Hello

[bbl]

hello

i'm planning to fund myself in Canada to get my professional pilot licenses, PPL, CPL, ME, MEIFR, etc...
my ultimate goal after i done my study in about 1 year is try to get into Cathay AE program.

please help to give me some suggestion, if this is a good way to proceed, or if there is other option that better for me. am i too old for the AE program?

i'm a HKID holder and i'm already 41 years old.
i currently live in HK, but my parents are live in Canada, i'm also holding my Canadian citizen.

i made this change to my career at this time due to the china manufactory works are all dying very very soon, many of my old colleague also got forced to lay off and change job nature.

when i think of what i like to do in the past, i remember i used to like to be a pilot long time ago.

so here now, i try to work my way to do something i interested to do. and have my life reborn again. i hope.

i got approved from my wife to proceed this study in Canada, although i will missed my wife and my little 3yrs old daughter very much during my study.

please help to give me some suggestion, i like flying, i like travel.
i like to be a professional pilot. i need someone to light up my way to proceed.

thanks for your helping. :)

[Three.Green]

Well you are certainly on the upper end of the age limit. However, there are plenty of opportunities in Canada. You can maybe start as a flight instructor or small flying jobs like banner towing, skydive pilot, survey pilot etc. Once you have experience you can try the small regional airlines. So having a Canadian citizenship is very useful. Good luck and age shouldn't be a problem as much. I know of people who started their career in aviation at about the same age as yourself. They're now airline pilots.

[bbl]

i know my age is a big problem, but there is nothing i can do now. :(
the right time has passed, but i want to make it up now if i can.
i want to try to get into CX advance entry problem if possible, so i can come back to hk to work here.
also the AE program provide the pre SO training. so for sure i will be on the right track of job i wanted.

i know the instructor path and small flying jobs. but i want to try to get into airline direct training for my #1 priority, if i fail, then i look for something else.

i'm not sure about the pilot market in canada. i guess it is as bad as USA.

asia is the best growing market at this time, so i want to stick with asia if possible.

[CXChildLabour]

Let's do some basic math here... U r 41 now, takes at least 2 years to get to AE entry level if you are really up to speed and doing it full time, so 43/44 the earliest, if they r still hiring AE cadets at that time... Then almost another year before u finish Adelaide and start working, 45 the earliest... What makes you think CX would pay for your training instead for someone 20+ years younger than you? That's 20 more years of service (hopefully) for them to regain their cost, let alone the risk of you losing your medical before 65...

While I admire your dedication and will to chase your dreams, reality is you probably have missed the boat by at least 10 years. Sorry to be blunt but unless you have billions saved up and could literally not work for a single day again for the rest of your life, it's probably not a wise decision for your wife and kids. I believe there were cadets who were close to 40 when they joined but they were either single or no kids.

[DrakeSkyle]

In addition, the chances of CX taking in AE cadets are extremely slim, if not zero. And even if they are taking AE cadets, why should they take you over someone who is in his twenties with no family commitments? It is too risky for them, and Cathay is not a company known to take risks. Better to look into the market in Canada, compared with the AE option, it is a safer bet.

[CodyBlade]

45 years old and aiming for the AE? I'd say very slim chance.

There are over qualified hopefuls trying with out success..

Read between the lines here, you have the benefit of very well meaning,polite,non partisan advise from old professionals.

Build up your aviation career in Canada and ironically, there are 1000s of HKs would love your Cdn passport!.

[Maverick16]

Since you have a Canadian citizenship, try to get into one of the US/Canadian carriers bro. They don't discriminate against age like how they do in this part of the world. America is a land of opportunity and people your age are making career changes. Some older than you are going to med school. So the point is, you are never too old to do it (I would not say this if you did not have a citizenship in that part of the world), but don't look back when you're 50 and regret that you didn't give it a shot.

[bbl]

thanks you all for the input.
it never be blunt to voice out the truth, i fully understand, no problem.

i know i missed the boat long long ago.
the school that i'm going to get in, it was sitting there near 30yrs ago already.
i should get in that school 20yrs ago if i was in the right track. :(
i'm hoping i can make up the time to put me back on the right track.

sorry, i didn't reply one by one, but i will reply it all here.

i'm 41 now, by the time i finish the professional pilot program, i should be a little over 42. the course only take 1 yr or about 13 months. it depends how hard i work. it is not a diploma course, it is just a professional program. i will be on full time for sure. so about 1 year is the time require.
Adelaide AE program training takes 33 weeks. so the dream is before 43 or a bit over 43 to get the AE program training done.

