Etihad Cadet Pilot Training Assessment 2009
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I believe CX have had some kind of scheme in the near past and they have no choice but to put you on a widebody. Same with SQ.
If you have the aptitude to fly an A320. You have the aptitude to fly an A380. It's just logical to put the n00bs on the smaller, cheaper ones with less people on board.
Besides, the A32S is a fine aircraft.
If you have the aptitude to fly an A320. You have the aptitude to fly an A380. It's just logical to put the n00bs on the smaller, cheaper ones with less people on board.
Besides, the A32S is a fine aircraft.
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That's a ridiculous statement to make! Especially coming from those who run the assessments! They do not know the circumstances surrounding those applicants decisions or actions! Those 250 people did not waste anyone's chances. If there were those who didn't make it through to this stage it is purely because they weren't quick in sending in a application or reapplying! And that boils down to how bad you want it and how often you checked up on the cadet program.
I still think the majority just couldnt be arsed to turn up on the day thus denying someone that chance. In fact, if someone hadnt of been decent enough to email them saying they couldnt go, I wouldnt of got my chance.
They seemed very annoyed with the people who didnt turn up and rightly so. The 3 guys and the assisting staff had clearly put a lot of hard work and personal time in to ensure this programme is a success. I think its the highest level of disrespect to Etihad Airways AND to the guys themselves to just not show up when they've invited you there.
Good luck to those who did show up and were tested, and good luck to future candidates over in FRA.
Last edited by GeorgEGNT; 20th Feb 2009 at 13:22.
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Shauna
I am so annoyed i missed this....i have been away alot with work and have been putting in alot of hours at home so i didn't hear about this sponsorship until last week.
Does anyone know if they will be recruiting for this again? i tried to read the whole thread but my eyes are stinging so sorry if it was said already and i missed it.
Does anyone know if they will be recruiting for this again? i tried to read the whole thread but my eyes are stinging so sorry if it was said already and i missed it.
dirk85:
Anyway, considering 2 days for London, each with two sessions, I assume there have been far more than 600 people attending the tests...
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airbandt
Yes, I saw about 3 girls in my session. I don't know about others. You may also be interested that currently on the programme they have 5 girls training with Etihad; 3 U.A.E nationals and 2 foreign.
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Yes, quite a few didn't turn up however I'd hardly call it a poor turn out.
Yes, that's almost HALF who didn't turn up. If they had opened 1000 places for just London and only 580 turned up, would that be a good turn out because 580 people came? I would say it's hardly a good turn out!Let's say for arguments sake that it costs £50 per person to be assessed at the first stage, due to hotel bookings, flights, assessors pay etc etc etc. That's £30 000! Now if you take that and divide it by 350 you get approximately £85 per person. That's assuming it costs £50 per person, but I would probably guess it's even higher. Do you think Etihad would consider an almost 70% rise on the cost per candidate to them as being good?
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Actually I think it was possible to cheat number of people who had to come 
Etihad did not require to apply from their website and provide accurate details about yourself, so theoretically it was possible to sign up imaginary people 
I suggest that applications should be made much more serious than just an email
Etihad did not require to apply from their website and provide accurate details about yourself, so theoretically it was possible to sign up imaginary people I suggest that applications should be made much more serious than just an email
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Deniz
These phrases - Seniority Number, Date Of Hire, Class Date, or whatever the airline you are looking at uses to define seniority, are absolutely critical to an airline pilots career.
The 250 no-shows did indeed screw over 250 other applicants because the 250 who had to wait will probably be junior to those hired from the first group. Only a few number you say? Read on.
If you don't think that matters you may have a few shocks in store for you wherever you get hired.
Two examples:
I know pilots at a major airline hired on the 1st of a month who are a thousand+ numbers senior to guys hired on the 15th because of an airline buyout and the merger of seniority lists in the meantime.
While they interviewed on the same bloody day, only the order in which they were called/hired mattered. That's a potential career difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions) over those simple phrases.
I know a pilot who had to get his bloodwork redrawn for his company hiring physical. That 5 day delay, like the one above, cost him dearly. He has been furloughed from that airline for 5 years now while his assessment roomate is fully employed with 5 years pay seniority and bennies.
