Crisis in the sky: Why pilots, aviation technicians and engineers are fleeing Russia. Media: Russian pilots are leaving en masse to work in Asia Russian pilots are leaving for China
Igor Sulim: “It’s time to stop the bacchanalia that is happening in our aviation today”
The situation with the mass exodus of Russian pilots to Asian airlines, mainly Chinese, in search of better working conditions and higher salaries is widely discussed in the aviation industry. According to media reports, over 300 Russian pilots have left the country in the last couple of years. Why do Russian pilots fly better in China than at home? Pilot Igor Sulim, who has been working for one of the Chinese airlines for almost a year, told us about this.
Igor Sulim (left). Photo from personal archive.
We have known Igor Sulim for a long time, from the time when he served in combat aviation. I remember his active life position, when it was he who initiated the high-profile legal case at the Lipetsk Aviation Center. Then, because of which several people from the Center command were sentenced to various terms. It was difficult to remain in the army after all this, and Sulim became a civilian pilot. And now he flies abroad.
Igor, for several years you successfully flew for a large Russian airline, and now - China. Is it really just because of the money? Where has your patriotism gone?
Patriotism has not gone away. I still love my country. However, in my opinion, the profession of a pilot implies constant improvement, working on oneself, reaching new heights. You can never stop, otherwise you lose your skills, knowledge, class, which inevitably affects flight safety. That is, professionally there should always be some prospects and clear goals.
Although, to be honest, each of us strives to get a more prestigious job, a higher salary. I believe this is a normal desire of any person who systematically works on himself. That is why, during the crisis that broke out in Russia, I began to think about finding a job abroad.
Judge for yourself: in the shortest possible time you gain work experience in an international company, study the features of organizing flights abroad, the level of in English and your professional training reaches a new, previously unattainable level. Your value as a specialist increases significantly. Naturally, along with this, income also increases significantly. As a matter of fact, I believe that China is now giving Russia an excellent opportunity to train hundreds of our pilots to an extra-class level, while our state does not spend a penny on this.
How did this loophole with China even open? Who were the pioneers? Young people or experienced pilots? What did they immediately encounter there? What is the attitude in China towards Russian pilots?
The pioneers were the Transaero pilots, who were literally thrown out onto the street. It is now that reports are being circulated that we do not have enough commanders aircraft, that people reached out for “the long ruble” and do not want to work in Russia for “fabulous” salaries. In fact, when the second largest and perhaps the best airline in the country collapsed, no one thought about the fate of the people and their families. Only a few got settled; the rest were forced to wander around offices in the hope of getting at least some kind of work.
Naturally, “effective managers” quickly understood the situation and lowered pilots’ salaries to the level of Moscow taxi drivers, citing the outbreak of the crisis. The real reasons, as you understand, were completely different. At the same time, the air transportation market in China was growing enormously, and Transaero pilots, being first-class specialists, flocked abroad.
It is clear that with the arrival of a huge number of top-level professionals, Chinese airlines began to pay more and more attention to Russian pilots, which ultimately led to their mass outflow. It is worth saying that with all the features of Eastern philosophy, Russian specialists are at a premium here. If our officials are ready to throw young, healthy and able-bodied pilots into the trash, the Chinese cannot afford this.
What kind of professional training must a pilot have in order for foreign airlines to be interested in him? How do the Chinese evaluate the professional training of Russian pilots?
The training of a commander applying for a job not only in China, but also in any other country in the world, must be at its best. Any foreign airline pays money not for a mediocre pilot, but for a true professional.
You must understand one simple thing that is not talked about much. We not only fly, we teach Chinese co-pilots, pass on our skills and knowledge to them, they improve and grow every day. Yes, Chinese airlines earn pretty good money with our help, but they also gain tremendous experience working with foreigners. Based on the experience of my work in the Middle Kingdom, I can say with full responsibility that our pilots are not worth being ashamed of. The Chinese speak of them with great respect.
What are your living conditions like there? How long do you fly? What is the salary? Compare with flight schedule and payment in Russian airlines. What are your pros and cons?
It was hard at first, to be honest. This is still a different country, a different culture. Then you slowly get used to it. The Chinese love us very much, this is facilitated by the long and close cultural ties between our peoples.
As for working conditions, this is a separate big conversation. I think there is no point in comparing flight support in China and Russia. Compared to us, they are in space!.. To be honest, lately I have been increasingly doubting that we will be able to catch up with them.
The difference is visible in everything: in the condition of the aircraft, in the attitude towards personnel, in matters of safety, organization of work and rest for flight personnel... If we have such a slogan as “Our priority is your safety”, it is only declared, with them it has the status of law.
