Is Brazil taking Flight..??

H

HFalco

Well-Known Member
I have lived in the US for the past 14 years, attended elementary, middle, high school and now college here. Like most users in this forum I share a passion for aviation and have always wanted to become a professional Pilot. I currently hold a private pilot certificate and instrument rating.

I am planning on completing a program here with ATP (flight school) that will take me from where I currently stand to CFI, CFII and MEI - and a guaranteed position as an instructor on a multi engine aircraft ( seminole).

After instructing (for about 6 to 12 mo.) it is estimated that I would have accumulated about 500hrs multi and about 650 Total time. As per a friend of mine who went through the program and currently instructs with them.

Would this flight time Multi be valid in Brazil? are these qualifications enough for perhaps a position with Passaredo or Azul or 135 ops.?

What would be the process for transferring these FAA certificates to Brazil?

Also what would happen to a type rating obtained in Brazil, if you move back to the US?

Essentially I am trying to find alternatives to the regional market in the US. If perhaps I can obtain a type rating working for an airline in Brazil for a couple of years and the relocating back to the US, with enough hours and experience to work in a major airline.

Do you see this as a viable oprion worth considering, or from your experience is it worth simply staying here.

I would truly appreciate any information that you guys could provide.

Thanks!!
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- Henrique
 
[quote="HFalco, post: 1829326, member: 23239"
After instructing (for about 6 to 12 mo.) it is estimated that I would have accumulated about 500hrs multi and about 650 Total time. As per a friend of mine who went through the program and currently instructs with them.

Would this flight time Multi be valid in Brazil?[/quote]

Working at ATP will give you a good amount of multi time, however it VERY likely will NOT give you that much more multi than single. Just so ya' know, unless you're at the right location, and they don't pull 'seniority' crap on you.

Yes that, and any flight would be valid. It would be just multi, and pic time.

Read closely though, some places may want a 135/121 experience regardless of the flight time.

I don't know the process for flying in Brazil, since it's not as nearly as popular as the Asian contract flying going on.
 
I think the most important thing to factor in your plan is citizenship. Perhaps it is implied since you said you have been in the us for 14 years, but are you a citizen of Brazil? Aviation is growing quickly there, but it is still a tough market to crack if your passport has the wrong letters on it. If you are a citizen there are options there, and finding a job shouldn't be too difficult. License conversions are not too difficult. Much easier than JAA, but not as easy as heading to the Asian market. My disclaimer is that this is second hand knowledge from a friend who was a citizen of Brazil, and left the US to return home with his commercial ticket and instructor ratings with roughly 800 hours total.
 
The details of going between a foreign (Brazilian) pilot license and a US pilot certificate are complex to say the least. However, ICAO countries do recognize other ICAO countries. It is a subject that confuses even the people who deal with it on a regular basis, but for the most part it can be done.
 
Hey Guys,

Thank you all for the input. I will continue to explore and research the market there (Brazil), and see if perhaps a commercial certificate will be sufficient to hold a position there. This way I can avoid an addition expense in training here of about $7K for the additional instructor certificates. I will contact the Brazilian consulate here in the US to try and find what would be the required steps for this conversion.

@Fish1260 -yes you are right, I am a citizen of Brazil, so that shouldn't be a problem. With regards to your friend, how did he do back in Brazil, is he still flying there..??

-Henrique
 
Henrique,

Brazil is in the midst of enormous growth right now, as I'm sure you know. To my knowledge, it is an ICAO country, and the ratings conversions are relatively easy (much easier than, say, Europe). There aren't many people I would encourage to get in to aviation right now, but I think a citizen of Brazil is someone that I would encourage. I would guess that you have many opportunities ahead of you, just be careful not to go in to too much debt financing your training. ATP is cheaper than some of the colleges, but it still might be more expensive than doing it yourself at a Part 61 school. Let us know where you are in the US, and maybe we can help more. Also, welcome to JC!
 
