Decision time....

[bcflyer]

low-middle seniority guys looking at overseas gigs

Its one thing to talk big and look at the contracts that are out there, its quite another to actually quit and go overseas. (since there are no leaves being offered that is the only option) I would be very surprised to see more than a couple guys leave.

[yycflyguy]

low-middle seniority guys looking at overseas gigs

Its one thing to talk big and look at the contracts that are out there, its quite another to actually quit and go overseas. (since there are no leaves being offered that is the only option) I would be very surprised to see more than a couple guys leave.

The next 4 months will be very telling. I think you underestimate the number of guys willing to do it.

If I was between the ages of 55-60 it would be an easy decision to take early retirement and take an overseas contract. Double dip for the last 5-10 years of your career. There are around 400 guys in that demographic alone.

[flytdeck]

And I am one of those guys! Left AC early and now working the Gulf. Nice to be operating an aircraft with an airline that has extensive financial security and is willing to invest some of those funds into the operation. It is hard work compared to AC, but have a great place to live and fascinating flying with passenger/cargo mix. Frustrating at times, but this is a relatively new airline and suffering management and operational growing pains.

Everyone had different needs and objectives. This choice is not for everyone. Personally, I was unable to watch the airline I joined deteriorate further. As mentioned earlier in this thread, it is devolving from a flag carrier to a profit unit entity designed to keep labour costs low and executive salaries high. As the devolution increases, units will be outsourced with greater frequency until the core can be disposed of and employee obligations discarded. There will certainly always be an Air Canada, just not the airline I joined those many years ago.

It may just be that the LCC unit will eventually replace the core which would minimize disruptions. The two units will certainly be played against each other, much as JetStar is played against Qantas. The higher relative wages and the pension deficit are large incentives to have the core entity on the discard list. Less for the employees, more for executives.

There will always be a demand for wide-body drivers. Compared to narrow body equipment though, the market is limited. If one times it just right, then there could be a long and successful career flying large aircraft long distances. For those somewhat risk averse individuals, likely left seat time on a narrow body aircraft such as the A320 or B737 will lead you to more opportunities and likely more security. More workdays than widebody and harsher working conditions, but more opportunities in the expanding global economy. Keep in mind that there are a lot of overseas jobs at the moment, but only until locals are trained and up to speed. In some countries this is likely to happen sooner rather than later (or never in the case of Gulf carriers).

Risk Averse or Risk Taker? Hard choices but have all the facts in had before making a jump from a secure berth. Make sure that you think about the lifestyle changes that a new position engenders and that it is compatible with not just you, but your family. Getting opinions of this forum is certainly a good start, but we all have a fairly narrow perspective depending on our backgrounds, so dig further and deeper. Good Luck!

[yycflyguy]

Great post Flytdeck.

[Joe Blow Schmo]

It used to be that EMJ commands were available in about a year. With the apparent departure of the EMJs, I guess that will no longer be the case, but perhaps the new junior command will be at LCC. My advise to anybody going to AC, or any airline for that matter, is to take the first available command! Once you do that, you can pretty much write your own ticket. As stated above, FO experience is virtually useless in the international market! Command time is golden! The highest paying contract jobs available at the moment are on the A320. Why? because there are literally thousands of them on order and being delivered to airlines around Asia and they don't have any experienced captains to fly them. Knowing you have that option to fall back on sure makes that LCC A319 command job a whole lot more attractive.

Those of you sitting as widebody cruisers or senior FOs because you get a few extra days off a month better hope nothing else bad happens to AC because you are not marketable outside of Canada. At Asian airlines your job is being done by a 22 year old with 250 hours. As such FO experience is not respected. Even if you want to go to the permanent jobs in Asia (EK, EY, QR, etc) you will be competing with European LCC captains who are in there mid to late 20s or early 30s.

[stockholm syndrome]

Nobody knows where any company will be in a few years. Ya pays your money and makes yer choice.
My only advice is at the end of he day life style is the only thing that matters.

Pistons nailed it. With so much uncertainty across the board, lifestyle means a lot. I had the AC option in the spring and decided to turn it down with nothing on the horizon and was content in my 704 gig (gambling on not getting a call from one of the other players in the 705 world). As fate would have it, I got the call and it turned out to be a great opportunity. Given the option of living in YYZ dealing with all of what goes with that job or being home most nights flying a -700NG and drinking beers on my own deck most nights, it was a no-brainer. Of course not everyone gets the same choice, but for me it was the right one. At the end of the day, take the job that provides you with the best lifestyle and quality of life. Do what's best for you with the options you have and you will be happy.

[flytdeck]

At the end of the day, take the job that provides you with the best lifestyle and quality of life. Do what's best for you with the options you have and you will be happy.

Not sure the Wardair, Nationair, or CanJet pilots would agree with you. Being a professional pilot has always required some compromises. Lifestyle and quality of life must be balanced against security and safety, at least at SOME point.

In the meantime.... party on !

[sportingrifle]

On the most recent bid, 8 junior/new hire pilots bailed. There have been (according to my flight manager) a few no shows for the PIT course.

Re: planning for the failure of the airline by getting PIC time. If you want to go overseas, there is no doubt that 600 hours PIC on type is your ticket.While there are FO jobs out there, you will probably be a long time upgrading, if ever.

Realistically however, if you are working for AC, you will almost assuradely have a job of some sort. If (and it probably will) the place craters, it will be the usual painful restructuring with a pay cut, degradation of working conditions, and possibly the elimination or reduction of a pension. But you will have a job. Without the toilet bowl blue airplanes flying, the economy of the whole country takes a savage beating. (Our cargo keeps businesses and factories supplied, short lived drugs in stock, etc.) WJ, Transat, et all couldn't pick up the slack fast enough. And even if Big Red did really die, the aforementioned would be trying to expand like crazy and hiring people to fly the airplanes. So in the end, you don't need PIC time stay employed, it just might be employment in a much less desirable job than you presently have. But balenced against uprooting a family and moving to a "culturally challenging" country, many prefer to sit tight. It's all about personal prioroties.

Cheers sportingrifle