Cathay Pacific screening/Interview Next week.

[Flymez]

just looking for some people who have been called for an interview next week in YVR.

[SonicSTi]

You talking about DESO or Cadet

[Flymez]

I have a screening for the Cadet program... what is DESO? I'm going next week and was hoping to meet some people to perhaps study with or just to get to know.

[TopperHarley]

DESO... direct entry second officer... CX no longer hires SOs. They go for cadets, and don't offer housing allowance at all anymore. They've opened up the cadet program to internationals and low-time pilots, but you're one your own for housing.

Go to www.pprune.org, fragrant harbour forums. Pretty much all negative stuff being said about CX on there though.

[Flymez]

Yes, I've read all those negative posts on that forum... However, I dont see AC or WJ, or any other airline in Canada offering housing either and the pay is the same. I would be very proud to fly for CX should I be successful in the selection process.

Just wanted to meet some of the guy's I will be seeing in YVR next week.

[CanadianEh]

Yes, I've read all those negative posts on that forum... However, I dont see AC or WJ, or any other airline in Canada offering housing either and the pay is the same. I would be very proud to fly for CX should I be successful in the selection process.

Just wanted to meet some of the guy's I will be seeing in YVR next week.

[fish4life]

Yes, I've read all those negative posts on that forum... However, I dont see AC or WJ, or any other airline in Canada offering housing either and the pay is the same. I would be very proud to fly for CX should I be successful in the selection process.

Just wanted to meet some of the guy's I will be seeing in YVR next week.

Ya but housing in Hong Kong isn't comparable in price to cities in Canada, besides at least when you start at AC you can live in your parents basement for the first 2 years while you are making poverty wages

[SAR_YQQ]

Ya but housing in Hong Kong isn't comparable in price to cities in Canada,

Exactly - research the cost of living in Hong Kong - where an orange cost $100.00

[fish4life]

ya I believe that the starting housing allowance was in the $6-7000/month range so just make sure you research how your going to make that work out. If you find out you can afford it goodluck on the selection process

[Beefitarian]

Ya but housing in Hong Kong isn't comparable in price to cities in Canada,

Exactly - research the cost of living in Hong Kong - where an orange cost $100.00

Excellent sugestion. I think he's recomending you look for Oranges left behind while sleeping in the first Class beds before hitting the streets of hong kong to run your Orange stand on your days off.

[JL]

Tough crowd tonight!

[Just another canuck]

This cadet program is a poor path to walk down for any Canadian pilot... let me guess, you have a 1000 or so hours and a company with great big jets called you and now you have a hard on you can't get rid of and you can barely contain your excitement.

Well, have fun sitting as a cruise pilot, scraping by in Hong Kong for the next five or more years... in that five years you could build 4000 hours in Canadian Aviation... or if it's travel you are interested in, there are far better options than the one bar uniform at Cathay. What happens if you lose your job before you get any real FO time there? You'll be five years deep in a company and will have gotten nothing out of it and no one will care how much time you have as a cruise pilot.

I know a guy who was hired as a DESO and three years later, guess what? He's still an SO and he had 6000 hours, 1000 being right seat on a 737.

The vision sure looks appetizing, but the reality is not... in my humble opinion. I just think there are far better options for all of us if you are willing to sacrifice a little.

Good luck with the interview... if that's really what you want, but I suggest you take some time to think about why it is you really want to do this.

Cheers.

[Beefitarian]

Have you tried a $100 orange? I bet that's some good orange.

[electricalfailure]

In communist Russia, orange pay 100 dollar for you!!

[Stu Pidasso]

Flymex:

What is your background, if you don't mind me asking?

I thought the Cadet program was for candidates with zero flying experience, right out of high school? They send you to Australia for all the Flight Training.

I didn't think they would consider a 1000 hour Pilot in the Cadet Program.

[Flymez]

the cadet program has gone international
there is 3 programs
60 week course for people with no flight experience at all
32 week course for ppl with a CPL and 250tt+ hours
12 week course for ppl with ATPL and 1500tt+

hope that helps.

[Stu Pidasso]

Thanks, I knew they had gone International. I didn't know they where taking Pilots with Licences.

I wonder what the commitment is if you have an ATPL and 1500+ hours?

I am not a fan of these "Cadet" programs. Having a Pilot that only knows Airline Operations is a mistake, in my view.

Exploitation by the Airlines, just like they are championing the MCPL (Multi Crew Pilot License.)

The Airlines looking after their ability to have cheap, slave labour.

[arcticbeaches]

I know a few people who were offered DESO positions prior to the recession but their gs's were cancelled and CX came back to them with Cadet offers recently (they all said no). These are multi turbine captains with over 4000 hours and ATPL's. It's CX trying to save money on wages and in the end they're now picking at the bottom of the barrel of pilot experience on the market.

As for cost of living....Hong Kong is way more expensive than any major Canadian city. Have fun living in the New Territories in a tiny bachelor pad far far away from any Expats or anything fun to do on their meager wage.

[felix0315]

Forgive my lack of knowledge
Doesn't CX do training in Australia?

