Cathay pacific SECOND OFFICER – ADVANCED ENTRY INITIAL INTERVIEW
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missingheaps, demonstrating your ignorance and or political agenda.
Look into Cathay Pacific, Australian Sydney de Kantzow, American Roy Farrell, Butterfield & Swire and Australian National Airways.
Look into Cathay Pacific, Australian Sydney de Kantzow, American Roy Farrell, Butterfield & Swire and Australian National Airways.
Join Date: Jun 2015
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Medical Check Contents
Hi,
For those who have been to the medical check of CX, I have a question. Do they include ECG in the medical check? Does a FAA Class I Medical suffice?
For those who have been to the medical check of CX, I have a question. Do they include ECG in the medical check? Does a FAA Class I Medical suffice?
Join Date: Mar 2015
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When i first applied Cathay Pacific, I have had an engineering degree from a university and 2000 hours on the type of B737NG. They used to have an opening for fast track first officers.
I received no replies for about 1 year. Then after sent an email to the recruitment team. The reply was pretty simple;
We haven't considered you as a fast track fo program but as a second officer. In addition to that you are not eligible for the position of second officer.
That was one of my weirdest moments ever. I wonder if they would consider me as a second officer if i was a captain on the type of 777 for the last 5 years.
I am really not sure what their selection criterias are.
I received no replies for about 1 year. Then after sent an email to the recruitment team. The reply was pretty simple;
We haven't considered you as a fast track fo program but as a second officer. In addition to that you are not eligible for the position of second officer.
That was one of my weirdest moments ever. I wonder if they would consider me as a second officer if i was a captain on the type of 777 for the last 5 years.
I am really not sure what their selection criterias are.
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Overview of the AE process - not a cheat sheet!
An updated guide to the Cathay Pacific AE recruitment process. I base this on my own experience and that of others who travelled the path with me. Some of this will apply to the other schemes of entry (Cadet and TT) but I cannot vouch for this.
I provide these notes to assist in the preparation of candidates for the Cathay Pacific Advanced Entry recruitment process. In 2015, Cathay Pacific (CX) is looking to recruit around 300 new pilots across the three schemes (being Cadet Ab Initio, Advanced Entry and Transition Training). This guide is not designed to provide a cheat sheet for guaranteed acceptance but will help you in your preparation, much like those before me did for my process.
The process starts when you complete an online application at the CX website. The same application form is provided for all three schemes. This asks for personal information, flying experience and work experience, some questions about why you wish to work at CX and citizenship details. The form is fairly straight forward to complete, if you need assistance in completing the form it’s probably best you finish reading here and think hard about if you are equipped to be a pilot. Sounds harsh I guess, but he road is not easy.
After receiving the form, CX will review all applications. CX will undertake recruitment tours through countries they are interested in recruiting from, or places where they have a large number of candidates. They are typically recruiting from Australia, Canada, the UK and occasionally the US. These tours are for AE and TT candidates only. They do not conduct recruitment tours for Cadet entry, all interviews are conducted in HK.
For candidates they find appropriate, they will provide a form from the HKCAD to convert your pilot licence to a HK licence. This is the first step in ensuring you have the required minimums for entry and conversion of the licence. Make sure that you complete this as directed, they do not want you to complete the whole form!
I did not have the required night navigation hours when I completed this form, but that is usually not a big problem as it will just delay your start date. But be warned, if you do not have the required night command hours (and associated landings) you are unlikely to be considered. It’s a really good idea to complete these prior to your second interview, shows you are committed to the process.
Once CX has reviewed your hours, they will invite you to a first round of assessment near your home. This will usually be in your home country. There is usually a week of assessments the CX staff will undertake, but it will only last a few hours for each individual. I point this out because there will often be a lot of other people attending interviews in the same place at the same time. Its helpful to meet these people, its likely you will either end up in HK at the second round together, or even on course together. There is no compensation from CX for attending the initial round of interviews.
