Free flight training

Very interesting! I've been looking at cadet programs quite extensively, but most are only open to nationals. A friend of mine in the UK told me that BA's program had no nationality restrictions, but I think he was mistaken on that. Plus they haven't had a class in awhile...

What about vision? I wear glasses, but my vision is correctable to 20/20 or better under certain conditions. I know some foreign airlines are sticklers about that.

Maybe I'll try, but I doubt I'll get it. I wonder how long it will last?
 
In answer to my previous question about how long it will last: the job posting has an expiration date of December 31, 2008, so at least that long.



I don't know, something don't smell exactly right though. It's not really a bad smell, but the smell of something that could be bad. (Ok, that is not a good analogy but it's 1:20am HA!) Inexperienced youngsters from the Western world going to spend what was it six years of their life in a monarchy where many social concepts that they are used to are outlawed or restricted (free speech for instance)... Maybe I'm being a little bit ignorant (and expats who live in the UAE, fill me in if I am), but things could get sour.
 
Please don't post that this is "free" training, it's not...you have to work for the company for oh so many years in order to "pay" the training off. we all know that and the JC public shouldn't have to deal with dishonest marketing like this. That's just bad form.

Also, you'd already started a post with this topic already, so i merged the two together for you. :)

Kirstie, I'm sorry but I vehemently disagree with you. This website is meant as a forum to help people in the beginning of their aviation career. This plan is an excellent and very rare opportunity to forego the cost of student loans and years of working for substandard wages in the U.S. aviation industry. Opportunities like this only come along every other blue moon. I posted it once in the other area when it first came out. I posted the link to the application in the general section to give it the exposure it deserves.

Let me say this once again, this is HUGE . A flying job where they are actually paying you while you are learning to fly. Where you are guaranteed a position in a global airline. Where you can gain invaluable experience in a multi-cultural environment.

Notice now the members who are actually thinking about it.

I'm not involved with Etihad or their program. I work for the competition down the road.

I'll be here to answer the members questions and continue posting opportunities that are beneficial to your members. That is what I do because I enjoy helping people.


Typhoonpilot
 
you have to work for the company for oh so many years in order to "pay" the training off.

Pay starts while in training. Housing is provided by the company.

The training pay while a cadet is $1625/month.

Pay as a first year pilot under the cadet program is significantly higher. Probably closer to $3000/month. Pay once fully qualified would be in the region of $5000 to $6000/month. That is tax free and doesn't include accommodation. Etihad provides a housing allowance to their pilots of close to $30,000/year. Either that or company furnished accommodation in Abu Dhabi.

Why would anybody leave that within 7 years to go to the USA and make $2000/month as a regional First Officer? The regionals are going to stagnate and guys are going to be First Officers for a long time at sub-standard wages.

Abu Dhabi is a cosmopolitan city with big plans for tourism and business development. They pump over 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. They are spending $200 Billion on infrastructure in the next few years.

Look at these sites to see some of the plans for the city:

www.yas.ae

www.aldar.com

www.sorouh.com


Typhoonpilot
 
Listen to TP...This is an excellent opportunity. Nothing beats a free IACO approved Commercial ME and a job flying after you are done.

I've spent 12+ years of my 18 year military career overseas and you are not missing much by not being in the USA.

-LAFF
 
I'll try for it, I guess. Probably won't amount to anything, but you never know.


Typhoon Pilot- What exactly is it like as an American living in the UAE? Is it more socially restrictive? How do the local residents treat you? What's the overall quality of life?
I don't live in a cave, I've heard what a shining economic star the UAE is in the Middle East and how many foreigners are going to work there, I'm just curious about the perspective of someone who lives there...
 
What would be the chances of being a Captain by the end of your 6 year commitment? Would they ever let a cadet upgrade? Kinda don't know much on the IACO ATP and frozen and not frozen and what that all means.
 
Please don't post that this is "free" training, it's not...you have to work for the company for oh so many years in order to "pay" the training off. we all know that and the JC public shouldn't have to deal with dishonest marketing like this. That's just bad form.

Also, you'd already started a post with this topic already, so i merged the two together for you. :)

Free stuff usually comes with a contract of sorts. Places in the states are paying for your CFI ratings of you instruct for them for a year. The flight training is free, certainly.

6 years doesn't qualify for "oh so many years" to me.

I'd be 30 with a killer expat job, free of any obligations to the company, free to do whatever i wanted to do. Sounds like an ok deal to me. I'm still trying to figure out what I really want to do, and this may be an option if selected.
 
But what happens in the somewhat unlikely event that suddenly (due to economics, terrorism, or what have you) Ethiad no longer needs pilots and that it furthermore begins laying off pilots. What happens to you? Do you have to pay back the training if you haven't worked your commitment?
 
