Ask Captain Lim

Hi Captain Lim,

First and foremost, a very informative and well organized website! I love it!

I am currently a Taiwanese College student studying in the US and I have decided to become a commercial pilot for one of the two major airlines in my country - EVA Air or China Airlines. I have read through your website and want to gain some more insight on how and where to start.

Since I have just started to do some research, the best and most fiscally efficient way is to join the Cadet Program based on what I have researched. That raises my first question - are there any existing cadet programs being offered by these two airlines? I have tried to look for it on the website but came back with no result. Hopefully, you might have some insight. If there is no cadet program offered, what should I do so as the to reduce the amount of money and time spent on obtaining commercial airline license.

Is it better to go to flying school here in the US or back to my country that they*ll send us either to the US or Australia for flight training that exceeds 8-10 months after passing the FAA medical, TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication) English and Psychometric test.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Best regards

Henry

Hi Henry,

Yes, there is still a shortage of commercial pilots in Taiwan. As the pool of pilots from the Air Force declined, many foreign pilots have been hired into EVA Air and China Airlines. However, the government policy is to have more local pilots ? hence your chances of getting into either of them are good!

The Taiwanese CAA pilot training policy was that, aspiring pilots must be college graduates under the age of 30. Successful candidates would have to receive one year of training in Engineering, Aerodynamics, Aero Electronics and English Language at the National Taiwan University. After that, graduates would be sent to Australia for a year of flight training. On their return, they would join the Taiwanese airlines and receive their type rating and operate as copilots initially.

China Airlines, the national flag carrier, started its pilot training program in 1988. They initially sent their pilot trainees to the Flight School located in the U.S. State of North Dakota before returning home to join their fleet. Today, CAL operates planes such as the Airbus A330/340s, Boeing 737-800s or Boeing 747-400s.

In the case of EVA Air, they recruit College graduates and put them through strict assessments before they begin their flight training. Their pilot training begins with eight months of ground school in Taiwan. The candidates are then sent to the Airline Training Center in the U.S. State of Arizona. After their final training on the simulators at the Center (a subsidiary of the German carrier Lufthansa) the pilot trainees return to Taiwan to gain their flight proficiency on the aircraft types (Airbus A330, Boeing 747, Boeing 777, MD-11)

So, I believe, they do have some kind of Cadet Programs, which recruit trainee pilots through the advertised channels at regular intervals.

Currently, China Airlines are only recruiting expatriate Captains for the B744 fleets and First Officer positions on the B744/B738/ A330 fleets. (See here)

EVA Air is looking for pilots in the Boeing 747-400s, Boeing 777s and MD-11s fleets. (See here)

As is any Cadet Pilot Program, competition to get into one is tough. Find out more about the next recruitment process before you embark into your own sponsorship. I am not clear on the airlines policy. Some may want to train their own cadet pilots from scratch and mould them up. Others would welcome you warmly if you are a Taiwanese with the necessary training and license obtained from a recognized Flight Training Center in the US (FAA ATP) or one from Australia (ICAO ATPL).

If there is no forthcoming Cadet Programs being offered, then only consider sponsoring your own self either in the USA or Australia.

Wish you all the best!