Jet: you've written nothing that hasn't been repeated hundreds of times well before, during & after you agreed to C-Scale. Correct me if I'm wrong but you & your classmates in Adelaide probably scoffed & ridiculed the many with international widebody airline experience both at CX & other who posted on this web site about the massive pitfalls of C-Scale & the iCadetship? You are not the first to have shaken hands with the devil & now come to realise all what was said before is true, & now posted about it.
The salary with respect to cost of living, housing prices with respect to rental affordability, ability to purchase a property; and all against an ever diminishing remuneration package in real terms (considering inflation, etc). Pollution & the "difficulties" of expat life have all be written on many other forums.
Once upon a time CX were proud to say they offered the housing package they did as they believed that pilots joining CX should not suffer such a drastic loss of living standards. Now they don't care because guys like Mediums will always sign up & still do it for less if that's what it takes.
You mention looking "long term", and again that's been said countless times. Back then you ignored all the same comments but it took placing your hand in the fire to realise it.
Some mention the AOA. I contacted them about C-Scale & again their silence was deafening as written before for reasons as I believe.
You say that CX has employed zero hour guys before. True, but in drastically far less numbers & a fraction of the "experienced" intake. The CX cadetship was set up (& still is in the words of the DFO!!!) a way for CX to give back to the local community a means to fly for their local carrier. It's been bastardised into what it is now as a cost cutting measure: nothing more, nothing less. Back to the issue, you cannot possibly tell me that it takes the same resources & effort to train an experienced pilot with 1000's of hours experience in light singles, twins, turboprops & jets (PIC & FO time) as it does to train a zero hour applicant? The resources are massively different!!! So in context I would change the term proper "expat" to proper "experienced pilot" be they from any nationality.
Whilst the iCadets hate to admit it the truth is they are babysat at the severe disdain of their fellow pilots while on duty. I've had many beers with many friends at CX who are Capts, LTC's, SFO's & FO's who tell me stories where I'm laughing off the bar stool while they cringe in the re-telling of the flightdeck & briefing idiocies.
Sorry Jet, no sympathy. If guys like you hadn't of taken the job & begged for your "iron handcuffs" then the airline & industry would be in a better position that what it is in now with respect to experienced pilots, applicants & remuneration package.
Last edited by ChinaBeached; 28th Feb 2013 at 23:24.