Career Earning Difference Between DESO and International CPP.
So what are the earnings difference between someone that joins CX through the DESO channel and the International CPP? Before I put down my maths lets assume that both these pilots start working as pilots at the age of 30. One goes the GA route in Australia for 5 years then DESO and has a 30 year career with CX. The other joins CX as an international cadet and has a 35 year career with CX. Both pilots retiring at 65 years of age. All income is based on COS08 pay scales in 2009 HK$. Housing is based on rental and mortgage assistance as at Oct 2009 levels in HK$. GA income and training costs are in HK$ converted from AU$ at an exchange rate of 7.2.
So let’s look at someone that comes into CX by the international CPP. I have based my numbers on 4 years as a SO, 1 year as a JFO, 10 years as a FO and 20 years as a Capt. Captains that came into CX as cadets are also entitled to HK$24,000.00 per month housing assistance. Based on this their total income for 35 years of CX service = HK$40,810,796.00. Housing for 20 years = HK$5,760,000.00. Training costs provided by the company in Adelaide were AU$150,000.00 = HK$1,080,000.00. If you now add income, housing and initial training costs as it is a benefit you get a total = HK$47,650,796.00.
Now lets look at someone that spends 5 years in GA earning for arguments sake AU$30,000.00 a year. Over a five year period this would equal HK$1,080,000.00. The average cost to get an Aussie CPL, MECIR with ATPL subjects is about AU$70,000.00 = HK$504,000.00. After 30 years of CX service made up with the same numbers as the cadet pilot above except only 15 years as Capt he/she could expect to earn a total income of HK$32,329,376.00. Housing is based on 15 years of mortgage assistance (current max) and 15 years of rental assistance = HK$21,811,200.00. If you now add all the incomes and housing and subtract the pilots initial training costs as it was self funded you get a total = HK$54,716,576.00.
Therefore the difference between coming into CX via the DESO route and the international CPP is about HK$7,065,780.00 or AU$981,358.00 for an Aussie national. Even if you borrowed the AU$70,000.00 for your initial training over a 30 year period at 10% you are AU$760,210.00 better off the DESO route.