China airline intervew in JULY 2006

[FlyingPimp]

Dear all pilots

CAL invited me to their FO interview in TPE. I would like to find out more information about their INTERVIEW PROCESS in TPE. If you had an interview with them recently and love to share, please tell me
1. what kind of interview question they ask?
2. how many pilot from CAL in the board room?
3. What kind of TECH Question?
4. any written test? From the info that they email me. I don't see any
slot time for any written test. If there is one, will FAA ATP be a good study resource??

5. Detail about the sim ride??
I have enough knowledge of their Medical check and other information about the company. If you would, I am only interested of the first 2 days of the interview. Thanks for your time.

truly appreciated and have a nice day

Someone who accept the reality :O


P.S. I can't find any answer from PPRUNE or any web page about CAL interview, ppl did post something about CAL interview. However, I only see people talk about the company and TPE and not much info about the interview. don't want to be mean here := , if you are about to bitch about the company and country AGAIN. My advise is, You better go back to your mother and cry or quit the job ASAP or go back to your home country. There is a reason why you are in CAL, no one point a gun into your head. Only SLAVE complain, you HAD or have a choose. Last, this is a JOB and not a dream. Run your own airline and I am sure you will get everything that you wanted. Good luck.

[helldog]

Hey Pimp, I hope your interview went fine for you. Seems to be a lack of knowledge about the process since no one has replied to your post.

So how did it go? What are the answers to the questions you asked in your post?

[UNOME]

FlyingPimp, forgive me but you sound more like the “China Airlines recruitment office pimp”:bored:

If however, you are a real applicant, why not look at other more “career minded” airlines who are recruiting in your region. You evidently have an Asian background and you will find them offering; better pay, a real chance to be fairly promoted and a stable contract.:ok:

We have a heap of ex China Airlines guys back here in Qantas who say that they, like many, many other expat pilots (and Nationals), left the company for just two main reasons; 1) The company continually changed (for the worse)/ broke the pilots contract and 2) The company lied to them.:( They say that they would have been happy to stay, if the company honoured the contract they were employed under.

I think it is totally wrong to blame the pilots for leaving given these circumstances. You say no one is holding a gun to their head…so why is the company mad about so (very) many pilots leaving?

The honourable First Officers who have stayed and wanted to have a long term career there are finding out now, that the company is going to screw them over pretty badly. We pay "low cost" First Officers more money here, than "upgraded" expat Capts there!! :ugh:

Be careful with your career choice and choose a company that respects loyalty. eg Cathay, Vietnam, Dragon, etc, etc,:ok: :ok:

[flyheavy]

:rolleyes: Does anybody know what kind of interview is conducting in Taipai with China Airlines please??
All the best for everybody..
Thanks,

[UNOME]

Just a wild guess...FlyingPimp=Flyheavy=China Airlines recruit office heavy pimp!! :}

[airbus2boeing]

I love it when people post a topic and never come back again.

[CTM1394]

i would be happy to have any detailled griefs about China Airlines... "They break the contract in worse..." Is it possible to have concrete examples? What kind of "lies" did they say?
Any reply would be highly appreciated as i may join very soon...Thank you.

[UNOME]

May I inquire as to what position (e.g Capt, F/O) and type you "maybe" accepting??

[CTM1394]

FO 744
Thanks for your reply.

[Crossbleed]

[COLOR=magenta][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=2]P.S. I can't find any answer from PPRUNE or any web page about CAL interview, ppl did post something about CAL interview. However, I only see people talk about the company and TPE and not much info about the interview. don't want to be mean here := ,

There's a very good reason for that, your clumsy attempt at fishing for your post-Chiang Kai Chek masters will yield no fruit here. This is a forum for the serious, not the supersilious. Goodnight...

[flyheavy]

DEAR ALL,

ANYBODY HAS ANY IDEA ABOUT CHINA AIRLINES INTERVIEW?
PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
THANKS,

[Crossbleed]

There can be but one reason to fly for a Taiwanese carrier: You desire a beating, Orright, two: You are so desperate for jet-time you'll do anything... Nope,that.s it.

[UNOME]

CTM1394, please heed the following advice, passed onto me by people I trust. :ok:

Dear Flyheavy,

I had a beer or three with a couple of ex-China Airlines mates recently.

They tell me that all letters from CA commence with "Dear All,..", just as you and Flyingpimp seem to do.:hmm:

There is a plethora of info re; CA interviews on this site which is easily found via the search function.

They also say that, you are required to deposit about USD25,000 with the company to start as an F/O and (even if you start with 20,000hrs jet time) over the following many years jump all manner of hurdles to be considered for command. If you do get offered a command, you will be paid half that of a direct hire Captain (who has joined 5yrs after you) and pay another USD25,000 BEFORE YOU CAN START TRAINING. That is why they left.:ugh:

Better to go to the many other "honourable" airlines and enjoy the reward for your years of slogging it out.:ok:

If however, you are a widebody Captain, join and enjoy. (But somehow I doubt that you are.) ;)

[flyheavy]

Dear UNOME,

WHEN SOMEBODY START HIS LETTER OR POST WITH ( DEAR ), IT COMES FROM THE RESPECT TO THE OTHER (WHICH I DOUBT YOU HAVE ANY), IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR POSTS, U SOUND LIKE A MORON (AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE). I AM OFFERED A CAPTAIN B-747-4 WITH THEM AND INSTRUCTOR AS I HAVE BEEN DOING MOST OF MY 27 YEARS CAREER FLYING JET, U PROBABLY KICKED OUT THROUGH THE INTERVIEW WITH THEM AND THAT'S WHY YOUR SWEET BLOOD IS BOILING.
FLY SAFE AND THANKS FOR EVERYBODY.

