Foreign Pilots
 

Does anyone know if American Airlines recently hired a number of French pilots as they have a shortage at present?

Have any airlines began sponsoring foreigners?

Not true. Any foreign pilots hired must have green cards. I don't know of any airlines that are sponsing foreigners for green cards - there is no justification. American is hiring 1000 total this year and plans are for 600 next year. There is no pilot "shortage" - just a slight decrease in the numbers of more experienced civilian pilots and military pilots.

[ 28 July 2001: Message edited by: Roadtrip ]

.....and this slight decrease, shall we call it a recession, has slowed the hiring to practically......nothing.

411A:

Hiring at AA has not slowed to "Almost Nothing".

They have 2 classes a month @ 54 in each class. 1 class cancelled for whatever reason, but the 2 classes a month will continue for the rest of this year.
Another 600 pilots will be recruited next year.

Yes, Delta and United quit hiring, but not AA.

1 class was canceled to allow the simulator backlog to ease a little.

Since then it has been back to full speed ahead. 1000 this year. 600 next year, but that number is only based on the first 6 months. Next years full year projections come out in September which might very well have the pace continue through the end of the year.

Cheers
Wino

PS finish 767 IOE yet Towerdog?

411A, that really makes my blood boil...

Can you not, just for once, do even a LITTLE BIT of research before posting? Utterly pathetic, and if, as you purport, you are management in an Arizona start-up, you SHOULD be far better informed. A simple phone call would have sufficed, or even checking our website while you where online.

What is it with you and critiqueing everybody else's carriers? I'm even more convinced now that you have a chip on your shoulder about something.... maybe it's because you've had to drag yourself (and family) all over the world from one carrier to another because you couldn't get a position at a stable major for a 30-year $8 million career ??? Am I getting warm...? You'd never admit it, though :D :D

There has been very strong rumours that Delta or some US major has applied for 600 green cards. (Could it be that they see a shortage coming?) Can anyone confirm this?

BR

There has been a rumour south of the Equator that Delta would be headed down this way looking for crew, although I find this rather hard to believe. Never the less interested to hear if anyone has any info on the topic!

In my opinion, aspiring pilots (American and foreign) need to put the term "pilot shortage" in perspective.

Getting a job in an American major is still very competitive.

As far as I'm concerned, the first clue that a "shortage" truly exists is when all the majors drop their application fees.

By the way, is American Airlines still charging $100 to apply? :eek:

Lower down the food chain (e.g. regional, air taxi and flight schools) there is indeed a shortage.

But again, it's still very competitive at the majors and I seriously doubt they have any problem filling their seats.

Good luck, fly safe

There is no record of any major U.S. carrier sponsering foreign pilots without an FAA ticket, without a Green card, without a Social Security card.

There is never a pilot shortage, only a sometimes shortage of very experienced pilots.

Because AA had been caught and fined for cheating on crew complements on 8+ hour sectors (such as HNL-DFW) the company is forced to hire more crews despite the recession.

Additionally, because of vigorous FAA enforcement of crew duty limitations, and pending rulemaking on curtailing duty times,
furloughed pilots will be recalled and more pilots will have to be hired soon.

:cool:

zerozero,
You say "Lower down the food chain (e.g. regional, air taxi and flight schools) there is indeed a shortage"

Does this mean that there may be scope for an aspiring Dutch pilot with a UK CAA frozen ATPL (=CPL/IR/ME and ATP ground subjects passed) and about 300 hours to find employment in the United States?

If this is true, I'll be on a plane tomorrow!

If you need more info, please read my CV:
www.pilots.btinternet.co.uk/cv1-int.doc

Thanks!

Arjan

Whoa! Hang on! Please don't make a decision to pack your bags and move to a different country just because of what I write here.

Yes, it's true that a Dutch man with an FAA commercial certificate and 300 hours could find a job, but you need to know the following:

With less than 1000 hours you're really scraping the bottom of the barrel.