On arrival you will normally meet another candidate that will be booked for your same time slots. Be polite! The recruiters are looking at how you interact as well as your own performance. This person could be someone you spend a lot of time with as well so its in your interest to get on together. HR will send you a set of documents to be completed prior to the day and some photos that you will bring with you on the day.
At the first stage there are three tasks to be completed. The first is an interview, this is with HR only. I have heard rumors of some people also having a Capt in the room but this is unusual from what I have experienced and heard from other candidates. There are usually two HR staff from the Flight Crew Recruitment division who you may have spoken to on the phone or received emails from previously. This is a standard HR interview, but there will be questions about CX and its history, your own flying experiences and work experience and your personal attributes. Biggest tip here is to relax, take a big deep breath! Make sure you act like yourself as well, they do not want to find someone is telling them BS. There are plenty of other documents you can find to have a look at for preparation. Do some HR interview preps if you think that will help or have a friend ask you questions.
During your interview, the other candidate will be taking a logic and reasoning test. This is a simple Ravens test and you can find plenty of examples on the net. Google is your friend.
Once you complete your interview you will swap and the other person will interview and you will do a Raven test. Work quickly, but also make sure you go back and check anything you don’t feel comfortable with. There isn’t a lot of study you can do for this but you can Google this and find an example.
The last assessment is a technical exam. It’s not uncommon for you to complete this test with the next group of candidates at the same time, it saves the time for the recruitment team if they supervise you all at once. This is a normal multiple choice exam that you would be familiar with in from your CPL studies. Some question examples include:
Why does speed increase lift?
What causes induced drag?
Calculate RoD based on ground speed
Constant Mach number, what happens to IAS and TAS in a climb?
Given a Mach number and TAS, what is the local speed of sound?
Calculate Rate of descent on an ILS
Northern Hemisphere meteorological conditions
Radio procedures
Questions on Cathay History, fleet and key staff
The exam is around 40 minutes from memory and the whole day goes quickly, usually only 2-2.5 hours at most. Consider taking the day off work though so you can be in a well prepared, relaxed state for the day. Also, suit and tie for the gents, and similar for ladies. Do not wear a pilot uniform.
--
Now comes the bad part. The wait.
They will advise you a likely timeframe when you finish on the day. Usually 2-3 weeks. The people who did not progress from round one were told within 3 weeks. Those that were successful did not hear until six weeks. It’s a tough wait, but it’s worth it.
--
If you are successful, you will receive another email with a date for your final interview. This will be two days in Hong Kong. CX will email you with a request for personal information to book you flights and accommodation. This is covered by CX for you and your husband/wife. Girlfriends, children etc are not included.
CX will ask you for your preferred flight dates and departure cities, these will be cities serviced by CX only. If you wish to stay longer in Hong Kong, CX is happy to try and accommodate flight dates that will allow this, but all expenses such as hotels will need to be covered by yourself. I took up the option of heading over the weekend before my session and it was a great experience to check the place out. By joining CX you are pretty much committing to stay in HK for the rest of your life so good to get a chance to se the place. More on this later.
Recruitment will also ask for a lot of documentation. Get this together early, and review it properly. Thinking I was organized and had forgotten a crucial document almost caught me out. Get your stuff together. They will also ask for extensive copies of your log books. This takes time to prepare. If you have to highlight flights, refer to the HKCAD form that you were provided prior to round one for the appropriate highlighter colors. This will save time in future.
--
On arrival into HK, you will need to find your way to the hotel. If you are staying at the Regal its basically in the arrivals terminal, you can walk through the terminal to get there. There is no cars or buses, it’s a 2 minute walk. If you are staying elsewhere, refer to the information you are provided.
On day one, head back to the airport from the Regal and catch the Staff Bus to Cathay City. It will leave from the bottom floor, near gate 31 or 32. It’s at the far right if that makes sense (it will). Just jump on the bus and get off when you get to CX City. No payment is required.
On arrival to CX City, you will need to get a pass from Security. Have your passport ready. Security opens at 8am sharp. No earlier. Some guys wanted to get breakfast at CX City prior to day one, don’t do it. Get a bit of toast or fruit from room service prior to leaving the hotel or in the arrivals hall.
