Airline Pilot Forums

I received an email from Cathay Pacific inviting me to attend the initial interview for Second Officer Transition Training Program.

Cathay Pacific is an airline that as sparked my interest for a long time. I'm excited for this opportunity and can't wait for the interview.

What are your thoughts for those of you who work fot Cathay Pacific or from those who are familiar with the company?

Any info on this offer and what to expect at the interview would help.

Thanks

There are 35 different threads that pop up if you search 'Cathay Pacific' in the title alone.
If you haven't read some of those threads yet, I'm betting that many of your questions would be answered.

USMCFLYR

Use caution. Check the terms carefully as they have recently lowered the pay and housing allowances to the point where it may be difficult to live in HK on the money you will be making.

Survey: Are you accepting their offer? - PPRuNe Forums (http://www.pprune.org/fragrant-harbour-wannabes/446605-survey-you-accepting-their-offer.html)

I think this is going to be the problem. There are still lots of people who just hear the name Cathay Pacific and assume it is still this legacy airline. Which it still could be but just not at these current conditions. Hopefully all the newbe's will do some research and learn a). you can't afford to live in Hong Kong under the current conditions and b). it is significantly less than they were offering just a mere 2.5 years ago! Nothing has changed financially for them, its actually just gotten better after the recession with record profits of $1.6-1.8 billion usd. There is no reason for CX to offer these conditions.

Sorry for the vent. I want to work for Cathay too, but I will not under these conditions. Good luck...

Yeah that's my fear. I don't want to be stuck in a position that I can't get out of.

I have plenty of time before the interveiw to think about it and do my research.

Maybe I'll just hold out for Air Canada.

Yeah that's my fear. I don't want to be stuck in a position that I can't get out of.

I have plenty of time before the interveiw to think about it and do my research.

Maybe I'll just hold out for Air Canada.

Employment is voluntary, What do you mean a situation you can't get out of? you don't have to work for anyone you don't want to. Interview, ask questions and try to talk to guys that are actually flying the line there, It is always a good Idea to find a popular watering hole and talk to line guys about a particular job and If you do get a job offer, only then is when you do have a decision to make.

Employment is voluntary, What do you mean a situation you can't get out of? you don't have to work for anyone you don't want to. Interview, ask questions and try to talk to guys that are actually flying the line there, It is always a good Idea to find a popular watering hole and talk to line guys about a particular job and If you do get a job offer, only then is when you do have a decision to make.

I don't know if they have a training contract or not. I don't want to get caught up in that. I'm def going to go to the interview to see what they have to offer. And whether I'm offered the job or not, pilot jobs don't come and go like working at a fast food chain to where you can just jump around as you please from airline to airline. I don't what to leave a somewhat OK job for what turns out to be a bad gig somewhere else and be stuck there for several years wasting my life away and not be able to get hired somewhere else. I've heard and read of several stories of poepl who are there and are miserable living in Hong Kong. But I do understand that anything you do in this industry is a calculated risk. We'll see how it goes.

Welcome to the decision making process in aviation, there are no guarantees! there is certainly no guarantee you will get a job offer since most people don't pass the interview, only when you do get a job offer is when you have a decision to make. I just find it strange that you are looking for justifications to turn a job down that haven't been offered to you

I don't know if they have a training contract or not. I don't want to get caught up in that. I'm def going to go to the interview to see what they have to offer. And whether I'm offered the job or not, pilot jobs don't come and go like working at a fast food chain to where you can just jump around as you please from airline to airline. I don't what to leave a somewhat OK job for what turns out to be a bad gig somewhere else and be stuck there for several years wasting my life away and not be able to get hired somewhere else. I've heard and read of several stories of poepl who are there and are miserable living in Hong Kong. But I do understand that anything you do in this industry is a calculated risk. We'll see how it goes.


You will have a training contract for 6 years....if you leave before your 6 yrs is up you will owe them around HKG 1.2 million. I hope you do understand that SO don't fly the airplane....you will not be typed...So after 6 yrs if you want to leave you have nothing to show for it....if you are looking at CX you have to look at them as long term..around 10 yrs....the problem you will face by than is that you can live in HKG on HKG $14,000 a month housing...under the old T&C you would of be getting around $58,000 to $64,000 in housing....now you do the math...

