Tianjin Airlines
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Tianjin Airlines
Curious to see if there are any pilots here that works at Tianjin Airlines. I see Direct Captain entry positions available, and the pay is fantastic. Threre must be a catch. How is the trips? How are the hotels? how often are you away from base? Min days off? The basic stuff would be much appreciated. What about moving family? Is this a possibility?
Thx in advance.
Thx in advance.
Join Date: Sep 2002
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True, if someone would have the inside scoop that would be great. However, I wouldn't go as far as calling their pay fantastic...I think it's directly proportional to the amount of BS one has to go through and having read through most of the far east threads, I would be inclined to wait until there is a 2 at the beginning of the pay package. 
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I saw this one too, got the e-mail from the recruiter. 42 days on, 16 off for 15800/month.
I did some checking on the web site for the airline and it did not show the A320 orders yet so who knows what type of schedule you will have. They went from RJs to E-jets with quite a drop in schedule a couple of years ago. It would be interesting to see just how stable their backing is. And Tianjin is only about 150 kms from Beijing.
I did some checking on the web site for the airline and it did not show the A320 orders yet so who knows what type of schedule you will have. They went from RJs to E-jets with quite a drop in schedule a couple of years ago. It would be interesting to see just how stable their backing is. And Tianjin is only about 150 kms from Beijing.
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Perhaps some interesting posts...
Hi, I'm not interested (at all) in moving to China as I'm quit happy at my current airline, but I did stumble across the Tianjin Airlines advert and the promised salary. That got me curious and I searched this forum.
I thought these posts might interest you:
Living and Flying in China
Grand China Express/Tianjin Airline
Chinese Air Laws Exam
If you want to work in China..!!
Using the search function of this website and looking for more info on Tianjin and China brings a lot more info.
Anyway I suppose you already read all those posts and have searched this forum already, so I do apologise if my contribution is useless to you.
After reading all the info I'm certainly not interested in leaving my current job and moving to China. (But I'd love to have the salary that Tianjin is promising!
)
Regards,
Sabenaboy
I thought these posts might interest you:
Living and Flying in China
Grand China Express/Tianjin Airline
Chinese Air Laws Exam
If you want to work in China..!!
Using the search function of this website and looking for more info on Tianjin and China brings a lot more info.
Anyway I suppose you already read all those posts and have searched this forum already, so I do apologise if my contribution is useless to you.
After reading all the info I'm certainly not interested in leaving my current job and moving to China. (But I'd love to have the salary that Tianjin is promising!
)Regards,
Sabenaboy
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SE Asia
Age: 51
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Tianjin Hainan and China
You are thinking about China? This is not a rant. This is something to prepare your for your success in China and living abroad. Know what you are getting into and you concentrate on the high points.
As an expat who has lived abroad from the US and toured many countries over the world let me tell you that China is a special place. Special as in short bus special. In any non English speaking country there is always an increased level of stress from doing the most mundane things like grocery shopping. A good example is a friend of mine from Norway living in Holland didn't speak Dutch and it took the first Dutch girl he had visit to ask him where his dog was. He didn't have a dog, but then she asked why did he have dog shampoo. He had been using dog shampoo for 2 months. This is typical. Think of bank accounts, dentists, mobile phone contracts, and etc. Anything you do in your home country, multiply the time factor by 3 minimum and you will have an idea of what it takes to get things done in a foreign country.
First you must fill out the silly time matrix. Then get a call. No interview, fly a sim and pass a medical and you are in. If you survive you are hired.
Seriously, if you survive China you are hired.
Arrival into Beijing or Tianjin. Tianjin, land of the fastest supercomputer and high speed rail yet home of dirt, filth, and open sewers. The Chinese have not yet mastered the S curve in plumbing yet so even in the newest mall you can smell your way to the toilets. There will be some western style toilets but mostly it will be squat and push style toilets where even though the local population has had them for decades, still can not seem to master aiming at the correct point. Advice - don't wear your good shoes because the cleaners are only present at the Beijing Airport.
Off to the hotel. Most hotels in China are filthy. You would assume that there was an hourly charge for a vacuum cleaner that was similar to an APU. Advice - Check the room before you accept the key and don't be afraid to ask for something different. This is China, where only the squeaky wheel gets oiled and even the wheel that breaks down or falls apart still doesn't get oil.
The medical. You will be brought to the People Liberation Army Hospital which is the lowest hospital in China. Its where the poor people and you go. People are spitting in the hallways, smoking as the lay on the floor, the is a coating of dirt all over the hospital and the bathrooms look like something I saw from camp when I was a child, except the bathrooms at camps were outdoors.
