Cathay Pacific SO
 

Hey guys this is my first post. This may or may not have been answered in other CX forums, but i couldnt find anything dedicated to CX SO info. A lot of you guys are already in CX or wondering about DEFO stuff and i want to start even further back than that.

It has been a life long goal of mine to fly for cathay. I grew up overseas, in China, flying on CX since i was little. My parents live in HK, and i lived in Asia from the time i was 3 months old till i went to college.

What does it take to work there? how do i get hired? Ill start from the bottom. Im currently flying a twin turbo and building my time. When should i put in my resume? what are competitive mins? i do have a strong internal reference working in my favor as well.

thanks for any info ahead of time!

When? You should already have an app in with them if you want a job there. Apply with what you have and see what they say. In the past TP right seat time has been just fine for SO's.

There are a couple other threads here that aren't painting too rosy a picture at the moment for the SO position, but thing's change in aviation constantly. Obviously some guy's here working for them who know better than I, but have a positive attitude and just go with it. Airlines currently not hiring will likely be hiring heaps in 24 months. . . unless your in a hurry.

China is incredibly short of pilots, so I'd just apply and see what happens. The only DE FO I now is Mayfly135 and he showed up with some pretty sweet time; big planes with jets in the left seat kind of time.

Good luck.

thanks koru!

im in no rush...i dont think ill really have what they want for another year or so.

how do i put in an app? i go to apply for the SO job on their website, and it wont let me past the first page becasue i dont meet the minimum reqs quite yet.

is there a way to skip around the website and maybe talk to a human? or email a human?

thanks!

Cathay doesnt work like that... there is no human to talk to about getting hired there. Submit your application, but I know many people that have applied for the SO position with over 5000tt and about 3000 jet and some jet PIC.
They have said no hiring until alteast 2012 and they have people in the pool for both FO and SO positions. You having lived in HKG will look good to them. What kind of time do you have now? are you over the 3 to 4000 hour mark yet? if not I would have to say you have a lot longer then a year or 2 to wait. Are you living and flying in HKG or Asia right now?

thanks for the insight, I didnt know things were that backed up, even for the S/O spot. Is it a possibility that the 5000tt guys are over-qualified in cathays eyes? or do i just not know what im talking about (good possibilty).

im currently just over 1000, and i dont live in HKG, but my parents do, and i go there often to visit. probably irrelevent. i work and live in the states.

what can an internal reference do for me?

Years ago I had two friends go for interviews at the same time, both for the SO position. One had about 1500 hours and was flying single pilot in a Navajo, the other was flying a B727 and had at least 4000 hours. They took the Navajo pilot.

When they get throught their pool and start to interview again they may have a different idea as to what they want. I would think that you will have to meet the minimums though.

The hiring inthe Middle East and China should kill off much of the pool that's out there. Plus, those over 60's that were able to stay flying a couple years ago will be encroaching on retirement in 24 months, if not sooner. Looking at many established carriers that used the rule change as a crutch to save their asses in the short term, frankly I do not know what they have planned to fill the seats that will start to empty like a biblical flood when it hits the fan, they'll finally be parking those airplanes I guess. So yea, keep up with it, it'll take a couple years but you'll be in a good position. Try to get some command time.

Wouldn't you qualify for the cadet scheme? With your parents already living in HK it wouldn't a bad option in my opinion. You would probably even start before me who has been in the SO hold file for 2 years next month:(

sioux,

how did i apply or get into the cadet program? I have looked at the website and it looks like the application process is still geared at getting locals only. am i missing something.

Fragrant Harbour Wannabes
 

If you head over to pprune.org and read the forum I posted in the title you will learn everything you need to know about the the cadet programme. Good luck!

Personally... you if have a job flying T-props right now I would stick with that and wait. Listen to what KoruPilot said. He has some good insight.