Keep in mind the bus comes every 15 minutes, and it’s about a 10-15 minute trip to CX City. So to be there for opening its best to get to the bus stop about 7.40 to make sure you are on the bus and at CX City around 8.
On arrival you’ll go through the security gates and head up to Flight Crew Recruitment. It’s across the “Street” and up on level six. Ask someone for directions if you need, everyone is really helpful.
You’ll want to be there by about 8.20, and grab a drink of water. It’s a warm place and you’re probably sweating by this stage. Chill out for a bit and meet the other guys or gals you are with. The first exercise is usually a group exercise so get to know the people you are with.
--
You’ll be met by some of the folks from FCR and they will take you through to a room where they will explain the day and answer any burning questions you’ve got. From there they will commence the group exercise. You will probably stay in the same room, there will be two observers from CX FCR.
The flavor of the month at the moment seems to be a task of selecting an astronaut for a mission. It’s a process of determining criteria and then finding a candidate that meets the criteria. Depending on the number of people in the group, there might be a spare set of instructions, make sure you read all the cards provided as each has different information.
The answer isn’t really overly important from what I can tell, they are much more interested in how you work together and get to an answer. I found that the use of the white board was important, but make sure if you do go up to write you come back to the group and engage with the discussion again.
You’ll have a quick debrief with the observers and they will ask some questions to each person in the group. Be honest, but be positive.
From there we went into the computer room for the personality test. This was a 225 question timed exam based on the Myers-Briggs personality assessment. You can get these online freely and its worth having a look at a couple, just so you know what the sorts of questions will be, not to try and trick the process. If you have the wrong type of personality then you probably won’t get through anyway, you can’t fool it.
--
Now there is one more assessment on day one. This is the sim assessment. Prior to going to HK, usually a few weeks out, you are provided with a sim profile for the 747-400. You will be expected to know it intimately, know the speeds and know the flap settings, approach attitudes and call outs. You will be offered the right or left hand seat, take whatever you feel comfortable in, and they don’t care.
A quick word on preparation. You should be comfortable flying on instruments. You should be more than comfortable with the concept of attitude + power = performance. Both of these are the key aspects of a successful sim.
Quite a few of us managed to get some time in either a 737 or a 747 sim to practice in prior to going over. This is not really important, but the one aspect that does help is the motion sim. If you can get access to one they make the world a lot more real and makes flying this sim a bit different. But if you can ignore that motion then you won’t care. The 747 is different to the 737 and any other aircraft you will have flown before. Weighing in at 270 tonnes this thing has a lot of inertial behind it. Make sure you trim everything, even a turn. One of the biggest things I don’t think I spent enough time on was practicing the profile call outs. Get a friend to go through it with you or do it in the sim proper. This will help.
The sim is exactly the same as what they give you in the briefing, take off, turns, ILS, go around, speed brakes and a landing. A tip on landing, it’s not the same as a GA plane. Drive the sucker on to the ground, but don’t forget to flare, there is no hold off though. Just keep the same attitude and let it settle. I saw one person crash the thing so hard a panel fell off the outside of the sim. They did not make it through. But another bloke crashed it and was given a second go. The landing does not seem to be an assessment point and he made it through fine. Might have been a margin of error issue, rather than just poor standards.
The sim session starts with a briefing for about an hour where you can ask questions. If there is something worth asking ask it. Otherwise get in the seat and go for it. You will each be given a bit of practice in the sim as a group. You will then be given a 30 minute assessment flight individually. There will be a sim trainer acting as your FO and a line captain or another trainer behind you assessing you. Both of the blokes we had were really good value. They want to see you succeed, so be nice to them and ask for help if you need. Also have a chat with them during your down time and get to know them a bit.
The trick with the sim is to show improvement and ability to self-critique. But don’t be overly harsh on yourself. If you don’t think you can do it why would they consider you?
Once you have finished at the sim, you are done for the day. Head back down to security, hand your pass in and grab the bus back to the airport. You will stop at terminal 1 first, then terminal 2, where it collected you that morning. Either is fine, but terminal 2 is closer to the Regal.
