Cathay
 

I am posting again, and I will try not to sound too negative. I have been researching carriers overseas and Cathay stands out as being an airline that you may want to reconsider if you want to work for them.
Cathay is only offering HK 10,000 housing allowance for I-Cadet second officers. This is not enough money to survive in Hong Kong. This represents a serious erosion in pay and benefits for pilots worldwide.
I really think that since there is a pilot shortage coming, then it may be wise to wait and not make a bad decision to join Cathay yet.
I do post often, and I may give the impression that I am negative. I am trying to be realistic. Don't allow yourself to be taken afvantage of.

I don't think we have any Cathay Second Officers that can chime in and answer some of your questions, but we do have a few F/Os on here. Maybe they will be able to answer any questions regarding Cathay and of course living in Hong Kong.

I had applied and been granted an interview for DESO a few years ago when CX had the good expat housing allowance and package. Two weeks before the interview they cancelled all future interviews and hiring, and have since only offered this cadet package which is total BS. I have zero interest in CX until they go back to offering a realistic compensation package for those living in HK.

I was in the same boat. I passed the phase one interview in NewYork back in 08'. Phase 2 interview in HKG was cancelled. :-( The cadet program is good if you don't have much experience but it does pay alot less than the DEFO package.

You lost me at pilot shortage.

Stay away from CX. You'll be glad you did.

One of our guy's just took a job as an SO at CX, so I guess they are hiring that way along side cadets. He gave up a left seat here (NG) for that job so I guess the numbers worked for him.

And what the heck is a 'direct entry' second officer? Direct entry captain or FO yes, but ther'es nothing 'direct' about starting in the position as an SO. . . it's a base entry position.

Maybe vs. 'Cadet Pilot' ......

Tho I agree it sounds ridiculous!

Also heard recently that Cathay is making I-Cadet applicants sign an agreement that they will repay Cathay if they fail. Watch Out Everyone!!!

this site may give you more insight.....




PPRuNe Forums - Professional Pilots Rumour Network

Question, for those of you who were actually called up for an interview for Cadet or DESO, what were your flight times and qualifications?

The reason I ask is I applied more than two years ago and never heard back from them. I am now trying to log on and update my application, but the system will not let me.

From the people I've heard of getting in so far, I've noticed that all seem to be either from HK or a Commonwealth country and have some sort of a technical degree.

I have around 2300tt when I was called last year. Wasn't selected.

I've got a good bud there that says he'll refuse to write any of us recs to work there out of principle. Until they turn back on the housing, schooling, etc he said there's no way he'd let a friend come work with him.

I had a friend from Embry Riddle, he was 19 years old, just got his private pilot license, was called for an interview with Cathay. Made it through the 1st interview, and went to HK for the 2nd interview. However, did not make it. He said the group he was in, were mostly military or experience pilots with thousands of hours. Even though he did not make it, Cathay still encouraged him to reapply.
I know another guy from Embry Riddle, he got hired after graduating, 300TT, now a SO at Cathay...
I am tempted to apply myself, just to see how it goes.

link to apply??

Why are you guys making this move!!!!???

Do you choose to completely disregard 99% of what people are saying about the cathay cadet program right now? Do you just look at the few positive things previous posters have said about how cathay USED TO BE? Career moves like this decrease the chances of once great positions like US based direct entry FO from ever coming back. If they realize that no one is applying because its a crappy deal they will have to at least make the T + C's livable for Hong Kong.

Thanks for your shiny jet syndrome screwing over the rest of us who would like to keep this proffession exactly that... A PROFFESSION and not a minimum wage job flying a heavy.

CEFO - You'd turn a job down with Cathay if you were 22 yrs old and had 300 hrs TT?

Right...

If i lived a crappy existence of a life from what they offerred, absolutely.

So as a proffessional pilot giving advice to fellow aviators who are looking to progress in aviation you would say the cadet program would be a wise career move?

Why?
 

I just can't see why people even want this offer. I have heard from reliable sources that the housing allowance is inferior. Having to pay Cathay back if you leave is absurd at best. Six years of SO time won't cut it for anyone. I don't understand why this is anything a pilot would want. The hole thing sounds backwards.

You ever been to Hong Kong? Think you're going to survive on what they're paying?

Right...

Im actually pretty close to 22 myself, and some fine guys who have been my mentors (1 who was a senior check and trainer on the b777 at cx) gave me the advice that building solid time early in my career was far more valuable than chasing the big jet cadet schemes. In my case itworked out extremely well. I think after a few years in HK on this deal you will be hating life. If you have that quality time flying smaller stuff (instruct, freight dog and regional FO) you never have to do it again and it looks great on a resume. Vs. Sitting in the back and watched the captain takeoff and land and when you sit in the window seat the autopilot has to be on. Not knocking SO's because their job is a valuable one but if that is what you go and do right out of college with no chance to learn how to "strap the plane to your back" and consolidate what you've learned could be a bad career move if you ever have to move on. That alone is why you shouldnt recommend it for a pilot fresh out of college. Oh and did we mention THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SUCK! ITS THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITY IN THE WORLD TO LIVE!

Define 'progress in aviation'? If you plan on staying at CX it's an option. If you plan on coming back to the U.S. it's a bad idea. If you hope to move to other carriers it's a bad idea since you'll be stuck there for at least 6-7 yrs (4 yrs SO and then time to build your FO time).

Would it be my first choice? No. Second choice? No. But if it's one of the few choices, or only choice, I'm not going to pretend some kid should choose McDonald's over CX. Reading a post yesterday about a guy that waited 6 yrs to get his first job. SO would have been a better deal.

Yes, flying, especially when you're new at it, is important. When you're 50 yrs old with 10,000 hrs being FB(relief pilot) on a random basis is no big deal.

Someone at Cathay City woke up....
 

and figured:( out that pilots can often work for less to be assured a chance at some sort of "future." Given thier history, the status will remain the same until they can't crew the jets.....