In fact with less than 1200 hours you can't act as PIC on a 135 (air taxi) IFR flight. And with less than 500 hours you cannot act as PIC on a 135 VFR flight.

Now you're relegated to flight instruction (you need to get a US CFI obviously), banner tow, crop dusting, traffic watch, pipeline/fire patrol, fish spotting...et cetera.

See what I'm getting at? You'd be kinda pissed at me if I said, "Yeah, come on over and you'll be sitting in the right seat of a turbo-prop."

While it's possible you could get a job flying in the right seat of a turbo-prop you'd probably do yourself a favor (and your future captains as well) if you came over and taught people how to fly for a thousand hours or so.

You never learn a subject so well as when you teach it. It'll make you a better pilot.

I think that's a more realistic option at this point.

Feel free to follow up.

Fly safe.

Towerdog! I received a message from AEPS only a few weeks ago saying that Delta is planning to hire 1000 guys a year for the next seven years. If that's the case, why did they stop hiring now all of a sudden? Is my information incorrect, or yours? Also, the fact that UAL stopped hiring is only related to the merger. I checked their website yesterday, and they've even cancelled classes. They've said all the time that they'd end up fat if they hired all they need, and the merger goes ahead.

Cheers

The only place I see a shortage is among the ranks of the flight instructors. Everywhere else you need at least 1000 hrs with preferably 100 multi PIC.

zerozero,

The thruth can be hard, but thanks anyway.
Like you say, it's better than hot air...

Hot air? Oh yeah, there's lots of that over here too.

Best wishes to you Deep Float. Even if the timing isn't perfect right now, who knows what the future holds--and don't rule out flying the bush in Alaska--is just like the North Sea. :eek:

Fly safe

Langolier:

If Delta is going to hire 1000 pilots a year for the next 7 years....?
Don't know anything about that, all I know is that they stopped recruiting.
However, my info may be wrong.
Did ya say AEPS? They charge a fee for anybody to apply even if the company is not taking on pilots?

A good rumor could drum up some business I guess.

Don't take my word for it, you and AEPS may be right.

I doubt it.

As for a pilot shortage with the US Majors:
No, there is no shortage at all, they don't have to go to France or South of the border to get people.
Most of the majors have between 10,000 and 20,000 active applications on file.

There was a real shortage in the 1960's and United Airlines solved that by employing young boys with a Private Pilot's license, then sponsor their CPL.
Sort of an Ab-Inito.
That would probably happen again IF there ever was a shortage in this country.

Good luck.

Langolier,

That is an outright lie spoken to get you to pay more money to AEPS.

1000 pilots per year for 7 years is 7000 pilots which would be doubling the size of DELTA. Do you really think Delta is gonna double in size, especially while they are grounding aircraft and shrinking?

Be careful Many of these recruiting agencies are nothing but snake oil salesman. Don't believe anything from anyone charging you for that info. They are just trying to make their worthless product seam valuable.

Sorry to throw cold water your way.

and any one who thinks the US airlines are gonna go overseas to get pilots should send me a check for 100 dollars and I will tell em all they need to know.

Cheers
Wino

All pilots have to meet several basic criteria before a Major will hire them. They are: 1. US Citizenship or a Green Card
2. Valid FAA licences
3. Class 1 medical
4. 4-Year College Degree
5. 4000 hours flying time
6. If your don't meet 1. then forget it.
The easiest way to obtain a green card is through personal/familial relations.
A country of almost 300 million will NEVER have difficulties filling the 2 seats in the pointy end of 747s. Quit spreading BS about opportunities in the American aviation sector for foreigners. Simply put there are none available!!! Only Americans need apply.
I am not being rude but merely trying to emphasize the simple fact that it is not possible to get a job at a Major American Airline like United or Delta without holding US citizenship or a Green Card.
E Pluribus Unum

will i be able to get into major with H-1 visa? H-1 is treated as a legal right for u to work in US but is it considered as a greencard in another way?
please advise. cheers!