--
Now we get to play another waiting game. You should receive an email that evening explaining the next steps. There are two possibilities, the first is a very nice letter advising that you have not been selected for day two and that might invite you to reapply in 12 months. If you don’t make it through it is really normal to feel down about it. Grab some dinner with the other guys and have a beer. You are in Hong Kong, so enjoy the second day you have or extra time if you have it. Be positive, don’t throw a tantrum as CX will hear about it. If you want the job, keep your eyes on it and get ready to go again in 12 months.
The second outcome is an email outlining your itinerary for day two. The email will provide you with a personal itinerary for the day. You will see some of the other candidates if they were successful at some of the assessments but it is not guaranteed.
Grab some dinner but don’t have too much or if you can, any, alcohol the night before. Have an early night and watch some tv or read a book. Do not try and study as it will tire you out and not provide any benefit. You’re almost there.
--
In the morning, depending on your schedule, you should head to the bus a half an hour before your first assessment or around 7.40 the same as day one. This will allow you to get your pass and find your first assessment in time.
You will have four to five tasks to complete on day two.
Compass test – a computer based assessment that tests key pilot aptitudes. There are some good preparation tools online that you can access for this. Spend some time getting used to doing some more advanced math problems, ATPL style questions, and multi-tasking exercises. Make sure you read the instructions fully. I have seen a few people make mistakes because of this. If you stuff something up too badly, tell them, and they will determine if you need to re-sit it or if your score was good enough.
ICAO Language proficiency test – this is an English test. You will have to subscribe to the provider prior to going to HK and make sure the name is the same as on your passport. Don’t shorten anything!!! Otherwise you can’t do the test. You’ll have to pay for it and it’s not cheap. The test will involve a conversation with an English speaking (I think Kiwi) tester about aviation related subjects. You will then interact with a computer for a few assessments. It doesn’t take much more than 15-20 minutes. You will be emailed your result the following day.
Medical – There are six things to do when you go to medical, blood test, urine test, chest x-ray, hair sample, nurse interview and physical with the doctor. Bring any medical investigations they have previously requested with you and make sure you have your flying glasses etc with you. Treat it as a Class I initial. Also, with the hair sample it’s common for them to take it from the head, but on guys they may want to take it from elsewhere like your legs so just be aware.
Interview – This is the one people freak out about. The key I found to this is don’t try and be everything to everyone. Be yourself. That means know the aircraft you fly or have flown, know the theory around them. Don’t try and be a large jet pilot unless you have told them you have completed all your aircraft systems exams and done a type endorsement on a 777. It’s not going to help you. I know people who have flown turbo props but were unable to answer some of the basic theory of how a turbo prop works. This shows a lack of interest in knowing your systems etc. There is a lot of stuff on the web about the different types of questions and some great books to help you. The thing is to not panic, the interview is also a stress test and they want to see how you will react under pressure. Stay focused and ask for clarification if you need it.
FCR briefing – some groups I’ve spoken to said they were invited to a briefing at the end of the day where they answer some more questions on conditions etc, I don’t have any info on this but be aware it might happen.
--
You’ve finished the required assessments. Go grab a beer with the other candidates or head to the airport and grab a plane home. If you’ve spent the time and effort getting to this point you will be well placed for the next step.
The advice was that you would hear back within two weeks, but if you don’t they may be missing some paper work, so they encouraged us to get in touch after that time.
I know the first round of rejections following the final interview went out the Friday following the assessment days, so they don’t keep you hanging for long if they don’t think you are ready.
The following weeks you might receive an email about more medical information, provide the information in a timely manner and if it satisfies them you should be ok.
You will then receive a final response, either a yes or a no. If is a yes, they will offer you a spot on a training course.
Good luck.
I provide these notes to assist in the preparation of candidates for the Cathay Pacific Advanced Entry recruitment process. In 2015, Cathay Pacific (CX) is looking to recruit around 300 new pilots across the three schemes (being Cadet Ab Initio, Advanced Entry and Transition Training). This guide is not designed to provide a cheat sheet for guaranteed acceptance but will help you in your preparation, much like those before me did for my process.
