Want to fly for Lufthansa.

CaptainCrickettMan

CaptainCrickettMan

New Member
Hello! :)

I am trying to gather as much info on Lufthansa as I can possibly muster, as I keep them in mind as a potential future employer. I understand they want German speakers; Ich spreche schlectes Deutsches, aber ich erlerne. :D Also understand that you have to be living in Germany (obviously). But I am very unclear as to how one would even attempt to get on board with them. If it's feasable, I will do whatever it takes to make it happen. I am an American and I hear they don't hire too many of us there. But I figure it's worth a shot anyway when the time comes.

Also, what is the QOL and benefits like? I wonder, is there a Lufthansa pilot among us that can shed some light on this? Any info from anyone would be more than appreciated. Danke!
 
I would guess they are similiar to most major airlines here. Turbine PIC, plus the right to work in Germany...maybe even have to be a citizen there just a guess.
 
I don't know much about Lufthansa, but I'll contribute something else. Don't be discouraged by someone telling you Lufthansa hires almost no American pilots. Almost none is very, very different than none. It sounds like if you really want it you will get it.
 
I hear they are one of the airlines hiring non pilots and sending them here to the states to get flight training (paid by the company).
 
CaptainCrickettMan said:
Ich spreche schlectes Deutsches, aber ich erlerne. :D
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Du sprichst doch gut! :D
I'd like to work in Europe too. I'm originally from Croatia, the country is supposed to be part of EU next year which will make me an EU citizen as well as American citizen I am now...so I'm interested in figuring out the ways to work there eventually as a pilot one day.
 
skidz said:
Du sprichst doch gut! :D
I'd like to work in Europe too. I'm originally from Croatia, the country is supposed to be part of EU next year which will make me an EU citizen as well as American citizen I am now...so I'm interested in figuring out the ways to work there eventually as a pilot one day.
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Sehr gut! :)

That's a big advantage for you to be an EU citizen soon.
For the most part, the European Airlines have always taken care of their own. Great pay, vacation, schedule, blah blah blah.
 
skidz said:
Du sprichst doch gut! :D
I'd like to work in Europe too. I'm originally from Croatia, the country is supposed to be part of EU next year which will make me an EU citizen as well as American citizen I am now...so I'm interested in figuring out the ways to work there eventually as a pilot one day.
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Sehr gut! :)

That's a big advantage for you to be an EU citizen soon.
For the most part, the European Airlines have always taken care of their own. Great pay, vacation, schedule, etc. Lufthansa has an abinitio program but it's way to late for me to do that now. Plus it would take me a long time to get the immigration tasks fulfilled.

edit: why did it post two posts for me?
 
Baradium said:
I hear they are one of the airlines hiring non pilots and sending them here to the states to get flight training (paid by the company).
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[FONT='Calibri','sans-serif']They pay it for you up front. After you start flying the line they take their cut from your pay until they have their money back.[/FONT]
 
CaptainCrickettMan said:
Hello! :)

I am trying to gather as much info on Lufthansa as I can possibly muster, as I keep them in mind as a potential future employer. I understand they want German speakers; Ich spreche schlectes Deutsches, aber ich erlerne. :D Also understand that you have to be living in Germany (obviously). But I am very unclear as to how one would even attempt to get on board with them. If it's feasable, I will do whatever it takes to make it happen. I am an American and I hear they don't hire too many of us there. But I figure it's worth a shot anyway when the time comes.

Also, what is the QOL and benefits like? I wonder, is there a Lufthansa pilot among us that can shed some light on this? Any info from anyone would be more than appreciated. Danke!
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Your biggest problems is going to be getting a work and resident’s permit fro Germany . LH will not help you get one either. Besides that you’ll also need JAA licenses.

As mentioned, LH does have a zero to hero program but if you are not German you can forget it. I applied and even passed the “idiot” test before I got a letter stating LH preferred to invest in Germans.

Still, if you want it bad enough...
 
Hey Ramsey, have they built that terminal building there in Ramstein yet?
I went through Ramstein last year, the whole place looked like a big construction yard. I've heard they are building hotel or something?
 
Ramsey said:
Your biggest problems is going to be getting a work and resident’s permit fro Germany . LH will not help you get one either. Besides that you’ll also need JAA licenses.

As mentioned, LH does have a zero to hero program but if you are not German you can forget it. I applied and even passed the “idiot” test before I got a letter stating LH preferred to invest in Germans.

Still, if you want it bad enough...
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And you are just the man I need to talk to. :D
How does one get the JAA license? Is there any tranfer of my FAA license to the JAA? I still need to brush up on my German speaking skills but I'm not as concerned about that as the immigration processes. Yikes!

So I assume you are at Lufthansa training on the -400sim. Are you a German citizen or did you come from somewhere else to fly for DLH? Also, I've heard most guys start out at Cityline and work up to the line at LH. It would be the greatest privlege to fly for LH if I can make it happen.

And just out of curiosity, have you looked into working for LTU? I have considered them on the back burner but I realize I know nothing about them. Seems like a successful outfit. LH isn't the end of the line for me. I would just like to work in Europe for a major airline but LH is my ultimate goal. Thanks again for the information! Danke!
 
Im an EU and US citizen and have been looking into flying for a regional in England.

This is one place in Florida that trains european pilots and also trains FAA pilots for conversion to JAA.

http://www.flyoft.com/license_conversion_2.php

You have to take serveral tests to convert each license to JAA, as for the instrument part you have to physically go to Europe and get something like 15 hours IFR/Simulated and take a practical. But reading online they say the FAA is tougher.

