Cadet programs??

[tu144]

How do they work exactly? From what I understand you sign some sort of a contract and the airline trains you for free? Is it possible for someone from USA to get into one of these. I heard that singapore takes foreigners into their program, true? How hard is it to get in?
thnx for your help

[BusinessMan]

Tu144,

If you do a search (:cool:) you should get plenty of hits to give you details of cadet schemes around in the last few years.

Most programmes in the UK currently (OAT/NJE, OAT/TCA, FTE/TFly, FTE/Flybe etc) work by pre-selecting people before the course starts but the cadet still has to fund everything, though there are some nuances around tax breaks & sometimes some up-front costs covered but then repaid from starting salary. Check out OAT and FTE's websites for more details on those schemes

There are a few exceptions however; Bond Helicopters recently ran a scheme which was genuinely sponsored though the cadets still have to find £30k upfront towards the total costs. With total costs a multiple of that the scheme is still extremely attractive and probably the best UK one I've seen since 911. CTC Wings is another sponsored type programme, though I believe that starting salary may be lower for the first 7 years or so for people who've come through that route (?).

I don't know what the schemes outside UK are like though. Suggest you look directly at US airlines to find out:ok:. Don't know about your chances on the schemes I've mentioned above because they are EU-based, usually require EU citizenship and the unrestricted right to live and work in the EU. Have a look at the websites...

There are also some Asian & Middle East schemes such as MEA, Singapore & Quantas (among others) but you usually have to be a national. Have a look at their websites & see...

Generally cadet schemes are extremely competitive to get on to. Eg Netjets Europe's first request for applications through OAT was answered by c400 I believe, for 18 slots eventually offered. The recent Bond helicopters scheme was >200 for 12 slots offered etc. When I applied to BA in 1995 (their first programme since 1st Gulf War) they told me at interview that 57000 people had rung in response to the newspaper ads & they were culling that down to find c120 for slots! That isn't really indicative of the norm though ;)

Best of luck. BM

[hollingworthp]

Cracking post from BM - all I can add is that NetJets require you to have unrestricted rights to live & work in Europe which essentially means you require a European passport.

[tu144]

thnx guys. I did do a search and didnt really find much. I was hoping that somone would shed some light on the one offered by singapore and other asian and middle eastern airlines.

[saintexupery]

i believe CTC will take you in some sort of cadet scheme if you are from new zealand. don't know about US

i did hear of US programs that virtually guarantee you a F/O regional job. try mesa airlines, continental express and i believe gulfstream airlines

[hollingworthp]

You can pretty much discount any European operator unless you have an EU citizen as they are not going to go through the process of getting a work permit for you when there are so many Europeans looking for the same thing as you.

[BerksFlyer]

A simple look on the SIA website shows that they only sponsor Singaporeans.

[BusinessMan]

Likewise, MEA only Lebanese nationals

Tu144, the thing you've probably twigged by now is that we are all saying "Check the airlines website's for yourself :ok:" but what I'd add to that is to do it regularly because things change fast and certainly many of the UK schemes are often only open for applications for a couple of weeks a year (NJE being an exception), often with little warning.

I'd also say it's worth finding out who the big training providers are (and contacting them) in your country because they often run the selection and sometimes control the ab-initio routes into those firms who do take 200hr cadets. Certainly in Europe there are a proportion of low-hour jobs which go via recommendations processes from the primary training establishments.

Lastly, cadet schemes (few that they are) are not the only way into the industry. Have a read around the other threads and you'll pick up plenty more about other routes (modular, FI, military etc)

PH - thanks, I don't particularly mind taking the time to post a lengthy answer myself if I reckon it could be of help to a few more people, I know you feel similarly ;). I wonder if the mods would think it worthwhile to create a 'sticky' along the lines of 'so where does a newbie start looking ... what's it all about?' so that there'd be less repetition? just a thought.

Cheers, BM

[tu144]

thnx for your help guys

[speed787]

Cathay Pacific's cadet programme. i think is open to all! so gd luck!

[pt_flyer]

I do not think Cathay Pacific is open to everyone.
Directly from their Cadet Pilot Program:
"To qualify for our Cadet Pilot Programme, you must be at least 18 years old and a Hong Kong resident. You must be at least 1.6m tall, be physically fit, and possess an excellent command of English."