The process starts when you complete an online application at the CX website. The same application form is provided for all three schemes. This asks for personal information, flying experience and work experience, some questions about why you wish to work at CX and citizenship details. The form is fairly straight forward to complete, if you need assistance in completing the form it’s probably best you finish reading here and think hard about if you are equipped to be a pilot. Sounds harsh I guess, but he road is not easy.
After receiving the form, CX will review all applications. CX will undertake recruitment tours through countries they are interested in recruiting from, or places where they have a large number of candidates. They are typically recruiting from Australia, Canada, the UK and occasionally the US. These tours are for AE and TT candidates only. They do not conduct recruitment tours for Cadet entry, all interviews are conducted in HK.
For candidates they find appropriate, they will provide a form from the HKCAD to convert your pilot licence to a HK licence. This is the first step in ensuring you have the required minimums for entry and conversion of the licence. Make sure that you complete this as directed, they do not want you to complete the whole form!
I did not have the required night navigation hours when I completed this form, but that is usually not a big problem as it will just delay your start date. But be warned, if you do not have the required night command hours (and associated landings) you are unlikely to be considered. It’s a really good idea to complete these prior to your second interview, shows you are committed to the process.
Once CX has reviewed your hours, they will invite you to a first round of assessment near your home. This will usually be in your home country. There is usually a week of assessments the CX staff will undertake, but it will only last a few hours for each individual. I point this out because there will often be a lot of other people attending interviews in the same place at the same time. Its helpful to meet these people, its likely you will either end up in HK at the second round together, or even on course together. There is no compensation from CX for attending the initial round of interviews.
On arrival you will normally meet another candidate that will be booked for your same time slots. Be polite! The recruiters are looking at how you interact as well as your own performance. This person could be someone you spend a lot of time with as well so its in your interest to get on together. HR will send you a set of documents to be completed prior to the day and some photos that you will bring with you on the day.
At the first stage there are three tasks to be completed. The first is an interview, this is with HR only. I have heard rumors of some people also having a Capt in the room but this is unusual from what I have experienced and heard from other candidates. There are usually two HR staff from the Flight Crew Recruitment division who you may have spoken to on the phone or received emails from previously. This is a standard HR interview, but there will be questions about CX and its history, your own flying experiences and work experience and your personal attributes. Biggest tip here is to relax, take a big deep breath! Make sure you act like yourself as well, they do not want to find someone is telling them BS. There are plenty of other documents you can find to have a look at for preparation. Do some HR interview preps if you think that will help or have a friend ask you questions.
During your interview, the other candidate will be taking a logic and reasoning test. This is a simple Ravens test and you can find plenty of examples on the net. Google is your friend.
Once you complete your interview you will swap and the other person will interview and you will do a Raven test. Work quickly, but also make sure you go back and check anything you don’t feel comfortable with. There isn’t a lot of study you can do for this but you can Google this and find an example.
The last assessment is a technical exam. It’s not uncommon for you to complete this test with the next group of candidates at the same time, it saves the time for the recruitment team if they supervise you all at once. This is a normal multiple choice exam that you would be familiar with in from your CPL studies. Some question examples include:
Why does speed increase lift?
What causes induced drag?
Calculate RoD based on ground speed
Constant Mach number, what happens to IAS and TAS in a climb?
Given a Mach number and TAS, what is the local speed of sound?
Calculate Rate of descent on an ILS
Northern Hemisphere meteorological conditions
Radio procedures
Questions on Cathay History, fleet and key staff
The exam is around 40 minutes from memory and the whole day goes quickly, usually only 2-2.5 hours at most. Consider taking the day off work though so you can be in a well prepared, relaxed state for the day. Also, suit and tie for the gents, and similar for ladies. Do not wear a pilot uniform.
--
Now comes the bad part. The wait.
They will advise you a likely timeframe when you finish on the day. Usually 2-3 weeks. The people who did not progress from round one were told within 3 weeks. Those that were successful did not hear until six weeks. It’s a tough wait, but it’s worth it.
