OT: Chinese Airline Companies offering $300k+ for pilots….

[joec]

Do you still need 20/20 vision to be a pilot? Also, are a lot of pilots ex-military pilots?

I always wanted to be a pilot, but thought there was a vision restriction (there wasn’t lasik 30 years ago)…

I think all jobs have their downsides…being a pilot seems better than most jobs out there I’d guess.

[svelte]

[quote=flyer]The nice thing about being an airline pilot, at least for me, is that for many years I’ve been able to bid a schedule that allows me to work only about 8 days a month at full compensation with union benefits, which has left me with a great deal of time to pursue other interests–family, real estate investment projects, film investment projects, etc.–So no complaints here.[/quote]

One of my buddies does the same thing for American…doesn’t work much because of the way he bids for flights. But…he is on call like every weekend. When we go out, he can’t drink because he’d have to go in on a moment’s notice.

I bet you have a similar downside…gotta stay tethered and sober.

[Anonymous]

[quote=svelte]I bet you have a similar downside…gotta stay tethered and sober.[/quote]

No downsides for flyer. They created this radio station just for him:

http://blog.siriusxm.com/2015/08/17/yacht-rock/

[givdrvr]

Most pilots flying for US Carriers would not see 300K until 20+ years on the job. These Chinese jobs are game changers because the employer is paying the employee’s income tax bill, effectively they are earning 450K+ compared to US pilot colleagues.

[flyer]

joe, as long as your vision can be corrected to 20/20 with glasses or contacts, you would be eligible for a 1st Class FAA Medical Certificate, which would make you eligible to fly as a civilian professional pilot.

In our case, my wife and I always wanted to be available to our kids when they were growing up, and since real estate and film investments have worked out so well, there was never a need (or any interest) in moving or commuting abroad for a flying career.

That said, I understand how the Chinese jobs would be enticing, and I hope those pilots, and everyone, for that matter, make millions in whatever career path they choose.

[Coronita]

[quote=givdrvr]Most pilots flying for US Carriers would not see 300K until 20+ years on the job. These Chinese jobs are game changers because the employer is paying the employee’s income tax bill, effectively they are earning 450K+ compared to US pilot colleagues.[/quote]

The interesting part will happen when we see companies like Huawei throwing a bigger bone to the former Cisco employees. I’ve been hearing about some interesting compensation packages coming out of there. Well, I guess people complaining about US company jobs being “stolen” by foreigners can complain less, once foreign companies start paying better than U.S. companies, skills/tech transfer issues aside. Globalization isn’t all doom and gloom. It’s great for folks with skills in demand. It’s the only way companies will be able to catch up quickly.

Show me the money.

[mixxalot]

Unfortunately database jobs are not paying better overseas yet than here in the USA.

[Coronita]

[quote=mixxalot]Unfortunately database jobs are not paying better overseas yet than here in the USA.[/quote]

You are way oversimplifying technology jobs. If you can’t the difference between a “programmer” versus architect or software engineering, then there’s a problem right there.

[gzz]

The reason there is a shortage and some airlines are having to have pay packages of $500,000 for experienced pilots is getting the experience pays crap.

—Some U.S. regional airlines pay $25,000 or less, according to the Air Line Pilots Association, representing more than 52,000 pilots in the U.S. and Canada.—

I don’t think $25,000 is too common, but even at $40,000, you think paying back private flight lessons is going to be cheap or easy? Some newly licensed pilots cannot find any work. Airlines want documented flight hours, nobody wants a new pilot, and jet fuel is expensive.

But every airline with jumbo jets wants the same limited pool of ex USAF guys who’ve been flying since their teens and are now late 30’s to mid-40’s and have spotless records.

The situation is especially bad now because the people most in demand would have started around 1990-1995, when the airlines were going down the tubes and half or more filed for bankruptcy. Also a period of USAF cutting back because of the end of the Cold War and base realignment.

[flyer]

Good points gzz.

Many of us in the 50+ crowd who were lucky enough to be hired by a major carrier from day one have had a very positive experience that most of us wouldn’t change for the world, but I can’t imagine becoming a pilot today.

The cost of education and training, combined with the low pay for most who have to start with regional airlines, makes it easy to understand why there is a shortage of pilots, and, as you said, the amazing offers being made are not going to the newbies.

In my circle of pilot friends, most of us get at least two calls a week from foreign carriers looking for at least 10,000 hours on the jumbos, hoping we’ll jump ship, but none of us would ever give up our seniority which allows us to fly about 8 days a month for about the same compensation as what they’re offering. That, along with the other investments most of us have, would not make it worth it for us, and that is the problem these airlines are running into when they try to recruit experienced pilots.

It will be interesting to see how the airlines deal with this, and what the impact will be on travel going forward.

[Anonymous]

[quote=gzz]But every airline with jumbo jets wants the same limited pool of ex USAF guys […][/quote]

What, Navy pilots are no good?

😉

[joec]

flyer, how did you get into flying (the training/hours/career/etc)?

I suppose living a sheltered immigrant Asian lifestyle, the military or flying thing would be impossible for me…

I did learn a musical instrument and studied engineering….

[flyer]

joe, as a kid growing up in LJ, I was always interested in flying, and when the grandparents offered to send all of us to college, we had the opportunity to choose our field of interest, and I chose aviation.

Received my degree in Aerospace Engineering, as well as pilot training and flight hours from an Aeronautical University, Embry-Riddle, dubbed the “Harvard of the sky,” and was hired by a major carrier right out of college.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve really enjoyed the career, as it is one of the few that, as you achieve seniority, allows you a lot of free time to devote to the family, and to pursue other goals and interests in conjunction with flying.

Sounds like you’ve done very well for yourself with your background, and later in life, when you have more time, after your family is raised, you might want to get your private pilots license. There are lots of schools here in San Diego, so that’s something you might consider.

[mixxalot]

H1b and outsourcing of STEM engineering jobs to India and China has severely impacted American engineers! That is fact which you cannot deny. In USA and Europe, there are still good jobs but not that many.

[flu]

[quote=mixxalot]H1b and outsourcing of STEM engineering jobs to India and China has severely impacted American engineers! That is fact which you cannot deny. In USA and Europe, there are still good jobs but not that many.[/quote]

Grunt work implementation, yes. Design and architecture and cutting edge R&D, not even close. Move up or move out.

Most of IT really isn’t cutting edge engineering. The bulk of it is run the business.

[Author]

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