Would you go to Brazil for a flying job?

[Dieterly]

certainly not for some of the jingoistic posters on this board

 

[DC10]

I say go for it. Brazil is a beautiful country with very friendly people and an extremely reasonable cost of living. Your salary may be low by US standards but you'll be surprised how little it costs to have a comfortable lifestyle there.

I have done a lot of flying in Brazil and to most of the other South American countries and the experience is second to none. Flying in Latin America is nothing like flying in the States. 80% of the time you will not be in radar contact and will have to make position reports. Even in terminal areas outside of the major cities, the best you can hope for is the US equivalent of a class D airspace with primary radar. Flying a heavy jet into a semi-uncontrolled mountainous airport (although no mountain ranges in Brazil) with no radar coverage is always interesting.

As an airline pilot there you will be treated with about the same level of respect that one would give an ambassador - nothing like the the 'bus driver' status we have here.

As far as ICAO rules go, radio communications can be in English, Spanish, French, Chinese or Russian. Of course this doesn't stop the Brazilians from speaking Portuguese on the radio.

 

[Rick1128]

I would say go for it. Several years ago I spent a year flying a Lear in Africa. It was an experience that was beyond price. Brazil is very civilized, not like central africa. At least in Brazil and the surrounding countries, the VORs and ADFs work and there are real control towers. Plus there are very few if any people shooting at you and the runways are in reasonable condition. And add real weather reporting.

You will find their procedures and structure different but useable. English is the ICAO aviation language. But ICAO rules allow for ATC to use their local lauguage if the contact is initiated in that language.

My time in Africa was in Angola which is a former Portgagues colony. So I learned a little. It is similar to Spanish and they can understand a lot of what you say in Spanish. But I don't believe you will have a lot of problems with being understood in English in most major cities there.

If you really want to learn the language get yourself a sleep in dictionary. The women are in a class by themselves.

Take lots of film and have fun. But be careful.

 

[PilotoHalcon]

OK, I would go to Brazil or Africa. I am looking at all of the job sites on pilotpointer but except for the heavy jet jobs (747, A340etc) there is nothing else. Not counting Navajos in Canada of course. Helos are fine, any other ideas?
j

 

[cessna_driver2]

as far as i know ICAO rules are for all ATC communications to be done in english. But I am still a learning student so take that with a grain of salt.

According to ICAO english is to be used. Now once communication have been established each one can continue in the native language only if it is agreed by both.

I heard a while back that Japan got in to some major trouble with ICAO. They flat out refused to use English and was making everyone coming in and out of Japan use Japanese.

 

[ShawnC]

The biggest problem IMO is you might not be able to again additional SA though the radio. They are giving instructions to the other guys in the other language, you might not be able to tell that they are giving the other game the same alititide as you along the same route, while in english you would notice that descripency, also you know where to look out for the traffic too.

Well its the good old see and aviod because you can never trust the radio anyways.

 

[crash-proof]

Hi, humpalot...Brazil's awesome, lived there 10 years.
Where are you gonna be based? Maybe I can give you some pointers...

Brazil girls are fine....but watch out for crime! Mostly in Rio.
And your dollar is worth 3.5 of the local currency now, so a beer will go for about .25 You can eat like a king on a Mcdonald's budget!!!!

go for it.

 

[Varig]

I am in the process of getting my brasilian license to go fly in Brasil. I am currently flying in Hawaii as a flight instructor and I have friends working for all the major airlines there and they all recomend moving there for a heavy job. From what I have noticed, US is the only country that requires all of this flight time just to fly a twin or a turboprop. I have lots of foreign friends that are 25 years old with over 1000 hours of jet time. That won´t happen in US. I say if you have the opportunity go for it. It will be good life experience.

Good luck with your decision

 

[Franky4Fingers]

It would depend on the cargo.

 

[EMcx2]

I dream of flying Jets out of GIG (Rio) My first trip there changed my entire perspective on life. The peoples passion for life is intoxicating. And the women!! In Brazil there are more women then men and Brazilian men are often abusive. An American man who is a pilot would be treated like a god (at least a demi-god.) Once you meet Brazilian women you probably won't want to put up with American women. Take a look. www.brazilgirls.com