The hospital has Korean War era technology. The Xray machine does not take a picture. It remains on at least for 30 seconds as the technician looks at your chest. You are told to fast from meat at least a week before your test. This is good for Asians and if your cholesterol is high with a fatty liver but for Westerners, meat = iron = red blood cells. Asians don't handle alcohol and cholesterol well. Get your advice from a Western doctor. One candidate was told he had diabetes and the next day he retested and was ok. The brain scan is done in a room that has people wandering in and out. The hearing test is not explained and there are series of tones and and beeps and no one explains if you need to hit the button for each tone or each beep. Just mash the button every time. Normally there is one beep for each tone. This is not the case here. A company rep insisted we eat lunch immediately before the EKG running test. I refused. Remember the eating and swimming rules? I understand their thought about the blood sugar but you do not eat lunch 30 seconds before you run on the treadmill. The test themselves are not difficult but the tools used to measure these delicate results are akin to using a sledgehammer to thread a needle. After the EKG you are handed some paper towels to wipe the electrode goo off yourself. Advice - There is a little wastebasket for the towels. It is the size of a chihuahua. It will be full but don't worry, just throw it on the floor like everyone else. People will know this isn't your first visit to China.
There is an ultrasound. There is no line. Just rush to the front and jockey for position. The company rep will help you push ahead of the elderly man next to you. Advice - make sure the dying elderly man does not have a contagious disease if you intend to push by him.
This is typical in China and overseas. You must be polite, firm, and confident. They will try to convince you but hold your ground if you are correct.
Any building over one year old is already falling apart. Rent a new place. Rent is done is 3, 6, or 12 month increments. Furnished apartments are common and many times if it is a new place they will let you pick the furniture. Westerners are liked as tenants because we pay more, are clean, and don't wreck the place.
The company scheduling is a mess. The CAAC checks are at the whim of the government and there is one guy in the entire area for 3 types of planes. Get everything you are told in writing and the name of the person who told you. This is typical in contract work because you are not within normal standard working rules of the company.
The people are open to you and more open to the West than other emerging countries. They know they have some adjustments to make in China. They don't understand why most of the time or how. I was in Cambodia and my 5 star room had a faulty air con during the hot season and the air flow was moderate at best. The front desk was confused. You have some air con they stated. You see, they don't have air con at all in their house in Cambodia and maybe not even hot water. So for them to understand that you are complaining about an air con that partially works is baffling to them. Nothing works completely in Cambodia. This is a simple example of two people with completely different mid sets in the same situation. I say red. Which red are you thinking? Ribbon red? Candy apple red? Deep red? East and West mentality is not the same yet.
Remember that you are not a company pilot. You are a contract pilot. They will tell you company rules when it suits them and contract rules when it suits them.
English is not commonly spoken outside tourist spots and Western bars. The younger crowd speaks more but even taxi drivers cannot read English. English readers are uncommon in China.
That said. You are in a new area of the world. Embrace the difference of culture. Learn the language. Engage the people. Visit the many countries and museums of the world. UNESCO sites are numerous in Asia. Utilize your time off because you have a lot. You will work hard when you are scheduled but play hard when your holiday is due.
You won't change the company or China. You can make it easy on yourself and just flow with the current while being safe. You are still the Captain.
As an expat who has lived abroad from the US and toured many countries over the world let me tell you that China is a special place. Special as in short bus special. In any non English speaking country there is always an increased level of stress from doing the most mundane things like grocery shopping. A good example is a friend of mine from Norway living in Holland didn't speak Dutch and it took the first Dutch girl he had visit to ask him where his dog was. He didn't have a dog, but then she asked why did he have dog shampoo. He had been using dog shampoo for 2 months. This is typical. Think of bank accounts, dentists, mobile phone contracts, and etc. Anything you do in your home country, multiply the time factor by 3 minimum and you will have an idea of what it takes to get things done in a foreign country.
First you must fill out the silly time matrix. Then get a call. No interview, fly a sim and pass a medical and you are in. If you survive you are hired.
Seriously, if you survive China you are hired.
Arrival into Beijing or Tianjin. Tianjin, land of the fastest supercomputer and high speed rail yet home of dirt, filth, and open sewers. The Chinese have not yet mastered the S curve in plumbing yet so even in the newest mall you can smell your way to the toilets. There will be some western style toilets but mostly it will be squat and push style toilets where even though the local population has had them for decades, still can not seem to master aiming at the correct point. Advice - don't wear your good shoes because the cleaners are only present at the Beijing Airport.
Off to the hotel. Most hotels in China are filthy. You would assume that there was an hourly charge for a vacuum cleaner that was similar to an APU. Advice - Check the room before you accept the key and don't be afraid to ask for something different. This is China, where only the squeaky wheel gets oiled and even the wheel that breaks down or falls apart still doesn't get oil.
The medical. You will be brought to the People Liberation Army Hospital which is the lowest hospital in China. Its where the poor people and you go. People are spitting in the hallways, smoking as the lay on the floor, the is a coating of dirt all over the hospital and the bathrooms look like something I saw from camp when I was a child, except the bathrooms at camps were outdoors.