AE program is open for international who has the CPL, MEIFR and with 250hr of FT, but they prefer people with HKID.

as the entire licensing for the PPL, CPL, ME and MEIFR is expensive. and there is no place to learn this in hk, so i think, not much people with HKID had done this on their own cost. So, i think this is the advantage for me. (please correct me if i'm over optimistic)

i know i'm unrealistic. i'm a dreamer, but i know it is not 100% infeasible. just the chance is getting low due to my old age. i still had the chance to get into CX. :(

i guess cadet program is another case, they learn from zero to licensed. while the AE is already licensed to learn more experience for the flight in work. i guess the cost of the AE program is a lot lower to run. (sorry, please correct me if i'm wrong.)

i think the cadet is huge cost, because everyone in the class is learn from zero.
but for the AE program, student already gets all the licenses before they enter to the program. so i guess, like me, self funded for all licenses should still not that hard to get in. (i hope)

i think the most priority they want is with HKID. (i guess)

the reasons why i want to get into to CX AE program:
1) they have good salary to start
2) they provide on job training for who got all require licenses with 250hrs FT.
3) job base in hong kong, i still want to work a bit more in hk before i come back to canada.

i have read though "the truth about the profession".
i think the job market in canada should be similar to USA.

i think, my 2nd choice will be go back to Canada if i fail the flying job in hong kong. To get small flying job to start in canada, hopefully 1 day i can get into airline.
i love canada which i used to live here in vancouver. but at this time,
as i already back in HK for job, and i dying from another industrial. i want to work out myself in here again before i want to go back to vancouver. :)

i'm afraid the flying job in the USA, after i check though the entire web "the truth about the profession". i never know some pilots are on food stamps, very bad. i can't believe a profession life can be end up like this.

i really want to give it a try for the pilot training, and try to get into the profession. i'm sure i will regret if i didn't do it in this life. but on the other hand, i'm also worry about how i can get my pilot job and can i get into airline? i'm old, not so many yrs of life i can waste. :(

please tell me if i'm right:
1st choice, try CX AE in hong kong.
if fail, then go back to vancouver to find small flying job.

[CXChildLabour]

Looks like you are pretty determined so my blessing is with you. However, the chances of u getting into the AE program straight out of your flying course is pretty slim, expect to gain a lot more flying hours than your 200 something you get out of the 1 year course, if you even get that, before you are considered for the AE course.

As for working in Canada, again, if you have saved up billions and don't need to work ever again for the rest of your life, not a bad choice. However, expect to having to start low (ramp, loader, dispatch) somewhere up into the freezing north for couple years before you even get a chance to touch any sort of flight control on a big plane, and I ain't even talking about big shinny jets. You sure you wanna freeze your behind off breaking your back at age 45? If so, by all means, go for it.

[ReverseFlight]

Hi. Sorry to tell you, you are wrong in many aspects. I have been in this industry for 10 years but time and time again I see newbies are fed the wrong info. I have been watching this thread with interest and I am going to tell you the brutal truth, so that you can take stock and live a real life.

Forget the AE. It isn't really happening for 250 hour wannabes, and btw that's just a minimum figure. Unfortunately you just don't fit the profile.

If you are planning to train in Canada, then you can also forget about joining another airline in HK in default, as CAD requires you to have ATPs which you can't do in Canada until 750 hours. Many have fallen into this trap.

There is little difference in cost for an airline to train you as a cadet or AE. It's all about market demand and supply.

You are not the only one with money to train. I know of lots of 250 hour CPLs who have been waiting for years for a chance to get into any airline in HK. Many of them don't even have a current job, as pilot skills are not readily transferable into other jobs.

Don't become a pilot for the money. This is now the case all over the world, not only HK. Join it only for the passion for flying. If you need the money, do something else instead.

Your best shot in the industry is to train and work in Canada as you have citizenship. Don't just awe at shiny metal (airlines), general aviation is much more fun and I dare say might make you a better pilot in a shorter time.You will have to be prepared to tour and live across the provinces to find a job. You won't find a job living at home.

