Cathay Pacific
#81
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2005
Position: Left Out
Posts: 188
They do not take out 15% as you say. Instead they take the sum of the base pay and all the credits and add 15%. This is CX's retirement contribution. You can elect to take it in cash or have it invested in a CX sponsored retirement scheme. However, note that this is not a IRS recongnized retirement plan and some serious issues regarding taxation remain as to how this income will be treated once the fund is fully vested (10 years). Due to this fact and the limited fund investment and managment options many just elect to take the contribution in cash.
FO.
#82
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Position: B756 FO
Posts: 1,288
Please dont take this as being abbrasive, but for those asking about DESO info, do yourself a favor and do some research on current events regarding the position with Cathay before you get excited because you actually meet published minimum qualifications. The company has discovered a new way of saving costs on expat packages for SO's by recruiting world wide for Cadets to fill those positions on local terms (no housing/kids education, etc).
As much as I hate to suggest PPRUNE.ORG and its Fragrant Harbour Forum, one has much info to gain from the threads posted. I dont think I would be wrong to say the chance of getting a shot at a DESO slot in the next 3-5 years would be a long shot. To make matters a tad bit more challenging for SO hopefuls there are numerous guys still waiting in the hired pool. Not a real pretty picture when you take all factors into consideration. None the less, these are just my oppinions that I have formed from what I know. They dont mean anything, and it would be great to see my pessimistic view for hopefulls shattered!
Good luck guys!
As much as I hate to suggest PPRUNE.ORG and its Fragrant Harbour Forum, one has much info to gain from the threads posted. I dont think I would be wrong to say the chance of getting a shot at a DESO slot in the next 3-5 years would be a long shot. To make matters a tad bit more challenging for SO hopefuls there are numerous guys still waiting in the hired pool. Not a real pretty picture when you take all factors into consideration. None the less, these are just my oppinions that I have formed from what I know. They dont mean anything, and it would be great to see my pessimistic view for hopefulls shattered!
Good luck guys!
#84
The provident fund contribution is 15.5% and is a percentage of the base salary only. Hourly duty pay, overtime, and qualification pay are not provident fundable. You can take this as cash in your monthly pay and it is then taxable and subject to with holding tax in the US.
FO.
FO.
#85
Pay
For those Gents flying the line right now..what is the max amount of flying the company allows per month? Up to 114hrs? I understand you recieve additional pay over the 84hr. mark. Just curious if Cathay tends to keep "overtime" to a minimumm even if the company is "undercrewed? Also, with the 74-200 retired now-does anyone know if they still use the 74-200 sim for training or interviews? Or will they have new hire canidates go to the 74-400 sim? Anyone in the training department have any insight? Thanks Gents...
#86
For those Gents flying the line right now..what is the max amount of flying the company allows per month? Up to 114hrs? I understand you recieve additional pay over the 84hr. mark. Just curious if Cathay tends to keep "overtime" to a minimumm even if the company is "undercrewed? Also, with the 74-200 retired now-does anyone know if they still use the 74-200 sim for training or interviews? Or will they have new hire canidates go to the 74-400 sim? Anyone in the training department have any insight? Thanks Gents...
Type Ratings:
I know 1 guy who went to the FSDO and talked his way into having them convert his Hong Kong Type into an FAA type. I know A LOT of guys who tried and got told No way. If the wheels fall off the wagon and I find my self on the street I will just shell out the cast and hop in the sim and take the test with an examiner if I need it. Having been on the street looking for jobs I know that time in the plane is the most important thing, and it would have to be a really good job and very certain to get it for me to spend my own $$.
I couldnt sleep the other day and was in the -200 sim. So you its there and has power on it. Other than that I assume it works. Since we are not in a heavy recruitment phase I havent seen people using it but I would assume that it is still in recruitment use. They seem to be using the -400 for regular training so I dont think they will use that for recruitment.
#87
Ronin, in an ideal world CX would build all the lines up to 84 hours, no more no less. As a North American based guy my lines never break 84 hours. I have only gotten overtime twice in my 2.5 years at CX and that was during my initial IOE and then on a conversion course to a different type. I know guys that have been here 5+ years and have never gotten overtime. Dont forget we dont bid. However, I know a lot of HKG based guys that get overtime all the time. If your on a fleet/base that is understaff then yes, you'll get overtime.
Type Ratings:
I know 1 guy who went to the FSDO and talked his way into having them convert his Hong Kong Type into an FAA type. I know A LOT of guys who tried and got told No way. If the wheels fall off the wagon and I find my self on the street I will just shell out the cast and hop in the sim and take the test with an examiner if I need it. Having been on the street looking for jobs I know that time in the plane is the most important thing, and it would have to be a really good job and very certain to get it for me to spend my own $$.
I couldnt sleep the other day and was in the -200 sim. So you its there and has power on it. Other than that I assume it works. Since we are not in a heavy recruitment phase I havent seen people using it but I would assume that it is still in recruitment use. They seem to be using the -400 for regular training so I dont think they will use that for recruitment.
