CX Hiring First Officers? When?
 

CX is currently hiring Second Officers, but is there any word on when CX will be hiring FOs again?

Does anyone have any advice for a high time regional FO thinking about a move to CX?

Thanks.

If you're in ATL, as your handle indicates, you'd be able to get a job with a US carrier. Stay away from CX! Management has not been kind recently to former regional jet pilots (some have been fired for poor performance, most likely their own fault) and our contract continues to be eroded year after year. 20 years from now you'll look back and thank those of us here on pprune who said to stay away. CX is going downhill fast...

Just my two cents (since that's all I have left to contribute after our measly what-they-call-a-pay-raise and inflation!)

as you can see you touched a nerve :hmm:

there is currently only one way to join Cathay, and that is via a Cadet SFO scheme. In your case a transition course of a few weeks in Australia and, more importantly, no expat benefits worth mentioning for the rest of your career.

SFO scheme? I think he's looking for an ATL scheme!

The SFO scheme sounds right up my alley! :p

If you want an ATL base as FO - plan on it taking at least 8 years - 5 of which will be as a Second Officer in Hong Kong. You will not get a DEFO slot in CX as others have mentioned.

I'm surprised you are still considering CX. The company seems to not want based pilots. Although a majority of the pilots are based it has become a thorn in the companies side. But wait, the company doesn't want Hong Kong based pilots either.What a conundrum. If you want a career you need to be smart with your decisions. I wasn't and now I'm looking for for new employment.

Just don't bother. If you have experience they're not prepared to pay for a reasonable cost of living to attract it. Even IF they were to offer DEFO on bases you would be looking at 17+years to a chance at a HKG command on diminished first 3 years command pay and crap housing assistance in VERY expensive city.
If you don't have experience, the package on offer will be so miserable you'll walk away pissed off with a 'wonderful' P2X rating and 5-7 years purgatory. It's NOT what it used to be and they still think they can trade on history.
Don't waste your time. :ugh:

DEFO
 

hopefully NEVER again!!!!

I thought they were conducting DEFO interviews in the UK now for 100-200 ex-RAF pilots that were made redundant......

And offering them the TT (super short course) cadet position to be S/Os.

What an opportunity to be out of work and then offered a job by CX at short notice. :}

At least they'll be able to spend their RAF millions on Hong Kong rent.........

The 170 odd RAF guys were all in training. Those that join Cathay will do it as SOs like everyone else.

But wait, they are RAF pilots. Shouldn't they go DEC instead? :}

I'm sure that they are being measured up for their long-sleeved shirts as I type!

SO are now being upgraded onto the 747, so i doubt there will be much space left in the training schedule to introduce DEFO anytime soon.

You're quite correct. You're coming around to my way of thinking ;)

There's always an upside to hiring ex military pilots that know nothing of commercial operations......at least the bunks will nice and neat!

I don't think it would take too long for an ex-RAF Tristar Captain to get to grips with commercial operations.