Please wake up.

[fozzi]

The AE program is not open at this time, although you are free to submit an application for the full ab-initio cadet course. From what I gather, it won't be open for a while. You will basically be betting on them re-opening the program in 13 months (assuming you successfully complete your CPL and multi-IFR exactly when they re-open the program), betting on them accepting your age, betting on getting through the selection process that takes up to a year, and betting on getting into the program in the end. I don't know about you but that's enough uncertainty for me to not plan on taking this path.

If you really want a career change and you really want to be a pilot, do your training in Canada and find work in Canada. But expect to work your way up, whether it is a non-flying position within a small charter company or flight instructing. The only advantage you have is a Canadian citizenship. But don't expect to fly big shiny jets within the next 3-4 years.

[DrakeSkyle]

Not to mention there is already an extremely long holding pool of applicants who were already accepted into the AE programme then never got a start date. They will be the ones to start first if the programme ever resumes.

[bbl]

hi Cxchildlabour
yes, i'm pretty determined into it now.
i will get at least 250hrs during the training to make sure i meet the minimum requirement for the AE program.

my 1st choice is the AE program, 2nd is come back to canada to find small flying job.

i don't have billions save up and i do need to work for my living.
but do u start the same as me when you start your training?

i think most of us started the same. only i start at old age.
and now, u have already get out of the poor life, right?
i know old age is my major disadvantage, i just want to find a solution to work out my pilot career.

start with low pay and work in freeze up area is ok for me. it is expected, and i learn from other sources, this is a must. if i can get into the AE program, i think i should be able to get away from it.

it is still better than work in a nice place such as HK but in a hopeless industrial, the entire manufactory will be end in china within a few years. we all can foresee this.

[bbl]

hi Reverseflight

for student after pilot training, 250hrs what they normally gets. if 250hrs are too little, how many hours do they want?
do they want pilot do some small fly work and get some more hours before apply their AE program?

can you please explain me more about the CAD and 750hrs? i'm not understand why i cannot join another airline in hk.

for the market demand, i'm not understand why the pilots demand are so bad, as there are pilots retire, there are more and more flights needed over the world, and also, china is the biggest expanding country, they need pilot to fly their planes. i can speak and write Chinese and mandarin.

i really don't know they have so many HKID holder having CPLs waiting for hk airlines job vacancy. :(
i really don't know there are many CPLs out there in hk.
i had double check with CX, they do prefer HKID holder for the AE program.

i know, pilot skills cannot be transfer to any other job.
but i think this is the same for most of the profession cannot easy to transfer into other job. e.g.. engineer cannot fly plane. :(

some of the reason i join pilot is for money. i know i can get more pays when i get more and more flight hours. i thinks most of us do want to get a decent living from they job. i do understand about the pilot pay pyramid.

i understand most likely that i won't be able find job in my home area hk/vancouver, i don't mind to move myself to anywhere in order to build hours. my wife and my daughter will be still living in hk during my pilot training (at the moment, i still want to continue my up coming pilot training plan). both my wife and daughter may or may not need to move with me during my future job base. it will be further consider again depend where i get a job.

my 1st choice still want to try to get into AE, if not, try to find small flying job in hk. if not ok, then i back vancouver to find small flying job in canada.

i do hope i can work out.

thanks again Reverseflight, i'm really not sleeping. i do understand the situation and ways of pilot path. but i just want to try to with the best target i want then to the 2nd and 3rd best choice.

i do know this profession is in awful situation. but i do have hope in asia.
i do know this profession is hard to start, while getting all the licences only need about 1yr. but i do like flying, and i do have the hope to get a decent living from this job one day.

