Sunwing is hiring seasonal pilots

[aerosexual]

I wanted for Transport Canada to halt FLVC to foreign pilots for commercial revenue flying in Canada.
Instead, the Europeans put a halt to FLVCs for Canadian pilots going to Europe.

Nothing to report here. Canadian pilots are currently flying in Europe on FLVC's

I wanted for Transport Canada to crack down on European pilots who came to Canada on FLVCs and exceeded the 900 hours that their European licences allowed them to fly annually. Transport Canada refused to crack down, Martin Eley telling me in my face that this was no concern of his.
Instead, the Europeans cracked down on Canadian pilots going to work in Europe, insisting that they were bound by the 900 hour limit when they went over to Europe to work.

Nothing to report here. Transport Canada is responsible for their own jurisdiction and laws, same with the Europeans. When flying in another jurisdiction, the most restrictive rules take precedence. That is what is happening.

I wanted for Canada Customs to arrest or stop those foreign pilots who came over to Canada last year and did their line indoctrination although they did not have Canadian work permits.
Instead, UK customs arrested Canadian pilots going overseas.

Obviously your interpretation differs from that of the authorities, but you claim you are right and they are wrong. Repeatedly. Having said that, UK customs did not arrest Canadian pilots going overseas. They were detained upon arrival on a weekend when customs working at the time was unsure of how to proceed. The issue was resolved quickly, and the airplane and pilots worked the planned schedule. A hiccup but these things happen and they do not automatically infer negligence or some sort of shenanigans. Have you ever gone through secondary screening? Or been asked a few more questions than normal going through customs? Are you automatically guilty when that happens? Nonsense Gilles.

Everything seems to work backwards. And I realize that European authorities do what they are supposed to, while Canadian authorities seem to let everything slide.......

Stick to the facts Gilles. You are tiring because you are not really exposing anything here, but your tirades go on a huge tangent based on your self-interest, and some people seem to take it at face value.

Stick to the one-for-one and you'll go further.

[Old fella]

"Stroke ego elsewhere."


Kinda old for that, ego. Been around too long for that to bother me. I do stroke my wallet though, in the direction of companies that do not try to end run around country's citizens who are seeking employment......

Over and out!

[aerosexual]

"Stroke ego elsewhere."


Kinda old for that, ego. Been around too long for that to bother me. I do stroke my wallet though, in the direction of companies that do not try to end run around country's citizens who are seeking employment......

Over and out!

Then ya might not wanna support AC and WS, both of which make use of foreign pilots. WS with TCX 757's and previously North American 757's (maybe US pilots aren't foreign enough for you though). AC is using two EuroAtlantic Airways 767's for a while this summer as well. Of course let's not go into WS Encore and their new two-tier pay scheme where the regional pilots earn 80% of industry standard and are proud of that. At Air Canada we can go on and on and on about how they as a corporation twist the government's arm to get what they want. Again and again and again, at great cost to Canadian employees as well as taxpayers. Fantastic.

My dollar goes to the best product for the price for whatever trip I'm looking at. Truth be told, Air Transat gets more of my money than any other Canadian airline, and I have no problems with that. They have a reasonable product (excellent in Club), and as far as I can tell a solid operation with great crew.

[whipline]

kinda old for that Facts to the contrary. You were never flying on Sunwing. So why post? To show your Amex/visa was going elsewhere? Stroke away.

[Old fella]

Sunwing goes the extra "mile" with their foreign "requirements" - y'all know that.


http://www.news1130.com/2014/05/12/two- ... gn-pilots/

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Nothing to report here. Canadian pilots are currently flying in Europe on FLVC's

Not true. The foreign pilots who come as TFW to Canada fly Canadian Registered aircraft on Sunwing's OC with FLVC provided by Transport Canada.

The last time Canadians were allowed, with their Canadian licenses to go fly European Registered aircraft on a European FLV was in 2010 I believe, when Sunwing sent 12 pilots to Europe, Brussels based amoung others. That same year, Canjet also made its first attempt at doing reciprocity by sending about 10 pilots to Germany. That was the last year the Europeans allowed this.

Since then, Sunwing fell back on sending to Europe Canadian registered aircraft on the Sunwing O/C which deployed to Europe on Wet-leases, for which no FLV were required by European authorities, until Sept 2012 when they clamped down on that practice too. In the summer of 2013 and this year again, Sunwing wet-leases were able to deploy wet-lease to Europe on temporary waivers (please ask me to post proof and I will gladly oblige).