A simple example: if your rest time is 10 minutes (!) less than the norm, then the next flight is necessarily cancelled. Otherwise, the company could be fined tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. In Russia everything is different. In most cases, you are asked to show loyalty, take responsibility, commit violations in order to ensure the completion of the flight. Some agree, some refuse, but this happens everywhere.
IN Russian media Recently, a loud scandal was discussed when a large group of Russian pilots contacted the ICAO accusing the Federal Air Transport Agency that, under the pretext of fighting for flight safety, the agency was going to deprive the pilot licenses of about 1000 pilots. Mainly those who trained in non-state flight training centers. What is your opinion on this matter?
You know, the actions of the Federal Air Transport Agency now resemble the theater of the absurd. We are a great aviation power; the names Zhukovsky, Tsiolkovsky, Nesterov, Chkalov sound proudly in world history... We must be the first. What's really happening?
As part of the bureaucratic fuss, under the slogan of the fight for flight safety, small aviation has been practically destroyed and is in a state of coma, DOSAAF aviation has collapsed, excellent aviation training centers that train first-class specialists are being closed.
Enthusiasts who are ready to invest money and create flight schools and airfields at their own expense are simply being stifled.
In your opinion, is this story somehow connected with the fact that the Federal Air Transport Agency recently sent out a document to all airlines stating that federal agency Do you need data on pilots who left the country and started working for foreign airlines?
I think yes. In our country, nothing is done for nothing, therefore, taking into account previous events, nothing good should be expected.
Look... Over the past two months, the Federal Air Transport Agency has not responded to requests from foreign states to confirm pilot certificates. Accordingly, our pilots cannot get a job abroad without this confirmation. It turns out that we pay taxes, provide jobs government agencies, their existence, and they introduce measures against us that are very similar to the instruments of the times of serfdom. We are not slaves, after all.
The same telegram.
Why do officials think that their families should live with dignity, but ours should not? Many children of deputies and ministers study and work abroad. Why is it possible for them, but not for us? We are not against them having the right to choose, so don’t deprive us of this right either.
- What do you see as a way out of this situation?
I think it's time to stop the bacchanalia that is happening today in Russian aviation. We are ready to help our country, to work for its benefit, but at the same time we want to remain free citizens, endowed with the right to choose.
Among our citizens there are a huge number of enthusiasts, people in love with the sky, who want to build airfields and create flight schools. They are not asking for money, they are asking at least not to interfere with them. Why don’t our aviation officials meet with representatives of private flight schools, with enthusiasts who, despite all obstacles, create gliders and train pilots, with people who wholeheartedly worry about the future of Russian aviation? Communicate with them without bureaucratic formalities, without mutual accusations, without considering each other as enemies and competitors. Maybe this will turn out to be much more productive than “prohibiting” and “not letting in”?
Perhaps it’s worth stopping and thinking carefully that behind the screen of official statements and reports is hiding a completely different truth? It may not always be pleasant to everyone, but it is vitally important. It is vital - both for us and for all our air passengers.
Russian pilots go to work in Asia, primarily because of high salaries. As a source in one of the foreign recruiting agencies looking for pilots for China told Kommersant, the salary of a pilot in China is on average four times higher than in the Russian Federation - from $17-25 thousand per month. At the same time, the work schedule is more lenient - 80 flight hours per month versus 90 in the Russian Federation and at least 96 days of vacation, while in our country - 70 days.
According to forecasts, in the next 20 years, Chinese airlines will hire 5.5 thousand pilots per year - the need for qualified flight personnel in the country is estimated at 111 thousand people by 2035.
Over the past two and a half years, more than 300 Russian pilots - aircraft commanders and instructors with a good knowledge of English - have gone to work in China and Korea. Another 400 highly qualified specialists are in the process of employment.
In addition, since 2016, China has simplified the issuance of work permits to pilots, which “only stimulates the arrival of flight personnel from Russia,” says Kommersant’s source. Ten Chinese airlines are showing interest in Russians; the main demand is for pilots with at least 2.5 thousand flight hours. There are currently about 100 Russian captains and instructors in China, and the same number are preparing to be hired.
The industry states that the best of the best are leaving the country: the most trained pilots with excellent knowledge of English - PICs and PIC-instructors. In addition to China, pilots go to work in Korea, India and Vietnam.
The trend of outflow of pilots from Russia began to be traced two years ago: due to bankruptcy, flight restrictions on tourist destinations and against the backdrop of a general decline in passenger traffic, the number of unemployed pilots, including those on airline waiting lists, doubled - to 4 thousand people. The influx of pilots from the Russian Federation coincided with a drop in passenger traffic and the cessation of Transaero flights (autumn 2015), when more than 10 thousand people were fired from the company.
This year the situation began to change: the volume passenger transportation, according to the Federal Air Transport Agency, in the five months of 2017 grew by 22%, including due to Turkish resorts becoming increasingly popular. Wherein charter airlines increased their performance by one and a half to two times. The airlines turned out to be unprepared for this: as the head of the department noted, such an increase in traffic volumes was not supported by the presence of an appropriate fleet of aircraft and aviation personnel.
