Transferring to flight operations department

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ellinas
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Transferring to flight operations department

Post by ellinas »

Hello Air Canada employees.

I am an employee of Air Canada the past 32 years working in under the wing departments and I’m also a licenced pilot that has as you can say not quite given up on maybe obtaining a pilot job. I’ve been flying on and off for over 30 years but my flight time is under 1000 hours.

Is there a process that if I obtain some more flight time can I transfer to the flight department pilot group and continue accruing seniority company wise not pilot wise.

Only because of the pilot shortage I thought I’d try one more time becoming an air canada pilot instead of retiring from my below the wing job and finding something else to fly.

Your thoughts would be appreciated
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altiplano
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Re: Transferring to flight operations department

Post by altiplano »

1000 hours or so won't get you into a flying job at AC (military excluded) and there is no "transfer" to flight ops.

If you are serious at trying, I would see if you can get an LOA from your AC position and get a job flying at Jazz, pile on some time for a couple years and then try to get to mainline. In all respects you would join as a new hire pilot, but you may be able to transfer your service date for pass travel.
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ellinas
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Re: Transferring to flight operations department

Post by ellinas »

altiplano wrote: Mon Aug 01, 2022 9:21 pm 1000 hours or so won't get you into a flying job at AC (military excluded) and there is no "transfer" to flight ops.

If you are serious at trying, I would see if you can get an LOA from your AC position and get a job flying at Jazz, pile on some time for a couple years and then try to get to mainline. In all respects you would join as a new hire pilot, but you may be able to transfer your service date for pass travel.
Thank you for reaching out much appreciated.

Getting a LOA at my present AC position is impossible as we know the staff shortage is here an they won’t grant me.

My whole idea is to gain enough experience at Jazz if I can get in and then get the AC pilot position without losing “company seniority”.

So it sounds for me that as I’m eligible to retire next year , I retire and pursue a separate altogether pilot position at Jazz while receiving whatever pension I’ll be getting .
Thanks for your assistance altiplano
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TalkingPie
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Re: Transferring to flight operations department

Post by TalkingPie »

I inquired about this same thing with management prepandemic and discovered that the company has no interest in advancing employees' pilot goals. Just apply on the portal when you meet the requirements like everyone else.

Speaking to pilots I learned that there are apparently a couple of stories of employees who managed to snag an educational LOA and accrue enough hours at Jazz or elsewhere and then became pilots at AC without breaking their employment. I agree that it would be very difficult to manage that at the best of times, and especially now with the current staff shortage.

If you're eligible for your defined benefit pension next year, doing that and then pursuing being a commercial pilot on your own terms strikes me as the most realistic way to go.
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ellinas
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Re: Transferring to flight operations department

Post by ellinas »

TalkingPie wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 9:22 pm I inquired about this same thing with management prepandemic and discovered that the company has no interest in advancing employees' pilot goals. Just apply on the portal when you meet the requirements like everyone else.

Speaking to pilots I learned that there are apparently a couple of stories of employees who managed to snag an educational LOA and accrue enough hours at Jazz or elsewhere and then became pilots at AC without breaking their employment. I agree that it would be very difficult to manage that at the best of times, and especially now with the current staff shortage.

If you're eligible for your defined benefit pension next year, doing that and then pursuing being a commercial pilot on your own terms strikes me as the most realistic way to go.
Thank you for reaching out much appreciated, I wonder if I can get an educational LOA but in today’s staffing situation I hardly doubt it.

Yes it sounds like I have to juggle both my job at AC and finding a small flying gig till my remaining months at AC are due when I can retire.

Fly safe !
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Curiousflyer
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Re: Transferring to flight operations department

Post by Curiousflyer »

As others have said what you’re trying to pursue may be close to impossible. So might I recommend two different options?

Retire from AC and try to get I’m at Jazz, then just plan to stay at Jazz for the remainder of your career. There are many young pilots planning to flow from Jazz to AC, which leaves an opportunity for older folks to have good pay and good schedule

Or

Go into corporate flying. The experience is great and you’ll get exposed to an entirely different level of aviation. You can also fly corporate past 65 in most circumstances.
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ellinas
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Re: Transferring to flight operations department

Post by ellinas »

Curiousflyer wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 7:52 am As others have said what you’re trying to pursue may be close to impossible. So might I recommend two different options?

Retire from AC and try to get I’m at Jazz, then just plan to stay at Jazz for the remainder of your career. There are many young pilots planning to flow from Jazz to AC, which leaves an opportunity for older folks to have good pay and good schedule

Or

Go into corporate flying. The experience is great and you’ll get exposed to an entirely different level of aviation. You can also fly corporate past 65 in most circumstances.
Thank you for reaching out much appreciated, I agree totally with you as I will be very happy just grind at Jazz especially my age (50s) or even the corporate way. I know that a lot of the young guys and gals want to get that Jazz experience and move in to bigger planes but that’s not me.

My dilemma is to maximize my AC pension I still have about 14 months left so I can’t leave till then.

If I get to Jazz which is my direction before I retire I just have to try and juggle both temporarily.

Here goes! I just hope that my age won’t play such a huge factor in getting hired at Jazz .

Thanks again
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