Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Programme

[ap_797]

Hi guys,
I was wondering whether anyone knew what the average conversion rate is from stage 1 to stage 2? Do most people usually make the cut or is it a small number who make the grade as it were?

For those that did make it to stage 2 in the past how have you felt your interviews went?

Thanks!

[Em773ER]

Thanks everyone for your answers!!!

Just a quick question, silly as this may sound, its a serious question. What do CX pilots do for fun during long haul? Are they allowed to bring in any electronic gadgets and what not? e.g ipod touch, electronic chess game etc. At some point they are gona ask what makes you think you will enjoy long haul?, just wana be honest with them and not BS this one.

ap_797 if my figures are correct, about 40%ish give or take. but not sure about stage 2 to stage 3, are they actually combining stage 2 and 3 now?, like if you do bad in stage 2 you still do stage 3 and they decide from both stages performance whether you go to stage 4?

Cheers!

[Smell the Coffee]

Em777er, the usual things ... yes, some take DVDs and such with them when flying to the less "desirable" routes (not sure where those might be on the CX network), some hire bikes/cars to explore the neighbourhood whilst others stay in the vicinity of the hotel pool with a good book.

It may be different at CX compared to the airline I currently work for (I'm not a pilot but flew longhaul as crew so spent many hours with these guys) - many people enjoy longhaul because they tend to accumulate a lot of free time off towards the end of the month which they then use to catch up with family, hobbies etc.

At some point in your CX career you'll be doing a lot of non long-range "there and backs" as well I would imagine.

For me it was the destinations and all those days off. Not sure if that's what they want to hear from a propective cadet though

[GTC58]

While operating in the cockpit only company manuals and material are approved reading material, when having your in-flight rest you can do what you want, go to the back watch a movie, sleep, read a book .....

While on layover you sleep, eat, work-out and drink a lot of alcohol in no particular order to deal with jet lag and fatique.

[NewZealand787]

Nzgypo, we will definitely celebrate a trip up to HK with a beer. Fingers crossed for us both. What day did you interview? Do you have any flight training?

[404 Titan]

SW1

I totally understand that. Ive sent all the information required to the AMO at Cathay. I sent the nurse ,who emailed me the PDF letter from the Dr at Cx, an email asking if they were fine with what i had sent and whether any further tests were needed. i just received a reply saying "report received with thanks".

The decision isn't CX's. It is the insurance company's and they may still require more info but have told CX AMO yet. As I said you are doing an insurance medical and CX are dealing with them behind the scenes. If the insurance company wants more info, they will get more info. It just so happens that they are also doing an aviation medical at the same time which is the easy bit.

I dont want to end up like one of these guys that gets pissed about for 2 months and then gets binned. I remember this happening to one chap in 2004!

I wouldn’t say that too loud if I were you my friend. There are quite a few DESO’s/DEFO’s who have been accepted by CX and are still on the hold file after two years while International Cadets like yourself bypass them for a position. Two months is nothing when you look at what is happening to these guys. As for the reason why they are being overlooked? I’ll give you one guess. Money. You are cheap.

As for the guy in 2004 that got binned. I think I remember a guy on here about that time berating CX for knocking him back on medical ground even though he had held a JAA class I medical for a number of years. I tried to explain to him what I have just told you but only got an irrational tirade back from him. I was sympathetic to his plight but didn’t deserve his verbal abuse.

[NZGYPO]

NewZealand787, I interviewed on Wednesday the 15th I believe. Yea I already have a CPL and a frozen ATPL, also doing an instructor rating at the moment, How about yourself?

[startingout]

Applied July 2009 still no sign and the website keeps telling me my application is being processed. I guess if on holidays to Hong Kong I might go update my application in person. Anyone else in similar positions?

[holdmetight]

I was wondering whether anyone knew what the average conversion rate is from stage 1 to stage 2? Do most people usually make the cut or is it a small number who make the grade as it were?

Can't really give you a ballpark figure there, as I don't think they have a certain quota they are trying to achieve. You pass if you have what it takes. I would think, though, the attrition rate for Stage 1 isn't as high as for Stage 2.

For those that did make it to stage 2 in the past how have you felt your interviews went?

I enjoyed it immensely, and it seems my interviewers did as well. I got questions wrong at times, but they were kind enough to guide me in the right direction until I came up with the correct answer. I got a lot of questions, from lots of aspects of flying, but it felt like a chat with some flying enthusiasts more than anything else. Just relax and try to convey your enthusiasm as much as you can - you have probably spent months or maybe even years preparing, now is the time to show them what you have done!

but not sure about stage 2 to stage 3, are they actually combining stage 2 and 3 now?, like if you do bad in stage 2 you still do stage 3 and they decide from both stages performance whether you go to stage 4?

Stage 2 and 3 are "combined", as in Stage 2 takes place one day before Stage 3. You are invited to Stage 3 the following day, only if you pass Stage 2. Those who make it to flight grading will have passed Stage 2 and Stage 3 each to the standards that Cathay expect from a cadet.

[ap_797]

Thanks for the responses! Holdmetight, with the interviews, do they assess performance in the interview as a whole or would they break it down into performance in the HR part and performance in the tech part so that if you failed one of those parts for example, you would not be eligible to continue?

Best of luck to all awaiting stage 1 responses

[holdmetight]

ap_797

Holdmetight, with the interviews, do they assess performance in the interview as a whole or would they break it down into performance in the HR part and performance in the tech part so that if you failed one of those parts for example, you would not be eligible to continue?

I don't know, all I can say is I have never heard of interviews being terminated prematurely because of poor performance in either the HR or technical portions.

[ap_797]

my bad, I should have phrased it a little better.... I meant continue in the sense of progressing to stage 2.

[holdmetight]

ap_797

That well and truly beats me, I think only the HR personnel would know how interviews are graded.

[cykzstudent]

CX Schedule commutable?

Does anyone know if the initial S/O rosters are commutable? I was toying with the idea of commuting to HKG base with my gf's airline passes, which from my understanding are more flexible than CX passes.

Thanks

[NewZealand787]

Nzgypo, sounds like we are in a very similar position. I have a CPL and just have to complete ATPL Law to get my fATPL. Im also in the process of doing an Instructors Rating.
I interviewed on the Tuesday. Hope we hear back this week

[ozskygirl]

For those who have passed any of the stages..

.. have ordered the following study materials. Anyone who has read any of these AND gotten through a stage or two, were they of great help to you?

Ace the Technical Pilot Interview
Mental Math for Pilots (Professional Aviation series)
Airline Pilot Interviews: How You Can Succeed in Getting Hired /921T

Cheers!

[holdmetight]

ozskygirl

Ace the Technical Pilot Interview
Airline Pilot Interviews: How You Can Succeed in Getting Hired /921T

I personally did not use these books, as I felt that a pilot of my level of experience did not require extensive reading of ATPL-level books. However I have heard a lot of positive reviews about them; more experienced candidates would say the bank of technical questions was useful for revision, while candidates with less flying experience might get a good look-in with regards to jet systems and operations. A word of caution, though, I have also heard that ATTPI has flaws in some of its Q&As, so sift carefully.

Mental Math for Pilots (Professional Aviation series)

I used this book to rev up my brain power, and I can say this is a pretty good book. Even if you are a novice towards flying, the examples and exercises in this book can help you understand the mental mathematics involved in flying, and provided you practice on your own, it will make you much more confident and comfortable with those dreaded mental math calculations in the interview. I'd definitely recommend this book anyday.

[CXGE90]

ozskygirl:

I found 'Ace' to be very useful. Just be aware that you will have to do your own homework to supplement the answers given in the book. I found that most of the technical questions I got in my interview were covered in the book.

[ozskygirl]

Thanks for the advice guys!

holdmetight- how many hours did you have when you took your initial interview? I got my restricted 10 years ago and haven't flown since.. you think with this (lacking) kind of experience they wont get to technical? Still ask questions about jet systems I would assume?

Thankyou

[crwjerk]

Em773ER

Just a quick question, silly as this may sound, its a serious question. What do CX pilots do for fun during long haul? Are they allowed to bring in any electronic gadgets and what not? e.g ipod touch, electronic chess game etc. At some point they are gona ask what makes you think you will enjoy long haul?, just wana be honest with them and not BS this one.

I think you are actually asking if you can play with these in the cockpit....?
Of course not, if you pull one out and you're with the wrong captain or F/O, kiss your CX job goodbye.... Wait til you get to the hotel room, and play with them while you're feasting on your Nissen Cup noodles.
What you might enjoy about long haul, is seeing the world ( albeit for a very short time), meeting different people, flying a big new shiny jet,all that bla bla, cos you can't say you are doing it for the money! ( Well, these days you aren't anyway....)