And those are just two examples.
NOTHING at a first rate airline matters as much as your seniority number/date of hire. It determines pay, position, schedule, vacation, time spent sitting reserve, and quality of life in general.
Good luck!
These phrases - Seniority Number, Date Of Hire, Class Date, or whatever the airline you are looking at uses to define seniority, are absolutely critical to an airline pilots career.
The 250 no-shows did indeed screw over 250 other applicants because the 250 who had to wait will probably be junior to those hired from the first group. Only a few number you say? Read on.
If you don't think that matters you may have a few shocks in store for you wherever you get hired.
Two examples:
I know pilots at a major airline hired on the 1st of a month who are a thousand+ numbers senior to guys hired on the 15th because of an airline buyout and the merger of seniority lists in the meantime.
While they interviewed on the same bloody day, only the order in which they were called/hired mattered. That's a potential career difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars (or even millions) over those simple phrases.
I know a pilot who had to get his bloodwork redrawn for his company hiring physical. That 5 day delay, like the one above, cost him dearly. He has been furloughed from that airline for 5 years now while his assessment roomate is fully employed with 5 years pay seniority and bennies.
And those are just two examples.
NOTHING at a first rate airline matters as much as your seniority number/date of hire. It determines pay, position, schedule, vacation, time spent sitting reserve, and quality of life in general.
Good luck!
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It is not unusual for airlines to start their least experienced people on widebody aircraft as Second Officers. SOs are "cruise pilots" who do very few landings but instead learn more about aviating from the most experienced pilots. You find this at Cathay Pacific - junior pilots often start as SOs on the 747-400, 777 and A340. The longer flights require 3 pilots anyway including a "cruise pilot." SOs would then get the landings they need in special simulator sessions once every 6-8 weeks. The point is that the most junior pilots are paired with the most senior/experienced pilots for a few years. At that point, transitioning to the A319/20 would be easier because of the time spent in very-experienced flight decks.
It sounds like direct to the A319/20 may be the path at Etihad. I realise airlines like Lufthansa have new recruits go direct to the 737s and A319/20s too.
Regardless, spending 5+ years at Etihad would be a good thing for your experience level. Plus, maybe you'll catch a glimpse of the 787s that have been ordered and "could" arrive around that time. I'd take a right seat in a 787 any time... Good luck to everyone in their selection process.
It sounds like direct to the A319/20 may be the path at Etihad. I realise airlines like Lufthansa have new recruits go direct to the 737s and A319/20s too.
Regardless, spending 5+ years at Etihad would be a good thing for your experience level. Plus, maybe you'll catch a glimpse of the 787s that have been ordered and "could" arrive around that time. I'd take a right seat in a 787 any time... Good luck to everyone in their selection process.
Fortunately/unfortunately, whatever way you chose to look at it, all you had to do to get your name on the list was to send them an email saying you wished to attend. Anyone could have done that and when looking at the attendance figures you should keep that in mind. I could have used all my email addresses with a fictional name if I really wanted to!
There was no bond between the two sides. For example, when applying for other jobs you may have to supply copious amounts of information - maybe answer a few essay type questions - you'd want to attend an assessment after making such an effort! Clearly the majority of non-attendees forgot to let Etihad know which is a real shame.
There are numerous examples of disappointing turn out in life. Airlines over book flights for that exact reason. You don't invite 50 people to your party and expect a 100% attendance (unless you advertise it on myspace in which case you get 500% attendance) People book tables at restaurants and don't show up - c'est la vie.
With regards to your costing of assessment, that's the risk Etihad take when conducting a recruitment drive. You just don't know what will happen on the day. Good thing the snow showers over the UK didn't occur a few weeks later - that would have certainly killed off a few extra attendees!
The airlines I have worked for have promoted on merit and not staff number and so they should too!
There was no bond between the two sides. For example, when applying for other jobs you may have to supply copious amounts of information - maybe answer a few essay type questions - you'd want to attend an assessment after making such an effort! Clearly the majority of non-attendees forgot to let Etihad know which is a real shame.
There are numerous examples of disappointing turn out in life. Airlines over book flights for that exact reason. You don't invite 50 people to your party and expect a 100% attendance (unless you advertise it on myspace in which case you get 500% attendance) People book tables at restaurants and don't show up - c'est la vie.