Hi, i lived in Brazil for two years, I don`t hold a Brazilain passport but I have the Brazilain pilot license, but even if I would I would never go back or even think of work there, living there is not easy, trust me I grew up in central america so it was not such a big cultural shock, but it was really hard for me, my gf is still working there, as a pilot, she is flying an airplane, as FO that in the US will require you at least 10 year of career before you can put your hands on, well at the end of her first year she is leaving the job, if you grew up in the US you can`t even imagine what sort of downgrade your QOL will have, for me it was just not worth it anymore to stay there and wait for the law to change, and allow foreigns to fly, they don`t like foreigns there that`s the reality...flying is not everything, at least for me, I was lucky that I was able to find a really good job, I`m not flying a 737 or an A320, but I make more then those guysand I have a far better QOL, stay in the US!
 
swisspilot said:
Hi, i lived in Brazil for two years, I don`t hold a Brazilain passport but I have the Brazilain pilot license, but even if I would I would never go back or even think of work there, living there is not easy, trust me I grew up in central america so it was not such a big cultural shock, but it was really hard for me, my gf is still working there, as a pilot, she is flying an airplane, as FO that in the US will require you at least 10 year of career before you can put your hands on, well at the end of her first year she is leaving the job, if you grew up in the US you can`t even imagine what sort of downgrade your QOL will have, for me it was just not worth it anymore to stay there and wait for the law to change, and allow foreigns to fly, they don`t like foreigns there that`s the reality...flying is not everything, at least for me, I was lucky that I was able to find a really good job, I`m not flying a 737 or an A320, but I make more then those guysand I have a far better QOL, stay in the US!
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Is it that rough Alex? Sorry to hear she left already... Sent you a PM
 
HVYMETALDRVR said:
Is it that rough Alex? Sorry to hear she left already... Sent you a PM
Click to expand...

Well it`s not that rough, but everything is a giant headache to get done. If all you care is to get on a big jet, then Brazil is awesome, but if you don`t have SJS then it`s not worth it.

Yes there are pretty girls, pretty becahes, but there is also lots of places you don`t wanna be, even if it`s a third world country it gets as developed as the US, but if you are used to an American life then you will go crazy, because all the things your are used to are so high priced, going to Outback for example it`s considered a privilege for the richest..and so on..

Of course you can live without fod chains, a nice car (I don`t mean a porsche but a honda civic),.....I lived in places that had none of this and I ddn`t missed them, but in Brazil they are under your nose all the time...

The whole getting the license converted it`s such a crazy path, they are so disorganized and full of nonsense, it took me alomost a year to get my paper finally accepted and do 5 hours of flight training to take the test!

Aviation it`s also not the same as in the US, standards are a lot lower, even at the big airlines, it`s normal to take off with inop equip that are not listed in the MEL, with pilots that should not be flying or don`t speak a workd of english going to intl airports with traffic from all over the world...

I could go on for hours
 
swisspilot said:
, if you grew up in the US you can`t even imagine what sort of downgrade your QOL will have, for me it was just not worth it anymore to stay there and wait for the law to change, and allow foreigns to fly, they don`t like foreigns there that`s the reality
Click to expand...

Hi swisspilot,

Thank you for your first hand experience in Brazilian flying , as well as other valid points. The reduction of QOL is definitely something I would expect.The social imbalance in Brazil is quite evident; but wouldn't you compare that to the first couple of years flying here in the US at a regional?

I see this as an opportunity or alternative to the regional airline market here in the US. Like your girlfriend, I would like to obtain that experience in an aircraft that "would take at least 10 years to get your hands on" here in the US. and bring it back with me to fly here. From your experience don't you see this as a viable option?

Do you know when they will allow foreign pilots to fly in Brazil? Is this something that is happening in the near future? I am a Brazilian citizen so this shouldn't be a problem, but if this change does come into effect it could flood with foreign pilots with lots of experience there.

