Info on Carribean, Central American operators

Sasky306 · Post by **Sasky306** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 1:53 pm

Hey does anyone have any info on some operators in the Carribean or Central America or anywhere tropical that are looking to hire Canadian pilots or have hired Canadian pilots before? I have a single pilot IFR job right now and I'd like to go work somewhere tropical for a year or so on a Caravan, Islander, Jo or twin Cessna. So if anyone has a line on a job or anything any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

NWONT · Post by **NWONT** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 2:32 pm

Liat and Caribean Star merged last year. Many Caribean nationals are now looking for work. Your chances are slim to none but not impossible.

merlin · Post by **merlin** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:37 pm

Actually, I was just talking with a friend who is the Chief Pilot assistant in the caribbean, and she was telling me they need pilots. So if you have the right time, it is quite possible.

retired or retarded · Post by **retired or retarded** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 3:53 pm

Islander is still possible in a couple of places but if you want to do it off a canadian license you will have to have it on the license. It is also the slow season now so most of the hiring does not happen for a couple of months but it does not hurt to have them knowing your name ahead of time. As far as caravan I have never been but know that some people have gotten work on a canadian license in Belize.

Sasky306 · Post by **Sasky306** » Thu Jun 07, 2007 4:17 pm

ya i don't really want to go there till fall or winter but i'm trying to get something lined up so when the time comes i'm ready to head down there. i only have a canadain licence but apparently its pretty easy to get an FAA.

retired or retarded · Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:56 pm

FAA license will not help you. Like I said you can get a 6 month validation on the Canadian license in the eastern Caribbean but you must have the type you are going to fly on your license or at the very least 200 hour on that particular type if it is not actually written on your license. In St. Maarten it is a little different and possibly a little easier, they are under the Netherlands and will give a validation on their license as far as I know. There are two Islander operators out of St. Maarten and they have hired expats. I think they still want experience on the Islander, but who knows not as many people flying them anymore. The ECCAA which governs most of the eastern Caribbean favours JAA licenses or ICAO ones based in anywhere but north america. They are actually quite ignorant when it come to it as well. They will give a straight license to someone with a license from somewhere like Botswana of Fiji but won't touch the Canadian one. Go figure. Someone from Canada must have screwed one of the wives or something.

Other than that you will have to do their full license conversion which is quite a process. I wrote it about 7 years ago while flying down there but it has not changed yet. It is a set of 9 exams based on the old British commercial exams. Requires a good bit of studying. They are moving more towards ICAO but not very quickly in some regards.

Trix · Post by **Trix** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:32 am

There are many operators down here that are desperate for pilots. The are a few in AXA that need experienced Islander pilots asap. Also a couple of airlines in SXM that will be looking for the fall. All you need is your Canadian Licences (medical, radio etc.)....nothing more....time on type is required for the SXM operators only for the Dutch Licence waiver....but it doesnt have to be hundreds of hours on type, so not to worry about that.

Hope that helps...

Rudder Bug · Post by **Rudder Bug** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 2:26 pm

So what are AXA and SXM?

NWONT · Post by **NWONT** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 3:12 pm

Anquilla and St Maarten