Time to upgrade to FO and CN at Cathay
Join Date: Feb 2007
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So in 2020 the most junior Captain will be a 2007 hire. And with another 200 guys from the 2008 class the last one should be upgrade by 2023. Rounding out the time to command at 15 years. What a future to look forward to. You can only pray there will be a ton of guys cat D'd and guys refusing to come off their base. Even with significant expansion the time will not come down by much.
Warning to DEFOs. Your future here is not bright. I hope you like flying through the night to India.
P.s. Your DFO loves to say how South Africans are the Phillippenos of aviation. That should say it all.
Warning to DEFOs. Your future here is not bright. I hope you like flying through the night to India.
P.s. Your DFO loves to say how South Africans are the Phillippenos of aviation. That should say it all.
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Speaking of South Africans, it seems the DFO's only hope is to turn CX into a satellite operation of SAA. If the company goes ahead with a JNB base, with direct entry captains, that should be the final straw in any other CX pilots hopes that there can ever be a proper career or stable conditions to base your hopes and those of your families on. If she makes this move (and I suspect she will, as she is ignorant of 'unintended consequence'), then there is no longer any reason to stay. Take advantage of the best hiring market in generations. At the very least, escape from this most toxic of environments. And btw, if any of my former C and T colleagues continue with this charade and help train the very people who will be used to undermine their own careers, then deserve all the opprobrium that will come their way. There is no longer any excuse at that point.
Join Date: Aug 2008
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I was saying this back when Traf was a trainer, and I say it to every C&Ter every chance I get. It’s beyond ludicrous. I want to train too but not until we are all on the same contract, and it sure as hell isnt going to be local terms.
Join Date: Mar 2008
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On a more positive note, several senior TCC members have refused to upgrade to STC while there is any CC underway. Further, a few of them I have spoken with have confirmed they will resign immediately if there is any entry of DEC in the company.
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I hope that is true. I am doubtful of anything coming from the CX pilot crowd. If one pilot is allowed under this scheme into our cockpits. Than we have truly lost.
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TurningFinal
You are of course wrong. Something did happen, that's why the ARAPA threat went away (for the time being). It's the threat that brings results. The threat was there, ask your training mates.
You are of course wrong. Something did happen, that's why the ARAPA threat went away (for the time being). It's the threat that brings results. The threat was there, ask your training mates.
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Some STCs are only too happy to tell you that they are making 300-400K a month due to rostered overtime.
.....Whether you believe it is a 'different story'.
Like most things at Cathay Pacific and the internet, until you do your own research and obtain proof, take it with 'a grain of salt'.
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Any trainer who remains in training is a part of the problem. This is a voluntary position you are not required to stay in training. Anyone who does so is doing it for selfish reasons only. Trainers are profiting off of the membership and the training ban.
A trainer should be someone who is respected amongst the pilot body. Who upholds the values of the collective group. Wen your employer is continuously doing anything they can to destroy your benifits you should realize that you are in effect condoning this behavior. What makes you think you are so special? Will you be able to make a little side deal for yourself preserving your pay, housing, other benifits?.
Deplorable.
Lower than low is those guys taking up a training position on a base. You will never be invited out for dinner and drinks, you will not get anything other than required sop from me. Enjoy your layover.
A trainer should be someone who is respected amongst the pilot body. Who upholds the values of the collective group. Wen your employer is continuously doing anything they can to destroy your benifits you should realize that you are in effect condoning this behavior. What makes you think you are so special? Will you be able to make a little side deal for yourself preserving your pay, housing, other benifits?.
Deplorable.
Lower than low is those guys taking up a training position on a base. You will never be invited out for dinner and drinks, you will not get anything other than required sop from me. Enjoy your layover.
Join Date: Mar 2008
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The funny (or not!) thing is, I remember Anna saying a year or so ago that she was looking to 'reward the trainers' for their efforts. All I see they received was NO 13th month, and a threat to their housing for them and their families. Come on guys/girls, where do your real interests lie, with your professional colleagues, or with a group of pilot hating managers who are actually attempting to harm you and your families? It's time to give up your delusions. If one SA pilot arrives on anything other than 'bottom of seniority list' terms IN HK, then you must resign. Otherwise, you are no better than the people upstairs who are harming the rest of us. You NEED to think about this, then act. Now.
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On a more positive note, several senior TCC members have refused to upgrade to STC while there is any CC underway. Further, a few of them I have spoken with have confirmed they will resign immediately if there is any entry of DEC in the company.
The funny (or not!) thing is, I remember Anna saying a year or so ago that she was looking to 'reward the trainers' for their efforts.
Join Date: Nov 2007
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Several have in fact refused. Unfortunately, currently there are four wannabe STCs upgrading by flying with Dragon trainers. I'll let you figure out the fleet by yourself.