Thanks,

-Henrique
 
Well, salaries in Brazil are a bit higher but not by much, if you wanna live well it`s gonna cost you more then in the US and you will never reach the same level, everything is getting crazy expensive, I can bet you can get groceries at any Walmart in the US for cheaper then at any grocery shop in Brazil....keep in mind that 90% of the airlines will base you in SP when you start, living there is really expensive, as much as NYC and LA, of course you can leave for cheap, but then trust me that`s gonna be bad...you can commute but that`s gonna make your days endless. It is true that there are lots of jobs right now, and the requirement are really low, the career path is also faster.You will become a capt in about half the time if not less then what it takes in the US but if you are able to take it up to that point, then why move back to the US? just go to the Middle East or Asia.

The biggest advice I can give you, is to focus on what you are doing now, things change fast, start your flight training and don`t bother too much where you gonna be flying in 1 or 2 yeras from now, go step by step and then when you are done look what`s around....
 
HFalco said:
Hey Guys,

Thank you all for the input. I will continue to explore and research the market there (Brazil), and see if perhaps a commercial certificate will be sufficient to hold a position there. This way I can avoid an addition expense in training here of about $7K for the additional instructor certificates. I will contact the Brazilian consulate here in the US to try and find what would be the required steps for this conversion.

@Fish1260 -yes you are right, I am a citizen of Brazil, so that shouldn't be a problem. With regards to your friend, how did he do back in Brazil, is he still flying there..??

-Henrique
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Hey, well I know of 3 people first hand who actually finished there Commercial went to straight to Brazil spent about 4500 - 6000 to complete the conversions. The biggest factor is the Citizenship. If you need any more information please feel free and P.M. me I could always put you in contact with my buddy. Also for the record he didn't have more than 300 hours. However, he was on top of his game.
 
Very very good advice Swisspilot. Most people want to do foreign flying because they think it's a great way to skip ahead or for the great money but it is usually a really hard life. There's a reason why they hire expat pilots may it be dangerous flying or just terrible working conditions. I've met many pilots that have tried and failed cause they just couldn't take it anymore. I personally lasted 3 years and ended up quitting a 6 figure tax free gig for unemployment just because I was so burnt out. Food for thought.

=Jason-
 
Great info. We get a lot of Brazilians coming through my current flight school... they keep saying how close the country is to changing the laws and allowing Americans and other foreigners to work down there... I've been hearing that for about four years now though!
 
abnpx said:
Hey Jason,

Have you found anything worth while down here?

Ed.
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Down here where?? I'm currently in South Africa but I'm planning on moving back to the states by the end of this month. I've been watching Brazil very closely since my sister just got a teaching job in the country and wouldn't mind being close so I can keep an eye on her. I'm currently tapped on funds now so I can't just fly down and try like I did here in SA.

=Jason-
 
It won`t happen, and if it does it will have a ton of conditions, already now it`s possible to get a flying job as an Instructor, but it`s time limited.

The problem are the Unions, they won`t let this law pass. they are not afraid of the Americans, but the rest of SA, salaries in Aviation are the highest then in any other Latin American country, the number of jobs are massive, even if it`s slowing down now. For it`s size Brazil does not have such a big commerical aviation this days, infrastructure is so limited, they have cities of 1 mio peoples with airports that can only handle couple airliners at the time on the apron, SP has only two terminals!!! and the airport is smaller Long Beach, and this is the largest city in South America.....they use taxiways as parking area lolol
 
Hey Jason,

Yea I have a buddy over there who has his commerical and all that good stuff. But he said he is having a hard time getting his licences validated over there because they are just so unorganized that it's really delyaing the process. Just for the record if you do want to fly in Brazil you have to be a Citizen and speak Portuguese...it's very similar to Colombia except in Colombia obviously it's Spanish that you have to speak.
 
For a US-trained Brazilian citizen with a US college degree, fluent English, and a CMEL with around 300 hours tt (250 ME), what would be the best route to go in Brazil? From what I've read, the airlines require a bit more than that. So I presume that biz aviation is the way to go?
 
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