They confirmed the trend of personnel leakage, but assured that “the problem is of a much smaller scale.” The ministry notes that this is primarily due to exchange rate differences. Proposals to prevent pilot departures are being discussed with the Air Transport Operators Association and will soon be submitted for public comment.
One of the solutions to the personnel problem in the industry is to expand the quota for hiring foreign captains.
Previously, Russian legislation did not allow domestic air carriers to hire foreign pilots as aircraft commanders. However, the lack of personnel prompted amendments to Art. 56 Air Code Russia, which allowed Russian air carriers hire foreigners. All airlines were allocated a quota of up to 200 foreign pilots per year.
But this coincided with a decline in passenger traffic - in 2015 it fell by 1.2%, in 2016 - by 3.8%, as well as the weakening of the ruble, so the demand for work in the Russian Federation fell.
The executive director of Airport also does not rule out that in order to cover the personnel shortage, a decision may be made to expand quotas for hiring foreign pilots. According to him, with the opening of markets, it is necessary to come to terms with the outflow of personnel or begin to actually increase salaries.
The first foreign pilot in Russia was German citizen Klaus Dieter Rolfs. He joined in September 2014, but left the airline just six months later. It was reported that Rolfs quit for two reasons: due to the devaluation of the ruble and because he could not find a common language with Russian pilots.
Over the past 2.5 years, 300 highly qualified pilots have left Russia for Asia, and another 400 are in the process of being hired. Airlines and experts cite differences in exchange rates as the main reason for the loss of personnel. “360” tells why pilots are leaving en masse for the East.
RIA Novosti / Maxim Blinov
Russian airlines are concerned about the employment of Russian pilots in China and Korea, reports"Kommersant" with reference to sources in the industry. Over the past 2.5 years, more than 300 “the most trained pilots with excellent knowledge of English” - aircraft commanders and instructors - have gone to Asia. Another 400 pilots are “in the process of completing paperwork.” The publication reports that the personnel leak primarily affected the airlines Ural Airlines, S7, Volga-Dnepr and VIM-Avia.
The newspaper's source in a foreign recruiting agency that searches for pilots for China said that the salary of pilots in the country on average starts from 17 to 25 thousand dollars per month. This is four times more than the salary of their colleagues in Russia. In China, the work schedule is 80 hours of flight time per month, and the pilot is given at least 96 days of vacation per year. In Russia, the schedule is 90 hours, and vacation is 70 days. In addition, since last year, China has simplified the issuance of work permits to pilots.
Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Savelyev said on the sidelines of SPIEF 2017 that his company has a shortage of pilots. According to him, “pilots are leaving in droves for Asia and China, where wages are 1.5–2 times higher.” The company has already raised wages five times and sees no opportunity to increase it. Now the salary of a co-pilot is 320-350 thousand rubles per month, a captain’s salary is 470 thousand rubles, an instructor’s salary is more than 500 thousand rubles.
RIA Novosti / Vladimir Pesnya
The Ministry of Transport confirmed to the newspaper the trend of pilots leaving, but reported that the problem is of a smaller scale. The department agrees that the cause of the leak was the difference in exchange rates. Proposals to prevent pilot departures are being discussed with the Air Transport Operators Association and will soon be submitted for public comment.
The State Duma Committee on Labor sent a request to the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation, Maxim Sokolov, asking him to explain the reason for the situation and talk about measures that should reduce the trend. Committee Chairman Yaroslav Nilov told Interfax about this.
Chairman of the All-Russian Trade Union of Aviation Workers Valery Selitrinnikov, in a conversation with 360, confirmed that the main reason for the departure of pilots is salary. “This is a unique market, this happens all over the world. There is nothing surprising about this. Every pilot looks where it is convenient for him. This is the market today,” he added.
Yury Sytnik, a member of the Commission under the President of the Russian Federation on the development of general aviation and navigation and information technologies based on the global navigation satellite system GLONASS, also claims that with a dollar exchange rate of 28-30 rubles, pilots’ salaries in Russian companies met international standards, and “today it has become twice as cheap.”
Original title: Airlift pilots.
Russian airlines are seriously concerned about the leakage of flight personnel to Asia: according to Kommersant, over the past 2.5 years, more than 300 aircraft commanders (PICs) and instructors have gone there to work (about 100 of them to China), another 400 people to employment process. The main reason both in the industry and in the Ministry of Transport is considered to be the high wage gap against the backdrop of a weak ruble. The outflow of personnel has begun to affect the market: a Kommersant source names the shortage of pilots as one of the reasons for the scandalous reduction in the VIM-Avia flight program. It is possible that in order to solve the problem, Russian airlines may again request an expansion of the quota for hiring foreign pilots.
