saviboy

Hi

I know there is a couple of guys knowledgable about Cathay.

I understand that if one gets hired as a SO, he or she will be Hong kong-bound for about 3-6 years.
after 18 months the SO will get a shot at a JFO.
From this point, Can a JFO bid for a Base outside of the USA or do they have to wait to become a FO?

And what are the chances to get a base outside of HK?
thanks

dansia

Any idea about competitive minimums for SO position?

LabDad

I'm a complete outsider, but I thought American pilots had to serve some initial minimum time period in the freight division?

saviboy

If you have about 5000 TT and 2000 jet you could be interviewed for DEFO freighter position in the USA or in Europe if you have a European passport.

Otherwise about 3000 TT and /or 1000 turbine should allow to get an interview for DESO (direct entry second officer ) positon in HK.

If you chose the DEFO way you can go to PAx fleet after 3 years ( more money on the PAX fleet). but you might have to go to HK.

If you chose the DESO way, you have to go to Hong Kong for about 3 years and then...I am not sure, hence my question at the beginning of the thread

4everFO

I believe the shortest amount of time from SO to JFO has been 18 months. The longest over 3 years. I hear that 3 years is about spot on these days. You can apply for a B744F spot after I believe one year, provided your sims have all been good (The Cathay caveat).

The first rank that will allow you to take an overseas base is FO. I do not think they want JFOs doing ultra long haul, since they just spent approx. 3 years not flying.

Plenty of Americans are getting hired as DESO. I know of one starting this month on the -300ER.

FO

saviboy

Thanks for the answer
I am not sure I understand everything.you write that you can apply for a B744F spot after one year. would that be for an overseas position (outside HK)?

If yes that means that you are still a SO. Yet, you write a little lower that CX allows overseas basing fro FO only not JFO.

Thank you

KoruPilot

A friend of mine is on the 744 as an SO and has been in the position for over three years now. They have started hiring direct entry FO's over top of him, with similar time at date of hire. The reason he has been given is that it is more expensive to train a new SO to replace him, while making him an FO. He's a good guy, good driver and doesn't rock the boat. He's thinking real hard about Air Canada at this point.

4everFO

That is interesting that he is an S/O for over three years because I just drank beers with a guy that upgraded to JF/O on the 777 after 2 and 1/2 years on line and 3 years total with the company. And they are only hiring DEFOs on the PAX fleet to be based in SYD and AMS. Is he 3 years from DOJ or from successful line check? There might be a little more to the story.

If you apply to be transferred to the freighter after 1 year (from checkout, not date of joining) as an SO you will be trained as an FO and you will also be required to serve the same seat lock as DEFOs on the freighter....3 years from successful aircraft line check.

KoruPilot

That was the way it went until recently, as I understand it, but the way he tells it is that they are hiring in front of him due to training costs, or some excuse like that. I think it might have had something to do with hiring for off-shore bases, but that is my assumption. I'll send him an email though as it has been a fair few months since I have last spoken with him. Perhaps the upgrade is at least in sight now.

With us (Air NZ) it went from 8 years to upgrade, to four years, back to 7-8 years as of the end of 2006, and now it is looking like it might be less than 4 years. There is a bit of movement all of the sudden, with a couple SO's going left seat B737, and some B744 right and left seat slots opening up. There are also DEFO B737 slots and a bunch of DESO (considered same position as 737 FO) on the 777 and 744. The CP told me that they would be anouncing another order in the next couple of months as well, likely for 773ER's and 789's. Things do change quickly.

I just got another call from Rishworth for a B767 right seat job, so they must be getting to the bottom of the barrel.