A Professional Pilot

       My ideal aviation career position would be as a widebody captain, preferably in the Airbus A380. Ever since seeing a Singapore Airlines A380 depart from JFK International I have dreamt of becoming a captain in that aircraft. As it currently stands, no U.S. carrier operates this aircraft so naturally this takes me overseas. After doing some research and considering the overall compensation packages offered as well as the cost of living in a few of the areas where I would be based, I have decided that Singapore Airlines would be my first choice followed closely by Emirates, Etihad and a few Chinese airlines. My view on becoming a pilot as my career choice is that the bottom line is I love to fly and don't mind moving overseas. In that context, why limit myself to a career in the U.S. when I could find a potentially much better quality of life overseas?

       Unfortunately for me, SIA is in the process of phasing out expats from their ranks (see link). I have also looked into living in Singapore and find that part of the world very exciting and appealing to me. There is also the opportunity of going to work for Etihad Airways which is another option for me. Although the cost of living is quite high in Abu Dhabi where Etihad is based, they are hiring pilots with much lower qualifications than the likes of the U.S. major airlines and they also pay relatively well (see link).

       There are definitely some concerns I have about working overseas for any carrier. One is that I would be looked upon by the citizens, airline management, and certainly pilots as an outsider and be treated very differently than how I am in the U.S. I am concerned that I would be at the mercy of living in a foreign country and unable to get legal help if problems arise such as the airline not following their contract with me, or if other legal or regulatory issues come up. Another concern is the way they send their pilots here to train in the U.S. and are flying in the right seat of a widebody aircraft with only 250 hours and a commercial pilot license (see link). Lastly, I am not sure how taxes work with overseas employment and would definitely have to look into everything to do with filing, claiming, and dealing with taxes on foreign income.

       Professionalism to me is being at the pinnacle of your chosen career. If we look at professional athletes or professional race car drivers, they are the best of the best chosen for their talents and skill set and are compensated the highest and playing in the best league due strictly to their talent. Proffesional pilots are somewhat of an exception to this. For an airline pilot, the hiring system is not built to reward the most skilled pilots or the ones who can make the softest landings. Rather it is the ones who are the most connected, have the most letters of recommendation and who are skilled at networking who land the jobs at the major airlines (pun intended). Granted you do need experience which builds up skill in order to have a shot at the major airlines.

       There was a lack of professionalism in "Flying Cheap" by the FAA when they backed down from enforcing some serious safety issues on Colgan Air only months before the Flight 3407 crash. There was also a lack of professionalism from Colgan Air for not thoroughly checking the background of the pilots they employed. In an attempt to rapidly expand, Colgan skirted some major safety issues like appointing pilots to be check airmen who had never flown that equipment before. That, to me, is extremely unprofessional.

       When I become an airline pilot, I plan on expanding my professionalism by never getting complacent and always keeping up on old fashioned stick and rudder skills. In my opinion, some airlines are relying too much on automation and transitioning their pilots to be button pushers per their standard operating procedures. I will always try to keep my hand flying skills sharp. Another way to stay professional is to always know and follow your contract. There could be some opportunities in the contract you wouldn't have known unless you read the fine print. Lastly, as a professional, I will always try to be kind and courteous to anyone I may encounter while wearing my uniform.

http://skift.com/2013/05/22/singapore-airlines-has-too-many-pilots-so-its-carefully-cutting-them-loose/
     
http://www.etihad.com/en/careers/flight-operations/first-officer-non-rated-a320/

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Foreign-Airline-Pilots-US-Flight-Schools-Do-They-Get-Enough-Training-Time-in-Cockpit-230581371.html