Russian airlines are concerned about the drain of personnel to Asia, in particular China and Korea, industry sources told Kommersant. According to their information, over the past 2.5 years, more than 300 “the most trained pilots with excellent knowledge of English” - PICs and PIC-instructors - have left for the region. About 400 more pilots of these categories are “in the process of processing documents.” According to Kommersant, the leak affected, in particular, S7, Ural Airlines, Volga-Dnepr and VIM-Avia.
Kommersant's interlocutor notes that the departure of 12 PICs from VIM-Avia could have become one of the reasons for large-scale disruptions in the flight program (about it, see Kommersant on June 8). The airline confirmed to Kommersant that some pilots went to work in China, India and Vietnam. The main reason for the outflow, according to VIM-Avia, “is of an economic nature”: in Asian countries, the state has created conditions favorable to attracting foreign flight personnel. There are no restrictions or quotas for foreign pilots, a loyal flight crew validation system, and recruiting agencies select personnel in the Russian Federation and other countries.
In China in 2016, there were 50.5 thousand pilots, of which 25.2 thousand were commercial (over the year their number increased by 2.3 thousand people). According to Boeing, in the next 20 years, Chinese airlines will hire 5.5 thousand pilots per year - 111 thousand people by 2035. In 2016, there were 59 airlines and 218 airports in the country, their transportation increased by 12%, to 488 million passengers, and in total more than 1 billion people passed through Chinese airports.
Since 2011, Russian airlines have also been fighting for the right to hire foreign pilots due to a shortage of pilots, and in 2014 the government allocated them a quota of up to 200 foreigners per year. But this coincided with a decline in passenger traffic (in 2015 - by 1.2%, in 2016 - by 3.8%) and the weakening of the ruble, the demand for work in the Russian Federation fell. Aeroflot has 21 foreign pilots (18 from the Czech Republic), the company quota is 80 people.
A Kommersant source in one of the foreign recruiting agencies looking for pilots for China agrees that the influx of pilots from the Russian Federation coincided with a drop in passenger traffic and the cessation of Transaero flights (autumn 2015), when more than 10 thousand people were fired from the company. According to him, the salary of a pilot in China is on average four times higher than in the Russian Federation - from $17-25 thousand per month. Work schedule - 80 flight hours per month (in the Russian Federation - 90), at least 96 days of vacation (in Russia - 70 days). Since 2016, China has simplified the issuance of work permits to pilots, which “only stimulates the arrival of flight personnel from Russia,” says Kommersant’s source. Ten Chinese airlines are showing interest in Russians; the main demand is for pilots with at least 2.5 thousand flight hours. There are currently about 100 Russian captains and instructors in China, and the same number are preparing to be hired.
Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Savelyev, on the sidelines of SPIEF 2017, said that the company has a shortage of Russian pilots, and confirmed that “pilots are leaving in droves for Asia and China, where wages are 1.5-2 times higher.”
The airline has already increased salaries five times, but “no longer sees opportunities for its growth,” since the second pilot receives 320-350 thousand rubles. per month, captain - 470 thousand rubles, and instructor - more than 500 thousand rubles. Aeroflot has requested a new quota of 40 foreign pilots. According to Kommersant, the salary of flight personnel increased by 20%. Ural Airlines"(they declined to comment). S7 Kommersant confirmed the existence of a problem, but "so far only in isolated cases." Volga-Dnepr did not respond to Kommersant's request.
VIM-Avia emphasizes that foreign companies do not bear the cost of training pilots, do not have obligations for their pension and social security at the end of the contract, therefore they offer more profitable terms wages. The loss of personnel harms not only carriers, but also the economy of the Russian Federation as a whole, the company believes, since most of those leaving received their education at state expense, and when working abroad on short-term contracts, they do not pay contributions to the Pension and other funds. The problem of personnel drain needs to be raised from the industry to the state level, they say at VIM-Avia.
The Ministry of Transport confirmed to Kommersant the trend of personnel leakage, but assured that “the problem is of a much smaller scale.” They agree that the outflow is caused “primarily by exchange rate differences.” Proposals to prevent pilot departures are being discussed with the Air Transport Operators Association and will soon "be submitted for public comment." S7 added that they plan to discuss options for solving the problem with industry participants. So far, according to Kommersant's source, Russian aviation authorities are only formally making it difficult for pilots to access work abroad - for example, by refusing to confirm a pilot's license to foreign companies or provide other documents, citing the law on the protection of personal data.
Executive Director of Aviaport Oleg Panteleev says that with the opening of markets, it is necessary to come to terms with the outflow of personnel or begin to actually increase salaries. The expert did not rule out that in order to cover the personnel shortage, a decision may be made to expand quotas for hiring foreign captains.
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