CATHAY S/O INTERVIEW IN JUNE
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CATHAY S/O INTERVIEW IN JUNE
HI FOLKS HAS ANY ONE BEEN INVITED TO CATHAY PACIFIC INTERVIEW FOR S/O POSTION OR HAS ANYONE RECENTLY ATTENDED ONE I HAVE BEEN INVITED LATER THIS MONTH AND WOULD LIKE TO PICK A FEW BRAIN I WOULD BE GRATEFULL TO ANYONE WHO CAN HELP
THANKS
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AApa,
Is your interview in London?
How long ago did you submit an initial application?
Just want to guage timeframes for it all as I submitted one a few months ago but no interview yet..........
Cheers
SV
Is your interview in London?
How long ago did you submit an initial application?
Just want to guage timeframes for it all as I submitted one a few months ago but no interview yet..........
Cheers
SV
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DESO Debrief Vancouver
I recently had the opportunity to attend a DESO initial in Vancouver this week (June 5-9) and thought I’d give you my $.02 worth on the whole process.
The first thing as you may well already know is the 30 question multiply choice exam when you arrive. The questions are not that difficult if you have read Ace the Technical Pilot Interview (be careful on this one as there seems to be a few errors that even I could pick out) and the Preparing for your Cathay Pacific Interview by XYZ. The questions are basic but it may have been a long time since you were familiar with what a rhumb line is so it is a good review.
The interview starts with HR questions about your flying career to date, why you left certain positions and how you and (if) your wife will like Hong Kong. There were only 2 questions about Cathay itself, how much they made last year, and where they flew in Europe. Not too stressful. The next half of the 1 hour interview is technical and covers theory and aircraft systems, particularly YOUR aircraft systems.
Handling the Big Jets is great for theory, the differences between jet airplanes and piston airplanes and makeing some of the questions in the “Ace” book make more sense as well as adding more points to some of the differences stated. All of these books are good to read before you go to the interview. I was very prepared to answer all questions from Handling the Big Jets like “Name six reasons for a jet to have spoilers?” etc. However, most of the technical questions being asked by the Training Manager for the 747-200 were about my own aircraft systems. There were a few questions about Mach trimmers and Mach Tuck, Vortex generators and Slats Flaps, but that was about it. Nothing asked about the fuel systems of the 340 or 47 or about the RB211 engines.
The most important part of your preparation for this interview to me is knowing your own aircraft. If you are flying a King Air or a Metro, KNOW IT! If you are flying a Boeing or an Airbus KNOW IT! I am very fortunate to have gone to the interview but feel that I spent a lot of time studying things that weren’t covered, like Hong Kong weather, and all about Cathay itself. I guess the problem is that you just never know what they will ask you in the interview so you try to cram it all in sometimes leaving yourself spread thin.
My recommendations for a close encounter of the first kind are to smile , try to relax and be yourself, know your current aircraft inside and out, read the fact sheet off the CX website, and brush up on the basics.
Good luck to All,
Flyer34
The first thing as you may well already know is the 30 question multiply choice exam when you arrive. The questions are not that difficult if you have read Ace the Technical Pilot Interview (be careful on this one as there seems to be a few errors that even I could pick out) and the Preparing for your Cathay Pacific Interview by XYZ. The questions are basic but it may have been a long time since you were familiar with what a rhumb line is so it is a good review.
The interview starts with HR questions about your flying career to date, why you left certain positions and how you and (if) your wife will like Hong Kong. There were only 2 questions about Cathay itself, how much they made last year, and where they flew in Europe. Not too stressful. The next half of the 1 hour interview is technical and covers theory and aircraft systems, particularly YOUR aircraft systems.
Handling the Big Jets is great for theory, the differences between jet airplanes and piston airplanes and makeing some of the questions in the “Ace” book make more sense as well as adding more points to some of the differences stated. All of these books are good to read before you go to the interview. I was very prepared to answer all questions from Handling the Big Jets like “Name six reasons for a jet to have spoilers?” etc. However, most of the technical questions being asked by the Training Manager for the 747-200 were about my own aircraft systems. There were a few questions about Mach trimmers and Mach Tuck, Vortex generators and Slats Flaps, but that was about it. Nothing asked about the fuel systems of the 340 or 47 or about the RB211 engines.
The most important part of your preparation for this interview to me is knowing your own aircraft. If you are flying a King Air or a Metro, KNOW IT! If you are flying a Boeing or an Airbus KNOW IT! I am very fortunate to have gone to the interview but feel that I spent a lot of time studying things that weren’t covered, like Hong Kong weather, and all about Cathay itself. I guess the problem is that you just never know what they will ask you in the interview so you try to cram it all in sometimes leaving yourself spread thin.
