thanks for the all the info you provided. Very useful.
I got questions on SV's Hawker & Falcon operations. As a low time F/O(a little over 2,000 hours of heavy jet), it was only slot I could apply.
1. How about life style of the business jet pilots? Do they can get 6 days off in a row?
2. How about upgrade opportunities? Let say, Business Jet F/O --> BJ Capt --> A320 Capt --> and so on.
3. How about typical monthly salary BJ F/O gets?

Thanks in advance! appreciate that!!

besides the once a month ACM, are there other avenues of regular commuting for myself AND my family (eg. ID90s, ID50s, jumpseat hop ons, etc.)?

The ACM are only for the Pilot employee. In addition, you get 1 positive space first class rtn tkt (3-1) and 1 Stby rtn tkt (4-1) each year. Your family gets those as well.

After that, you can but ID 90 space available or ID 50 confirmed space on Saudia. That can get pricey....

Saudia also has ZED agreements with most major airlines. Zed fare can be cheaper than using the ID tickets on Saudia. The only time I ever have an issue with a ZED is while flying inside the USA as the flights are usually full and Zed is the lowest priority. I use them regularly out of Europe to the USA and Canada, then once in the states, I buy full fare on Jetblue or something similar.

Same deal for Asia, I usually make my way to KUL and then buy full fare on Air Asia. Although I have had some good luck with Zed's on Malaysian

I would suggest going for the F900 rather than the Hawker :)

1: Yes, they get 6 days off in a row due to doing 24 standby duties (The airline guys only do 12 hour standby duties).
2: There is not official career path, but that is supposed to change, but not including crossing over to the airline side for non-nationals
3: Basic salary as per website is US67k per year for a FO.

For anyone thinking that this is a commuting contract, its NOT!

Mutt

Sorry for the question, but what it means "12.3 months salary each year"?

Also what's the averages block hours per month for medium haul?

Thanks

Difference between Arabic calender and Western.... 12.3 months vs 12 months.. Salary is paid each Arabic month.

50-55 hrs block..

Mutt

Visa
 

Does anyone know if I need a visa if I am a US citizen traveling to Cairo?

Hourly rate...
 

Mutt,

Sorry to be out of touch, but the SV site talks about the hourly rate but never tells what that number actually is. What are the rates and a typical schedule for the A320/MD90 crews?

US citizens buy a visa on arrival at the Cairo Airport. You can get it from one of the currency exchange windows and it costs around $15usd.

The monthly basic salary, divided by the hour guarantee for the type of equipment you are looking at will give you the hourly rate.

EMB170/MD90 = 65 credit hours a month.
A320 = 70 credit hours a month.
Heavy = 75 credit hours a month.

There is no typical schedule for the A320 because they are not here yet.

The MD90 changes drastically throughout the year. sometimes the schedules will be 80+ credit hours other times the lines may be at or below minimum guarantee. Plan on the basics for your budget.

The Greatest Airline for me
 

I have been a Flight attendant with Saudi Arabian Airlines from 1981 to 1991 ,All i can say that it was the best Airlines that had givven me the opportunity to be based out side Saudi Arabia, to have long lay overs all over the world,
to fly VIP Flights and experience the greatest and the most fabulious jets ever seen, Saudia city is a great compound equiped with all the facilities , everything is supplied , Saudia was my family and will always be , the chance i have been givven to be one of this company is a big honor for me .
OUR GROUP Supervisors, head management , crew schedule staff, captains,
F/officers/flight Engeneers: Instructors,Flight attendants are the greatest peaple I have Known

My greatest thaughts to any one that had worked from 1981 to 1991.
and my best wishes for everyone who is working until now with Saudia
You did the best choice in Working with such a Great Airline
Saudi Arabian Airlines
Ex F/A Tounsi Raja Payroll n° 3002623

NICE WORDS......:)

I FEEL LIKE JOINT THEM......WHO KNOWS!?¡¿....

TAKE CARE! AND HAPPY FLIGHTS AND LANDINGS!:ok:

mutt and metro301

You're always ready to answer all the questions.
Many, many thanks my friends :ok:

Luibar

Pay
 

Let me see if this is right- you are paid salary and the hourly rate ($94ish for min A320 captain), or is it salary and 10% of the hourly rate actually flown. Just trying to understand. Anyone have a real life example... How much overtime is really flown?

Falcon --> SV Airline side
 

Mutt,

Thank you very much for your kind answer. I prefer the Falcon, too. Is it ok for you to clear followings?

1. Moving from the Falcon to the SV Airline side: As you said, it is not open to the non-national. That means, if SV has vacancy on their airline side(ie: A320, B777), the Falcon pilot has to apply to the position without any in-house advantages? :(
2. How many hours do the Falcon/Hawker pilots fly a month, typically? Compared to the airline side pilot, do they fly more or less?
3. Does 24 stand-by duties means 24 DAYS in stand-by?
4. The monthly salary is a sum of Base Salary plus Non-base Salary(guaranteed flying pay...). Is my understanding correct?
5. Requirements to get upgrade from Falcon/Hawker F/O to same equipment Capt?

Once again, I appreciate in advance!!:)

Bo,

You would get your base salary.

+ 10% of actual block flown.
+ 10% of actual block flown at night.

Then if you were to surpass 70 hours of actual credit in the month you would get the total of those hours at your hourly rate.

Example:

50 block hours with a total of 75 credit for the month. (Deadheads, sit time, standby duty, etc). 20 of those hours were at night.

