Hi all, new to the forum so I am sure this has been asked before, but I had a couple questions in regards to being an American flying for a foreign carrier. Does anyone here have any experience with this? I know Europe has different licensing than FAA but do other continents or countries recognize FAA credentials? Also, what is the likelihood of being an American hired at a foreign carrier? Any insight be it anecdotal or otherwise would be much appreciated!
Cooper,
Many years ago when the economy tanked I came very close to going to fly in China (fortunately I didn’t). There’s currently a worldwide pilot shortage but the only really tricky places are Europe and Australia which really just leaves the Middle East and Asia. If you have a desire to fly in either both have very simple conversion processes. The biggest downside to most is that the pay, work rules and regulations are very weak compared to the US. With that in mind, getting hired there is relatively easy depending on the carrier.
Adam
Cooper,
It really all depends on the airline, the country, and their needs. Some Asian and African carriers are known for hiring American pilots, while European airlines are not. From my understanding it is not terribly difficult to get hired at one of these types of foreign carriers, once you have experience. I will add that almost everybody I know who has gone to fly for a foreign carrier has eventually returned to the US.
Chris