My recommendations for a close encounter of the first kind are to smile , try to relax and be yourself, know your current aircraft inside and out, read the fact sheet off the CX website, and brush up on the basics.
Good luck to All,
Flyer34
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First interview is pretty tame. There is too much material to know and they know (I think) that you can't possibly know everything. If you do not know the answer to a tech question DO NOT GUESS. Simply say I don't know and that line of questioning stops there. It's tough with the tech guy looking at you with disgust and disdain to say I don't know but if you guess the slaughter continues until you are dead. Again, simply say I don't know.
Download the annual report and know a few dollar figures and the key management types. Fleet size, destinations, future orders, and the like are standard. Was asked how many airplanes and of what type in the 2nd interview.
Review From the Ground up. You'll be amazed at how much stuff makes sense in there now compared to ab initio days. Handling the Big Jets is a must.
Other books I found helpful:
Aircraft Performance Theory - Swatton
Flight Theory and Aerodynamics - Dole/Lewis
Aerodynamics For Naval Aviators
What airplanes are on the table (B744 and A340). Is the 340 a -200 or -300? How can you tell? How can you tell a freighter 744 from a pax 744? What is the latest 744 CX had delivered. Does the converted freighter get the hump modified? Inputs to GPWS (position is from a GPS built into the box even if your airplane has no GPS)? I gave the standard ADC inputs then he dug for info on exactly what ADC inputs are used. The manuals don't even say so you're on your own here! Winglets. Integrated EPR? Does EPR rise or fall on the take off roll. Why no winglet on 777? What is a supercritical wing then if you are so smart? Gave me a temp at an altitude and asked how far off ISA we were. If you get an RA on a “gin clear” day what do you do? FLY THE RA! Sucked me in on his build up a bit. Question about EPR vs N1 and accuracy of the measurement. What is the critical engine on your airplane? How much thrust on your airplane? How much money did first half of 2005 see CX make? Why is CX making so much money?
Only questions I had related to my own aircraft were what type of engines, how much thrust, which is the critical engine (two engine jet airplane).
2nd interview was calm as well. Where in Australia do we fly? I think this one was asked to see if I followed the PAMSABC memory aid. Avoid it if you can. How did you know what material to study for the interview (ie. do you have the gouge?)
(I'm a tech freak, that 's how!) 
. Who is converting the 744 pax machines to freighters and where are they? Aircraft on order (including converted freighters). Tech was done by a very pleasant gentleman. Goes through your logbook then takes your last flight (or something along those lines). Something like...So you depart XXX and as you climb you can't get higher because your company aircraft is 2000' above you. Who has the higher TAS? So you fly into a warm air mass. What happens to your TAS? Know how CAS/TAS/Mach relate to each other if one is constant in a climb/descent or change of airmass. Where does the de-ice truck start? Why? (representative surface type answer) 45 knot x/wind at 30 degrees off r/w heading, how much is x/wind? FO is uncomfortable with attempting a landing under those conditions, what do you do? Engine fire, what does pulling the fire handle do? What are youu wind shear procedures? Why do you not change config (lose lift when retract flaps at low energy, gear down in case you contact ground, gear doors move first giving loads of extra drag).
You land and start sliding towards the runway edge, what do you do? Fore/aft CofG questions. Which is better for lift/stability/range/etc. Also in relation to Vmcg. Know the why for these.
Failing all of the above pm me with an email so I can get you the gouge and a few other helpful files. Not sure if anybody has a hotmail account with the gouge available anymore. Good luck.
Download the annual report and know a few dollar figures and the key management types. Fleet size, destinations, future orders, and the like are standard. Was asked how many airplanes and of what type in the 2nd interview.
Review From the Ground up. You'll be amazed at how much stuff makes sense in there now compared to ab initio days. Handling the Big Jets is a must.
Other books I found helpful:
Aircraft Performance Theory - Swatton
Flight Theory and Aerodynamics - Dole/Lewis
Aerodynamics For Naval Aviators
What airplanes are on the table (B744 and A340). Is the 340 a -200 or -300? How can you tell? How can you tell a freighter 744 from a pax 744? What is the latest 744 CX had delivered. Does the converted freighter get the hump modified? Inputs to GPWS (position is from a GPS built into the box even if your airplane has no GPS)? I gave the standard ADC inputs then he dug for info on exactly what ADC inputs are used. The manuals don't even say so you're on your own here! Winglets. Integrated EPR? Does EPR rise or fall on the take off roll. Why no winglet on 777? What is a supercritical wing then if you are so smart? Gave me a temp at an altitude and asked how far off ISA we were. If you get an RA on a “gin clear” day what do you do? FLY THE RA! Sucked me in on his build up a bit. Question about EPR vs N1 and accuracy of the measurement. What is the critical engine on your airplane? How much thrust on your airplane? How much money did first half of 2005 see CX make? Why is CX making so much money?