[bbl]

hi Fozzi
i had already summit the application for the ab-initio cadet course, they had already rejected me.
but i had update CX about i'm funding myself for the pilot training.
i will double check with them again tomorrow if they can transfer me to the AE program or not, as i had already summit my application to the cadet program.
i think their cadet program and AE program and open and close from time to time. they are not open all year around is understandable.
they had confirmed me there is no age limit by email. realistically they accept or not, i'm not sure.
i think, betting and uncertainty are in all of us during the pilot training.
when u was in the pilot training, do u know if u can find a job or not?
do u know which employer u will get in?
unless u are in airline cadet training, then u be sure all that. but u still uncertainty if you can passed too subject or not.
i'm not the lucky guy, i didn't make a right choice when i was young. i'm trying to correct it now to make myself to be success in pilot career.
my 2nd choice will be find small flying job in canada. as long as i can find job to build hour, it will be ok for me.

if possible, please share how you get your decent pilot path done for me to learn.:)

[bbl]

hi Drakesskyle
i really don't know there were applicants accepted to the course but the course wasn't have a schedule to start.

[fozzi]

bbl,

You're right, there is a lot of uncertainty associated with this profession and industry, and it's nice to see that you're not discouraged by it at all. My suggestion is to consider all options and always plan for the worse and anticipate the worse case scenario. Best of luck to you whatever path you take!

From your other replies to the others, I think i might have some answers to your questions. In Canada, we don't really get a "frozen ATPL" like in many countries. For the purpose of converting a license, a lot of airlines in Asia (Hong Kong included) like to see a frozen ATPL (ground examinations for the ATPL completed). However, in Canada, unless you are enrolled in one of the few "integrated" programs approved by Transport Canada, you are not allowed to write the ATPL written exams unless you have half of the total hour requirement. This means you need half of the 1500 hours for the ATPL in order to write the written examinations for the ATPL (this is where the 750 hours comes from). I hope this helps.

I actually applied to Dragonair's pre-qualified cadet program a while ago and although I have more than 250 hours, they wanted all ATPL written examinations completed, which I was unable to do until I reach 750 hours total time. They said it is a Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department requirement for license conversion that I have passes in all ATPL exams, so until I have those completed I was not eligible to continue in the selection process.

So although having an HK ID gives you a slight advantage in the eyes of airlines in HK, a lot of times they're looking for something more (ATPL written exams completed, jet time, more than 250 hours, etc). From what I see, there are more and more HK people training overseas to get their licenses and trying for the CX cadet programs.


I currently teach at a flight school in Canada, let me know if you have any more questions and hopefully I'll be able to answer some of them.

[bbl]

hello Fozzi
thanks so much for your reply.
i should get my training in Pro IFR in vancouver. they look like more correct in many ways.
i will back in vancouver to check out the school in end january later. where are u teaching now?

yes, i asked the flight school in canada before, they said they won't have any frozen ATPL in canada.

i have asked CX, i guess their priority is wanted HKID holders.
for all other needed they want, i don't know.

i think, there are not much hk people funding themselves to get study profession pilot on they own.
because the basic cost is half of the million hk dollar. (u don't need to worry much on this)
(only the stupids and stubborns continue want to be pilot. :( )
for cadet program, there is no experience needed, only AE needs all the licenses.
i'm don't know if the cadet program applicants already done all licenses on their own when they apply to the cade program.

[CXChildLabour]

Bbl,

Yes of course all of us went through periods suffering when we first started, but majority of us were in our twenties with no family obligations, pretty much could afford to hit the reset buttom numerous more times if it fell through.

Having said that, we are here to give you advise cause you asked for it. We gave you our views and if you don't like what we tell you then why bother asking. I'm just trying to put you out of your misery but hey, it ain't my life at stake. Just don't say we didn't warn you if it never works out the way you dreamed of. I just hope your wife and daughter are as determined as you are in your quest, if you are planning to do this alone in Canada and then in Adelaide then you are probably not gonna see them much for the next 3-4 years, best of luck.

[bbl]

hi Cxchildlabour

yes, i understand i start in old age.
but actually, my original profession had already pressed the reset button for me since last feb. i got lay off since feb last yr. the entire industrial is dying. i cannot get back onto the boat due to my seniority level. job availablity is very little over the yr, and the pay is 20-30% less than before. i cannot get back onto the boat, even if i can get back on, within a few yrs or sooner than few yrs, i will get lay off again, then harder and harder to get back to the boat again, or the industrial will be completely ended. in the past yr, i try to search for jobs in the same industrial and also find a way out to head for new start. i finally find out from the very deep of me, in which i want to be a pilot. and to catch up the time from my twenties.

