Hi Capt Lim,

As most of us know that the amount of jobless pilots are increasing in Malaysia, and the competition out there is getting really fierce.

I have clocked almost 500+ hours with a flying school as a flight instructor abroad. The pay is somehow very degrading but I'm doing it for my passion of flying and at the same time expanding my knowledge in the aviation industry.

Now I have the minimum hours to apply for many airlines/cargo/corporate companies but most of my applications have been rejected and some offered me line training with the company but with an initial payment that I should pay if I wanted to get a job with the company. But I have limited funds and I really want to get a job in the airlines.

I studied commercial pilot for the love of flying and knowing at the end your hard work you would be paid a decent amount of salary. But looking at the situation now most airlines are "pay to fly". Only the rich could afford to get into the airlines.

Are there any other options to climb my way up to the airlines rather than paying for my own line training?

John

Hi John,

As you are aware, there are more than 1000 jobless pilot graduates in Malaysia and the legacy airlines are not hiring except the Low Cost Carriers (LCC). Due to the financial position of most airlines, they would save cost by hiring those who are type-rated if possible. Hence the “pay to fly” thing is introduced.

At the moment, supply exceeds demand in Malaysia. If given the opportunity to join an airline and paying one’s training, I would recommend that you take it if you have been unsuccessful and not lucky enough to have passed the recruitment process. Even then, these successful candidates would still have to pay back for their training via an arranged bank loan
.
PS. To check for any latest updates or postings, you can follow my new Twitter at @CaptKHLim

Airbus A320 Cockpit Tour