Hi there WOB!

It seems like you know what are you talking about. Do you have any idea of Cargolux hiring policy regarding non type rated pilots?
Currently I’m flying for Romanian Air Force and I have ~500 hrs fast jet fighter experience but I’d like to leave the army and join the civil aviation. As long as I’m familiar with hard working and long time duty shifts, I’m looking for a long term contract with a reliable company and reading this thread, I think Cargolux may be the employer I’m looking for. Working for this company and being inward, how would you weigh my chances?

Best regards and safe landings to all of you!

Recently got the fantastic news that I succesfully passed the selection and will be offered a starting date in the future. :ok:

A big thank you for all the people who were willing to provide me with help, background information and of course all the contributors to this thread!

@PH-JPC: I think you passed the assesment just a short time ago. Is there any outlook given how long you have to wait for the rating now?

@all: I heard about a rumor that, at the interview, german applicants will be interviewed in german language, only a part of that interview is in english. Is that true? And what about that 1 hour interview at the end of the day in Saarlouis, is that also in german than?

Tophat320

Received the formal letter today: I'm in!
Just have to wait for a starting date!!

Great!!

Congratulations and welcome on board!

1st of all, congratulations for PH-JPC & quianor! :ok::D
Couchpotatoe, you are right. The correlation between my age and my flying experience is not quite my strong point, and continuing the MiG-21 LanceR flying venture will act in my disadvantage. That’s it! It is not the best way of flying hours gathering, as long as my longer leg ever flew [with 3 external fuel tanks] was about 80 minutes. I’m part of a different kind of aviation and I have to find a way to adapt my experience to your aviation world and to your weighing rules.

@Tophat; No idea how long before training, hopefully soon as the -8 will start to arrive.
There was no more interview in Saarlouis; only the computer tests and the final interview in LUX, which was in English.

@Quianor; Were we together in Saarlouis? Congratulations anyway, hopefully we'll see each other soon (again)! :ok:

And are you a german guy PH-JPC? I just heard about that last interview is a mi between german and english. Anyone else who can confirm that?

german and roster
 

does it matter if the inteview is in german by 50%???
CV is an international company..... so you have to speak english.

typical schedule: you can print a pice of paper when the schedule is published, but you might waste paper and ink. Normally your sched gets changed 1 up to 5 times per period.

also here the gras is not greener than in the neighbours yard...

you can be away for up to 21 days as per todays CWA. In general the job is not too bad but be prepared for an non standard operation... you can plan of your 6 consecutive off days but that´s it. For the rest of it you are property of screwcontrol

About living within 2 hrs of LUX, thats whishfull thinking by the management, but at all not conform to EURO law.

Summary: so far good company but with some major hick-ups

Hope this helps for decission making
HURZ

non german speaker
 

Hi
Just wondering what happens if you dont speak German at all?????
gazman21

Gazman, read post 679 :ugh:

your language dosn´t matter at all as long as you speak english:ugh:
However you have to have ICAO level 4.

Going to IBF Saarlouis myself shortly. Any advice on dresscode for this part of the selection appreciated( final interview would be obvious ofcourse..)

Would 'Smart Casual' be ok here?

@HURZ:

Sure it is an international company, but it´s without doubt more easy for a german native speaker to "sell" himself at an interview. We have to speak english in our job, no question. But with a german surrounding (in the cockpit as well as at home) there is a little bit of routine missing. That was the reason of asking this question.
So, if anyone can give me an answer wheter it is true that cargolux will do the final interview (and as well the interview in Saarlouis) in german - it would be nice!

And I don´t know how long you can be away from your home according to the CWA, but when I read this thread I think that you are not regularly away for 21 days without beeing at home - if I´m wrong please correct me.
At the moment I´m flying between 3 and 5 sectors every day, often four days on, one of - that´s stressfull anyway. I´m at home very often, but there is nothing more to do than to sleep. And when I´m on the road I mostly sleep in sheep third-class-hotels.
Sure, it isn´t easy for you and your family to spend the whole life in hotels, but I´m also sure with my actual job the first stroke is awaiting me in less then ten years.

Thanks for all the coming answers...


Tophat320

By the way, I´m also interested in the question of flyer99 above. You have to do a medical examination first, so it si strange to come with your tie to that!

As far as language in Cargolux is concerned then the only one that is essential is English. Whatever language you are interviewed in, at work all procedures are in English.

Whilst native German – in it’s different forms - speakers are in a majority in the company and bearing in mind that most Luxemburgers also speak it fluently, there is still a large minority who do not have it even to a basic conversational level (me for one).

The standard of spoken English varies from level 4 (very few) level 5 (majority) and level 6 (few). I have to complement my colleagues in that even if out socially with a group of native German speakers (or those with a different lingua franca) if there is someone who does not speak their language then the conversation will be in English.


Bearing in mind that all manuals, training and company communications are in English the higher the level of your spoken and written English the easier your life will be. Once on the line your Captain will be from one of 20+ nationalities some of who will have at least conversational German but some who wont. You may be faced with a native English, Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Portuguese speaker (plus any I might have overlooked).

Good Luck.

I think the Manuals of all airlines, even ours, are in english. So there would be no problem. The problem is not that I can´t speak english, and the more you speak it on the line the more it would increase. That´s the experience I made within a lot of stays in the States.
But nevertheless it is ever better to have interviews in your native language because it is the easiest way to "sell" your package to the company. Later, if they choose me and on the line, I´m sure it wouldn´t be a problem to speak english I think.
But once again my question: Did anyone whose native language is german experienced that some parts of the interview were in german?

To make your live easy, just prepare for the "worst" case and expect the interview to be conducted in English. If it will be then conducted in your native language just be happy!

If you are a native English speaking person this question is not a real concern.

Flightwatch passed it on quite eloquently,
thanks for the level 5 for most of us by the way,
it is, and has been, a multy language company and our daily speak is english, although with a heavy german accent by myself and others.
No primaries on your native tounge. No primaries on your language background, nothing to fear, there is no german part of the interview that will threaten you. whoever passes is welcome, as long as he speaks english in a descend way.

@ 21-lancer
 

Hi 21-lancer,

well, you can check out the requirements on the cargolux or interpersonel website. Type rating is not required, but you need some exp. beforehand. :(

500 h fastjet is probably not enough, but maybe get a job on shorthaul first, anyway, for Cargolux, (and it shows everyday!) you need stick and rudder exp. before you join, coz here you don't learn that anymore!

Otherwise I see no reason why you couldn't join and run a smooth career!

Anyway, good luck and all the best!

WOB :ok: