Direct Entry F/O Advert possibly correct
The advertisement for A320 Direct Entry contract F/O's is probably correct because of:
1. Qualified DE A330/A340 F/O's would not come to CX for the salary offered.
2. It takes as much ground school/sim/line training to CCQ a DE A320 F/O to the A330 as would train a DE A330 F/O to CX SOP's.
3. A320 DE contract F/O's WILL come to CX to get an A330 (and possibly A340) endorsement and wide body time. Possible offer of employment after contract completion?
Why is the employment of DE F/O's being considered?
The CX training system can't handle the sector training requirement of S/O to F/O at this time of rapid expansion.
DE F/O's require less training sectors than S/O to F/O upgrade.
One reason for the low number of available training sectors is too few Training Captains. CX required a large number of experienced Training Captains to retire at age 55 over the past 3 years.
Another reason for the lack of available training sectors is because of the current high command failure rate. Some of the reasons for the high command failure rate are:
1. In 1994 CX introduced 'B' scale salaries and experienced jet F/O's stopped coming to CX for the lower salary offered.
2. The majority of S/O's joining CX since 1994 only had general aviation experience. These pilots are now rating command courses.
3. The CX Cadet Program started in 1989 and ex-cadets only had limited flying experience before joining CX. These pilots are now rating command courses.
4. The CX training of F/O's towards command, during their time as F/O, has not addressed the lower experience level of 'B' scale or ex-cadet command candidates. In fact this training has changed little since 1994. There have been no command training sims, command line training or command workshops for F/O's prior to their command course.
If you employ pilots of a lower experience level then an airline must be prepared to spend more money on pre-command training, prior to the pilot's command course.
It would be very unfortunate (and unfair) if CX intend to recruit DE F/O's and bypass qualified S/O's for A330 F/O training.
Would CX retain DE F/O's at the end of their contact (offer employment at the bottom of the seniority list)and further delay S/O to F/O upgrades?