Triumph In The Skies(HKTVB serial) - Good for wannabes?

[Dappy Flyer]

I was home for a fortnight this Xmas, and my parents told me to watch that HKTVB serial, "Triumph in the skies".

(The first scene I watched was of the 2 senior pilots happily chatting away and neither were wearing headsets. - I cracked up laughing so hard, I thought I would die)

Anyway my questions to all you commercial wannabies out there in fragrant harbour...

Do you think this was a good series, highlighting the importance of the job, the tough work you guys have to get through to get on the cadet scheme, and presenting some more information on what cadets have to do, to the unsuspecting HK public, and thereby increasing your profiles?

Or is it annoying because now Cathay have to sift through even more applications from people who arent really interested in aviation but thought it looked cool beacuse of the program!

Oh by the way... what happens in the end? I got up to the point where that cadet dumped his girlfriend so he can work for hid dad's company. Send me a pvt msg will someone?

[YMMBB]

I think the story was really based on love story and just used aviation as background, but I don't see it tells you that much about HK aviation. I think it only gives you the gerenal idea of what the industry is. At the end of each chapter, some guys came up and told a bit around the field, that's a bit interesting.
As I saw the whole serial, I think most of thing they told about airline was based on CX, but CX isn't the only airline in HK. I personally wouldn't think of getting too much from this drama.

[SkyCruiser]

The first scene I watched was of the 2 senior pilots happily chatting away and neither were wearing headsets. - I cracked up laughing so hard, I thought I would die)


What's wrong with that, above 15,000 feet we don't wear headsets.

[Flying Bagel]

Chinese in the cockpit...(shakes head).

Going to Rome at least every other episode...(shakes head even harder).

Three cadets in a Duchess flying through a thunderstorm...(he loses the plot).

[Koyo]

I seriously advise you stay away from that TV series if you are looking to learn something that will help you get a job in CX (or any other flying related jobs). The set is absolutely the worst I ever seen. It's like the set guys didn't even bother to research or they got a very low budget. The plot is very far fetch. For example, one chapter involve a passenger on route to give his son an organ transplant. On route, he was inform that his son's condition is degrading. He pled with the captain to divert so he can save his son, instead of boarding a transfer flight later. Now, does anyone see something wrong with the script? If you just want some entertainment then it would hurt to watch it, maybe.

[404 Titan]

Haven’t watch it, but if it is anything like a program a number of years ago in Australia called “Big Sky Aviation” it would make me . This show claimed to be representing what a GA charter company was like. It couldn’t have been further from it. These shows write the plots for the general public and to generate the largest audience they can. Truth and reality always go out the window when they do this.

[iMad]

Having watched the whole series, and actually having been through the whole cadet process, I feel that I'm in a position to give a few comments about this series.

In general, I found it interesting (in a typical HK TV drama sort of way) in that it is the first time in HK TV history that Aviation has been used as a theme. As a result, we see them wearing the uniform that we're used to wearing and seeing, the vocabulary they use sometimes reflect those we use, etc...

But really when you think about it, the whole show just ends up being a love story with a bit of Aviation thrown into it. Being a HK TV series, I really don't expect it to reflect reality anyway, but these are a few points which really dissapointed me, the last 2 points absolutely made my hair stand straight!!

1. As mentioned before (but I'll mention it again anyway), there are basically only 3 places that this airline flies to: Rome, Sapporo and Adelaide. Having a few more variations would be welcome.

2. There are probably only 2 sets of cockpit and cabin and ground crew in the whole airline!!! The same set of crew always flies together (to the same 3 ports....) Wheras in reality (in CX especially) you could be in the airline for more than 10 years and you still wouldn't be able to meet all the crew!! Just ask any CX crew....

3. Spoken chinese in the cockpit, when there's a foreigner there!!!! ....the day that happens is when the sun rises from the west.....

4. The spoken English of the pilots is just appalling (especially that Francis Ng guy). Sometimes I had to read the subtitles to actually understand what they were saying!! Does that really reflect the standard of local pilots?

5. The whole Captain upgrade thing pissed me off big time. The whole process seemed to be as simple as this: ok, we need a local captain, let's see who is suitable. An interview later, one was chosen, and there he goes, puts on his 4 bars and "flies captain" (yes, that's how they say it in the show: "I am fly Captain today..." ) What happened to all the technical interviews, Learjet training, command course and check flight after check flight??? The fact that the command upgrade can take a YEAR'S HARD work seems to have been conveniently forgotton in the show.

6. The cadet course itself. Man, what a crock!! One day they were taking to the skies for the first time EVER, the next day they were doing their CPL flight tests!!!!....ATPLs was a matter of sitting in ground school for one morning and taking the exams!!!! In reality it takes about 9 months of training to get to CPL stage and 9 weeks of 8am-4:30pm in the classroom in preparation for the ATPLs!!!! Now everybody in HK thinks the training is a piece of cake any cookoo can pass, where the reality is that the 14 months in Adelaide could well be the toughest time you will have in your life!!!! (Don't believe me? ....ask any Cadet....its no holiday in Adelaide I kid you not).....