Only questions I had related to my own aircraft were what type of engines, how much thrust, which is the critical engine (two engine jet airplane).
2nd interview was calm as well. Where in Australia do we fly? I think this one was asked to see if I followed the PAMSABC memory aid. Avoid it if you can. How did you know what material to study for the interview (ie. do you have the gouge?)
(I'm a tech freak, that 's how!) . Who is converting the 744 pax machines to freighters and where are they? Aircraft on order (including converted freighters). Tech was done by a very pleasant gentleman. Goes through your logbook then takes your last flight (or something along those lines). Something like...So you depart XXX and as you climb you can't get higher because your company aircraft is 2000' above you. Who has the higher TAS? So you fly into a warm air mass. What happens to your TAS? Know how CAS/TAS/Mach relate to each other if one is constant in a climb/descent or change of airmass. Where does the de-ice truck start? Why? (representative surface type answer) 45 knot x/wind at 30 degrees off r/w heading, how much is x/wind? FO is uncomfortable with attempting a landing under those conditions, what do you do? Engine fire, what does pulling the fire handle do? What are youu wind shear procedures? Why do you not change config (lose lift when retract flaps at low energy, gear down in case you contact ground, gear doors move first giving loads of extra drag).You land and start sliding towards the runway edge, what do you do? Fore/aft CofG questions. Which is better for lift/stability/range/etc. Also in relation to Vmcg. Know the why for these.
Failing all of the above pm me with an email so I can get you the gouge and a few other helpful files. Not sure if anybody has a hotmail account with the gouge available anymore. Good luck.
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Hi All:
My 2 cents on a recent interview with Cathay Pacific in YVR.
The two gentlemen where very good at making you feel at home and where very skilled at making you feel at ease.
I think the HR side went well. They asked many questions about choices in your career and why you chose certain career paths. As mentioned before only a couple of questions on Hong Kong and Cathay (financial info and destinations). I noticed that the HR side of the interview went on longer than the tech side.
The tech side was a personal disappointment for myself . I felt I could have done much better and seemed to have a mental block when asked some of the most basic questions. They asked about topics related to the current aircraft I was flying and the systems of that particular aircraft. I agree with the earlier comment that studying of the CX interview prep and ACE the tech interview did not provide a huge help. Handling the Big Jets did play a role in some questions and was probably the best reference material.
Some of the questions where a bit surprising when I consider some of the interview reports from the past. Maybe they have decided to change things around considering the information out there. I will give credit to the individual asking the questions as he was very patient.
Over all is was a good experience and if they base it on the personality part I think I have a chance at stage II. If it based on the tech side well, I better start saying my prayers.
Good luck to all.
My 2 cents on a recent interview with Cathay Pacific in YVR.
The two gentlemen where very good at making you feel at home and where very skilled at making you feel at ease.
I think the HR side went well. They asked many questions about choices in your career and why you chose certain career paths. As mentioned before only a couple of questions on Hong Kong and Cathay (financial info and destinations). I noticed that the HR side of the interview went on longer than the tech side.
The tech side was a personal disappointment for myself . I felt I could have done much better and seemed to have a mental block when asked some of the most basic questions. They asked about topics related to the current aircraft I was flying and the systems of that particular aircraft. I agree with the earlier comment that studying of the CX interview prep and ACE the tech interview did not provide a huge help. Handling the Big Jets did play a role in some questions and was probably the best reference material.
Some of the questions where a bit surprising when I consider some of the interview reports from the past. Maybe they have decided to change things around considering the information out there. I will give credit to the individual asking the questions as he was very patient.
Over all is was a good experience and if they base it on the personality part I think I have a chance at stage II. If it based on the tech side well, I better start saying my prayers.
Good luck to all.
Last edited by ataboy; 11th Jun 2006 at 15:06.
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CX Interview HELP PLEASE
EXTREME P
Thanks for your helpful info. I have an interview coming up soon and was wondering if you could please email me some study gouge, and any info that you may have for me thanks!!!!! [email protected]
Thanks for your helpful info. I have an interview coming up soon and was wondering if you could please email me some study gouge, and any info that you may have for me thanks!!!!! [email protected]
