Advice for a future airline pilot

[Flyer-Katanic]

What type rating do you guys recommend that I should obtain ?
Its very debating between and Airbus or Boeing...
I want to work in the Middle East and Emirates and Qatar both have both planes.
I'm honestly considering a B777 type rating at Cockpit Pro in Serbia... Thoughts ?

[KAG]

I'm honestly considering a B777 type rating at Cockpit Pro in Serbia... Thoughts ?

Flying a widebody with 200 hours that's a bit optimistic probably, what opportunities on B777 in Serbia?

When I told you to get a A380 type, I was trying to be humorous, sorry if I failed: A380 type or B777, I believe this is the same as far as you are concerned, it's a bit too much to start with.

Try Cathay if you want to fly a widebody right away, but you'll have to be a second officer first for a few years, you won't be actually flying (some prefer flying piston/turboprop instead).

And finally: paying for a type is not the best option, so if you do so, be sure to have a job first on the same type of airplane.

Why not starting on small airplanes like everybody in Canada, place where you are right now?

Flying a shiny jet (turbofan in fact) shouldn't be you immediate goal, you should first focus on building up your flying skills and decision making abilities, it could take a few thousands hours before flying an airliner...
You are very young, don't skip the best part of your career, flying small airplanes is the best memory for many airline pilots.
In fact many airline pilots buy their own small airplane to entertain themselves when they don't work, think about this fact 2 seconds...


It is excellent to have ambition, meanwhile you own some respect to your career: pretending, hoping to fly a wide body with 200 hours shows you have very little respect and consideration for your future profession, airline pilot.

If this profession, flying a wide body, is available after a 1 year training and 200 hours (less than to be a plumber and many other jobs), so maybe you got the wrong feeling towards the pilot career path and its requirements.
Why dreaming about a career flying wide body if it was so easy to access to with no other requirements than paying for a type rating? Litteraly anybody could do it, so what makes you think this kind of career would be an interesting challenge or rewarding in any way?

That's like asking dentists if there were a way to become dentist within 1 year, you would insult them and their profession.

So first try to find a balance between ambition and self respect (you are the future airline pilot right?), then rethink your strategy to become a professional pilot.

[Flyer-Katanic]

haha sorry I didn't understand the fact that you were kidding around, all good tho!

Sorry if you misunderstood, but after I finish my ATPL, I do plan on getting a job with charters,medvac &etc planes, don't get me wrong.

But what I was trying to put out is, before I actually start a job with a charter to build up hours, why not obtain a Type-Rating right after my ATPL and get it out of the way ? Rather then stress about it later.

I appreciate your feedback and opinions. I do have great ambition for flying and self respect, I wouldn't be here if I didn't.

[KAG]

Alright, if you plan on building your way up starting with GA, bush and the like, then focus on it first. Get an instructor rating, or float rating, or anything else that could match the current market that you can reach with your skills and networking.
Get what it takes to get your first job, that's where all your mind should be now, many students found themselves stuck in the process because they saw too big too fast: they are not able to get a job in Africa for example flying bush because they have to reimburse large amount of debts, so they either have to stay with mom working on the ground/office, either leave for a pilot job with a nice salary, which is mostly not the case when they start with 200 hours.

After a few thousands hours of GA/bush/instructor/charter... you'll be able to answer the answers you are asking right now.

However if you really want to be inside a wide body right now, have a look at the requirements from the Cathay website: Cathay Pacific - Careers : Careers Home

However be informed they don't take everybody who applies (obviously), so you really have to prepare the interview/test, and will take years (6 or 7 years after your interview) before you start as a first officer, because there is the training first, and the second officer experience.
Within this time frame I have seen people becoming jet captain in Asia...

Canada is one of the best country when it comes to aviation (Australia aswell), since you are in Canada why not having a look there first? AVCANADA • Index page

If I were in Canada, 19 years old, no experience, I would move close to Perimeter right away and bang their door non stop for a ground position, I'd do my training with them, with the plan to be hired on the metroliner and be a captain on it within a few years, next step would be Jazz or the like, then/or Asia/middle east. Perimeter Aviation- Winnipeg,Flight,Cargo,NDT,Air Ambulance,Medevac,Aircraft Maintenance,Charter,Flight School,Design and Engineering,Non Destructive Testing,Winnipeg Manitoba North,Canada
But what do I know?

[4015]

But what I was trying to put out is, before I actually start a job with a charter to build up hours, why not obtain a Type-Rating right after my ATPL and get it out of the way ? Rather then stress about it later.

If you can afford to keep your TR current, which means completing a check ride every year, then there's no reason not to really. You'll probably find that the experience you gain flying will make your TR easier and therefore less stressful in a few years time anyway, and you don't need it now so there's little point in having it.

I'd personally take the money and get a sports car, get the mid life crisis out of the way instead.