Originally Posted by
trigonometry
jakredflight, I don't want to disappoint you but I did not prepare any of the tests. I just did not have the time. There was only a day or two between tests/interview which came in a surprise to me. And that's how I sensed of their desperation. They did not ask me any questions about planes at all, maybe because I am a zero hour guy. But I heard they have changed their interview style recently, so essentially you are gonna be looking at two round of interviews after you passed the cut-e test, day one, HR interview and day two, technical interview. I was lucky enough to be offered a place on the program but unfortunately I turned it down. Just can't get over the fact that I have to sit here for 4/5 years before I can fly a god damn plane. Afterall I want to fly, not sit here and watching somebody else to fly. Not fun. Good luck!
R0gueone, don't be silly, whether it is a video interview or in person interview it is still an interview. Unless you are going to dress up provocatively to seduce the interviewers I don't see how it matters. You should be asking smart questions, not the stupid ones. I mean if you wanted to succeed in your application.
Trigonometry, there are many reasons to not pursue/start your career as a pilot with CX as a cadet but being “forced” to be an SO and not fly planes for 4/5 years is not one of them. Very few (and dare I say no) airline will put you straight into the RHS of a wide-body to conduct take offs and landings as a zero hour guy. Qantas only hire SOs and similarly UA wide-body pilots start out as IROs. A career as an SO is what you make out of it (more than just babysitting the A/P) and the operational skills, knowledge, and experience you build will more than make up for the lack of “stick flying”.
Assuming you are not in your 50s, the 4/5 years as an SO is a drop in the bucket when compared to the 20/30/40+ years of flying you will have. Besides, even when you do make FO/CA, how much how hand flying will you do? 45 secs out of a 13 hour LH flight? I think you need to ask yourself if you truly understand what being a pilot is like and similarly what type of pilot you want to be (LH/Regional/Charter/Instructor?).