Sunwing and Foreign pilots again

[Gilles Hudicourt]

The danger is that if Canada starts insisting on foreign pilots holding Canadian licenses, Europe might impose reciprocity and require Canadians to hold an EASA to fly in Europe.

That is precisely the point! It is already the case!

EASA already does require that Canadian licensed pilots hold an EASA licence to fly under a European OC.

[AuxBatOn]

Do you really think, Gilles, that requiring a canadian ATPL will stop TFWs at Sunwing??

[gonnabeapilot]

This summer Sunwing will officially be deploying 10 aircraft to Europe which means approximately 180 Canadian pilots will be working in the EU and the UK this summer. Not only does it mean that these Canadian pilots will remain employed over the summer months instead of seeing seasonal lay-offs, Sunwing will need to hire 34 more Canadian pilots into full time positions to fulfill the crewing requirements of this European contract.

Contrast this with the approximately 100 European pilots that were working in Canada this winter on the Sunwing contract and you can see that the scales have firmly tipped into Canadian pilots' favour when it comes to reciprocity. If this information doesn't demonstrate the benefits this program can have for Canadian pilots, nothing will as I can't see how it's anything but good news for Canadian pilots and our industry.

[complexintentions]

The danger is that if Canada starts insisting on foreign pilots holding Canadian licenses, Europe might impose reciprocity and require Canadians to hold an EASA to fly in Europe.

That is precisely the point! It is already the case!

EASA already does require that Canadian licensed pilots hold an EASA licence to fly under a European OC.

No. I said "To fly in Europe". You make much of the fact they are flying under a Canadian OC, would it make you feel better if they brought their own aircraft over? The fact is there are tons of Canadian non-EASA holders basing and flying in Europe half the year - and they don't even have so much as a license validation, such as the one you are always complaining about.

The point is you don't want to start a licensing arms race with the EU - it would be Canadian pilots getting butt-hurt obtaining an EASA, the Canadian ATPL is a cinch in comparison.

As far as the idiot trying to claim there are different levels of EASA, try again. Just typical Canadian passive-aggressive superiority complex. Canada is incredibly corrupt.