Basic salary
+5 hours of pay for actual block (50 X 10%)
+2 hours of pay for night (20 X 10%)
+5 hours of pay for Overtime (75 actual credit - 70 guarantee)

Total for the month = 82 hours

Don't count on getting a lot of overtime. Sometimes it is there, sometimes it isn't. With a new aircraft, there would probably be a lot for the first year or so then it would start to dry up.

chk5511.....

1: For the sake of planning and your sanity, there is NO movement between corporate and line! Dont think otherwise, and never even dream of the 777/787, they dont/wont have foreign FO's. You must remember that this airline is 90% Saudi crew.

2: Hawker is a new fleet with only 1 of the 6 aircraft sitting on the apron, so its not flying. Falcon depends on the owners requirements, it operates FAR91 so no duty time :):)

3: It means 24 hours per day and a shared number of days per month.

4: The figure that i quoted is what you get without ever leaving your house or doing standby duty, i dont really understand what you mean by guaranteed flying pay.

5: The command path presently involves the airline, but that is getting cut, so i would expect to see F900 FO to Hawker Capt.... at some stage :)

.......Sounds like eutopia :):):) Pity it doesnt exist today, whilst there are some awesome individuals, there are also enough rotten apples to spoil you day :E:E

Mutt.

(Metro, you are about to see a lot of new faces on the 1st floor..:):))

Hawker & Falcon 7X
 

Many thanks, Mutt & Metro301!!

1. Salary: I thought the salary is, Base Salary + Flying Pay(Guaranteed 65 hours pay + Productivity/Night allowance + etc). Some companies have such pay system. With data shown on the SV web, it was too hard to figure how much TOTAL I am putting in my pocket each month.

2. Do you have any info when SV's ordered Falcon 7X will be arriving? And when SV is going to start to screen the candidates for those equipments(Hawker 400XP & Falcon 7X)?

Have a nice day!!:)

chk5511

Can't Make contact
 

Hi,

I managed to make my online application and I received an E-Mail requesting Documents, however I cannot log in, the E-Mail with the login details is not correct and there are no contact details on the website, does anybody have an E-Mail address for any of the program administrator's any help would be great. Thanks

GD

Make sure that you are using Internet Explorer as the site doesnt work with any other browser :)

Mutt

Interview travel arrangements
 

Hi Folks,

Please advise if anyone has actually recieved travel arrangements to Cairo for the 29 June, interview slots. Still waiting here...

Thanks

:confused:

interview on 29th
 

Still waiting for travel arrangements. I was told to call hotel tomorrow for reservation confirmation.

I received my confirmation today. I am going to interview on the 30th. In my email I was instructed to buy a y-class ticket and I would be reimbursed in Cairo. I am traveling from San Diego and the ticket is $6,000. I cannot buy a $6,000 ticket even if I am going to be reimbursed. Does anyone have any suggestions?

No reimbursement in Cairo
 

I had to buy myself a ticket for the end of May interview. Luckily it was cheap.
But when I told the interviewers in Cairo that I was told that I would get reimbursed in Cairo they said: "no no, you will be reimbursed when you come to Jeddah".
I am just passing on my experience, it maybe different for others. Just wanted to share that.
I would talk to Bilal before spending 6 grand on a ticket to Cairo.

$6000..... are they crazy? I would seriously doubt that you would get reimbursed in Cairo, the company just doesnt work that way! I would be extremely careful about incurring personal expenses with a view to getting reimbursed!

Write to them and say that you cant afford it! Ask them to issue a ticket! Even if you have to get to JFK/IAD and get on SVA!

Mutt

Hi Mutt,

I just received the same email.
I am suppose to leave tomorrow morning for my interview on June 28! I cant afford 6-7 grand either!
I emailed Bilal and told him I could not put that on my credit card!
What is going on?

Not to get off track but Al-Wafeer just asked me to buy a ticket to KUL to be reimbursed at the interview. Seems to be the coming hook. A friend had to do the same for an interview with a Chinese airline too.

Good Luck to all.

Cheers, VP

Kudos to the helpers. They have been doing what they can for no reward, which is a big ticket in my book. Mutt, Metro et al, cheers n beers. And I MEAN beers.

In the meantime: Time critical, need to make a decision. Re-read life's notes. Compressed time horizons precede errors. Learn to buy time. Expand the time horizon, don't compress it. Reassess options. Buy yourself time, not tickets. Tough call, but just don't go. Call it a day. Look elsewhere. That's not a message of protest. Thinking so would be a mistake. You buy that ticket and sure as I'm typing this they'll have seen that puppy comin'. I'm out. Cheers, and beers.

PS The Chinese job advert said straight up you'd be buying your ticket. There's a difference, and it isn't subtle.

Don't shoot me please. But, if you have an ID still you could Jump to LHR or FRA or CDG then buy a ticket down to CAI. LHR-CAI $262 to $500ish RT.
Good luck to all.

re: no reimbursement in Cairo
 

KP21...Thanks for sharing your experience, were you ever payed back, where are you now in the grand scheme of SV interviewland?

Mutt, Metro, Sincerest thanks. You have been great guides.

Did anyone who recently interviewed in Cairo, actually have travel arrangements made and tickets provided for this process??

My Interview date is also now the 30th, hypothetically if one is not successful at interview, who pays ticket home, and or the RT fare?, I can see that conversation with the SV HR team as rather thorny...

Just my 2 pennys...

Thanks again to all,

Sushi