Are you willing to relocate globally for 200k-300k per year Captain position?

Are you willing to relocate?

  • Yes, give it a try

    Votes: 30 62.5%
  • No, prefer within my country

    Votes: 11 22.9%
  • No idea

    Votes: 7 14.6%

  • Total voters
    48
Right out of college, I relocated internationally for a small fraction of 200K, but I knew it was for 6 months and then it was back to Georgia where the factory was under construction. Engineering occasionally has opportunities like that, and I took advantage of it.

At this point in my life, it would take >300K, with a guaranteed return date, continued employment after return, and not be to the 3rd world. Two year max, with serious perks. There has to be some payback for what I'm sacrificing by going away; as a youngster, I gained by moving, so it's not a straight comparison. Asking an airline captain to give up his seniority number would take serious inducement . . . . Financial and otherwise.
 
Well, a gig with Vietnam Airlines would be more my speed. I have a few friends that fly for them. However, these days experienced Western pilots are being phased out by local 'cruits trained from the ground up on the simulator, going directly in to the right seat of an Airbus without ever having flown a real airplane prior. And hand flying isn't a thing for them.

Dare I ask where they get their captains then?
 
Isn’t an Asian carrier with big pay and bigger retirement bonuses where Rotor and Wing wandered off to, in their training department or somesuch?

He had some nightmare stories of cultural differences making his training job really tough as I recall.
 
Isn’t an Asian carrier with big pay and bigger retirement bonuses where Rotor and Wing wandered off to, in their training department or somesuch?

He had some nightmare stories of cultural differences making his training job really tough as I recall.

Yes and yes. He's not there anymore. I believe he got fed up.
 
I get at least 3 emails from these guys every month asking me to come work for them (form letter type invites).

He hasn’t been around in quite some time, but I believe Rotor & Wing did something like this.
 
I have a friend who's a FedEx captain and he moved his family to Hong Kong for a few years and everybody did quite well in the deal (especially broadening for his kids).
 
I have a friend who does this exact thing. He has an apartment in Hong Kong that he lives in while he works. I think he said he goes over for 2 weeks and has 3 off. Has done very well for him self money wise.
 
Isnt 2 or 300 kinda low for captain. Family with southwest and american hit mid 300s most years.
 
Isnt 2 or 300 kinda low for captain. Family with southwest and american hit mid 300s most years.

While true, it will be 15+ years before they reach that point where as these airlines are offering that as starting pay.
 
While true, it will be 15+ years before they reach that point where as these airlines are offering that as starting pay.

What happens when/if they come back? Back into an FO spot at a major for 80k?
 
What happens when/if they come back? Back into an FO spot at a major for 80k?

Pretty much. Seniority is everything. It's that or they pick up a corporate job where you are paid on experience and not just time with the company.
 
Isnt 2 or 300 kinda low for captain. Family with southwest and american hit mid 300s most years.
Pilots aren't leaving SWA, AAL, DAL, or UAL for these jobs. They are leaving Southern, Western Global, National, Kalitta, etc., or regional airlines. If they had an offer from any of the top-paying US airlines they wouldn't be going.

If you're interested in what it's like as an expat pilot in China, take a look at this post and the free e-book to which it links.

https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/1929441-post1.html

Direct link to the ebook download: https://www92.zippyshare.com/v/rRE4ARC2/file.html

The book is amateurish, biased, unprofessional, and poorly written but it presents a story that, even if only half true, is downright frightening regarding the state of aviation within China. Hereby notified.
 
I just asked my wife if I should go to China for a year if it meant earning a mil after taxes.
She said "no way"
I guess that means I'm good in...



...the garage, at fixing household things, cars, mowers and
the house, at household chores / repairs / painting etc
 
I just asked my wife if I should go to China for a year if it meant earning a mil after taxes.
She said "no way"
I guess that means I'm good in...



...the garage, at fixing household things, cars, mowers and
the house, at household chores / repairs / painting etc

You need to screw up a major home remodel then! Challenge accepted!
 
Why would you say that?

Someone said their FOs were trained in sims, and put directly into the right seat where they (I assume) get told to engage AP at 200agl and disengage just before touchdown... ?
 
Someone said their FOs were trained in sims, and put directly into the right seat where they (I assume) get told to engage AP at 200agl and disengage just before touchdown... ?
Well keep in mind the sim isn’t really anything like a GA sim. It’s a real sim. Also I’m betting they hand fly a bit more than described. Most important imo is they hand fly the landings and takeoffs. Hand flying during other phases is easier than the automation imo.
The hard part of hand flying takes place in the sim, at least for the Bus. Doing an approach in direct law is not easy.
 
Someone said their FOs were trained in sims, and put directly into the right seat where they (I assume) get told to engage AP at 200agl and disengage just before touchdown... ?

Don't be ridiculous. They engage the autopilot at 400 AGL and do autoland. Sheesh!!
 
I have a friend who's a FedEx captain and he moved his family to Hong Kong for a few years and everybody did quite well in the deal (especially broadening for his kids).
Totally different deal than what’s being asked here. Your friend was still working for a US company staffed with US pilots on the FedEx seniority list. He was just in HK on a Foreign Duty Assignement, and still covered by the FedEx Collective Bargaining Agreement.
 
and still covered by the FedEx Collective Bargaining Agreement.

This from what I've heard is one of the problems with the airlines there, no Union so no protection from company abuse and practices.

Airline I flew at operated in Vietnam for a couple of years. Those who went over were still on our seniority list, basically a leave of absence flying CRJ 700 or 900s, don't recall. When they returned they resumed flying for us. They all enjoyed it.
 
Only Airline I’d fly for is North Korean Air. Great benefits.
 
Well keep in mind the sim isn’t really anything like a GA sim. It’s a real sim. Also I’m betting they hand fly a bit more than described. Most important imo is they hand fly the landings and takeoffs. Hand flying during other phases is easier than the automation imo.
The hard part of hand flying takes place in the sim, at least for the Bus. Doing an approach in direct law is not easy.

I am told that they will divert to another airport in CAVU weather if the ILS/WAAS approach is out of service at the destination airport. The Air Asiana accident at SFO is an example of a crew not prepared to execute a visual approach.
 
I am told that they will divert to another airport in CAVU weather if the ILS/WAAS approach is out of service at the destination airport. The Air Asiana accident at SFO is an example of a crew not prepared to execute a visual approach.

Sumting wong about that.
 
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