So, to summarize:
NO, the Europeans do not allow Canadian licensed pilots to fly European registered aircraft.
NO, the Europeans do not allow Canadian licensed pilots to fly Canadian registered aircraft on wet-lease to Europe either since Sept 2012 (I am the regulation that says so also if you need it) and Sunwing was only given a two year temporary waiver in order to avoid shell shock.

Next year, its over.

Nothing to report here. Transport Canada is responsible for their own jurisdiction and laws, same with the Europeans. When flying in another jurisdiction, the most restrictive rules take precedence. That is what is happening.

The most restrictive. So when a European licensed pilot, whose regulations allow them to fly a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year, come to Canada and is flying using a European licence and an FLVC he is restricted to the European 900 hours, not the 1200. But no one is looking. Martin Eley, the DG of Civil Aviation told me at an ALPA meeting that he does not enforce it. Lucky the European got word of it and decided to enforce it, not only for European pilots but for you guys also, when you deploy to Europe. Which explains why some of you guys were unable to deploy to Europe in the summer of 2013.

Having said that, UK customs did not arrest Canadian pilots going overseas. They were detained upon arrival on a weekend when customs working at the time was unsure of how to proceed. The issue was resolved quickly, and the airplane and pilots worked the planned schedule.

Not the way I heard it. But we'll leave it at that.

[Rogerdodger2]

So, to summarize:
NO, the Europeans do not allow Canadian licensed pilots to fly European registered aircraft.
NO, the Europeans do not allow Canadian licensed pilots to fly Canadian registered aircraft on wet-lease to Europe either since Sept 2012 (I am the regulation that says so also if you need it) and Sunwing was only given a two year temporary waiver in order to avoid shell shock.

Next year, its over.



Actually it's far from over. License recognition is in the works between the two sides. Since this is in the works exemptions will be granted until such time as the recognition is complete. Hate to burst your bubble Gilles.

This just shows that Gilles doesn't know as much as he thinks he does. His inside source is obviously someone with no information aside from the rumour mill. Hence the misinformation regarding the UK immigration.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Actually it's far from over. License recognition is in the works between the two sides. Since this is in the works exemptions will be granted until such time as the recognition is complete. .

EASA is in fact going in the exact opposite direction, hence the move to ban Europeans from flying N registered airplanes in EU airspace with a FAA license.

I think it is extremely unlikely EASA will agree to a permanent rule change which allows non EU pilots to fly in Europe. All of the proposed rule making is moving to force all air operators flying in Europe to only be able to use EU national pilots

[FL320]

rogerdoger2,
Let me correct: license recognition is in the talks between the two sides. I heard your boss saying that he is confident the recognition will be effective within the next 2 years, but I can assure you from reliable sources that this will not happen in the near future. Not within the next 5 years at least.
The Company should really start thinking about the alternatives now...

[timel]

A document I found.

Section 8

https://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2330/g-May2012_v6.pdf

[Gilles Hudicourt]

A document I found.

Section 8

https://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2330/g-May2012_v6.pdf

See paragraph 8.2

[LivingLife]

Yes, the Sunwing pilots were detained and it's my understanding that one of the pilots was refused entry to work in the UK! Obviously, proper paperwork wasn't filed or given to the pilots! Can someone elaborate on this?

[paddy]

Yes, the Sunwing pilots were detained and it's my understanding that one of the pilots was refused entry to work in the UK! Obviously, proper paperwork wasn't filed or given to the pilots! Can someone elaborate on this?

You are probably right. If one pilot is returned to Canada, obviously the company did not provide all pilots with proper paperwork. Or maybe the individual had something that the UK authorities didn't like on an individual level and he/she was returned to sort it out. I don't read this thread much but there seems to be a lot of inference going on. Make conclusions based on fact and your comments will hold more weight.

[Bucko]

Anyone heard anything? anyone get interview, job offer yet?

[tiscali]

I guess they were just calling people with jet time experience as far as ive been told...

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Anyone get a job offer so far ?

[whipline]

I'm surprised with our fairly recent internal announcements Gilles your posting what you are.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Some people informed me that they were interviewed.
Did anyone get hired ?

[aerosexual]

Polling people on AvCanada on whether they were hired by Sunwing is not the most accurate method. First ground school is not to start until August anyhow. It's still the middle of June. Sunwing will hire 50 or more seasonal Canadian pilots for the upcoming winter season.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

And 120 TFW pilots, including many captains.......

Flying a Boeing 737NG a captain is not rocket science for those with adequate flying experience.