Cadet pilots are required to serve the company as a pilot or any other position determined by the Company in its sole discretion, for a minimum period of 72 months from the date of successfully completing the training and receiving frozen ATPL.

You get to push papers. Or maybe a galley cart.
 
Better yet, can anybody point a Etihad pilot to this site to answer some questions or perhaps give me a point of contact (email etc)? I would like to hear a little more from the horse's mouth so to speak.
 
How come when we try to apply it doesn't let us submit the application because in some areas that doesn't apply to the cadet program student when we leave them empty or put NA it doesn't let us complete application does anybody know why?
 
I'll try for it, I guess. Probably won't amount to anything, but you never know.


Typhoon Pilot- What exactly is it like as an American living in the UAE? Is it more socially restrictive? How do the local residents treat you? What's the overall quality of life?
I don't live in a cave, I've heard what a shining economic star the UAE is in the Middle East and how many foreigners are going to work there, I'm just curious about the perspective of someone who lives there...


Living in the UAE is not that different than living in the USA. The society is very much reliant on the automobile. The cities are layed out much like coastal California or Florida so they are very spread out and a car is necessary.

Islam is the religion so you'll hear the call to prayer 5 times per day and during Ramadan you can't eat in public view so as not to offend those who are fasting. Pretty reasonable rule if you think about it. If I were on a diet I wouldn't want to watch someone eat a chocolate cake in front of me :).

The authorites are pretty tolerant because they want the tourist dollars from Europe and elsewhere. That said there are laws that forbid living with a member of the opposite sex unless you are married; of kissing in public; and a variety of others that are rarely enforced unless you've done something to get noticed in a negative way.

The locals only make up 20% of the population. Expats are the majority. There is a definite heirarchy in how people are treated. The arabs are on top followed by the white professionals then the professionals of nearby countries like Lebanon, India, Pakistan, Iran, etc followed by the hords of office workers from the Philippines, India, Pakistan, etc followed by the laborers.

Quality of life is pretty good. The are many world class sporting events, cultural programs, good beaches, good 4 wheeling in the desert, great restaurants and clubs. Schools are top notch.

There are certainly some negatives versus the USA. Bureacracy can be a bit annoying and the drving skills of people on the road are abismal. It is very hot 5 months of the year, but the other 7 are pretty good with 4 of those being perfect.

You can find lots of info on expat websites.


TP
 
What would be the chances of being a Captain by the end of your 6 year commitment? Would they ever let a cadet upgrade? Kinda don't know much on the IACO ATP and frozen and not frozen and what that all means.


Upgrades at Etihad are running around the two to three year point right now. For a Cadet there would be a minimum hour requirement. At Emirates it is 6000 hours total time to upgrade, not sure what Etihad is. Cadets at Emirates upgrade at 8 to 10 years, but they would be quicker if they worked more. I would guess it's feasible to upgrade in 6 or so at Etihad if you flew around 900 hours per year.

The frozen ATPL means that you have done all the required writtens and practical exams, but haven't met the hour requirement.


TP
 
"Kirstie, I'm sorry but I vehemently disagree with you. This website is meant as a forum to help people in the beginning of their aviation career"

I agree. JC has paying sponsers with more misleading marketing than that. Anybody who reads Typhoon knows he's an honest guy who's been in the "middle east aviation biz" for quite a while. He's nice enough to pass on some good info on an interesting program. Heck, it's better than free flight training cause they pay YOU. There is an 8 year catch, though. Seems like a fair deal to me.

Still not a fan of putting newbs into the right seat of an A320. But that's how they do it outside the US of A. Glad it's not my problem.
 
well, don't get me wrong...the reason the information is still on the site is because it's good information otherwise we would have pulled it off already for the whole "free advertising" way things were worded etc ... but it's definitely more job related which is why it's in the jobs avail section and not in general topics.

my beef is only with the word "free". i've already read that there is a conctract, no matter what goes down, you will be working, doing anything, for the company for those 6-8 years...thereby, it's really *not* free. you are essentially indentured once you sign the dotted line. if something is free, there's nothing binding, no attachments, it's unconditional and that was my only problem - mainly just with the title of the thread. people buy into the word "free" with stars in their eyes and often don't look at the fine print associated...i want the JC members to understand and it looks like they do which is all fine by me! :)

it looks like a good valid opportunity to me too... if you're young and not yet attached, it might be a good way to go.
 
Well Typhoon. Maybe you should change your title to get past the moderation and get this moved to the general section. This is a pretty big deal and I'd hate to see it limited in scope over something silly.
 
How come when we try to apply it doesn't let us submit the application because in some areas that doesn't apply to the cadet program student when we leave them empty or put NA it doesn't let us complete application does anybody know why?

The application seems to use the "Flight Crew" template so like you, there are many fields that I left blank. Somebody is going to have to give them a heads up otherwise nobody will be able to apply.
 
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