Being competitive in the foreign market.

[LegoMan]

With the foreign market requiring first officers with type ratings +500 on type and captains with PIC time on type, how can Canadian pilots interested in working overseas make themselves competitive. How is a 3000 hour turboprop captain going to compete with a 1500hr European with a type rating and 1000hrs on type?

We all know the self sponsoring type rating rant, but lets get real, we are not talking about Canada here, we are talking about an industry in which many areas of the world (Middle East, Asia, Europe and even the U.S.) are looking for typed pilots. Since we don't put 200 hour wonders in the right seat of A320s and 737s, how are we suppose to apply to a foreign carrier with any confidence that we have a shot? A friend of mine applied for an SO jobs at CX and got an interview. Made it to second stage and got a PFO letter. He told me he was applying with guys several years younger and jet ratings with tons of FO time.

Suggestions?

[Panama Jack]

Well, the fact of the matter is a turboprop guy won't be competative against another pilot with a type rating and 1000 hours time-on-type. That is beyond the entire self-sponsored type rating arguement and more one of supply and demand.

In Canada, a guy who goes out and buys an A320 type rating, but has no time on type, still doesn't stand many good prospects for work in Canada or even abroad. The problem, in Canada, is an oversupply of pilots, and a very ill industry which, in part, is due to the Canadian Government's misguided aeropolitical policies.

The result is that lower time pilots are told "you have to pay your dues." The problem is that some never ever get beyond paying their dues.

[Churrasco]

Pilots tend to look solely at their hours and type ratings to guage their competitiveness against other pilot candidates. This tends to oversimplify the hiring process and its considerations. I look at the whole package and I have often elected not to hire the candidate with a relevant type rating and experience in favour of a candidate with a superior attitude, education and a proven ability to learn even though he or she has no time on type.

Sadly, on background and reference checks my staff often discover that candidates have not been truthful - these candidates are immediately removed from consideration.

A professional demeanor, post secondary education (with excellent grades), cordial disposition and the ability to quickly learn are far more important than 1000 hours on type and none of these qualities. If you have these qualities, we believe we can teach you to successfully fly the type.

[loopa]

The problem is that some never ever get beyond paying their dues.

And why do you suspect that is the case?

[LegoMan]

Thanks everyone for your input, some very valid points. I have found in my personal experience that most companies are very approachable and tend to hire alot based on attitude. However the larger companies with HR departments or companies using agencies to hire, you really have very little influence on having your resume getting noticed and they tend to go by the hours and type ratings. In my honest opinion to get past that stage of paying dues is all about who you know and a lot of luck, because its usually not a pilot that is selecting, but a tiny little old lady behind a desk.

[Panama Jack]

The problem is that some never ever get beyond paying their dues.

And why do you suspect that is the case?

For the reasons I mentioned in my post.