Choosing a flight school, will eventually apply to CX
 

When hiring pilots how much do CX recruiters care about where prospective employees were trained for CPL? Would training at FTA (where they train their own staff) impress them or give an appreciable advantage? I hear FTA isn't great service for non cadets. How much would they value qualifications from an expensive flight school in Australia or USA over a school in South Africa which is half the price?! Or even Philippines. Advice appreciated!

Get a flight school that offers an EASA qualification. This will be acceptable to the HKG authorities and CX and any airline in Europe. There are several good schools in Europe and USA with worldwide accepatnce. Do not limit your sights to one school in AUS and one airline CX. Depending upon your circumstances and passport why not get fully sponsored by an airline ?

Thanks unitedabx, that’s useful. South Africa is really tempting though as it’s so cost effective.

Guys, with respect, I’m not asking for advice of whether or not to become a pilot or whether or not to work for CX. Understand a lot of you seem pretty unhappy with either CX or the industry so if it makes you feel better then rant away but it's not relevant to my question!

Cheers

Hemisphere,

There is a lot of negativity and bad feeling in CX at the moment and indeed for the last 20 years. Hence some of the replies you have received. If it is your dream to be an airline pilot then GO FOR IT but do not limit your sights to CX or FTA. Both institutiuons are no longer world leaders or hold any real respect in the industry. There are still many airlines that are worth applying to.

CX to my knowledge doesn't care where you got your license from, so long as it is legal, and you can demonstrate to them you can be competent at the job during your interview. If you are keen to join CX and don't have a license yet, then just go for their cadet program. I wouldn't go out and get a license just to join CX.

If you do go out and get flight training elsewhere, then I highly recommend building your experience from elsewhere. Learn to work your way up, fly some turboprops, and regional flying. It will be a much more rewarding career than going straight to cruise relief on a long haul wide body. Some guys at CX have never done this, and they have missed out on the fun.

As you can tell from these forums, CX is also not the same airline it used to be. There used to be a time when I think people used to be proud working at CX. The days are long gone, and I can assure you the attitude is not just a forum thing. You must recognize that in between CX making financial losses, and the expensive nature of Hong Kong, that CX is trying to make consessions out of the pilots. I'm not saying CX is going to be a bad employer forever, but do be wise in your career decision making. You only get so many chances.

I say this from hard learned experience.

...but none AS crazy as CX. Fact. (...and I wonder how well that HR persons nose is healing up...?)

Hemispheredance

Previously, when pilots (or even people who knew what an airplane looked like) were involved in recruitment of pilots, it would have been advantageous to interact with these recruiters at the flying school used by Cathay. Several current pilots did just that and it led to them getting jobs.

As others have pointed out, Cathay recruitment is now done by clueless HR robots so it would be a much better idea to just get a license that is recognised in HK at a location, instructional standard, and price that you are happy with.

First, identify which airlines you wish to work for (I suggest CX is not one of them. As a S/O you log P2X - time most, but not all, other operators won't recognise as valid flight time. Beware that most airlines work to a seniority system, so time spent at CX is time wasted). Then asks those airlines if they have a preferred entry path. Some have preferred training schools.

The hardest job to get is your first job. So as the training schools on your short list if they have a policy of hiring their students as instructors. Ask what % are hired. Many schools will promise much but in the end they are just after your $.

HemisphereDancer,

As a father, if my son decided he wanted to become a pilot, I would support him fully...it is an amazing job with a huge choice of career opportunities, especially if you are prepared to leave your domicile. I would also STRONGLY recommend he learn how to fly OUTSIDE of the airline ab-initio training systems, and spend the first 10 years of his piloting career gaining some experience. This would benefit both him, and the industry. Yesterday I was asked by a new joiner if I have ever heard a Mayday declared in my 11 years at Cathay...my answer was "...actually no, but I have declared 2 or 3 myself before coming to Cathay". This was met with surprise...and is indicative of the very safe nature of airline flying compared to what is available in the aviation profession.

If I was an airline recruiter, I would also prefer to hire pilots who have prior experience. Certainly for me personally, the highlights of my flying career were prior to joining the airlines. As a 20 something year old, you have at least until age 65 to fly...spend the first 10 or so years gaining some great experience somewhere (GA, military, Africa, PNG etc) before strapping yourself into the very safe and benign airline environment.

Unfortunately, much of what is stated in previous posts is correct...prior experience is not particularly highly valued by airline management. They are concerned with bums in jets, so as long as you have the minimum requirements, you simply have to win the recruiting process battle to get a seat.

Do yourself a favour...go and have 10 years of amazing adventure before settling into the easy retirement job!

Jason

Great Post Jason74!! You said it all.:ok: Don't rush into the shiny metallic jet. Flying small aircraft is super fun and an amazing experience for your confidence and hand skill that you can not easily gain if you jump immediately from flight school to airliners.

And make certain that job is with an airline you can spend your career with. That eliminates CX right from the start.