Some ?'s on CX: Hours / Age / Bases...etc etc
I'm awaiting "the call" for a CX interview, and I'd appreciate opinions on my chances.
A few years ago I was interviewed by CX when I had about 2,400 hours, mostly piston but some turboprop. I wasn't called, and recently re-applied. I now have 5,500 hours: over 3,000 turbine, including 2,200 Jet, of which 1,200 is on the A-320 (my current aircraft). No Command Jet (unfortunately) but I am just short of 2,000 PIC, including 1,700 Multi PIC. Age: 38
I'm preparing for "The Call" now, studying the usual material mentioned here on PPRuNe, plus anything I can find on CX in newspapers, magazines, websites, etc.
My wonderings:
1) Do I have a choice of Freighter or Passenger?
2) Do you think I'd have a chance for F/O, or would I enter as an S/O with my experience & age? (and what time to move to F/O and Captain is predicted based on the "now growth"?)
3) Basings: a) would it be HKG (which my wife and I enjoy) or anything in North America right away? If I can choose a N.Am base, is there truth to the roumered agreement between Canada and the gov't of HKG re taxes? (What is the tax-rate if living in Canada while working for CX?)
b) If I take a basing in N.Am, what does the contract allow for housing / transportation / etc? There has been talk here that there are great differences depending on where you are based, but nothing specific mentioned that I came across (yet).
4) Does being interviewed before have any great bearing on future chances? (I thought I did fairly well then, but General Aviation time then may not have been what CX was after.)
5) Does it make a big difference to have a friend in CX walk your application in personally (even after I have submitted it)?
6) Besides Capt X,Y,Z and HTBJ, knowing what I am flying now, plus the usual "Interview Prep" questions, is there any specific CX pool of questions available?
7) How much time away from either HKG or any N.Am base is typical? Is there any difference on time away depending on base or fleet?
I may have a few more questions to post later, but this may be a load enough for now. I've waited to join CX for a very long time, and look forward to the day I get to start driving there. Any help to get there would be greatly appreciated, even if it were directions where to seek that help myself!
Cheers,
R.D.
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