They also have a thing called a JAA ATPL frozen, basically its getting your ATP license before you meet the minimum requirements. Then when you meet the requirements, it becomes unfrozen and can be used. But airlines wont hire you over there unless you have the frozen ATPL because it shows you are serious about your career.

I think it would be kind of cool if they did something like that over here.

-Rob
 
Rob - That's fantastic information, thank you! I had no idea they had a conversion program here. I'll check it out.

So if you are an EU citizen, are you able to get a job anywhere within the EU?

Also, is there any books or a "JAR/AIM"? I'd like to read into the flying over there a little more.
 
I lived in Germany for a few years back in the late 90's and had a professor that had a daughter doing the zero program with Lufthansa. Getting a work permit in Germany, unless it has changed, is really easy and takes no time, knew several americans that did that and all they had to do was leave the country and come back in with their permits that's all, forget about becoming a citizen, that's tougher than here in the states.

As for Lufthansa my professors daughter was not a German citizen but they have lived there her whole life and she passed all the required tests and physicals and got a training slot, I suppose she ought to be a Capt by now. I'm not sure about taking people off the street with experience specially directly from America.

Everyone is going to be facing this pilot shortage including the Europeans, so if you manage to get your license converted to JAA you may have a shot, I would love to work for them, but my German is only good enough to get around.
 
CaptainCrickettMan, wir sollen zusammen mal alles besprechen. Ich hab' nämlich auch Interesse in einen Umzug, wenn mit Lufthansa oder nicht-

I thought the work permit was going to be the hardest thing, as it was described to me. I always would get annoyed at all the turks over there in Germany working, and wondered how they did it so easily!
 
sorrygottarunway said:
CaptainCrickettMan, wir sollen zusammen mal alles besprechen. Ich hab' nämlich auch Interesse in einen Umzug, wenn mit Lufthansa oder nicht-

I thought the work permit was going to be the hardest thing, as it was described to me. I always would get annoyed at all the turks over there in Germany working, and wondered how they did it so easily!
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So, eine Arbeitserlaubnis ist zu erhalten nicht schwierig?
 
CaptainCrickettMan said:
Rob - That's fantastic information, thank you! I had no idea they had a conversion program here. I'll check it out.

So if you are an EU citizen, are you able to get a job anywhere within the EU?

Also, is there any books or a "JAR/AIM"? I'd like to read into the flying over there a little more.
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Well I was born English and naturalized American. When the EU became "The EU" it allowed anyone with a passport from a country within the EU to work in any country under the EU with no problem. You don't even need to go through customs anymore if you travel from say Germany to France. Its pretty nice...

Good luck getting to LH.

-Rob
 
CaptainCrickettMan said:
Rob - That's fantastic information, thank you! I had no idea they had a conversion program here. I'll check it out.

So if you are an EU citizen, are you able to get a job anywhere within the EU?

Also, is there any books or a "JAR/AIM"? I'd like to read into the flying over there a little more.
Click to expand...

Captain, the last thing you have to worry about is the permit to work in Germany. If they need you they will provide that for you. The first thing you have to worry about it is converting your license to JAA. I personally tried to do it and i gave up. It will cost you about $20K, plus you have to go through ground training to pass 14 written exams. Also you will have to pass a CPL Multi engine checkride with a JAA examiner. The written exams and the CPL checkride can be done in Florida. BUT the worst of all is that you will have to do your instrument rating and checkride again, and YOU HAVE to do it anywhere in Europe. VERY costly because you have to do it on a multi engine airplane and in Europe the cheapest multi you can find is about $400 per hour plus instruction.
I dont want to scare you but make you think twice if its worth the investment.
 
cypilot77 said:
Captain, the last thing you have to worry about is the permit to work in Germany. If they need you they will provide that for you. The first thing you have to worry about it is converting your license to JAA. I personally tried to do it and i gave up. It will cost you about $20K, plus you have to go through ground training to pass 14 written exams. Also you will have to pass a CPL Multi engine checkride with a JAA examiner. The written exams and the CPL checkride can be done in Florida. BUT the worst of all is that you will have to do your instrument rating and checkride again, and YOU HAVE to do it anywhere in Europe. VERY costly because you have to do it on a multi engine airplane and in Europe the cheapest multi you can find is about $400 per hour plus instruction.
I dont want to scare you but make you think twice if its worth the investment.
Click to expand...

Think I'll just wait for the pilot shortage to hit Lufthansa. :D
I'm not going to give up on them, however.

Plus, I chatted with a FedEx pilot while nonreving to DFW today and his gig sounds very appealing. He's been there 2 years on the 727 and flys a whopping 30hrs a month or 9 days. !LOL! I have yet to talk to a FedEx guy who isn't satisfied with his job. Sounds to me like they take very good care of their own.

Anyway, keep the DLH info coming! I'm learning more and more about them as well as general flying in Europe.
 
Ich moechte eines Tages in Oesterreich als Pilot arbeiten. Meine Frau kommt aus Zel am See so ich kann die Arbeitserlaubnes kriegen. Aber zeit dem ich hier in Amerika bin, verlehrne ich mein deutsch almaelich.

When I lived in Salzburg I met an American flying for Swiss. He didn’t speak any German either, just English. I have no idea how he converted is FAA licenses though. He spent his early career flying in Alaska. I’d love to fly for Austrian or Tyrolean.
 
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