Pilotchute’s experience mirrors my own. For a while I was involved in jet transition training for a large Chinese Airline. There was no way most of the cadets would have reached normal Aussie standards in the time allocated.The CAAC required 20 hours of exposure to multi crew jet operations. There was no pass/fail grading, merely boxes to be ticked to state that the student had been instructed in particular sequences. We gave them a basic systems course on the aircraft, then a quckie co pilot endorsement (no simulator), then they flew from the RHS on routes of the instructor’s choosing.
The Chinese management were very dollar conscious and watched the hours flown. 15 minutes under the 20 hours was desirable. 15 minutes over meant a discussion with the boss to explain that ATC or weather got in the way. That the student needed a bit more time was not accepted as a reason.
For such a large airline the whole operation was a real shoe-string affair. Poor food, cramped living quarters, pocket money sent from China was held by the boss and doled out in such small amounts the cadets could only afford a bus ticket and a hamburger once a week. TV was streamed in from China, so they had little chance to improve their English by watching subversive Western programs.
Little wonder that most of these poor buggers were not motivated to be pilots.
Of course Malaysia is not China, so for Par Avion’s sake we should hope that there is less interference with standards.
It would be very helpful if Australian pilot training schools could play a part in cadet selection processes, then have complete control of campus life for the duration of their stay here. It is not as if in countries with such large populations the talent does not exist. It would be arrogant of us to think otherwise.