How low can you go?
 

Well, that last long haul must have been extra boring, as it got me to venture into the 'Lifestyle' section of the SCMP.

On the way to the strips and sudoku, I stumbled onto this little gem, sitting high in an otherwise pedestrian level blab about the vagaries of life in Saikung I suppose, I didn't read it much past that.

"Hong Kong city dwellers tend to have a bucolic notion of Sai Kung as being populated by unsophisticated folk: farmers, fishermen, Cathay Pacific pilots, and the like."

Cosmopolitan Sai Kung has acquired a taste for an exotic range of food | South China Morning Post

Now, I'm puzzled. What are you guys doing up there to merit yourselves such a reputation among the localites that even gweilo writers of garden variety frivolous fluff are peering at you from high in a golden tower?

I won't dare imagine where that leaves the DB uniform wearing crowd...?

Or is that somebody's ex?

OMFG,

Who reads the corrupted SCMP and takes it serious for anything. I'm not gonna defend Cathay Pathetic pilot's - but who God dams cares what a bunch of goons, tugs and oxygen thieves thinks. Hong Kong is a society full of self important banker wankers and humans looking forward to pension. Nobody with the love of life would live in this place if it was not because they had no other choice or because money is more important than life.

In general (and even among CX) pilots have more fun, than the average Joe, going to work in some **** office, thinking he/she/it is doing an important job, kidding himself.

Dude's enjoy life - and hasta la vista amigos.. :ok:

If you are referring to me, then, NO. What's the point?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK4VRS07ees

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6BVvYyc82c

spot the difference!

What's a riddle? my English's only level 6 and I'm not in the mood for Googly, Googly. Don't be such a Cathay sophisticated bloke mate, speak up and out :ok: Don't hide behind the curtain's :p

And on the "unsophisticated" league table what pos are Gweilo journos?

and btw why don't you get a serious job?

Hong Kong is a haven for banker wankers. Anywhere else in the world the pilot profession is respected. However, in a city where wealth, materialism and status are championed; the worst people in society are put on a pedestal.

Well... What's the definition of sophisticated?

How many pilots do you know who :

- read novels , not a Biker magazine or combat history book

- watch real movies, IFE and latest Pixar DVD with the family don't count

-listen ( Radio 4 anyone? )

-talk ( e.g. a real political discussion that does not end after 2 min on how useless all politicians ( hardcore right wing hawks excluded) ,minorities, banker and airline manager are

- have interests outside of the world of aviation, bbq's and sports.
Arts , theatre, opera or music anyone? ( Lion King musical with the missus excluded)

Not saying they don't exist AND not saying it is necessary or superior to have these other interests, but I frankly havent met too many in my 15 years in this profession who I would describe at exactly sophisticated..

Maybe that's why the new 'Director People' was appointed Director Flight Operations for a few years; as a zoologist by training, he was accustomed to working with pond scum.

Thanks to Yeager for aptly illustrating what the journalist was talking about.

Right. As opposed to the fancy HK 'elite' who pretend to be interested in all of that because they artificially want to project an elaborate and tasteful image of themselves while playing candy crush at every occasion on their phone?

Thank God, neither have I. And come to think of it, I haven't met anyone in HK like that who wasn't just pretending out of social pressure.
If there is one place in the world, apart from California, where money doesn't mean class and sophistication, the fragrant harbour is it.

Though I have met plenty of nice, fun and very bright people I am happy to relate to as coworker. Regardless what movies they watch.

CX pilots have only themselves to blame for their reputation in Hong Kong. In the 80's and early 90's they thought they were the rock stars of Hong Kong. Outbidding everybody on a property deal with their huge allowances at the time, most yachts in the marinas owned by the CX pilots, at boat shows they got V.I.P. invites. Expensive cars was a must. Their small town wives became prima dona's demanding first class only.

CX pilots attracted a lot of attention to themselves, and under scrutiny they were not any better then their equals working anywhere else in the world for much less and with more dignity.

What a load of rubbish, spoken by someone with a huge chip on each shoulder!!

( no I'm not an A scaler either )

Hmm... so you are one of those responsible for driving down our A Scale 'rock star' conditions of service then!

Very, very true. Those blokes as well as many now...hoisted well above their station. Baboons masquerading as genteels.;)

Nitpicker 330, a chip on each shoulder? That should make me balanced then.


Capt Dart. I never had a problem, why would I, with the salaries of any group at any time, good for them and the industry. It was the arrogance and behavior of some in Hong Kong during this golden age that led to the general public forming a negative opinion of CX pilots. Just like the bankers is doing in the 2000's.

That air of arrogance is still prevalent in the street at CX City, and here on the Fragrant Harbour Forum.

Were you in CX in the '80's then?
If not, you are simply repeating hearsay and nonsense. We weren't arrogant, we were just well paid, respected and good at getting in and out of one of the most difficult airports in the world. We pioneered ULH and had one of the highest aircraft utilisations of the 747 on the planet. Sickness was pretty much zero.
One offshoot of being well paid is that you live in nice houses, drive fast cars and share yachts. What's wrong with that?
We had spirit and would turn up for work to help out at the drop of a hat. Directors of the Company were our friends, the DFO invited us to his house, we could go and chat to the MD/Chairman before heading off on leave. We were a hell of a lot more than 'tolerated' as we are now.
Nothing to do with Bankers and the fraud they perpetrated - nothing at all.
Anyway, if you weren't there, perhaps you should hold your council and not further degrade your profession by spouting rubbish.

Very valid argument Arfur Dent. So where does this public opinion of CX pilots come from? I don't have the book with me at the moment, but, according to "The 49ers" did CX senior management not themselves refer to the pilots as Moron-airs , or some similar name? What was this statement from management based on?
I have neighbors, some exec's in Telecom and broadcasting, giving me many an example why they did not respect the " you need us because you can't do it" attitude. Yes, they had entitlements, but it's about attitudes and behavior that form public opinion.

Some very eye opening posts here, I'm here in the fragrant harbour a short year now and have had enough. Excessive greed and terrible air quality in a suffocating environment :ok:

People go on about how good the lifestyle is, compared to what exactly? the mainland? Even a superstar salary/pension in waiting wouldn't keep me in 'the harbour'.

Arthur Dent, seems you'r living in bit of an aviation bubble i you think flying into Kai Tak and "inventing long haul" is unique and worthy of special treatments.
While you were flying I.L.S's, some was doing non precision approaches with the same equipment, on a daily base. While calculating your long haul hours, some of us was going into uncontrolled airfields at night, landing on very limited fields.

If going into Kai Tak and long haul is the pinnacle of aviation in the 70's and 80's to you, you have truly been in the bubble.

It's not a hit at the salaries, but thinking you are a rock star flying into Hong Kong, only fooled the public for a short while.

Wise words again from someone who, I suspect, wasn't there either. We all did our NDB's and uncontrolled airfields before we came to CX and joined a proper airline flying the big jets and doing it well. If you suggest that the IGS was 'flying ILS's' -especially just after a typhoon, then you too are simply showing your ignorance.
Nothing about being a rock star - just doing a job well and getting a top salary and a bit of old fashioned respect from our Employer.
How times have changed.................:sad:

Well said Arfur. Some of us was (sic) doing as you say.