looks like a decent opportunity with BA, but having said that i'm still a bit uneasy with the "finances" part. Looks about 70% as bad as the CX "forgivable loan" given they at least give you back each month over a period of 7 years tax free... Just my opinion but i'll leave it at that before this becomes a CX vs BA cpp debate...

BA vs CX depends on what your plans are.

If you don't hold right of residency/right to work in the EU, forget BA.

The major advantage with BA as I see it, and has already been pointed out, is that you're straight in as FO on the 737/A320/321/319/318. So you log valid, recognisable hours from Day 1. That's a massive difference.

In terms of living costs, London is very expensive (no surprise there), but unlike HK, you at least have the possibility of living outside London and paying a LOT less in rent. Supermarkets very cheap, as are utilities and services (if you shop around).

Eventually with seniority, you can even commute from outside the UK (Staff Travel very good, if there are seats or jumpseats available anywhere in the cabin, you'll get them. Some cabin staff will upgrade you as you board..)

No brainer if you live in Europe...

hi
sorry if this has been answered already but Ive read most of the pages and can not find an answer. Do cathay pay you a salary during training at the flying school in Australia? and if so how much??

plus I have a PPL with over 100 hours and have completed the 14 Atpl exams would I have to sit the exams again or would I go straight to the CPL/IR stage of the course maybe just behind the people doing the advance course??

they pay you something, i cant get anyone to say the exact amount either. They provide meals and accomadation and i think about $200 a week for miscellaneous stuff on weekends/days off.

The allowance may have changed but it used to be $400AUD per month. Many of the cadets used to eat off campus (mainly in China town) towards the end of their course as they were sick of the food provided.

@jimbols6,

I have a UK FATPL CPL IR MCC JOC with 200 hours, and at my Stage 1 interview I was told the the Hong Kong Civil aviation department wants 250 hours for the advanced entry programme(30 week). This meant that if I was successful I would have to start from the beginning with the cadets with no experience.:ouch:

They mentioned a request had been made 2 months ago to the HK CAD to reduce Total hours for CPL holders to 150 for the advanced programme.

In any case jimbols6, you will have to start from the beginning ( 61 weeks in Australia).


Also worth mentioning, On the HK CAD website, it says that if you got your licenses from an HK CAD approved integrated flight school, the requirement would be 200 hours. Sent a email to the HK CAD, will find out soon.

Due to go to Hong Kong for stage 2, anyone else in the same boat?

Note>>professional Pilots licence>>CPL>>3.2.1 >> Pilot Licences

Hi all

I applied to CX on August 02nd. If accepted I would expect to be placed in the Advanced (30 week) or Transition (12 week) training course, rather than the Cadet (61 week) programme.
I haven´t had a response from CX yet; anyone here in a similar situation?
Are they recruiting for all three courses at once, or focusing on the 61-week course to begin with?
Please PM with any info.

Thanks

so for some one with a PPL , and around 80 hours, you would look to be doing the 60 week course i take it?

A commentary on my qualifications is not relevant. I have stated that I would expect to be placed in either of the advanced programmes. The requirements for entry to each of the programmes is available from the Cathay Pacific website and I need not repeat them here. If you were aware of these requirements you would know that a PPL and 80 hours does not meet those requirements. Additionally, had you thoroughly read and understood my post, and were oriented to answering questions constructively rather than making smart-assed remarks, you would see that I am asking about the sequence of recruitment for the various programmes and the time scales involved.

should be recruiting on all fronts, 61week course reply will be slower since it's based on geographical location. 2nd August application is still pretty recent, perhaps you should wait a little longer before you hear anything from them.

It's true the advanced program is woefully under-subscribed.

The probable reason being that suitable candidates can get better employment elsewhere.

It's not about having the hours - it's about experience, not only twin time, but useful, experience-garnering time. Simply having the hours does not automatically qualify you for either of the shortened courses.

The long course is over subscribed with applicants - all the "no hopers" who see this as a free licence and a guaranteed good job after qualification.

It's neither free nor a good job - by any measure.

All you're doing by accepting this insult of a package is hastening the race to the bottom.

I am not understanding what do you mean cpt.underpants? I am confuse i thought it is free training? and it is not good jobs how sir?. Ok thanks

The training is not free.

You are given a "credit" of about HKD1.2 million at the beginning of your course - short, medium or long.

As you train, the cost of the training is deducted from the credit.

The longer the course, the more it costs.

12 months after qualification, you are "given" the balance as a "loan".

Short course graduates have about HKD880K remaining, medium a bit less and long course, not much at all.

The HK Revenue Department tax you in full on the "loan" when you receive it.

The "loan" is considered paid off after 6 years of service with CX.

In exchange - this is the important part - you give up expatriate benefits FOR THE DURATION OF YOUR CAREER WITH CX.

It could mean (depending on age) up to USD5 million in lost expat benefits during your career with CX.

Your "free" training will cost you US$5,000,000 ++ in your career.

Why isn't it a good job? Just google CX's record on personnel relations since 1993. Broken contracts, mass terminations (for "no particular reason") intimidation of union members, massive breaches of contract on a daily basis, frozen pay in the face of huge CoL increases, career stagnation for many, seniority bypasses, lack of regard for "scope" in contracts, refusal to negotiate with elected representatives, punitive rosters...

Please read John Warhams book "The 49'ers - The True Story" to fully understand WHO you're getting into bed with.

These are not nice people.

Hamid_27, cheers for the reply,
theres no way im taking those atpls again, im planning on taking my cpl at the end of this year so i will have a re-think then.

capt. underpants said that they are under subscribed for the advanced programme, thats not surprising as most people that finish a CPL have between 150-200 hours the 250 mark is hit around completion of the full CPL/IR (frozen ATPL) as which point there are certainly better options out there now for people to consider. So the hours for the advanced stage defiantly need to be reduced.

cheers

I suppose you have to look first. :ugh:

Hmmm: http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...n-drivers.html

$65k AUD = $68,000 USD = 41,492 GBP for a job in GA.

Thanks you for the response cpt.underpants.

Ok can i asked the question what if someone is to deliberately failed the "line check" or the "line test" and they are fired by the CX, are they still to repay back this forgiveable loans? I am think that there is some loopholes maybe to get out of CX and then convert the HK CPL lisenses to local lisenses? ok i am only asked the question if anyone can helps that is great thanks :ok:

capt. underpants
 

the above is noted. But say 10 years ago you had a SO stay in hong kong for approx 7years and then get a base in another country. Wouldnt the SO that started today that stayed in Hong Kong for 7years and managed to get in a base be in a similair position or just slightly worse off?
I understand though if you intend on staying in hong kong for 10+ years then there is a HUUUUGE difference between the new scheme and old.

Before veryone starts getting emoitonal, what are the figures of pilots getting bases, i heared it is not many... can we predict what is going to happen in 5 years when we have such an unpredictable boom about to happen in asia?

No new base slots have been awarded for over a year now. The reason the company awarded bases in the past is that by doing so it could save on the housing. With iCadets this incentive is mostly gone, so the airline would have no reason at all to award you a base.

In other words, if you accept this "deal", expect to live in HKG the rest of your life and live in very basic housing, in one of the most expensive cities on earth. Buyer beware... and good luck with your decision.

CX-A330

I'm happy you posed that question, and yes, you can deliberately fail a check ride and be terminated, and I'm fairly sure the "loan" would be unenforceable.

I love it when wannabees start thinking this way!

A bunch of CX recruitment staff just choked on their Oat Squares...

As I wrote in Post 3092 of this epic thread, I think the guy is a wind-up merchant :hmm:.