ZS-LMI
Good luck at the interview. I'm a NA based freight FO and am really enjoying Cathay. Not perfect, but WAY better than my last outfit. NA based freight guys are generally a great group of people to fly with, friendly and always willing to help out. I've had good experiences (so far) with check and training. Can't speak for other operations or bases, but I like where I am. Give it a shot and make your own decision.
Bell

This is a bit off track but I was curious why Cathay initial training is so long compared to North American airline training? Am I to understand that it is upwards of 6 months from Indoc to completion of IOE? Doesn't that cost Cathay an incredible amount of money? How do they stay competitive with training costs so high? Does Cathay want you to know how to build the airplane?

Just a bit curious.

Yes, but they want to make sure by checking you 30-40 times!:bored:

6 months training before released – pure waste of money, that’s it! They should rather spend it for profit sharing.
This everlasting inferior complex of “second choice airlines”! Under all means they want to demonstrate that they are even smarter than major airlines, and that it was them who invented flying.

This is how it looks from the outside.
Good luck to those who leave this circus!

Help me
 

Hi everybody,
as in every company most people are happy to work for, other less, other again doesn't like anything........this is true life.
in the next weeks i'll probably invited for the F/O interview in EU?
Actually i'm on a md80 aircraft since 1999 and i have to wait about five years more for a left seat opportunity.total 12 yrs in the right seat:{
This the reason to try join CX.
Any suggestion for me?
Is a good opportunity?
Thanks
Giulio

I think hostile and mr buzzy should have their own talk show. Great show fellas.

If your unhappy, leave. If there are so many opportunities out there, no-one here should have any problem finding a new gig. It's not more complex. It's very simple. If you've got a rock in your shoe, how many people on the street would you tell about it? Just take it out.

As far as the CX situation, take the job. Never turn down down a combat assignment. If it doesn't work for you then move on. If it works, stay. Mr hostile promises you'll get a better job. Really truly!! Can we all have that in writing! How many times have I flown with the "I could have flown for XYZ" people. Sad sad individuals. The few people that do actually have the balls to leave. Good on you and good luck in your pursuits.
How do you spot a CX aircraft in a dark ramp area? You can hear the whinning after the engines have stopped. (oldy but goodie)

Get on with your OWN lives. Do productive things like.....oh i don't know....make 80+ posts on PPrune since joining in April2007.

I can almost see the resident vultures circling my post.

Nice post Dashtrash :D

"Actually i'm on a md80 aircraft since 1999 and i have to wait about five years more for a left seat opportunity.total 12 yrs in the right seat"

about the same time you will spend in cx in the right hand seat - stay put unless you like being pecked to death or your pay is really crappy compared to the current cx offer

Make CX a place you'd be happy to stay.
 

I've read both positive and negative things about CX.

Gentlemen, the question I have about all the negativity is why are there no efforts being taken to address this training/checks and hostile atmosphere at Cathay? Regardless of any past or present friction between management and the pilot group what can and should be done before this issue becomes cancerous for Cathay? I am concerned because as pilots at CX you fly one of the best aircrafts in world and face it none of you got furloughed during the SARS outbreak or 911 attacks.

Can and should the training atmosphere and line checks improve at CX? Certainly! Are there efforts to truly promote CRM in the cockpit. It doesn't impress me that a captain can know how many rivets there are on a 747 but sets a tone in the cockpit that has me wanting the trip to end asap.

Management cannot continue to ignore the state of dissatisfaction among the pilot ranks even if it is a minority. Negativity unfortunately spreads faster than positivity. It doesn' take much to get more people dissatisfied with a company if that's where the focus of discusion is like on this post and in the bars.

I must agree that if one no longer enjoys working at CX then efforts should be made to move on or else try to at least enjoy the fact that one gets to fly the nicest aircraft in the world and travel and get paid doing it.