please don't say this, i never oppose everyone to give me their valuable comments from their profession. i'm new here, what i have found are from the internet, if no inner guy told me, i wouldn't know anything inside.

i'm sincerely thanks you all who help me to give their opinion here in the post, and who had send me private message to give me comments and info.

i really thankful that everyone help to give me the truth information here.
i know the truth is painful now. i cannot imagine how bad it will be end up in me.

i'm not 100% sure if want to do it now or not, i like flying. i also need a decent living. i will continue look for info and ways of get it though for the pilot career. and plan a way for what i should do if after the pilot training.

i will live with my parents in our old house during my study in vancouver. and my wife and daughter can always come to visit me during my study in canada or adelaide. or i can get back to hk during holiday.

i will go vancouver at the end of the month for cny. i will visit the flight school and further discuss with school to see. :(

i really don't know if i should hope for the further in pilot career or it is completely hopeless for me now. :ugh:

[Flying Mechanic]

Now just focus on finishing your training in Canada, worry about jobs later. To be competitive for Cathay you need more than a 1000 hours, so focus on getting that first flying job........and that's not easy! Air Hk, hk express, hk airlines have taken on guys with 250 hours, so u might have luck there. Think about doing a instructors rating, as Asia is short of instructors for ppl/cpl training. Good luck , remain positive.good attitude equals altitude.

[bbl]

hi Flying-Mechanic

thanks so much for your input.
i really do hope if i can find my 1st job here in the airlines in hk.
and i also consider to do instructor rating. so to keep it in my pocket for safety.
as i know hk only offer PPL. no other training.

i always think positive, but looks like the truth is too far from positive. :(

yes, let see how the school say when i get down in the beginning of February.

[Three.Green]

@bbl I trained in Vancouver and if you like I can recommend some schools to you. The best in my opinion in that area is in Abbotsford, Coastal Aviation. You might like PRO IFR in Boundary Bay. Its up to you to choose however in any case find a school that does not ask for large sums of money upfront. I personally trained at SkyQuest in Langley and found them to be quite well. They had good planes, maintenance, in house Flight Test examiner (the CFI), simulator etc. I'm also aware of some schools to watch out for, in particular PAA in Pitt Meadows. Slow training and no ground school. But the best is Coastal Aviation in Abbotsford. Anyways thought i'd let you know since you're in the same area where I was. Goodluck again. Also, uptill about a year ago there were lots of jobs for newly licensed instructors (class 4) in the lower mainland.

[bbl]

hi three Green
thanks for your info, i didn't found Skyquest in my search list before. i will check price and info with them.
i have checked the cost from CPA and PRO. PRO had the best price, $10,000 less than CPA. CPA is $10,000 more expensive than PRO on the base quote and further away from richmond.

i will come back to vancouver next week. so i will then go check in person for CPA, PRO and PFC.

for me, i just want to get all my license done asap. 1yr is the best time. i think.

i want to try to search job in hk 1st, if not success then go back to search in canada.

i think i will also get the instructor rating. but i'm not sure about the different classes.

have you done your study? have you find your job? can you tell me your career path?

[Three.Green]

Yeah PFC and pro are both excellent schools and I suppose closer to your place of residence. Getting the instructors is definitely the way to go. This might help you to get all your ratings/ licences in 1 yr Study GROUND SCHOOL, that's the hardest, flying's the easy part. As far as my careers goes well, I don't really see a light at the end of the tunnel for me. I'm now stuck as a load controller at an airport. But, that's just cause I don't have any more money for flying. I've tried couple airlines and made to about mid way in the selection process, but there's always some other guy who has a type rating. Oh well, don't lose hope by reading my story, you have your's to make and I wish all the best. Cheers

[Sumit Handa]

it's going to be tough, and frustrating too once you complete your flight training. Be mentally prepared to go through it and it happens to everyone be it young or old. That's when the challenge begins and that's when u will realize that pilot sitting on ground is of no use and big dreams start with small steps... All the best , Hope you fulfill your dreams.

[pilotchute]

Fai,

Studying in Canada won't automatically give you the right to live there. Immigrating to Canada is a long and difficult process if you don't already qualify on the skills shortage list.

Many people would love to live there so they are very picky on who they take. An automotive engineering degree with no work experience in India wont be of much use to you when filling out the immigration form.