With regards to your costing of assessment, that's the risk Etihad take when conducting a recruitment drive. You just don't know what will happen on the day. Good thing the snow showers over the UK didn't occur a few weeks later - that would have certainly killed off a few extra attendees!
NOTHING at a first rate airline matters as much as your seniority number/date of hire. It determines pay, position, schedule, vacation, time spent sitting reserve, and quality of life in general.
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Etihad did not require to apply from their website and provide accurate details about yourself, so theoretically it was possible to sign up imaginary people 
I suggest that applications should be made much more serious than just an email
I suggest that applications should be made much more serious than just an email
I think its excellent how they are doing it. Say they actually did application forms. You could of filled in the best ever application form the airline has ever seen and then they invite you for a test. You completley screw it up and someone with excellent apptitude skills etc was turned down because their form was not short listed.
Plus its down to the simple reason of numbers, there so many applicants and so little staff. How many people would it take to sift through thousands of application forms? It wouldnt be a 'fair test' either in my opinion for something on this scale.
Get them in in bulk, slap a test on them and you've then immediatley and fairly ruled out the people who dont reach the standard without hours and hours of staff time sifted through thousands of application forms.
Just my opinion anyway.
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how do they know whos who?
hi , first post for me here n the forum ......just a question .....i attended the assesment on the 17Th but how would they know my name is corresponding to my e-mail address i mean i only gve my passport the lady and she gave it bk thts it im a bit confused a little help please.
Refraining from asking you if you're serious, when you applied you sent them an email with your name written on it. When you turned up, they checked your passport to see if you are who you say you are. The number you were wearing, which you wrote on the assessment forms is unique to you. That way they know who to send the 'no' and 'maybe' emails to.
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With regards to your costing of assessment, that's the risk Etihad take when conducting a recruitment drive. You just don't know what will happen on the day. Good thing the snow showers over the UK didn't occur a few weeks later - that would have certainly killed off a few extra attendees!
How many airlines could you have worked for at the age of 20? If that is your real age. And what airline could promote pilots on merit? It is standard, even withine Etihad, to be promoted via seniority. The longer you are there the higher up you go. If you then move to another airline, you go back to the bottom. If that wasn't the case then you would have a much higher attrition rate of pilots at airlines as they would just up an leave without any consequence to them.
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Student88
No offense meant but at the tender age of 20 I doubt you have spent much time "working for airlines" and have certainly not been there long enough to vie for a Captains seat.
I'll not argue the meritocracy vs. seniority based issue except to state that meritocracy companies are most definitely in the minority, are plagued with favoritism, cronyism and nepotism, and are generally small and not particularly profitable to work for.
Unless Dad owns the place, meritocracy remains a nice warm fuzzy phrase designed to keep the masses content while they wait for their lottery number to hit. What it actually means is that you have to ass kiss better than your mates to get promoted. The occasional backstab works wonders as well.
In all, not IMO what a professional pilot should be aspiring to in an airline career opportunity except as a hour builder to move on to a real airline, which is what I was describing in my previous post.
We now take you back to the Etihad discussion, sorry for the sidetrack.
The airlines I have worked for have promoted on merit and not staff number and so they should too!
I'll not argue the meritocracy vs. seniority based issue except to state that meritocracy companies are most definitely in the minority, are plagued with favoritism, cronyism and nepotism, and are generally small and not particularly profitable to work for.
Unless Dad owns the place, meritocracy remains a nice warm fuzzy phrase designed to keep the masses content while they wait for their lottery number to hit. What it actually means is that you have to ass kiss better than your mates to get promoted. The occasional backstab works wonders as well.
In all, not IMO what a professional pilot should be aspiring to in an airline career opportunity except as a hour builder to move on to a real airline, which is what I was describing in my previous post.
We now take you back to the Etihad discussion, sorry for the sidetrack.
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hi , first post for me here n the forum ......just a question .....i attended the assesment on the 17Th but how would they know my name is corresponding to my e-mail address i mean i only gve my passport the lady and she gave it bk thts it im a bit confused a little help please.
Pretty innovative stuff.