How does the SO upgrade to FO work?
CX obviously hires DEFOs, so there must be some process for the SOs upgrading

How does the SO upgrade to FO work?
CX obviously hires DEFOs, so there must be some process for the SOs upgrading

CX is not hiring DEFO's and havnt for a while... There is a process to upgrade SO's. Right now its about 4 to 6 years to upgrade to FO.
This is a company that I have always wanted to work for, so I have talked to countless SO's and FO's. Moral is getting very low at CX. The current T&C are not good for expats. The only way to do it is to live in a slum apt in Kowloon and have almost nothing to show after rent.
For a studio apt on Kowloon in a nice area will run you almost 2000USD a month. On Hong Kong it can run over 3000USD a month.
For anyone considering CX right now, you NEED to do a lot of homework. If you have a family... oh boy good luck.

Right now the upgrade time to Junior FO from SO is 4 years and 1 week (approx...for the guys starting upgrades this summer). That can and will fluctuate. Company just posted a request for more training captains on all fleets due to an increase in training next year. Also, I have heard that SOs are upgrading to JF/O on the 747 now. All of that points to a shorter upgrade time for the guys already on the list. What happens after that is anyone's guess.

As far as how it works, the upgrade candidate does the full type rating course and then more than 50 sectors with training and check captains. After the course is done and you check out as an JF/O, you then have another line check 6 months later that gets you to the full FO rank. I was hired as a FO, so if anyone can add/change the details, please do.

The current contract offer for new joiner Cadet SOs is downright awful. CX is refusing to hire experienced airline pilots and instead is resorting to hiring people that want to be airline pilots. The uptake on the job offers or even the interviews is very low. The general manager aircrew, who theoretically designs the offer, has just been replaced as of August. No one can say for sure what the reason is, but I think that he has f-ed the recruiting stream and now the company is very very short pilots on every fleet and growing massively over the next 9-10 years. My thoughts....the package will return to pre 2009 and everyone will be on expat packages, including all local cadet entry pilots.

Time will tell.

FO

The current contract offer for new joiner Cadet SOs is downright awful. CX is refusing to hire experienced airline pilots and instead is resorting to hiring people that want to be airline pilots. The uptake on the job offers or even the interviews is very low. The general manager aircrew, who theoretically designs the offer, has just been replaced as of August. No one can say for sure what the reason is, but I think that he has f-ed the recruiting stream and now the company is very very short pilots on every fleet and growing massively over the next 9-10 years. My thoughts....the package will return to pre 2009 and everyone will be on expat packages, including all local cadet entry pilots.

Time will tell.

FO

One would think market forces (that whole supply/demand thingy) will force CX into creating a package for newbies that is worth a $h%+. It seems the hiring glacier is starting to move across the industry. Qualified applicants will steer clear of cra%&y deals if they have other options. Hope there are improvements for all involved.

I received an email from Cathay Pacific inviting me to attend the initial interview for Second Officer Transition Training Program.

Cathay Pacific is an airline that as sparked my interest for a long time. I'm excited for this opportunity and can't wait for the interview.

What are your thoughts for those of you who work fot Cathay Pacific or from those who are familiar with the company?

Any info on this offer and what to expect at the interview would help.

Thanks

Where are you interviewing?

Where are you interviewing?

The interview is in Toronto.

Hi there,

Been reading this thread with interest.

I have been invited to interview for SO in London in July, anyone else going?

What exactly does a SO do? I've heard of cruise captains however this doesn't sound like that because they are usually experienced pilots. Could someone define the job description of a second officer for me please. Thanks....:confused:

A cruise relief pilot, or second officer is on board for flights longer than the maximum for two pilots. At our airline they are not allowed to take off, land or be in either of the pilot seats below 20,000'. (I don't work for CX) While some airlines use two captains on long flights, all of our FOs are type-rated, and assume PIC duties when the captain is sleeping. Our second officers are typically right out of flight school. I have found that it makes for a good method for them to learn the operational aspects of airline work with out throwing them right into the deep end. A major advantage for the CA and FO is that they end up getting more landings.

Anyone knows which fleet at CX, 777, 747, A330/340, etc., has the quicker upgrade from SO to JFO?

Interviewed last month, pm me...

Anyone knows which fleet at CX, 777, 747, A330/340, etc., has the quicker upgrade from SO to JFO?

It varies, they assign the next senior SO to the fleet that needs a F/O next (next delivery, resignations, senior FO upgrading to CN, etc.) Currently upgrading SOs to the right seat on the 330, 777, and 747.

FO

Weekend flyer, I can't PM you and thanks for the info 4everFO.