SIA Cadet Pilot Selection - Best course of actions after failure?

[Zack-Q]

Dear All,

Pardon me, but I would really like to hear your opinions.
I am a Singaporean fresh graduate with a Bachelor in Engineering (Aerospace Engineering) & a minor in Psychology. I had 19.2 hours of flying training with the Singapore Youth Flying Club back in JC with 0.2 hours solo flight. I have recently failed the SIA Cadet Pilot Final Interview, and I believe it was because I haven't done well in the essay as well as the panel interview components.

I am planning on trying for the position again in a few years time. I am now working on building myself up to a better standing for the position and the selection process. However I would like to consider some advice from you and anyone else, on what are the possible courses of actions (including the career I should start with now) I could get on in working towards my next attempt, given my circumstances.


Actions which I have already taken:

1. Apply for Cathay Pacific Airlines Cadet pilot program
(Anyone knows when their recruitment in Singapore normally is?)

2. Apply for Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)

3. Look for a career with other airlines as a cadet pilot
(I have not found any other than Cathay, that doesn't require us to pay for the flying licence, which I have no ability to fulfill as of now)


Courses of actions I have considered:

1. Save up and learn flying and obtain a PPL

2. Start a career in the management with SIA

3. Start a career with the Air Force as an Air Engineer

4. Start a career in other aviation or aerospace engineering companies


I would like to know what's your analyses of these options and which might be the best in helping me improve my standing for SIA cadet pilot. Thank you very much for your help.

[doubledub]

I don't think you failed the interview per se. Places for the program are probably limited and therefore the process is likely to be highly competitive. Is it possible to find out information about your performance in the final interview? Is there a contact at SQ that you dealt with who you can ask? If you find out what aspects of the assessment you didn't perform as well as others in, you may be able to address these in the future (depending on what your perceived/real shortcomings were assessed to be).

Can you use that university degree to get a job and complete training part-time? Lots of people want to fly but can't fund it immediately - if you want it enough, you can make it happen, cadet or no cadet program.

There won't be any certainties whichever path you go down, so think about the pros and cons of each approach and think about what will give you the best chance of getting to where you want to go. And IMHO, will make you happy even if you never make it to the airlines. Aviation is full of opinions, so listen to them, but don't forget about your most important one, your own, as the choices you make have to be right for you.

Good luck

[Zack-Q]

thank you doubledub!

i just got called up for COMPASS test for RSAF. anyone has any advice on that? thank you!

[da_vichy]

Hey Zack-Q

Sorry to hear about that. Better luck next time!

Definitely you will have to make your time a constructive one. Any of those options are great but make sure you are not bonded by contract by the time you want to reapply.

How about taking up a ground school course?

By the way, how are you able to apply to both SIA CPP and CX CPP?

Keep your chin up.

da_vichy