--
If you are successful, you will receive another email with a date for your final interview. This will be two days in Hong Kong. CX will email you with a request for personal information to book you flights and accommodation. This is covered by CX for you and your husband/wife. Girlfriends, children etc are not included.
CX will ask you for your preferred flight dates and departure cities, these will be cities serviced by CX only. If you wish to stay longer in Hong Kong, CX is happy to try and accommodate flight dates that will allow this, but all expenses such as hotels will need to be covered by yourself. I took up the option of heading over the weekend before my session and it was a great experience to check the place out. By joining CX you are pretty much committing to stay in HK for the rest of your life so good to get a chance to se the place. More on this later.
Recruitment will also ask for a lot of documentation. Get this together early, and review it properly. Thinking I was organized and had forgotten a crucial document almost caught me out. Get your stuff together. They will also ask for extensive copies of your log books. This takes time to prepare. If you have to highlight flights, refer to the HKCAD form that you were provided prior to round one for the appropriate highlighter colors. This will save time in future.
--
On arrival into HK, you will need to find your way to the hotel. If you are staying at the Regal its basically in the arrivals terminal, you can walk through the terminal to get there. There is no cars or buses, it’s a 2 minute walk. If you are staying elsewhere, refer to the information you are provided.
On day one, head back to the airport from the Regal and catch the Staff Bus to Cathay City. It will leave from the bottom floor, near gate 31 or 32. It’s at the far right if that makes sense (it will). Just jump on the bus and get off when you get to CX City. No payment is required.
On arrival to CX City, you will need to get a pass from Security. Have your passport ready. Security opens at 8am sharp. No earlier. Some guys wanted to get breakfast at CX City prior to day one, don’t do it. Get a bit of toast or fruit from room service prior to leaving the hotel or in the arrivals hall.
Keep in mind the bus comes every 15 minutes, and it’s about a 10-15 minute trip to CX City. So to be there for opening its best to get to the bus stop about 7.40 to make sure you are on the bus and at CX City around 8.
On arrival you’ll go through the security gates and head up to Flight Crew Recruitment. It’s across the “Street” and up on level six. Ask someone for directions if you need, everyone is really helpful.
You’ll want to be there by about 8.20, and grab a drink of water. It’s a warm place and you’re probably sweating by this stage. Chill out for a bit and meet the other guys or gals you are with. The first exercise is usually a group exercise so get to know the people you are with.
--
You’ll be met by some of the folks from FCR and they will take you through to a room where they will explain the day and answer any burning questions you’ve got. From there they will commence the group exercise. You will probably stay in the same room, there will be two observers from CX FCR.
The flavor of the month at the moment seems to be a task of selecting an astronaut for a mission. It’s a process of determining criteria and then finding a candidate that meets the criteria. Depending on the number of people in the group, there might be a spare set of instructions, make sure you read all the cards provided as each has different information.
The answer isn’t really overly important from what I can tell, they are much more interested in how you work together and get to an answer. I found that the use of the white board was important, but make sure if you do go up to write you come back to the group and engage with the discussion again.
You’ll have a quick debrief with the observers and they will ask some questions to each person in the group. Be honest, but be positive.
From there we went into the computer room for the personality test. This was a 225 question timed exam based on the Myers-Briggs personality assessment. You can get these online freely and its worth having a look at a couple, just so you know what the sorts of questions will be, not to try and trick the process. If you have the wrong type of personality then you probably won’t get through anyway, you can’t fool it.
--
Now there is one more assessment on day one. This is the sim assessment. Prior to going to HK, usually a few weeks out, you are provided with a sim profile for the 747-400. You will be expected to know it intimately, know the speeds and know the flap settings, approach attitudes and call outs. You will be offered the right or left hand seat, take whatever you feel comfortable in, and they don’t care.
A quick word on preparation. You should be comfortable flying on instruments. You should be more than comfortable with the concept of attitude + power = performance. Both of these are the key aspects of a successful sim.
