Dilema!!!

[GCD]

Yes, US Part 121. The other is nice, but with 1,000 hours operating in US airspace as a Captain, you should know the ropes in the US, where you will be for a while before bidding non-domestic trips.

Getting the 1,000 hours as a US Captain, then having 1,000 hours or more in another enviornment is pretty golden, as long as you have the degree.

 

[BLing]

Show me where an airline says "1000 hrs 121 turbine PIC required." Better yet, show me a legacy carrier that is hiring at the moment requiring 1000 PIC turbine (see links for proof). Plenty of guys I have met doing the contract gig have been the center of attention at job fairs and interviews. Most choose not to take the pay cut and stay put, but the opportnities are there to those of us interested in switching back! Im staying put for a while!

United:
http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51564,00.html
Delta:
http://www.delta.com/about_delta/career_opportunities/pilot_qualifications/
Northwest:
http://flight-nwa.icims.com/nwa_flight/jobs/candidate/job.jsp?jobid=1009&mode=view
Continental:
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/career/pilot.aspx
USAirways:
https://applications.usairways.com/..._spid=10528&oapc=6&oas=BKZk8qT4q4zBLIkahSJl8Q..

 

[Varig]

I agree with you Bling. The one airline that asks for 121 PIC is Airtran but nobody asks for US 121 PIC. I have never heard of that. I do have a few friends who got their PIC time overseas in larger aircraft and are now flying for the majors back in the states.

 

[freight dork]

My advice is go overseas, but after you have 500 - 1000 hours command in the US. The pay isn't tax free but being a contractor allows you to deduct most expense which in turns really knocks down your taxable income. The pay is way better and the experience is something that you'll always appreciate down the road when you have a boring US airline job. I'm making double what I was making in the US and have a way better quality of life, of couse I'm not living in Inda, but still considering it. Be wary of promises made by the contract agency and be sure all T and C's are understood before siging. The India contracts will be around for several more years so no hurry, but definitely pursue an opportunity there at some point. Good luck

 

[BLing]

I agree with you Bling. The one airline that asks for 121 PIC is Airtran but nobody asks for US 121 PIC. I have never heard of that. I do have a few friends who got their PIC time overseas in larger aircraft and are now flying for the majors back in the states.

Actually, I looked at the profiles of the two guys (Typhoon and GCD) saying that the PIC time must be 121. Well, between the two of them they have over 31,000 hrs of flight time whch tells me they have been around a while. Im sure at one point in their careers (back in the day) the turbine time had to be 121 pic or military to get hired at a major. Times have changed and Im sure when I have been around as long as them, I wont know, or even care what hiring mins are!

 

[batsky2000]

Well, you are wrong in a way, the money is TAX FREE, just depends how long you will be away per year from the US, and also on how much you make. For 2008, If you make $85,700 or less and will be away for 330 days or more, then all of that money plus your perdium and expenses will be tax free. If you make more than that, then you will have to pay taxes on the amount over that, except for Medicare and Social security, you are not allowed to pay into those while working outside the US. I have been working as an Expat and love it, like my time off, and like the $$$$$$$. If you need more info, just go to the IRS web site and research working abroad, specifically, the form that you will have to fill out and file with your normal tax return is form 2555, look it up and read the instructions. Also, go to the social security web site, it will tell you that you are not allowed to pay into social security or medicare, but who cares anyways about that.

Well, Good Luck

 

[711-24-7]

This stuff is great; keep it coming, I can use all the info I can get. Thank You!!

 

[Flt 525]

"The pay isn't tax free but being a contractor allows you to deduct most expense which in turns really knocks down your taxable income."

That is incorrect. The first $82,400 of your wages is not taxable by the IRS (some states do tax the wages). That equates to buying power of 1.5 times the salary. The downside is now when Uncle Sam begins to tax you after $82,400 you are immediately put into the 25% bracket. So the first dollar you make after $82,400, you get 75 cents and Uncle Sam gets a quarter!!

From someone who has done the overseas job assignment, go there with a discipline to save your money. Find a good tax advisor and accountant. Five or 10 years overseas and you can return to the USA and take any job you want.

 

[BLing]

The first $82,400 of your wages is not taxable by the IRS (some states do tax the wages).

See line 37. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2555.pdf

 

[711-24-7]

Dang Bling, you are on top of this stuff!!