International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Looking for some info on converting to or from an Aussie Flight Crew License?
Uncle Chop Chop
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International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby Uncle Chop Chop » Tue Jan 2 2007, 00:02

Happpy new year chaps :D

Just wondering about international low hour jobs, has anyone had any collegues or training buddies that have gone o/s and cracked into the international market ?

I realise that most operators would prefer to use their own citizens over an imigrant to employ, however what countries and what kind of low time did they have ??

I understand that Canada seems popular with Aussies & Kiwis, also due to licence conversions & the US seems to have a straight forward licence conversion process as well.

(I also understand that half the problem is getting a visa to work)

Cheers !
Ray McCooney
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Postby Ray McCooney » Tue Jan 2 2007, 01:07

Only ones that I know are a few blokes who have got work in Canada. They had around 1000 to 1500 moved there for the summer season and worked here during the Canadian winter. Got sponsored by a helicopter company over there if I remember correctly. Anyway I've lost contact with them so I cant find out anymore information but It can be done.
On another note, I really think there are great prospects for new pilots in Australia at the moment, lots of operators seem to be looking for staff.
Cheers
Ray
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Postby Ace Rimmer » Tue Jan 2 2007, 04:37

I trained with a guy who went to Canada with a freshly minted license. I think he had some contacts out there.

I'm not sure what the visa requirements are, but a chat with the Canadian embassy should tell you.
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Postby OzCan » Tue Jan 2 2007, 06:34

Check out www.whpcanada.org.au that’s where you can get your VISA, catch is you have to be under 30 last time I checked.....if you can get that then your better off then many others however the more time you have obviously the better. I've spent 2 seasons over there but made sure that I had 1500 hours before I left. Forgot to mention that that VISA above is limited to 12 months and you must use it within 12 months of getting it. I got sponsored by the company I was working for for my second year, but had to do the first year to earn the sponsorship you would be extremely lucky to just turn up and have someone sponsor you..... any questions PM me.
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Postby CYHeli » Tue Jan 2 2007, 10:16

Uncle C.C.
I knew a Victorian copper who had been part of the S.O.G. and who got his licence at PHS. He went over to the US and got a job at some county sherrif's office flying of all things a H300. His experience in the police force helped him get a foot in the door. He did a few hours on this before they moved him into a Jetranger. With the war on terror and the need for visa's, I don't know if he could do it now-a-days.
I was born in England and have duel citizen-ship and therefore can get a permit to work anywhere in the European Union, but why would I go through all the JAR stuff and leave this great country. So much area to fly in...

CY.
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Postby Uncle Chop Chop » Wed Jan 3 2007, 11:09

Thanks guys :D :D
veddenflare
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby veddenflare » Wed Jun 25 2008, 04:02

i have three friends who trained at southwest helicopters in nz who went to canada,converted there licences an got jobs.all were under 200 hours an all are in the hotseat in 44s.
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby upthecreek » Wed Jun 25 2008, 05:29

Veddenflare....were these guys sponsored or all under the 30yrs visa?
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby NEWBIE » Thu Jun 26 2008, 04:31

Anybody thinking of coming to Canada please read the posts on here by people over here. The industry is in a down turn, we are only doing about 60-80 hours a month.
And we are getting applications from 18000 hour pilots (Fire Attack pilots) and we are turning them down. Just do your research people.
Not trying to put people off but if you are under 1000-1500 hours it is not all beer and skittles.
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russell coight
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby russell coight » Thu Jun 26 2008, 10:12

whys the industry in a down turn?
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby dragonfly » Sat Jun 28 2008, 01:25

ONLY 60-80HRS A MONTH, WHERE DO I SIGN UP? :D
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby Twistgrip » Sat Jun 28 2008, 09:44

Im in canada right now just about completed the conversion........talking with the canadian guys its a slow summer here no action, very slow for contract guys right now.

seems there is one guy whos given aussies a bad name here recently...a guy who apparently started with a company got a 212 endorsement and left.....at the moment some canadian operators are a bit gun shy hiring aussue pilots coz of this clown........overall they do like aussie drivers though, just some let the team down for all
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby scobie » Sat Jun 28 2008, 18:26

Het Twist Grip where you doing your conversion at? You got work lined up?
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hand in pants
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby hand in pants » Sun Jun 29 2008, 20:06

Russell,
Have a look around, interst rates, cost of food, petrol, turps, it's all gone through the roof, no money left for things like helicopter rides.
We are in a down turn and it doesn't look like coming back in the hear future.
Everybody is tightening the belt, even wealthy people are feeling the pinch with the stock market taking a dive.
Hand in Pants, I'm thinking, my god, that IS huge!!!!!!!!
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby FerrariFlyer » Thu Jul 3 2008, 11:58

Overseas jobs for low hour pilots are not all that rosey, nor easy to come across. Not everyone does 60-80hrs a month all the time, even when its slow...though if you're lucky and you have a few hours you should be able to stay busy regardless of the season.