Quite a few of us managed to get some time in either a 737 or a 747 sim to practice in prior to going over. This is not really important, but the one aspect that does help is the motion sim. If you can get access to one they make the world a lot more real and makes flying this sim a bit different. But if you can ignore that motion then you won’t care. The 747 is different to the 737 and any other aircraft you will have flown before. Weighing in at 270 tonnes this thing has a lot of inertial behind it. Make sure you trim everything, even a turn. One of the biggest things I don’t think I spent enough time on was practicing the profile call outs. Get a friend to go through it with you or do it in the sim proper. This will help.
The sim is exactly the same as what they give you in the briefing, take off, turns, ILS, go around, speed brakes and a landing. A tip on landing, it’s not the same as a GA plane. Drive the sucker on to the ground, but don’t forget to flare, there is no hold off though. Just keep the same attitude and let it settle. I saw one person crash the thing so hard a panel fell off the outside of the sim. They did not make it through. But another bloke crashed it and was given a second go. The landing does not seem to be an assessment point and he made it through fine. Might have been a margin of error issue, rather than just poor standards.
The sim session starts with a briefing for about an hour where you can ask questions. If there is something worth asking ask it. Otherwise get in the seat and go for it. You will each be given a bit of practice in the sim as a group. You will then be given a 30 minute assessment flight individually. There will be a sim trainer acting as your FO and a line captain or another trainer behind you assessing you. Both of the blokes we had were really good value. They want to see you succeed, so be nice to them and ask for help if you need. Also have a chat with them during your down time and get to know them a bit.
The trick with the sim is to show improvement and ability to self-critique. But don’t be overly harsh on yourself. If you don’t think you can do it why would they consider you?
Once you have finished at the sim, you are done for the day. Head back down to security, hand your pass in and grab the bus back to the airport. You will stop at terminal 1 first, then terminal 2, where it collected you that morning. Either is fine, but terminal 2 is closer to the Regal.
--
Now we get to play another waiting game. You should receive an email that evening explaining the next steps. There are two possibilities, the first is a very nice letter advising that you have not been selected for day two and that might invite you to reapply in 12 months. If you don’t make it through it is really normal to feel down about it. Grab some dinner with the other guys and have a beer. You are in Hong Kong, so enjoy the second day you have or extra time if you have it. Be positive, don’t throw a tantrum as CX will hear about it. If you want the job, keep your eyes on it and get ready to go again in 12 months.
The second outcome is an email outlining your itinerary for day two. The email will provide you with a personal itinerary for the day. You will see some of the other candidates if they were successful at some of the assessments but it is not guaranteed.
Grab some dinner but don’t have too much or if you can, any, alcohol the night before. Have an early night and watch some tv or read a book. Do not try and study as it will tire you out and not provide any benefit. You’re almost there.
--
In the morning, depending on your schedule, you should head to the bus a half an hour before your first assessment or around 7.40 the same as day one. This will allow you to get your pass and find your first assessment in time.
You will have four to five tasks to complete on day two.
Compass test – a computer based assessment that tests key pilot aptitudes. There are some good preparation tools online that you can access for this. Spend some time getting used to doing some more advanced math problems, ATPL style questions, and multi-tasking exercises. Make sure you read the instructions fully. I have seen a few people make mistakes because of this. If you stuff something up too badly, tell them, and they will determine if you need to re-sit it or if your score was good enough.
ICAO Language proficiency test – this is an English test. You will have to subscribe to the provider prior to going to HK and make sure the name is the same as on your passport. Don’t shorten anything!!! Otherwise you can’t do the test. You’ll have to pay for it and it’s not cheap. The test will involve a conversation with an English speaking (I think Kiwi) tester about aviation related subjects. You will then interact with a computer for a few assessments. It doesn’t take much more than 15-20 minutes. You will be emailed your result the following day.
Medical – There are six things to do when you go to medical, blood test, urine test, chest x-ray, hair sample, nurse interview and physical with the doctor. Bring any medical investigations they have previously requested with you and make sure you have your flying glasses etc with you. Treat it as a Class I initial. Also, with the hair sample it’s common for them to take it from the head, but on guys they may want to take it from elsewhere like your legs so just be aware.