This cadet program is a poor path to walk down for any Canadian pilot... let me guess, you have a 1000 or so hours and a company with great big jets called you and now you have a hard on you can't get rid of and you can barely contain your excitement.

Well, have fun sitting as a cruise pilot, scraping by in Hong Kong for the next five or more years... in that five years you could build 4000 hours in Canadian Aviation... or if it's travel you are interested in, there are far better options than the one bar uniform at Cathay. What happens if you lose your job before you get any real FO time there? You'll be five years deep in a company and will have gotten nothing out of it and no one will care how much time you have as a cruise pilot.

I know a guy who was hired as a DESO and three years later, guess what? He's still an SO and he had 6000 hours, 1000 being right seat on a 737.

The vision sure looks appetizing, but the reality is not... in my humble opinion. I just think there are far better options for all of us if you are willing to sacrifice a little.

Good luck with the interview... if that's really what you want, but I suggest you take some time to think about why it is you really want to do this.

Cheers.

China Airlines and Eva Airways in Taiwan also has cadet programs. Even though they're not so huge, and only hire people with Taiwanese nationality, would it be a better way to go than CX or about the same? I believe both these airlines do training in Australia.

[vortac]

Man has Cathay Pacific ever gone down the


Forget this place. Better things out there.

[moocow]

Yes, CX and some other airlines are using a flight training outfit at Parafield, Adelaide. The whole point of the cadet program is to develop local pilots where there are no natural supplies of pilots. At least in Singapore and Taiwan, there are ex-military pilots but in HK there are none. In regards to China Airline and Eva, I have no idea if they are better since I don't know anyone from those programs. But you have to be really careful about the contract terms. Eithad got a 6 figure penalty buried in their contract so if you quit, fired, injured before the allotted time period finish, you have to pay them back for training. While I'm pretty sure CX don't have such thing, the other guys might.

So here are something to consider if you're going in as non-local cadet:

1. HK Immigration apparently refused to issue work visa for the first batch of international cadets. They probably felt CXCPP should only be used to develop local pilots. While they caved and issued visa, you never know what will happen despite the fact that HK is business governed.

2. Like other people cited before here and on PPRUNE, long time to command. No one else uses a P2X type rating so good luck looking for a similar position outside of HK if you leave. Most likely, you have to take a huge pay cut and go back to instructing, bush, or air taxi if you leave CX before reaching senior F/O.

3. Assuming the post on PPRUNE about DE hiring is correct, CX may start DE after 2013. So you will be competing against those guys for NA bases.

Another cadet program that allows non-HK resident is HKGFS. However, all non-local are only considered after GFS exhausted all local candidate. Their eye-sight requirement is close to the old military standards (no more than 100 and no corrective surgery). Also, you have to write an exam on HK Basic Law and bind to a 10 year contract but at least get some kind of housing (barracks?).

[fingersmac]

I know a guy who was hired as a DESO and three years later, guess what? He's still an SO and he had 6000 hours, 1000 being right seat on a 737.

So what? For most, Cathay was a career company; you were there for the long haul (no pun intended). If you were hired as a DESO then you got all the benefits, including the generous housing allowance.

Unfortunately, it looks like those days are long gone. This 'fast track' international cadet program that has replaced the DESO scheme is a slap in the face.

Yes, I've read all those negative posts on that forum... However, I dont see AC or WJ, or any other airline in Canada offering housing either and the pay is the same. I would be very proud to fly for CX should I be successful in the selection process.

Have you done any research on living in Hong Kong? There was a housing allowance for a reason but now they've realized that there's an abundance of people like you around and have done away with it.

[Never Mind]

flymez,

At every place that I've worked, whether in aviation or not, I've met well-intentioned individuals who would counsel me to not leave for another company. The reasons were all the same: "No other company pays as much as us", "Do you really want to go live there?", "Sure it's more comfortable there but do you really want to take a pay cut?"

Some disparage bush flying, while others look down on pilots who fly ILS to ILS, and pavement to pavement. Every job, and company, has its place. The important thing is for you to find your place in aviation. Cathay Pacific may be the right fit for you. Broaden your sights, explore a little and give this interview a chance.

I wish you all the best next week in Vancouver,

Never Mind

[CPLMike89]

Such a shame, cathay used to be my ultimate goal in aviation but latly I just dont see it happening. Good luck to those who are interviewing next week, thats the first time i've ever given an employer a PFO and not vice versa.

Mike W

[BingBong]

flymez,

At every place that I've worked, whether in aviation or not, I've met well-intentioned individuals who would counsel me to not leave for another company. The reasons were all the same: "No other company pays as much as us", "Do you really want to go live there?", "Sure it's more comfortable there but do you really want to take a pay cut?"

Some disparage bush flying, while others look down on pilots who fly ILS to ILS, and pavement to pavement. Every job, and company, has its place. The important thing is for you to find your place in aviation. Cathay Pacific may be the right fit for you. Broaden your sights, explore a little and give this interview a chance.

I wish you all the best next week in Vancouver,

Never Mind

+1

WELL WRITTEN