There is no golden goose out there for low hour pilots...regardless of the country people intend to go to. Whilst Canada is better then Australia for 'low hour' positions (750-1500hrs) in terms of what people are able to fly, its still not easy and still does not allow low hour guys to all of a sudden jump into an awesome high paying job earning big dollars. There is still a big growing and waiting experience to be had. As most people will agree, going international, particularly to a place like Canada, is not for low hour guys. Its better to get some time under one's belt before venturing overseas.

Whilst there might be a rare few guys who go overseas with 200hrs or less and get a 44 job in the hot seat, that seat is not 'that' hot and its more an exception, rather the the rule. Overseas work is a great way to learn new skills and come back a better pilot but from experience, do it smart and have some time up before going overseas...it will pay bigger dividends and avoid some nasty pitfalls.
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby lamborghini_flyer » Wed Jul 9 2008, 10:44

You've done well Ferrari Flyer, but i had to go one better and drive a Lambo! Maybe we can hook up for a beer when I get to canuckistan!!

P.S. Nice article in HN! You look as beautiful as always! I hope you didnt sustain any nasty injuries in the ladder incident, would be devasted if i saw one of those perfectly wax-sculpted hairs out of place! :lol:
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International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots - Not only Cananda.

Postby CYHeli » Thu Jul 10 2008, 05:26

Remember that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the the pond/fence.
I have had a lot of resumes from NZ recently and the pilot with the most hours had just over 300. Still low hour.
Guys (and gals) do your research and have a really good look around your home town/country before you go applying for jobs overseas. In any country.
Remember in Aus that there are plenty of schools here, all turning (churning) out low hour pilots and the extra skills that a NZ pilot might bring wont mean much.
You may have more hours when they finish, and of course sling, NVFR and some mountain time, but this will not normally make you more employable than an Aussie pilot. There are not many ops where you will be turned loose with a sling at 200 hrs, there is not enough need for a NVFR, or it would've been built into the silly-bus already(personally I wish it was) and the mountains are a bit smaller here than in NZ. So 40 odd extra hours.
I'm not saying don't come, but do your research first and send resumes that shows a chief pilot that the company will not survive without you.
In reality, this is not going to happen.
The only resume that came close recently was a guy from Germany with 13000 hours...
What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby scobie » Sun Jul 13 2008, 05:24

Hey guys, on the low hour job market over in Canada, there were quite a few Kiwi guys going through there licence when i was doing mine that had between 500 and 1000hrs.
Now i haven't kept in touch with all of them but there was a few that had work already lined up from knowing people that were working over here at the time. The other ones were finding it difficult to get an answer from companies mainly due to hour requirements from clients.
Canada is a place with lots of low time guys meaning 500 and below all looking for that first break into a company that is going to fly them lots.
I'm not saying don't come, but if you do and you don't have 1000hrs don't be surprised if you find it hard to get a job!! :(

Just my two cents worth. Scobie
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby NEWBIE » Sun Jul 13 2008, 23:02

Russell, Dragonfly, sorry for the delayed response.
The industry is in a down turn partly due to the economic down turn, which is also excaudated by the new oil and gas royalty system being introduced by the Alberta government. I believe the production side will always have to keep flying, possible under better systems which will mean fewer hours.
But I would guess there will be a very slow exploration project if any this fall, and that is a large part of the hours we fly over here, both during the discovery, as well as when the wells go in all the teething problems that come along with it. Not that this is the end of the world, it is just a cycle, so will have to come up again at some point.

And out of curiosity are most people happy with doing 60-80 hours a month?

Cheers all,
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Re: International Jobs For Low Hour Pilots

Postby dragonfly » Mon Jul 14 2008, 21:10

Newbie,

I would be happy with 50-60hrs a month even a bit less if it was interesting flying. :D

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