Interview – This is the one people freak out about. The key I found to this is don’t try and be everything to everyone. Be yourself. That means know the aircraft you fly or have flown, know the theory around them. Don’t try and be a large jet pilot unless you have told them you have completed all your aircraft systems exams and done a type endorsement on a 777. It’s not going to help you. I know people who have flown turbo props but were unable to answer some of the basic theory of how a turbo prop works. This shows a lack of interest in knowing your systems etc. There is a lot of stuff on the web about the different types of questions and some great books to help you. The thing is to not panic, the interview is also a stress test and they want to see how you will react under pressure. Stay focused and ask for clarification if you need it.
FCR briefing – some groups I’ve spoken to said they were invited to a briefing at the end of the day where they answer some more questions on conditions etc, I don’t have any info on this but be aware it might happen.
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You’ve finished the required assessments. Go grab a beer with the other candidates or head to the airport and grab a plane home. If you’ve spent the time and effort getting to this point you will be well placed for the next step.
The advice was that you would hear back within two weeks, but if you don’t they may be missing some paper work, so they encouraged us to get in touch after that time.
I know the first round of rejections following the final interview went out the Friday following the assessment days, so they don’t keep you hanging for long if they don’t think you are ready.
The following weeks you might receive an email about more medical information, provide the information in a timely manner and if it satisfies them you should be ok.
You will then receive a final response, either a yes or a no. If is a yes, they will offer you a spot on a training course.
Good luck.
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Bahrain
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Hi,
Thanks for that useful information. I did the selection process a couple of years ago before they closed it down for a while. I was similar to you in that I didn't have enough night hours so I couldn't attend the flight grading at that time. I've recently submitted another application to give it another shot.
From your post it seems there isn't a flight grading anymore in Adelaide or has the sim session replaced that? Also is the stage 1 assessment still based mainly on that booklet (JKI) they send you by email?
Thanks
Thanks for that useful information. I did the selection process a couple of years ago before they closed it down for a while. I was similar to you in that I didn't have enough night hours so I couldn't attend the flight grading at that time. I've recently submitted another application to give it another shot.
From your post it seems there isn't a flight grading anymore in Adelaide or has the sim session replaced that? Also is the stage 1 assessment still based mainly on that booklet (JKI) they send you by email?
Thanks
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Yes the sim now replaces the flight grading. It is quite hard for those that have no experience handing larger aircraft, but so long as you can show improvement and a good attitude you will be fine.
The JKI booklet is only for ab-initio these days. You should have passed a few of your ATPLs, so expect ATPL level questions as well as IFR procedure questions.
The JKI booklet is only for ab-initio these days. You should have passed a few of your ATPLs, so expect ATPL level questions as well as IFR procedure questions.
Join Date: Mar 2001
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Hi,
Thanks for that. I also remember doing a mad maths test in Hong. From your post it seems that doesn't happen anymore. I could hardly finish the test I remember. I've finished the ATPLs but will need to do some revision because the test we did before was at PPL level in stage 1.
Thanks
Thanks for that. I also remember doing a mad maths test in Hong. From your post it seems that doesn't happen anymore. I could hardly finish the test I remember. I've finished the ATPLs but will need to do some revision because the test we did before was at PPL level in stage 1.
Thanks
Join Date: Jul 2011
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I have been registered for quite a while now. Though never heard anything. So far i thought that emailing/calling would be a negative point for HR. But i do see some you guys did it. Did emailing hr work out for you? My qualifications should be enough. 1800+ TT with 1600+ jet and atpl.
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Hey guys, I have 2 questions in mind,,
1) for TT entry, does ATP theory suffice? ( 14 exams passed,,cert. )
2) for how long will the TT applicants remain Second Officer? and does it worth to leave our current pos. as FO , and join CX as SO.??
Tnx guys .
1) for TT entry, does ATP theory suffice? ( 14 exams passed,,cert. )
2) for how long will the TT applicants remain Second Officer? and does it worth to leave our current pos. as FO , and join CX as SO.??
Tnx guys .