Ex KA captains being offered JFO position
Eidolon
Gnadenburg
There is a lot of inaccurate information being posted on this thread to make CX pilots seem inept or incompetent, for example you stated earlier that CX does not fly visual approaches, they are flown daily on everything from the A330 to 747. I have had a KA jump seat CN with a J class FOC that had been in the company less than a year, total time around 6000 hrs, the A320 was the only aircraft they had flown since flight school, never flown in Asia before. During the flight he made several insensitive comments about his remuneration and benefits which my 10+ year local SFO was not too pleased about. The hyperbole over many threads by a few ex-KA pilots is dong the majority a vast disservice. The KA guys I knew would never say that sort of thing to my face, we had mutual respect for each others job.
Alistair
Have a look further up in the thread, I replied to dualbleedfauls post saying they operated 150 flights to the PRC a year (i.e 300 sectors), "How any KA pilot could have done 150 PRC trips a year is beyond me, two months of leave and all those other days off." 80ish flights a years like you were saying was very normal, that is only an average of 2 a week. As you have demonstrated around 1/3 of your flights were outside the PRC.
Current advertised contact rates for A320 captains in the PRC are around US$4000 per month, pre-COVID it is was up around US$20,000. To set the bar so low they must be getting takers, US$4000 is better than zero.
There is a lot of inaccurate information being posted on this thread to make CX pilots seem inept or incompetent, for example you stated earlier that CX does not fly visual approaches, they are flown daily on everything from the A330 to 747. I have had a KA jump seat CN with a J class FOC that had been in the company less than a year, total time around 6000 hrs, the A320 was the only aircraft they had flown since flight school, never flown in Asia before. During the flight he made several insensitive comments about his remuneration and benefits which my 10+ year local SFO was not too pleased about. The hyperbole over many threads by a few ex-KA pilots is dong the majority a vast disservice. The KA guys I knew would never say that sort of thing to my face, we had mutual respect for each others job.
Alistair
Have a look further up in the thread, I replied to dualbleedfauls post saying they operated 150 flights to the PRC a year (i.e 300 sectors), "How any KA pilot could have done 150 PRC trips a year is beyond me, two months of leave and all those other days off." 80ish flights a years like you were saying was very normal, that is only an average of 2 a week. As you have demonstrated around 1/3 of your flights were outside the PRC.
Current advertised contact rates for A320 captains in the PRC are around US$4000 per month, pre-COVID it is was up around US$20,000. To set the bar so low they must be getting takers, US$4000 is better than zero.
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I believe you are referring to the above post, he never said 150 trips, he said ‘in that environment 150 times…’. Perhaps check your English level before getting so worked up about something you very clearly know nothing about. Secondly, any pilot that passed the command training at Ka was worthy of the left seat, that I can assure you.
Last edited by fly1981; 11th Jul 2021 at 17:17.
This is all becoming a little petty. As an ex KA fellow I implore my ex colleagues to stop defending what we did. We all know what was involved in our day to day operation and there’s no point trying to convince those that don’t want to hear it otherwise. Just smile and walk away. It’s perfectly acceptable to chuckle as you wander off knowing the reality of PRC flying will dawn on those above in due course.
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As someone who flies for 'green' on a fleet that regularly flies to the dreaded PRC, I wholeheartedly agree with WT.
And the rest of you children stop the bickering.
And the rest of you children stop the bickering.
One wonders how those thousands of former expat pilots who lived and flew solely in the PRC ever managed to exist. Must have been super men.One can’t even begin to imagine the privations of not having a DB bubble to strut around in.
Get a grip, it’s just another job. There are better place and there are worse, far worse,
Get a grip, it’s just another job. There are better place and there are worse, far worse,
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I like data so I just had a quick look in my logbook, PRC sectors last few years...
2015 147
2016 164
2017 174
2018 156
2019 131
Dangerous? Not particularly. Difficult? Again, no especially once you've done it a few times, I got LHS after 18 months with no prior Airbus, command or Asia experience.
But it was UTTERLY exhausting. Low level cruise noise, delays, flying nights, earlies, lates, diverting and having to stay on the jet for another 6 hours at the whim of officials, 180 kts with 50nm to go, 60 min turnarounds in HKG with an aircraft change, ATC saying go slow, go fast, go away, cannot divert to nominated alternate, do an orbit in cruise, I could go on. Don't miss it a bit. You lot are welcome to do it and find out for yourselves, maybe its all fine now...
2015 147
2016 164
2017 174
2018 156
2019 131
Dangerous? Not particularly. Difficult? Again, no especially once you've done it a few times, I got LHS after 18 months with no prior Airbus, command or Asia experience.
But it was UTTERLY exhausting. Low level cruise noise, delays, flying nights, earlies, lates, diverting and having to stay on the jet for another 6 hours at the whim of officials, 180 kts with 50nm to go, 60 min turnarounds in HKG with an aircraft change, ATC saying go slow, go fast, go away, cannot divert to nominated alternate, do an orbit in cruise, I could go on. Don't miss it a bit. You lot are welcome to do it and find out for yourselves, maybe its all fine now...
lucille
Agreed. Give me India any day. At least they’re not deliberately obstructive. Or even the Dark Continent. China. Thankfully I’ll never see it again. Not even from 9600 M rate of descent 3000 or more.
Agreed. Give me India any day. At least they’re not deliberately obstructive. Or even the Dark Continent. China. Thankfully I’ll never see it again. Not even from 9600 M rate of descent 3000 or more.
lucille
Again, the point has been lost.
However, I did note on social media a CX Captain complaining of the new normal. A turn-around to XMN taking 12-15 hours. Geez you haven't even started going there on the NEO's and the bitching has started!
Please keep the PRC reports coming in on Instagram folks.
Again, the point has been lost.
However, I did note on social media a CX Captain complaining of the new normal. A turn-around to XMN taking 12-15 hours. Geez you haven't even started going there on the NEO's and the bitching has started!
Please keep the PRC reports coming in on Instagram folks.
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777 captains started training on the Neo this week at the rate of two a week. Many are getting the rating as part of their exit strategy; they won’t be doing that many China sectors before they leave.
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Exit strategy? Lol. Is that the same exit strategy that has apparently been in the process for years? The one that will only ever eventuate once they reach retirement age.
I’d love to know where these hypothetical better jobs are.
I’d love to know where these hypothetical better jobs are.
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That’s the exit strategy to deal with the imminent loss/reduction of housing and education benefits. They may never use an Airbus rating but at least they will have it in their back pocket.
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The smartest thing to do right now is go across to the NEO for the rating. I already have one from my days back home that I have kept current. Any extra rating should be most important to do for anyone who is returning to their own country. More chances to find employment.
As a sidenote Ryanair are hiring...
As a sidenote Ryanair are hiring...
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Wendell Glibb
Regardless Fo or Captain, most x KA guys I have spoken to say they have no real desire to return to Cx or Uo.
Such a shame.
And for those in Cx that enjoy belittling x KA guys , be careful you never know who will be doing your future interviews!
Such a shame.
And for those in Cx that enjoy belittling x KA guys , be careful you never know who will be doing your future interviews!
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Not if you are already Airbus rated and have a large amount of bus time. Most European airlines accept any bus. Even FBW time on the triple would work in your favour for some airlines. Didn't a triple FO go to fly a bus in Belgium last year?