CC/TB not far off at Dragon.
CC/TB not far off at Dragon.
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Warning regarding S/O time.
I took an interest in this thread after doing a recruitment sim-assessment on a CX S/O recently at my current company. Long story short, this individual’s performance in the sim was so poor that the assessment was cut short. I’m not sure if nerves played a part (probably) but the overall performance was below all my expectations of even modest handling skills.
Word of warning from the ‘real world’: Pilots that join an airline on an S/O deal where you don’t touch the controls for years will eventually become unemployable at any other airline. Beware of this career trap. Nothing will ever beat hands-on experience on smaller aircraft as you start off your career.
Word of warning from the ‘real world’: Pilots that join an airline on an S/O deal where you don’t touch the controls for years will eventually become unemployable at any other airline. Beware of this career trap. Nothing will ever beat hands-on experience on smaller aircraft as you start off your career.
Join Date: Aug 2008
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Sage advice. I think CX SOs get so enamored with the (not-so) shiny jets that they ignore the obvious downsides, this being but one example. Keep in mind, time to JFO just ballooned out to 5-6 years, and that’s no exaggeration. 5-6 years with no hands on time except for sims.
Compound that with the cost of living in HK and the fact that SO/JFOs scrape the bottom of the pay scales and HKPA for the better part of a decade, and the picture is pretty grim. I’m not the most empathetic of chaps, but I feel truly sorry for CX SOs. They have chosen to believe the lies from CX, and most are stuck paying the price for many years under the most venal, malicious, and incompetent airline management in the world. It’s truly a sad state of affairs at CX. The persistent pollution in Hong Kong is but a metaphor for a CX career.
Compound that with the cost of living in HK and the fact that SO/JFOs scrape the bottom of the pay scales and HKPA for the better part of a decade, and the picture is pretty grim. I’m not the most empathetic of chaps, but I feel truly sorry for CX SOs. They have chosen to believe the lies from CX, and most are stuck paying the price for many years under the most venal, malicious, and incompetent airline management in the world. It’s truly a sad state of affairs at CX. The persistent pollution in Hong Kong is but a metaphor for a CX career.
Join Date: Feb 2018
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I've been following all the current CX topics and am amazed by the current situation (as employees experience it) at Cathay.
I've also been invited to HK for the assessment for SO.
Working at Cathay Pacific and living in HK has always seemed amazing to me and my goal in aviation is to fly long haul eventually.
Recently I've passed an assessment for a short haul jet carrier in Europe, incl type rating and benefits as insurance, housing allowance during training etc.
I'm now at an age of beginning 30's and have one year commercial experience on a turboprop, so about 800hr TT.
I live in Europe, so joining the short haul carrier in Europe will allow me to be back at home in 2 hours through their network with staff travel.
If I pass the assessment at CX, it's going to be a tough decision for me.
I can understand that (also due to my age) joining the short haul carrier and building jet hours as an FO would be a better career option.
I just can't stop thinking about flying long haul at Cathay, even though the transition to FO may be 5 - 6 years as my goal in aviation eventually is to fly long haul.
I would appreciate it if anybody could share some experience with me.
I've also been invited to HK for the assessment for SO.
Working at Cathay Pacific and living in HK has always seemed amazing to me and my goal in aviation is to fly long haul eventually.
Recently I've passed an assessment for a short haul jet carrier in Europe, incl type rating and benefits as insurance, housing allowance during training etc.
I'm now at an age of beginning 30's and have one year commercial experience on a turboprop, so about 800hr TT.
I live in Europe, so joining the short haul carrier in Europe will allow me to be back at home in 2 hours through their network with staff travel.
If I pass the assessment at CX, it's going to be a tough decision for me.
I can understand that (also due to my age) joining the short haul carrier and building jet hours as an FO would be a better career option.
I just can't stop thinking about flying long haul at Cathay, even though the transition to FO may be 5 - 6 years as my goal in aviation eventually is to fly long haul.
I would appreciate it if anybody could share some experience with me.
Join Date: Mar 2008
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You will sit as an SO for 5-6 years, logging NO time. You will have effectively crippled your career just when you had the chance to actually make yourself into an airline pilot. Further, you will be stuck living like a rat in a barely livable space (300 sq/ft) paying about $3000 usd /mo for that. Don't even get me started on the non-existent staff travel, appalling medical, joke of a retirement. Add to that the fact that you will work for the worst airline management in the industry, one that belittles you, lies to you, cheats you, steals from you and basically ensures that every day you are here you will regret. Other than that, come on in, the water's lovely! Take the job close to home, actually FLY airplanes and be grateful you dodged the bullet. (oh, and as for flying long-haul, that particular desire will be crushed out of you very quickly at CX, with the appalling rosters and minimum time layovers, crappy hotels and inadequate allowances. You will very quickly be too fatigued to care).