This post acts as a filter for the hiring gurus at CX. It scares so many prospective applicants that usually only those really interested to work at CX or are still curious about working here go ahead with the interview process. Let me encourage all the CX wannabes to never let what you read here determin your desire and passion to be a professional aviator at Cathay. Most of what really determines your quality of life and your outlook in life has to come from you and your peace with God. Give CX a try if you get offered the job. If you got the job be thankful and bear with the unpleasantries as much as you enjoy putting on that uniform and flying that sleek aircraft.

Management please address this issue. Pilots make it a place YOU are proud to be a part of.

Not trying to be negative but...

CX...good not great paying job and possibly good amount of time off depending on fleet but remember…CX as a company does NOT care one bit about your needs! If you have needs now or in the future, be prepared for little if any sympathy. They really don't care that your mother died or you have to appear in court for a divorce trial.

THIS IS AN EXPAT JOB NOT A HOME AIRLINE JOB.

If you can get over this, then you will do just fine!;)

CP..
I was told early on that sympathy is between sh!t and syphilis in the dictionary, if that helps those who may be looking for it.:E

That may be so and it may also be the "Asian" way of dealing with people but I can assure you that taking care of your people pays dividends in return!

Save a buck today and spend thousands tomorrow is not a wise business plan!

This attitude is the NUMBER 1 reason people leave CX and people don’t join CX.

Management take note.

Addressing Our Needs
 

CPDude,

I feel you've opened a right can of worms this time.

I would guess the the one thing CX excells at is addressing the acute needs of the Flt Ops personnel. Let me give you a few examples...

A couple of years ago I was at LHR signing on for CX250 and my wife called to say our son had suddenly been taken very sick and was in hospital on a drip. I immediately called the duty manager to ask him to get me a flight back to Europe asap on my arrival in HKG (remember... only 90 mins to departure). He sent me home there and then. Need addressed!

Unfortunately I am (like many) in the middle of divorce... Needed a day off at short notice to go and talk to the nice judge. Day off granted by Chief Pilot. Need addressed!

In neither case did the company ask for the day back, in both cases it was followed by a call to see if all was OK.

So Mr Dude, don't get carried away with the malcontents. If you are unhappy, it will require a personal fix. Until you can organise that, keep up the good work!!!!

Interesting...maybe it has something to do with which continent you're from!:hmm:

North Americans seem to lose days of leave for the examples you have given.:}

Max
 

Sorry max can't share your same happy clappy outcomes. I have been in very similar circumstances to you and on both occasions I got in the sh!t. So I think you are either the son of a 3rd floor ass wipe or you are number 2 or 3 on the seniority list. You get nothin for nothin at CX mate.

Oh yeah, sorry nearly forgot my little condescending closing remark.
"Keep up the good work":D

CP

I actually agree with you 100%.

The tragedy is that most individuals would also agree but once discretion is penalised, the system destroys the very basic framework that makes it work.

Similar situation in that your wife wants to divorce you Hostile23? Not surprising given the bile you seem to have

Meh, sorry for the cheap shot, but your reply to Max Reheat, dismissing his anecdotes as "son of an asswipe" or senior, well, just goes to show

You get what you give, and you catch more flies with honey than vinegar everywhere. I am willing to bet Max Reheat is always polite and remembers to thank people - you know, like your mother taught you. People like to do favours for people like that. Note he didn't demand the days off, or take them without notice by going absent or sick, he asked and got more than was requested.

No doubt you will see this behaviour as "brown nosing". It isn't, it is just treating others as you want to be treated (reasonably, with courtesy, and with flexibility)

CX can be quite dichotomous in its dealings with employees. As a corporate culture, it is business like and uncaring. But on a personal level it is generally very good. Like Max Reheat I have had good experiences in the past.

But then how do your reconcile this with an organisation that fires 2 FOs for being in the grey area of housing policy?

they were warned werent they??? :confused:

Warned how? With a personal letter or just a vague notice to crew or was it a groupwise memo? Could it have been missed or misunderstood? I really don't know how the warning was communicated...do you?:ooh:

Max Reheat,

I am glad that it worked out for you but I know for a fact that is not policy and it doesn't happen often on my side of the pond. Yes, the please and thankyou's have always been used but leave has always been robbed as well.

H23...grow up!