[UNOME]

Dear Flyheavy (aka Flyingpimp)

Ummm.. when did you tell me I sounded like a moron?
Why do you feel the need to insult me? Why does your sweet blood boil when people reveal the truth in response to the questions you asked?
Why is your syntax just like that used by Flyingpimp?
Where is Flyingpimp??
If you review my last post, I endorse going to CA as a Capt.
In your case, being evidently Asian, you will be even more welcome.
I do have mates there as Capts on 747, who seem happy enough.
But why go to CA, when mainland China and most others pay more?
However, very bad move to go there as an F/O. No future, bad pay.
Finally, I am very happy in my comfort zone of the last 20+yrs therefore, since I have no need to apply, I wasn't interviewed.
I am only relaying the truth as passed to me by ex-CA pilots we have employed in our airline over the last 2yrs.Remember, if you respect your pilots and pay them a market wage they will be happy and will remain with the company.

BTW. I used to operate into TPE in the old days. I found the people very warm and friendly, and Taipei a great place for a layover. :)

Have a nice day in the office.:ok:

[CTM1394]

1)Depends what you hear in bad pay....Pays are set up according to the market, yes, but according to the cost of living of the country you live in too...
Pay of a FO in Europe cannot be the same as a FO in Malaysia or in Taiwan. You have to see how well you can live in the country with the pay you are given.
2) Join as a Captain, yes...but if you have no experience on the 744 you have to start one day. And if you wait till the very best opportunity comes out, then you may wait very long.
I think the choice of China Airline can be a good one for FOs beginners on 744. Gain experience, then stay or leave according to your expectations.
Think positive....always.

[UNOME]

CTM1394

Some positive thoughts ...

1) I note that you reside in Dubai. Why then in Gods name would you consider CA a positive move? The pay/ conditions in every airline where you now live is years ahead of CA. Mainland China is screaming for pilots, pays 50% more and is 50% cheaper to live than Taipei (one of the worlds most expensive cities). So if you need an Asian experience try there. Have you looked into Singapore? F/Os on 320s are paid more there (then upgraded foreign widebody Capts in CA) and you will be upgraded.

You make a very good point when you say that " you can't pay Asian locals the same as foreigners.." why then are upgraded foreigners paid half that of Direct hire Capts??? CA is the only airline I know of doing this and the result is the pilots leave in disgust. Several have joined the Airline I work for.

2) As I said above, choose an Airline that will give you a future, not just an endorsement and make you warm the seat forever.

Remember, CA has only upgraded 6 foreign guys ever, and they were all Jet Capts before joining!! People do not leave if they are happy. I am not bagging CA, just telling you the facts. In the end my friend, you choose your own destiny. :ok:

p.s Your English is fading...I sincerely hope you are genuine and not another CA office spy.:uhoh:

[CTM1394]

Im french, and i guess i can speak better english than you can speak french...my friend...and im already capt. on jet...so i can be hopeful...

[CTM1394]

Anyway your advices are interresting and i thank you for that...so long

[UNOME]

Vraiment mon copain?

Pardonnez-moi l'expression! 'A tout 'a l'heure!! :ok:

[helldog]

Ah, love the friendly banter here. What search words do you use to get info on the interview? All the obvious ones dont turn anything substantial up. If I got an interview I would go for it then see what happens. You see some of us here have not joined the jet fraternity yet! SOmetimes you have to take what you can get.

[cityshuttle737]

Hallo,
maybe the truth is as it is often the case somewhere in the middle...
I was in Taipei and compared to the climate and friendlyness I experienced with an european low cost carrier I work presently for It was very nice,warm and friendly.
If you can live with the fact that an upgrade won´t happen in the first years,my personal opinion is that there are absolutely worser places to go to.
I talked to some pilots working there,I heard good things as well as bad things,like everywhere else.
The bad thing personally for me is that you have to pay the bond in cash,which means,you don´t sign only,you have to deposit the money,which is not nice for an experienced pilot but compared to SIA cargo for example not that much.(SIA cargo 40.000$,CAL 13.000$).
The interview process itself is very fair.
1.ATP-test: nearly everything from the published FAA ATP database
( Gleim)
2.Interview: 2 persons from managment,2 persons from flight department.
No technical,questions about your life,opinions,present airline,why you want to join etc. very friendly atmosphere,straight forward...
3.Simulator: In my case 737 which was my present type.
everything with FD on,no multiple failures. good to succeed,instructor and PNF were very friendly and proffesionell.
4.medical: 2 days,forget about the medical from your home-country...
EVERYTHING will be checked.there is also a psychometric test done with the medical which also is good to make,also 16PF questionary.
Overall,everything was fair,people were friendly and helpfull and Taipei is definitely not that bad place.
Hope that helps a little bit

[helldog]

Hey Cityshuttle, thanks for the useful post regarding the interview process. Very informative. Do you happen to know if there are many guys that have got a start in the past straight from turboprops?

Thanks again :D

[cityshuttle737]

Hi,
there are quite some guys from swiss (crossair) saab 2000 pilots,but I think that was a special deal.But on their homepage they invite now also turboprop drivers to apply in general.Many people leaving-many people joining.
I can´t remember a time since I´m a pilot where it was that easy to get a job like now.Asia is booming.People are leaving europe in masses.That´s the bill for the treatment especially in the low-cost carriers...he he.

[europilot]

cityshuttle737,

Did the CAL recruitment staff ask you about the English test... the website requires for "english 2nd language" pilots... which one did you do???

Who are you working for at the moment and what are your hours...

Thanks/Danke
EP