Need some advice!
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Canada
Age: 35
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Need some advice!
Let me first start off by saying I just joined today, so I have no clue if this is where I should even be asking these questions but I’m guessing someone will be able to give some insightful words here!
I am a 19yr old student in Canada that is prepping for my ppl flight test both practical and written. So it is obvious that I will soon be starting my cpl, and afterwards embarking on the frustrating task of finding my first job as a pilot!
My questions are:
I have heard from two different pilots that Europe is the place to be for a low hr pilot (250 hrs), because of lower industry minimum required hrs. In Canada a f/o for major airline, is looking in the neighbourhood of about 1500-2000 hrs before your even marketable to be flying airliners. meaning spending yrs up in the high arctic earning them. Compared now to various low fare airlines in Europe (which will remained unmentioned), taking commercial pilots with 250 + 50 hrs on type of w/e aircraft they use, be it the 737 or the airbus 319, 320.
My question being first is it true that airlines in Europe are taking low houred pilots and sticking them in the right seat of a 738. I realise this sounds absurd but I only ask because I have heard this too many times to ignore, and on a recent layover in Gatwick I would say the pilot flying the 319 that got me to Amsterdam was at most 23 yrs old! This is something I have never seen once in my life in Canada.
If this is true what kind of conversions would a Canadian citizen need to do in order to start flying in Europe. I am aware of the 14 atpl exams, the mcc course, getting a JAR check ride, and getting uk or eu citizenship. Are there any others?
Cheers and happy flying!
I am a 19yr old student in Canada that is prepping for my ppl flight test both practical and written. So it is obvious that I will soon be starting my cpl, and afterwards embarking on the frustrating task of finding my first job as a pilot!
My questions are:
I have heard from two different pilots that Europe is the place to be for a low hr pilot (250 hrs), because of lower industry minimum required hrs. In Canada a f/o for major airline, is looking in the neighbourhood of about 1500-2000 hrs before your even marketable to be flying airliners. meaning spending yrs up in the high arctic earning them. Compared now to various low fare airlines in Europe (which will remained unmentioned), taking commercial pilots with 250 + 50 hrs on type of w/e aircraft they use, be it the 737 or the airbus 319, 320.
My question being first is it true that airlines in Europe are taking low houred pilots and sticking them in the right seat of a 738. I realise this sounds absurd but I only ask because I have heard this too many times to ignore, and on a recent layover in Gatwick I would say the pilot flying the 319 that got me to Amsterdam was at most 23 yrs old! This is something I have never seen once in my life in Canada.
If this is true what kind of conversions would a Canadian citizen need to do in order to start flying in Europe. I am aware of the 14 atpl exams, the mcc course, getting a JAR check ride, and getting uk or eu citizenship. Are there any others?
Cheers and happy flying!
Last edited by fiveoh; 30th Sep 2008 at 20:55.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London, Berlin, Bucharest
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not the best time to be job hunting. there are some low cost carriers that do employ pilots with minimum hours, but they also make them pay for their own type rating and charge them for the sim checks every 6 monts (it gets taken out of their wages- about a pound a block hour i think).
when it comes to big national carriers, they wont even look at you unless your have 3000hrs + on type, however some do take cadets from one or two schools who have a contract with them. the schools do say come learn with us and fly for this national carrier, but in reality a very small amount of their students get in.
when it comes to big national carriers, they wont even look at you unless your have 3000hrs + on type, however some do take cadets from one or two schools who have a contract with them. the schools do say come learn with us and fly for this national carrier, but in reality a very small amount of their students get in.
