OK, so like most pilots here, I want to fly for a living. Sounds great until I start looking at the industry wages and job security. Unlike other people, I have the unique chance of getting straight into a B777-300 if I manage to complete all the interviews, the flight grading, and the flight school at Cathay Pacific. Too bad I didn't watch what I said and got drop kick from the interviews, but not bad enough to get black listed. So here's some of my options and hope those in the know can weight in my options and analysis.

1. Reapply to Cathay's cadet scheme. Assuming I keep my cake hole shut and get invited to their training school and get a job later, I will basically short cut the entire process of a typical pilot and be a relief pilot on either A340 or B777. Pro: job with an airline within a short period of time. Con: forget about working with another airline because I will have minimum PIC hours for the next 8 years. The only PIC hours would be gained during Cathay flight school. Also, I will only earn 50% of my seat time because I will be a Second Officer.

2. Pay my own way, get a float rating, and find a good outfit to work for. Pro: nothing special stands out in this area. Con: massive debt, no job security, working ramp and may not lead to anything. As a post-secondary graduate with a finance background, getting into massive debt with no potential way to pay it off is as good as getting cancer. You may survive but it will sure to take a few years off your life. Or I can get a better job to pay for my training, which will take longer to complete.

3. Forget about it and just fly for fun. Pro: least stress, more money in my pocket, slightly better job security. Con: be a cubical farm animal for the rest of my life unless I can break into consulting.

I got this murky feeling that I have to be insane or lucky to break into this industry at this time and age.

Hate to rain on your parade, but I'd be inclined to think that option #1 is dead in the water. I'd imagine that a cadetship @ CX is highly valued, and really competitive, so if I were a CX interviewer, why would I bother with giving a second shot to someone who can't "keep my cake hole shut" when there's hundreds of others out there who can?

Looks like it's #'s 2 or 3 for you... If you really want to fly for a living, as opposed to just wanting to look cool while you stroll through the airport with stripes on your arm and a cool hat, then you'll see your way clear to making the gamble that the rest of us made with our money when we chose option #2. If not, enjoy #3.

BTW, there's probably a whole bunch of guys on here who chose to fly floats because they wanted to, not because they wanted a quick route to Cathay

Option #1 is still kinda open since it been known that Cathay does take re-applicants. The problem is how other airlines look at the logbook should a cadet graduate leave Cathay later on. Compare to the regular route, all I will have is the minimum amount of PIC and a ton of "Flight Management Time". Any recruiters or senior pilots that have a touch of HR experience care to weight in on this pickle?

From your post, it pretty much sounds as though you answered it yourself: number 3.

Lots of people go into the industry saying "I am going to be one of the pilots who makes it to the big leagues." and althought many do... many also don't.

you're choice in the end.