Type Ratings:
I know 1 guy who went to the FSDO and talked his way into having them convert his Hong Kong Type into an FAA type. I know A LOT of guys who tried and got told No way. If the wheels fall off the wagon and I find my self on the street I will just shell out the cast and hop in the sim and take the test with an examiner if I need it. Having been on the street looking for jobs I know that time in the plane is the most important thing, and it would have to be a really good job and very certain to get it for me to spend my own $$.
I couldnt sleep the other day and was in the -200 sim. So you its there and has power on it. Other than that I assume it works. Since we are not in a heavy recruitment phase I havent seen people using it but I would assume that it is still in recruitment use. They seem to be using the -400 for regular training so I dont think they will use that for recruitment.
#88
Thanks Indy...much appreciated. Are you LA based since your in the 777? How do you like CX so far after 2.5yrs? Would you or could you go to the freighter? I understand all fleets/senorities are combined now...for new hire DEFOs on the frieghter next year is it still a 10-15yr. upgrade on those freighters?
With the new Conditions Of Service (COS '08) being specifically a "freighter" guy doesnt really exist. If your on the 74 you can fly both Pax, and freight. Its my understand that you now cant upgrade to "freight only" but rather upgrade to the 74 so there is no "quick" upgrades.
Upgrades, upgrades, upgrades... everyone wants to know how fast upgrades are. If you want to get to the left seat fast then go to Gulfstream International in Miami. If your coming from a regional or a US major where the starting pay is $33 and hour and no health care things are a little different here. Your starting at around $100,000 so there is no great rush to upgrade so you can afford a pizza. With long haul flying you dont fly that much so it take more time to get the experience that you would get in a few years in the short haul world. How long will it take me to upgrade? I cant honestly answer that since there are so many qualified guys ahead of my, the change of retirement age to 65, and I'm unable to predict growth. I dont think anyone can see more then 1 year out in this industry. In the mean time, I am very content to sit in the right seat.
#89
I'm coming from a bit of a different perspective than Indy since I'm on the 744 and relief qualified. When the fleet changed over to the 777 out of LAX, they sent a lot of folks to the 777 and most if not all of them were relief command qual'd. Most of the folks left on the 744 are not in North America. What that means is I'm working a lot more than usual. I was actually rostered into overtime on the published roster for the first time since I've been here. That means they planned me to go to 92 hours before things started to go sideways during the roster month. I ended up with 99 and in the 90's again the next month.
Of course I am doing mostly freighter flying which tends to have much greater roster disruptions. Every month though I am right up against the 84 hour mark. For me though, as a commuter, I like the longer trips and greater days off in a row. I've looked at a lot of the 777 rosters in LA and while the trips are shorter, there seems to usually be two trips that are fairly close together. For me that would be bad since I don't want to commute for just 2 or three days at home.
As for Ronin's overtime question. They do guard it as much as they can. If they send you into overtime you can be certain they had no choice. If and when you get it, the pay is very good so they hate to give it out unless they are stuck.
Of course I am doing mostly freighter flying which tends to have much greater roster disruptions. Every month though I am right up against the 84 hour mark. For me though, as a commuter, I like the longer trips and greater days off in a row. I've looked at a lot of the 777 rosters in LA and while the trips are shorter, there seems to usually be two trips that are fairly close together. For me that would be bad since I don't want to commute for just 2 or three days at home.
As for Ronin's overtime question. They do guard it as much as they can. If they send you into overtime you can be certain they had no choice. If and when you get it, the pay is very good so they hate to give it out unless they are stuck.
#90
I'm coming from a bit of a different perspective than Indy since I'm on the 744 and relief qualified. When the fleet changed over to the 777 out of LAX, they sent a lot of folks to the 777 and most if not all of them were relief command qual'd. Most of the folks left on the 744 are not in North America. What that means is I'm working a lot more than usual. I was actually rostered into overtime on the published roster for the first time since I've been here. That means they planned me to go to 92 hours before things started to go sideways during the roster month. I ended up with 99 and in the 90's again the next month.
Of course I am doing mostly freighter flying which tends to have much greater roster disruptions. Every month though I am right up against the 84 hour mark. For me though, as a commuter, I like the longer trips and greater days off in a row. I've looked at a lot of the 777 rosters in LA and while the trips are shorter, there seems to usually be two trips that are fairly close together. For me that would be bad since I don't want to commute for just 2 or three days at home.
As for Ronin's overtime question. They do guard it as much as they can. If they send you into overtime you can be certain they had no choice. If and when you get it, the pay is very good so they hate to give it out unless they are stuck.
Of course I am doing mostly freighter flying which tends to have much greater roster disruptions. Every month though I am right up against the 84 hour mark. For me though, as a commuter, I like the longer trips and greater days off in a row. I've looked at a lot of the 777 rosters in LA and while the trips are shorter, there seems to usually be two trips that are fairly close together. For me that would be bad since I don't want to commute for just 2 or three days at home.
As for Ronin's overtime question. They do guard it as much as they can. If they send you into overtime you can be certain they had no choice. If and when you get it, the pay is very good so they hate to give it out unless they are stuck.
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