I have never flown a Boeing 737. Yet next winter, Air Transat will operate 12 Boeing 737NGs and I will be flying one as Captain. I will do my Simulator, do three turns to the the Dominican Republic, Cuba or Mexico as Line indoctrination, do a Route Check and I will be released as Captain for the winter.

Anyone who has plenty of hours on a passenger jet of any kind, especially captain time, can do the same.

[aerosexual]

Nobody wants to see increased hiring of Canadian pilots at Sunwing more than Canadian pilots.

And Sunwing hired Direct Entry Captains in the past when required. Currently Sunwing does not require hiring Direct Entry Captains. Upgrades at Sunwing are done internally, and more upgrades are expected to be announced shortly.

Sunwing captains also go overseas on deployments. This has been covered in detail.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

Yes there are 66 Sunwing pilots overseas, including 36 captains.

Sunwing plans to have 37 B-737s next winter (I can quote Sunwing on that, it's no secret). That will require at least 222 captains if one counts a bare minimum of six captains for each aircraft.

How many of those will be Canadian ? Sunwing now has about 210 pilots in total.

[gonnabeapilot]

And 120 TFW pilots, including many captains.......

Flying a Boeing 737NG a captain is not rocket science for those with adequate flying experience.

I have never flown a Boeing 737. Yet next winter, Air Transat will operate 12 Boeing 737NGs and I will be flying one as Captain. I will do my Simulator, do three turns to the the Dominican Republic, Cuba or Mexico as Line indoctrination, do a Route Check and I will be released as Captain for the winter.

Anyone who has plenty of hours on a passenger jet of any kind, especially captain time, can do the same.

I AM a 737 Captain. Following your logic Gilles, I deserve to have that job at Air Transat next winter every bit as much as you do! You know... as long as you ignore the hiring process, the training process, the company's long term strategic vision, the seniority system, the pilots union, the CBA and numerous other factors... But hey, I have a pulse and I'm a pilot so therefore it is my right to be granted a Captain position on the 737 next winter at Air Transat provided I express just the slightest interest in doing so. (Or at least that is essentially what you are arguing is the case when it comes to Sunwing).

I'm curious Gilles.... if the number of TFW pilots stays at 120 in the coming years while the number of Canadian pilots deploying to Europe also reaches 120 and stays there creating a true 1:1 reciprocity, will you still be fighting your battle? I used to think the answer would be "no" and that we could agree that 1:1 reciprocity was the healthiest thing for pilots in Canadian aviation however as you make more and more posts like the one I quoted above, it makes me think that you are against seeing a single European pilot working in Canada as long as there is a guy sweeping a hangar floor somewhere in the country with dreams of flying a Navajo....

The number of Canadian pilots being hired by Sunwing continues to increase. The non-European flying for Sunwing continues to increase during the summer helping to drive the hiring. The ratio of Foreign Pilots to Canadian Pilots being used during the winter season continues to decrease (even though the number of pilots being used remains the same). 50 Canadians will be hired seasonally next winter to further decrease this ratio. These are all good things for Canadians. These are all proof that things are moving in the right direction and that we are close to achieving a good balance when it comes to 1:1 reciprocity with the Europeans.... Unless of course that no longer matters...

[aerosexual]

As I've said before, yes the numbers are skewed right now. They used to favour Sunwing pilots, now they favour foreign pilots, partly because we didn't deploy the number of pilots the company wanted. But the numbers are quickly aligning themselves. Things don't happen overnight. But Sunwing continues to hire more Canadian pilots than ever. This is a good thing.

Nobody wants to see the numbers balanced and more Canadian pilots hired than Sunwing pilots. This is thankfully happening.

[Gilles Hudicourt]

I AM a 737 Captain. Following your logic Gilles, I deserve to have that job at Air Transat next winter every bit as much as you do!

No you don't. You have weird logic I'm afraid.

But when compared to a TFW 737 pilot, definitely yes. How could Transat favor a TFW pilot over you ?

I am for one to one reciprocity. Sunwing sent 4 wet-leases to Europe this summer.
Sunwing recently applied to the CTA for 4 wet-leases for Travel Service to come to Canada next winter. If the CTA approves it, which they probably will, reciprocity is achieved. And I would accept it if it stayed at that.

But the 120 TFW pilots that Sunwing will ask for through the LMO process will be above and beyond the the 1:1 reciprocity.

You can twist and skew the facts all you want, Sunwing plans on bringing in 120 TFW pilot above what reciprocity would allow, if that was what this issue was all about.