CX Cargo Info Sought

[Pontius]

Greetings all.

I am specifically looking at the Australian bases and I wonder if any freighter FOs would be kind enough to jot down a few details of the job.

You know the things you normally get asked:

What sort of monthly salary are you on before tax?
How many hours a month are you flying?
What does the route structure consist of and what are your typical work pattern like?
How is your roster bid for?
Any pros or cons for either base (MEL or SYD)?

I've seen some brief bits of info in other threads about accelerated commands and wonder if this is applicable to the freighters and what, if anything, it amounts to. For info >10,000hrs. Ex-military fast jets, B737, B757/767 & currently SFO B744 for a major european operator.

Before the barrage of "use the search function" calls begins, might I just say that I have but the answers were not really specific enough. I know it sounds 'spoilt' but it really is the Australian bases only that I would give up what I currently have and switch employers for (assuming I managed to pass what seems to be a 'testing' application process, with far too difficult questions for this saddo, whose forgotten all he ever learned for the exams :uhoh: )

Thank you, in advance, for your kind responses.

[Kane Toed]

There are no freighter slots available in either SYD or MEL at the moment. The company is looking at possible DEFO on the pax fleet, but be advised that the Terms and Conditions are not yet confirmed.

Suffice to say, they won’t be more than CX are currently paying to the Freighter guys, and may well be less.

If you really want to go home AND want accelerated command, perhaps you should look at Jet*?

[Pontius]

Hi Kane Toed,

Thanks for your reply and the info re DEFO on the pax fleet. Does this mean they are looking at pax fleet with an AU base or just HKG based? I'm probably being a bit dim as I thought the only AU bases were freighters.

I'm not necessarily looking for a quick command but was wondering what the scoop was on the program. I'd be commuting to either of those bases from the best side of Aus (:) ), so would rather be a longhaul FO than a shorthaul captain......provided it wasn't a totally pee-taking deal for pay etc.

Cheers again for the info and love the username.....if not the animals themselves :)

Pontius

[Pontius]

Yes, I was being dim. Further searching of the CX website shows the pax fleet bases and, unsurprisingly, Australia appears. :rolleyes: In my defence I hadn't looked at the pax fleet FO bit because it still says initial entrants are plonked on the freighter fleet.

I would imagine there is some 'discussion' going on within the pilot community at the moment about pax fleet FOs going to Aus and degrading the terms and conditions by accepting freighter fleet pay etc. I'm really not sure I'd like to go down that road but would still be very interested if anyone could give me an idea of the dosh etc involved on the Aus-based freighter. At least that way I can see what the numbers are like as the website keeps it all very secret.

Of course, direct entry, PER-based, pax fleet (since they don't have freighters there) would be very nice, thank you very much :) Well, you have to take the piss and ask, don't you :}

[Kane Toed]

and degrading the terms and conditions by accepting freighter fleet pay etc
Actually the discussion is that the package might well be worse than that currently offered to a freighter DEFO. As you suggest, it's still under ‘active discussion’ but it does appear as though a HK based SO will be earning more than the SYD / MEL based pax DEFOs.

Luckily, neither Sydney nor Melbourne are expensive cities to live in, and lucky too that Oz has a low rate of tax.:hmm:

direct entry, PER-based, pax fleet PER is a base for the pax fleet, but it's currently not earmarked for the new DEFO pax recruits. It's also full!

[Kane Toed]

and love the username
Over some heads I think:rolleyes:
Were you aka Blem in a previous life by chance?

[Pontius]

Were you aka Blem in a previous life by chance?

No, but I do know him very well. Same job, same aircraft, I just came from the other hemisphere! Did you do the same thing? If so this could turn into a reunion :)