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Hi Capt Lim,
I'm very interested in Singapore Airlines' cadet pilot program. I am a French citizen residing in San Francisco, California, with a US permanent residency. I would love to apply to this program, however, one of the requirements is to be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident. My question is, can I still apply and if I pass all the tests, train under a special student training visa? I've also heard of the "SIA Mauritius Expat Basing Program" where SIA pilots can be based in London, Sydney, Los Angeles, Perth or Brisbane. Is this an option that would permit me to undergo the cadet pilot program and then work for SIA while being based in Los Angeles?
Thanks for any help you may have!
Best regards,
Nicolas.
Hi Nicolas,
Although Singapore Airlines welcome many foreigners in their pool of expatriate pilots, they are mostly qualified and rated on the Boeing 747's, Boeing 777's and Airbus 340's. In the Cadet Pilot Program, it is stated that you have to be at least a Permanent Resident. I cannot give you an answer whether they would entertain special cases, especially foreigners who can meet all the other criteria. The best thing to do, is to write to them directly and you can get the address in this link and let me know when you receive a positive answer.
The "SIA Mauritius Expat Basing Program" is solely for qualified pilots and I believe, for Captains only. So, this is not an option for you. Nevertheless, write to them and find out anyway. I know Singapore, as a small island nation, has always welcomed foreign 'brains' in the past and still do in some certain fields.
Hi Capt Lim,
Thank you very much for your answer. I really appreciate the fact that you quickly answered my question amidst the flow of emails you get everyday, I'm sure! My chances to enter the SIA cadet pilot program are very limited because I am not a Singapore PR... That's for sure. However you are right, I will never find out without writing them, and I will do this right away.
You might think, why am I not trying to become an airline pilot here in the US? Well, I have a private pilot license, that's not much but it's the base for everything else. The thing is that here, it's a very lengthy process to access the major airlines such as American or United. You first have to get all the licenses, then build flight time (being an instructor or charter pilot or whatever) and then only can you try applying for regional airlines (United Express, Delta Connection, etc.). The pay is extremely low on these airlines, which is an issue if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area like I do (very expensive area)... After 4-5 years, when you reach 4-5000 flight hours, you can finally try the majors...
The advantage of the SIA cadet program is that, you go from zero experience to the right seat of a Boeing 777 in a couple of years. It would take you 15 years here before you can even dream about such a career path. But I love to fly, and I'll do anything I can to achieve my dream!
Thanks again and best regards,
Nicolas.
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Female Pilots 