Your best chance would be to go to Canada and whilst you are training meet a nice girl and hopefully then you could stay on a spouse visa.

If it was easy to get into Canada, USA, Australia or the UK there would be no one left on the Sub Continent!

[fozzi]

The Class 4 Instructor Rating is the one that all newly licensed instructors get. You need to work as an instructor to upgrade to Class 3, then Class 2 and then Class 1. Class 4 just means you need to be under supervision by a Class 1 or 2.

[fozzi]

If you haven't already, check out the forums on Avcanada

That is where most canadian pilots post and share their info online. A quick search on that forum and you will also find a lot of information on the schools to AVOID, as there are some out there that are poorly run by greedy overseas owners scamming the money of international students. Look for schools that have been around for a long time, with a good reputation.

[profo]

Not worth leaving your 3 year old daughter for. If you really want to do it, study as much as you can about aviation, improve your English a lot, and maybe do a ppl to get some idea as to whether you have any talent for flying. Meanwhile, as an HKID holder, apply for the cadet program. Don't leave your family to pursue a long-shot.

Good luck.

[bbl]

hi three Green
have u done all the licenses already? ppl, cpl, me, me ifr, etc...
i'm going do it full time to get it done at quick as i can.
i don't see the light at the end of the tunnel too.

hi all

i'm struggle now especially i'm at 41 now.
if i was young, i won't have any fear to go for it.
talking about the cost, time and future.
i really had the fear at this time. due to my wife and daughter and house mortgage.
i'm not sure what is right i should do.

walk away from the profession is not something i wanted to do, but..................
it looks like it is not the equality that how hard we input the effort, for how well we get.

[bbl]

hi sumit-handa

it is frustrating all the time when the profession studied but no use at the real work.

i'm specially frustrating because i had married and with daughter, and at old age trying to go for pilot. :(

[bbl]

hi fozzi
is the instructor level up depend on the teach hour?

[bbl]

hi profo

i had already applied for the CX cadet, they rejected me even before interview.
and i had applied DA too, no feed back so far.

i know it it not worth to leave my wife and daughter at the time for pilot training.
but can u tell me what is worth to do now?

my wife won't leave her work in hk at this time. daughter cannot leave her too.
so i go away just for 1 yr study, and come back and try to find job in hk.

in the meanwhile, i keeping CX update already, i hope i can get a interview or something, so i hope i can get into the AE program. beside from CX, if i cannot get a job in hk, then i go canada to anywhere in the world to find the job.

u tell me what is right i should do.

unless if i'm not a pilot, not need to fly all the time. otherwise, all pilots need to leave their family.

unless, i have a bright future to move my wife and daughter, other, hk is still my base.

i know my english is not good. i'm too chinese.
but u see the cadets, they are hundred times worth than me in the video. :p

[fozzi]

bbl,

Yes, the class of instructor depends on how many instructing hours and flight test recommendations you have. To upgrade from a fresh Class 4 Instructor rating to Class 3, you need to have 100 hours of instructing with 3 students go on their first solo and 3 students pass their flight test. To upgrade from a Class 3 to class 2, you need 500 hours of instructing with 10 flight test recommendations, and you also need to complete a written exam and a flight test yourself. From Class 2 to Class 1, you need 750 hours of instructing, a flight test, and also 80% or above on the written exam. Class 1 basically gives you the privilege of training Flight Instructors, and Class 2 allows you act as supervisor and also Chief Flight Instructor at a flight school.

[Three.Green]

@bbl Yup I'm all CPL ME/IR and seaplane. Training took me around 18 months. It can be done much faster depending on how focused and serious you are. I may have been lazy which prolonged my training, however I believe it can be done in 12 months or less.

[DrakeSkyle]

If you were rejected even before the cadet interview, what makes you think they will take you in the AE programme, assuming that they will be taking in new applicants in the future? The AE programme does not have lower standards than the ab-initio programme. If you really want to get into Cathay, I suggest you try applying for the ab-initio programme again.

[bbl]

hi Fozzi

thanks so much for your info.
do we have any need for Flight Instructor in hk? do u know?

thanks
:)

[bbl]

hi three green

icic.
so what is your planning now?
will you continue look for pilot job?

what do u mean that u don't have any more money for flying?

