Status of PAF Pilots in PIA

[Amaad Lone]

Just wondering the status of PAF pilots in PIA.

Most of these pilots have logged thousands of hours on jet fighters, and would be better candidates for jet operations versus fresh CPLs who can only join turboprops on PIA.

So where does PIA use the ex-airforce pilots, directly on 737s, or do they like everyone else start from the fokkers??

Do a lot of airforce pilots join PIA, or only a handfull???

[AbdulAziz]

Asslam u alikum

I think most of Airblue pilots air ex-PAF but I didn't heard this about PIA.

A.Aziz

[AirBlue]

PIA took-in many ex-PAF pilots during bhuttos period i think....and yes ED has 80%+ ex-PAF pilots flying

[speedbird]

In PIA everyone have to start from Fokkers.

[Valkyrie]

Most of these pilots have logged thousands of hours on jet fighters, and would be better candidates for jet operations versus fresh CPLs who can only join turboprops on PIA.

Nope, not necessarily. Obviously it would be an advantage if he was a logistics/transport pilot in PAF (C-130,B707,B737 etc). The conversion would be simple.
However, if he were a jetfighter pilot then it would be complicated since he wouldn't have a CPL license, just a log book of his airtime.

My instructor is an jetfighter and C-130 pilot with over 9500hrs but he did his licenses on his own, since the RSAF doesn't issue private or commercial licenses. They've their own exams and ratings. Some other airforces issue their pilots with CPL before retiring.

[Simulator Fan]

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/pr ... 0033.shtml

Good examples, if you read it fully you will find the difference.

Now coming back to your question, why don’t PIA hire Ex-PAF pilots. Reason is very simple, though both of them are Pilots just like Drivers, but one Fly/Drive Racing cars and others Drive/Fly 18 wheeler Trucks, now you tell me, what will Michael Schumacher the F1 driver do if you give him a 18 wheeler, though personally I am sure he will make the best of it.

The point I want to make is, in Airlines they have certain procedures, which have to be followed, and in general national airlines like PIA hire people with little or no experience and groom them into future airline Captains, while other airlines like Emirates or Eithad hire captains already groomed from such national airlines.

New or up coming airlines need pilots who are on paper experienced but these airlines are not willing to pay for that experience, what good is Chinese fighter experience to anyone in the corporate world or even for that matter in general aviation.

I remember, Capt. Asif Reza (ex-DFO, PIA) said, why should we hire retired pilots from PAF, when PAF don’t hire retired pilots from PIA. I guess he was right.
As a matter of policy, in PIA every body joins at the bottom, doesn’t matter even if you have flown even the space shuttle. PALPA, will not allow anyone to cut in line, they have to go back and wait their number.

This is something I heard, though I never investigated , asked around or looked up anywhere myself, is that all the PIA fatal accidents which happened to this date, in command, was an EX-PAF pilot. (If this info turned out to be wrong, please, do correct me).

[raihans]

This is something I heard, though I never investigated , asked around or looked up anywhere myself, is that all the PIA fatal accidents which happened to this date, in command, was an EX-PAF pilot. (If this info turned out to be wrong, please, do correct me).

If i am not having any miss understanding then AP-BCP was also in command of an Ex-PAF pilot

[beyblade]

I fail to understand from where do u get the idea that airforce pilots can be a good replacement for CPL license holder.

let me correct u all...........all the ex airforce pilots in PIA are old farts and they are there to get medical insurance and claims.Since they become useless in the airforce so the only option they see is to join PIA thru Safarish of Airforce Chief and take over the seat of young pilot.........if u want to see the track record of pilots in PIA ................. the young CPL holders are more efficient and loyal to the company then the ex airforce pilots.......................

They hate to be called PIA pilots and still uses airforce ranks...........They should never be allowed to join PIA

[Gulistan]

The major advantage of an ex airforce pilot over a cadet is the guy already has several thousand flight hours and has the fundamental skills to do the job. Many airlines do hire ex airforce pilots as training costs are less than to put a noob through CPL. Brittania now Thomson is famous for having an overwhelming majority of pilots who are ex RAF
Mind you ex fighter jocks can be a bit careless as Korean Airlines have found to their costs.