It states that you need to be a Hong Kong resident, not a Hong Kong citizen. Does this make any difference?

[tu144]

I think it means you have to live in hong kong which is obvious so i think there is a possibility a foreighner from US like me might have a chance.

[ozman777]

Hello !

No, Unfortunately, I think they want you to have a PR (Permanent Residency). You can get this PR after years/months of living in HKG (depending on your educations or something like this).

This is the same situation in Singapore.

[ozman777]

Re Hello.

Actually, you are maybe true. They don't specifiate this "Permanent" residency. They just want you to be a simple resident. You should get more informations about this.

[SpamFritters]

Guys... here is a reply about it from CathayP.


Dear Mr. **********
Thank you for your interest in the Cadet Pilot Programme.

Please be advised that the Cadet Pilot Programme is only open to Hong Kong residents who have obtained the Hong Kong Identity Card. The objective for Cathay Pacific to institute this programme is to give an opportunity for local people to enter the aviation industry. Therefore, to be a Hong Kong resident is a prime requirement.


Best Regards,
Flight Crew Recruitment (Cadet Pilot)
Cathay Pacific Airways


Make of it what you will.. :E

[quantized]

Most programmes in the UK currently (OAT/NJE, OAT/TCA, FTE/TFly, FTE/Flybe etc)I didn't know there was currently an OAA/TCA program. Is it still open?

[portsharbourflyer]

Etihad are now running a Cadet scheme that is open to non-nationals.

In truth if you are keen to fly these days you need to be prepared to fund it yourself; due to the reletive cheapness of flight training in the US then I believe Cadet schemes in the US have been non-existent for several years even before 9/11 occured.

[tu144]

thnx ill checkout etihad

[tu144]

can you show me where it says that its open to non nationals because the opening i found is for uae nationals...

[portsharbourflyer]

I just read in Flight International that Etihad were opening a Cadet scheme open to non-nationals, so I afraid I don't have any further knowledge or links to the scheme for non-nationals.

[BusinessMan]

quantized, the last OAA/TCA intake started training in Sept last year so in that respect the programm is still on-going. However, it remains to be seen whether they run the selection again this summer. The OAA website will tell you if so...

[MMEMatty]

Atlantic Airlines offer a part sponsored scheme, all the details are on the link:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=321572

as far as being from the US, as long as you have the right to live and work in the UK (not sure about what hoops you have to jump through for that) and can get your americal PPL converted to JAR-PPL (shouldnt be a problem, just a few flights and a flight test, costs which would be paid by the airline if you were successful).

Other cadet schemes are available

[portsharbourflyer]

First thing first everyone, the original poster is from the US, I believe on the Atlantic cadet scheme the candiates now have to pay half the training costs (I may be wrong on this), but in the US you can probably get your FAA CPL/MEIR and possible the CFI as well for about 40,000 dollars,so the part sponsored scheme isn't really going to be that attractive to a US citizen ignoring the issue of working rights for non-EU citizens.

Furthermore the mentored schemes at Oxford are completely irrelevant to someone from the US. As said before the relative cheapness of flying training in the US means that in the US sponorships have been non-existent for years. I know for a US citizen he/she may look at the price of training and think it is a lot of money but they can achieve the FAA licences for the same price in dollars that we pay in sterling. This doesn't mean it is easier for them as in the US nearly everyone has to go down the instructional route to build hours or some other GA job. Traditionally regionals in the US wouldn't look at anyone with less than 2000 hours; though in recent years this has dropped to the 1000/800 hour mark. In other words for our poster self funding really is the only realistic route.

[shuchim]

try kingfisher

[ho_k]

Is the CX cadet pilot program free to hk resident if you pass all their interviews and tests?

[tu144]

thnx for your help guys

[anastasialkt]

ho_k
the CX cadet is free but you have to be up to standard at all times during the training and you have to sign a fix contract with cx since they put in a lot of money to train you. it can vary between 5-7 years depending on the company.

[MMeddie]

Hi all (i'm pretty new to this but have had quite a bit of reading in the past couple hours)....does anyone know though if the selection process for the Etihad Cadet Pilot Program involves a pilapt test?