The hospital has Korean War era technology. The Xray machine does not take a picture. It remains on at least for 30 seconds as the technician looks at your chest. You are told to fast from meat at least a week before your test. This is good for Asians and if your cholesterol is high with a fatty liver but for Westerners, meat = iron = red blood cells. Asians don't handle alcohol and cholesterol well. Get your advice from a Western doctor. One candidate was told he had diabetes and the next day he retested and was ok. The brain scan is done in a room that has people wandering in and out. The hearing test is not explained and there are series of tones and and beeps and no one explains if you need to hit the button for each tone or each beep. Just mash the button every time. Normally there is one beep for each tone. This is not the case here. A company rep insisted we eat lunch immediately before the EKG running test. I refused. Remember the eating and swimming rules? I understand their thought about the blood sugar but you do not eat lunch 30 seconds before you run on the treadmill. The test themselves are not difficult but the tools used to measure these delicate results are akin to using a sledgehammer to thread a needle. After the EKG you are handed some paper towels to wipe the electrode goo off yourself. Advice - There is a little wastebasket for the towels. It is the size of a chihuahua. It will be full but don't worry, just throw it on the floor like everyone else. People will know this isn't your first visit to China.
There is an ultrasound. There is no line. Just rush to the front and jockey for position. The company rep will help you push ahead of the elderly man next to you. Advice - make sure the dying elderly man does not have a contagious disease if you intend to push by him.
This is typical in China and overseas. You must be polite, firm, and confident. They will try to convince you but hold your ground if you are correct.
Any building over one year old is already falling apart. Rent a new place. Rent is done is 3, 6, or 12 month increments. Furnished apartments are common and many times if it is a new place they will let you pick the furniture. Westerners are liked as tenants because we pay more, are clean, and don't wreck the place.
The company scheduling is a mess. The CAAC checks are at the whim of the government and there is one guy in the entire area for 3 types of planes. Get everything you are told in writing and the name of the person who told you. This is typical in contract work because you are not within normal standard working rules of the company.
The people are open to you and more open to the West than other emerging countries. They know they have some adjustments to make in China. They don't understand why most of the time or how. I was in Cambodia and my 5 star room had a faulty air con during the hot season and the air flow was moderate at best. The front desk was confused. You have some air con they stated. You see, they don't have air con at all in their house in Cambodia and maybe not even hot water. So for them to understand that you are complaining about an air con that partially works is baffling to them. Nothing works completely in Cambodia. This is a simple example of two people with completely different mid sets in the same situation. I say red. Which red are you thinking? Ribbon red? Candy apple red? Deep red? East and West mentality is not the same yet.
Remember that you are not a company pilot. You are a contract pilot. They will tell you company rules when it suits them and contract rules when it suits them.
English is not commonly spoken outside tourist spots and Western bars. The younger crowd speaks more but even taxi drivers cannot read English. English readers are uncommon in China.
That said. You are in a new area of the world. Embrace the difference of culture. Learn the language. Engage the people. Visit the many countries and museums of the world. UNESCO sites are numerous in Asia. Utilize your time off because you have a lot. You will work hard when you are scheduled but play hard when your holiday is due.
You won't change the company or China. You can make it easy on yourself and just flow with the current while being safe. You are still the Captain.
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SE Asia
Age: 51
Posts: 40
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China ICAO English Test
First Section: Short story about something pertaining to aviation. A recording is played. Example: 3 people cause the plane to be late. The plane was 10 minutes late. The aircraft had a gate hold of 15 minutes and the total time of the flight was 55 minutes. How many late passengers were there? From multiple choice pick the correct answer: 3, 10 , 55, 15
Second Section: 2 minute story about a plane on approach. You answer 3 questions about the story. The answers for my test were the cloud base was at 1500M
The engine anti ice was failed, and there was light icing and freezing rain on approach.
Third Section: There are a series of commands told to you and you must reply or ask control/ground like you were in a normal cockpit operation. Example: Request taxi, and then readback instructions. Request deice, notify tower of takeoff time.
Fourth Section: There is a picture of a 747 landing at the old HKG airport. It has and engine strike on landing occurring. The examiner will as you to describe what you see and what you would do to avoid the situation and what is needed to correct the situation.
Fifth Section: (skipped for level 6) A recording is played to you and you must retell the story and main points in your own words.
Sixth Section: The Examiner has an interview with you. The examiner will ask questions about you, your career, weather, favorite movie, flying experience to just conversational skills.
Second Section: 2 minute story about a plane on approach. You answer 3 questions about the story. The answers for my test were the cloud base was at 1500M
The engine anti ice was failed, and there was light icing and freezing rain on approach.
Third Section: There are a series of commands told to you and you must reply or ask control/ground like you were in a normal cockpit operation. Example: Request taxi, and then readback instructions. Request deice, notify tower of takeoff time.
Fourth Section: There is a picture of a 747 landing at the old HKG airport. It has and engine strike on landing occurring. The examiner will as you to describe what you see and what you would do to avoid the situation and what is needed to correct the situation.
Fifth Section: (skipped for level 6) A recording is played to you and you must retell the story and main points in your own words.
Sixth Section: The Examiner has an interview with you. The examiner will ask questions about you, your career, weather, favorite movie, flying experience to just conversational skills.
