Should you consider an overseas carrier?
Talk to the senior pilots on the line at the legacy carriers and they will say that "It just ain't like it used to be." To survive, the airlines have had to squeeze all the employees, from the flight deck to the ramp crew. As a result, the prestige seems to have dissipated along with the pay and the benefits. Many major-airline pilots, once revered by their employers, now feel that they enjoy little more status than a New York cab driver. Of course, there were thousands of jet pilots who were escorted out the door directly to the unemployment office when the economic situation was exacerbated by a decline in traffic following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
There are corners of this universe in which airline pilots are still cherished and compensated accordingly for their expertise. To find these places, you might need to consider the prospect of a flying career outside the good ol' U.S. of A.
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal indicates that perhaps Cathay Pacific Airways, Air China, Singapore Airlines, Emirates Airlines, All Nippon Airways, JAL, and Air Deccan should join FedEx and Southwest on the "A" list.
The WSJ article found that, while economic conditions in the United States have compelled air carriers to downsize their fleets and crews, other markets such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, China, and India are experiencing a new affluence and favorable aviation regulations. This has led to new start-up airlines, new route structures for existing airlines, and hundreds of new jets being ordered from Boeing and Airbus.
According to WSJ, despite the situation in the States, there is a genuine shortage of well-trained pilots globally. Boeing is thinking that its fleet of flying machinery will expand to more than 35,000 units in 2024. Thus, according to the makers of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, there could be a worldwide demand for pilots at a rate of 18,000 annually through 2024.
Even CNN has focused its coverage on the situation. On its Web-based news service, the headlines blared: "Wanted: Foreign Pilots in China." According to the news network, the China Daily newspaper quoted a Chinese aviation official as stating that the number of passenger planes in China is expected to double to 1,600 in the next five years. The best guess by a Chinese regulator speculates that every 100 new airplanes launched in China would require 1,000 extra pilots, but the limited number of Chinese flight schools can only produce about 600 pilots annually.
In light of these projections, it is expected that China alone will require more than 35,000 new cockpit crewmembers over the next 20 years, while the rest of Asia will need more than 56,000. The bottom line: These countries simply cannot train enough pilots to fulfill the demand, and they most assuredly cannot produce enough seasoned captains.
The effects of the demand are being felt already and, candidly, U.S. pilots are slow to react to the hiring bonanza that is taking place worldwide. Stateside pilots typically do not look beyond the borders for work, unlike Brits and Aussies, who will go anywhere work is to be had.
The WSJ article reports that "Norwegians and Venezuelans are flying in China; Egyptians and Russians in India; Jamaicans and Iranians for a Japanese carrier. Four out of five pilots at Qatar Airways are foreign. More than seventy Philippine Airlines pilots have quit since 2003 for better-paying jobs elsewhere. Etihad Airways, a new airline based in Abu Dhabi, says its No. 1 source of pilots is Malaysia. India's fleet of startup carriers was so plagued by pilot poaching that the government last year began requiring pilots to serve at least six months at one carrier before moving on." At India's Jet Airways, 111 of its 685 pilots are foreign. Air Deccan has 75 foreign pilots among its roster of 250.
Yes, but what is life like as an aviator for a foreign carrier? The WSJ tells of 51-year-old Brian Murray, who took early retirement from US Airways. He faced bankruptcy for the second time when the airline went bust. Murray took a position flying Airbus A330s for Emirates Airlines. This pilot doesn't do O'Hare, Kennedy, and Los Angeles International. He is flying to exotic spots throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. He claims that he is home more than he ever was at the old airline and his compensation plan includes health care, a housing allowance, retirement plan, and vacation. Murray says that the family is enjoying life in the UAE and, "from a professional standpoint, it couldn't be better."
There are stories of airline crews being parked at five-star hotels during overnighters and taxied to and from the airport in limos. Some airlines treat their pilots as executives. Really!
What about the paycheck? The salary structure does vary quite a bit for pilots but actually can exceed those of U.S. carriers.
William Goodwin is a beneficiary of the new reality. After riding the ups and downs of two airline bankruptcies, he ended up flying 747s for Korean Air. He takes home $152,000 after taxes. A former first officer at Northwest took a job with Japan Airlines subsidiary JALways as a contractor. He earned $105,000 as a first officer last year. India's Air Deccan will pay a captain anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000 monthly. This compares quite favorably to Northwest Airlines' pay structure, which antes up $9,000 per month to a DC-9 captain, while a United Airlines captain will earn about $15,000 monthly to fly the heaviest iron.
So, what's it going to take to capture one of these cherry jobs? Surprisingly, any regional airline or corporate jet jock could qualify for most positions after a couple of years. Cathay Pacific stipulates that first officers have 1,000 hours of time in a jet transport, turboprop, or high-performance military aircraft and a first class medical. Emirates Airlines will take a look at you if you have acquired 4,000 hours of flight time and 2,000 hours of multi-crew jet experience.
Saudi Arabian Airlines requires for first officer new hires a total of 4,000 hours, including 3,000 jet hours. That may put you into a 747 or an MD-11. Over at Air China, the published minimums for a first officer position are a low 1,500 hours. A type rating is especially helpful but not required. Air India indicates that it will accept trainee pilots with a commercial pilot certificate with instrument and multiengine ratings.
Bear in mind that there could be other conditions of employment, such as obtaining a license or certificate from a nation's aviation authority or earning the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ATPL pilot license. However, these stipulations are not insurmountable.
Of course, there are skeptics, and it would be wise to at least consider their opinions.
The WSJ has learned that "some out-of-work U.S. pilots balk at going overseas for family reasons. Some hope to be recalled by U.S. carriers and don't want to give up their seniority rights. Duane Woerth, president of the Airline Pilots Associations (ALPA), says foreign carriers are interested in senior pilots, not junior ones. He worries about the "brain drain" and whether foreign carriers are using U.S. pilots only temporarily until they can staff up with their own citizens. But "our guys are warming up to it," he says. "This one looks like a permanent structural shift."
There is another aspect to this new paradigm, and that is the need for basic flight training in places like the Pacific Rim. As such, U.S.-based training organizations such as Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology are considering opening overseas flight schools. It is then possible for adventurous flight instructors to embrace the international opportunities that are becoming more and more apparent.
No doubt, hugging loved ones goodbye to embark upon an ambitious overseas career path is daunting and certainly not for everyone. Think about adjusting to cultural differences as well as spending Christmas in Beijing. But, also remember those early American pioneers who had the courage and stamina to chase the awaiting opportunities on the frontier of the Old West. For those who can muster that same spirit, there just might be an exciting and rewarding flying career in foreign service.
Wayne Phillips is an airline transport pilot with a Boeing 737 type rating. He is a B-737 instructor and operates the Airline Training Orientation Program in association with Continental Airlines. He is an aviation safety consultant in Michigan and speaker for the AOPA Air Safety Foundation.
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