Aviation India: Careers

Waleska, Georgia, US: About a dozen Delta pilots who took early retirement are now working for foreign carriers in Southeast Asia, China, India and the Middle East. Unlike U.S. carriers that require newly hired pilots to start at the bottom of seniority lists, some overseas carriers allow them to join according to their qualifications and experience levels.
U.S. pilots working as captains at foreign carriers typically earn about $80,000 to $100,000 a year, far less than the $180,000 a year they would earn at the top of U.S. pay scales. But most of the money U.S. pilots make overseas is tax-free as long as expatriate pilots stay largely outside the country.
More U.S. pilots could follow them if current industry trends hold.
Aerospace giant Boeing estimates the global airline fleet will more than double to 35,000 by 2024, with the fastest growth in Asia and the Middle East. The boom will require an additional 18,000 trained pilots annually, and countries such as China and India won't be able to train them fast enough.
12/11/06 Dave Hirschman/Cox News Service, Deseret News, US