[bbl]

hi Drakeskyle

for cadet program, there are too many inexperience applicants apply for a few seats. obviously, old age sure no advantage.

but for AE, less applicants with the required FT apply for the few seats. so i think my age is less matter, and my chance of getting in is higher.

i have checked CX, i don't need to re apply every season, all i need is just to keep them update for what i working toward my aviation education.

do u think this is what i should do?

[DrakeSkyle]

The problem is that you assume there is a set quota of people that they will take. There isn't. Sure they say they want to recruit 200 or so pilots this year, but that's a big number and certainly not an easy one to reach. Basically, as long as you are good enough, they will take you.

I won't tell you what you should or should not do, I'm just asking that you think it through thoroughly before betting your chances on a programme that seems unlikely to start up again. You could still put an application in regardless as you will be undergoing training in Canada, but I think you would be better off trying out the ab-initio programme again. The Hong Kong ID you have is a HK Permanent ID right?

[bbl]

hi Drakeskyle

i understand i'm betting on it now.
i know it is a high risk as i'm old age with wife and little daughter.
if without that, sure i wouldn't have any fear. i do have fear now.

what you mean the an-initio program is the same as the cadet program, right?

i'm a permanent HKID holder.

when i submit my application at the beginning, i was apply for the cadet program.
what i do is i just keep on update that application with Cathay.

the lady from CathayCrew Recruitment said it is fine to just keep on with that application, because it end up to the second officer training.

do you mean i should insist to try cadet training program instead of the AE program entry??
i'm not sure if i can choose this on my own when i get the flight experience.

i want to get into Cathay in hk, but i will not only try Cathay.
i will try all kind of flight jobs and airlines in hk, if not, i will go back to canada to find flight job.

please advise, thanks.

[DrakeSkyle]

Correct, the ab-initio programme is the 55 week cadet programme. It sounds like they use the same application for that and the AE programme. Like I said before, the AE programme is unlikely to resume in the near future and even if it does, there is a long long line of applicants who have been put on hold before, who will be the first ones in line.

My suggestion would be to keep trying for the ab-initio programme while you are undergoing training in Canada. There's no harm in trying since it wouldn't disrupt your training, and if you do get asked for an interview, your training will hopefully show them that you are committed to flying as a career. I have friends who have CPLs and an excess of 250 hours who still passed the cadet selection process so don't worry too much about having too much experience.

You should also consider applying for the Dragonair cadet programme. They may be a subsidiary of CX, but the recruitment departments are separate. Many people have failed one and passed the other.

[bbl]

hi Drakeskyle

thanks so much for your explanation.
i understand what you mean now.

i will keep update my process with CX. i don't mind start with cadet any time during my training in canada or after i got all my licenses. i can even come back to hk for the interview anytime during my training if they asked me. my 1st goal is hk base.

sorry, i really don't know there are lot of applicants put on hold for the AE program. i heard someone said it before. i'm not sure if many of them are HKID holder (i guess not much). i have asked CX, they prefer HKID holder, so i guess if it re-open, i will have a better chance, i hope.

i had apply Dragon cadet last yr already, but they never get back to me. i will check that again with Dragon later on. thanks again for your help.

as you know, i'm in old age, i do concern about if i can get my 1st job in pilot related after my study. i can make though the expensive training cost. but i'm not sure if i can get on to the right track for my career in the future.(the most difficult is the unstable economy, caused the demand of pilot)
i don't mind low pay in the early, but i do need better and better pay up coming in order to cover my training cost.

i think, for this profession. even i don't give up, it may not equal to i must success. do you agree?

[DrakeSkyle]

sorry, i really don't know there are lot of applicants put on hold for the AE program. i heard someone said it before. i'm not sure if many of them are HKID holder (i guess not much). i have asked CX, they prefer HKID holder, so i guess if it re-open, i will have a better chance, i hope.

If the AE programme resumes, the ones in line will get first priority, HKID or not, because they were already accepted but were put on hold, whereas you are just an applicant. Try again for CX and KA, and as always, keep your eyes open for opportunities. That includes opportunities in Canada. Good Luck.

[bbl]

hi Drakeskyle

i understand.
thanks again for your help.
i will keep trying for all possibility.
i hope in the future, i can help others for all the pilot question in here.