7. Here it comes, my last point. And this is what really gets me....about the people who became cadets in the show. Is it just me, or does anybody else feel that none of them really had a genuine interest in Aviation? Think about it: one of them was a rich kid (Donald), who joined for the sole purpose of getting this girl (Zita) and getting away from his controlling father. One of them (Isaac) joined because he has a point to proof to his brother that he's as good as him (plus, in the show he has this extremely cocky attitude where I would say is exactly what you don't want a pilot to have...) One of them (so pathetic I didn't even bother remembering his name) joined because his family has been "drivers" of all sorts, taxi, bus, the star ferry, MTR, etc....so its only natural for the son to complete the equation... Another one (Zita) applied because she got fired from her previous job and had nothing better to do.........

The only guy (Cousin Paul) who actually was into aviation was rejected by the airline!!

I'm sorry but what does this convey to the general public? That piloting is a good career choice as just about anybody could get in? We need dedicated people in this profession! Its not a matter of "oh, I don't know what the heck to do in my life, lets try piloting!!" Let any hard working GA pilot see this show and they will probably set the TV on fire!! There are dedicated, hard working people in this world working their back sides off to get the hours to hopefully get into a Charter op, then hopefully in a few years time have enough hours to apply to an airline....and here we are, showing HK people, that any hoola-hoop can just walk into an airline career!!

Well, there you go, my point of view only....but there have been heaps of TV shows in HK of different sorts of professionals, Police, Fireman, Lawyers, ICAC, Doctors...etc....I bet they will say the same thing: that the TV show is no where near reality. Thanks for the effort TVB, but if any of you out there think this is even close to reality, then sorry, you're mistaken.

[kram]

My partner watches TVB and watched this one. Even though I don't know the language I watched the show.

Although I was told to leave the room sometimes due to my outbursts, I didn't think it was that bad.

Bad points:

The work required for the cadet training

The cadets generally - this sends the wrong message to the HK population

Pilots lifestyle - they were never at work - to busy driving around in an Audi or BMW or at home in the multi million dollar apartment

Good points:

The airport/sim/aeroplane shots

I think someone in the Cathay recruitment department just got a whole lot busier - but maybe that was the plan?

[Guru]

but what good is getting 70% more application now if they're prompted by this TV soap?

[kram]

Guru,

Exactly.

[Koyo]

Well I guess they think it's a good way to promote the company after SARS. Personally, I think some of them may be regreting this. Anyway, some of the applicants may be very suited as pilot and they never knew about the CX program until they saw the show. Personally, I just found out last year on their website while I was checking out the seating plan. But I have to agree that if that's their intension, it have backed fired on them because you got a boat load of dreamers who don't understand the reality of this profession (and I don't claim I understand it myself but I try to learn as much as possible).

PS: This converison start to sound like fighter jocks laughing at Top Gun and Iron Eagle.

[sigma]

Basically it is to get more people into applying CX cadet pilot scheme as well as advertise CX
A very unrealistic portrayal of the life of a CX cadet pilot.
How crap and pathetic can CX be ? CX has become so political these past few years.

Gone are the days when jioners were from the RAF, CAF, RAAF, squadron leader from the Red Arrows.
It is no hiding the fact that CX one day will have no expats at all and it is well known that they want to get rid of the expats as soon as possible hence the 3-4 cadet courses,localisation.
Then raise retirement age to 60.
Furthermore, in-flight service has gone worse. Where are all those lovely Philipinos, Malaysians, Thais, Indonesians, South Koreans ? Instead you hire the locals.

Penny Chung and Co got alot busier.

[2REP]

As a matter of fact, CX is classified as a Hong Kong company, that why I wouldn't be too surprised if they hire more locals nowaday.

Regarding to inflight service, CX's is somehow better than most .... at least the FA 's are young and bright (too bad if you don't like Hong Kong locals), not like some other airlines, the FA's are as old as my mum ......

[sigma]

Honestly I don't have anything againts locals but you know how cathay is.
They hire the locals during the last few years due to high unemployment,you recruit these people. I mean slary wise has gone down.
They see it as a job that pays the bills not as a career. Anyhow,
there is an authentic touch that the rest of the Asian countries nationalities have. Allthose years cathay bragging on about we have flight attendants from 10 Asian Lands. ?

[Koyo]

The reason why some airlines' FA are not that good looking because there are laws against such things. For example, Canada and US have anti-discrimation laws. If someone is not hired or transferred because of their ages and looks than the company will have a huge law suit on their hands. Most Asian just do as their told so most company can get away with it.

PS: I never knew CX claim to have FA from 10 Asian countries.

[2REP]

To Sigma:

you are absolutely right about Cathay's trend of employing more locals. Locals are more "obedience" in a way, you know as long as you pay them (handsomely) they are happy and will work their a$$ off ....

btw I'm applying for the Cadet Program and I don't I should be classified as a "local" or some weird creature from outer space ... ha ha

To Koyo:

yes the discrimination laws are now working quite effectively .......

[sigma]

10 Asian Lands

Since it will be nearly a decade since the new brush wing livery was introduced later this year, the claim that cathay had FAs from
10 Asian Lands was made during the Lettuce Green livery.
I have a copy of the advert. I can send it to you. I have no scanner otherwise, I would have posted it here.

Thank you 2REP.