It may have changed in the past few years, when I did it, it was like this:

You will be asked to reply to a series of pre-recorded questions over the phone. Once the recorded question has played you will have approximately 30 seconds to reply or answer the question. It will then play another question and so on. After a few questions there was a segment of the test that involves speaking to a real person (from memory the guy was from NZ). This person will again ask you some questions and you will answer. Once they have gone through their questions the test ends.

The entire thing takes less than 20 minutes. Some of the questions will be about aviation and what you may or may not do in certain situations, don't feel like you have to answer these perfectly as it is not assessing your aviation knowledge, it is purely an assessment of your English comprehension.

There are no trick questions or things you need to practise or memorise. If you can speak and understand English you will get ICAO level 6.

​
Just curious... did you friend make it to the programme?

Thanks Boulanger. This is very important which I think everyone should know about this, especially to the ones that are new to the industry. Further to your point, the training department did say that current SOs have been given an opportunity to transfer to HK Express and operate as JFO, however, this would be a one way journey, whoever gets transferred out can't go back, at least not for now.

One more thing, policy can change in a slap of a finger, just like CX Dragon, no one knew it was coming except for the management., any information regarding to pay, flight hours, fleet allocation, wait time to promotion etc, might not be valid this time next year. So much could happen in between and nothing is guaranteed. Afterall CX is a business, not an institution nor a charity, Something that needs to be taken into an account as well.

Cheers.

same case here:( i was shocked because i was fairly confident- perhaps the personality test which is pretty subjective

A failing business. Cancelling flights in the peak season because their soldiers have been maxed out? And they are betting on the cadets to make up the numbers?! Woah...

Just wondering how many months fresh grad cadets need to wait for the induction course?

So, does application deleted in the system on the day after the final interview means 'rejected'? My cousin got the same situation as many of you guys reported here about the application disappear issue, any of you guys still got invitation for medical assessment even the application gone?

Hi all,

Could you please be so kind to explain what is the usual duty for a SO during flight preparation before take off and after landing? I understand that SO will be able to operate the aircraft above 20,000 feet with the P2X rating. But what about before take-off and after landing. What will be the tasks for the SO?

Many thanks!

You shadow the Captain and First Officer a bit by verifying the loading and the fuel you take on.

Once you are on the aircraft, you sometimes help out on the security check and ensuring required emergency equipment is on board.

​Then you make the bunks so that your colleagues can sleep.
​​
After that, you watch your colleagues fly until 20,000 feet. At which point, if it is in the middle of the night, you will swap out with one of the front seat crews, and monitor the cruise while they take their rest. You will likely be PM, so you will mostly just handle the radios and take a fuel check every hour.

Some time before top of descent, you will be back in your jumpseat, and watch until the airplane is parked.

Hi all, I am new to this forum. This post is so informative and provides me so many insights! Thanks for contributing to it!
Just one thing that I know the flying hour is not mandatory, but it seems that many people have failed in the final interview because they don't have flying hours. Do you happen to know anyone who passed the final interview without flying hours and could share how they managed to convince the interviewers? I am thinking if I should also get a trial flight at somewhere before applying the cadet.
I was trying to find a successful case of 0 hour cadet in the four hundred pages but it's just kind of impossible... please bear with me to ask about it directly. Thank you so much in advance!

I know pilots can fly up to 900 hours a calendar year. So what would happen to them if they have reached the 900 hours? Are they gonna do the office work in the remaining of year or should it be holiday/training?
Thanks all!

I took the computer-based aptitude test as well on 3 Jan and haven’t heard anything. Did you take it on 3/4 Jan?

Why do you want to become a pilot?

Because I enjoy making the bunks, watching my colleagues to fly while me sitting at the back eating sandwiches, posting selfies of myself in the cockpit bragging about my pilot life to my friends and family on instagram but in fact I'm just an office boy, that to me, is the greatest joy in my life and I am happy to do it for 6/7 years with no complaint at all. That's why I want to become a pilot. A pilot that will do takeoffs and landing in a simulator but not in real life! And I am totally happy with the ****ty pay and fine to be a slave, as long as I am a pilot of Cathay Pathetic! WooHoo!

I enjoyed the post. On a serious note, being an SO is really not a good job. The experienced gathered is not marketable, and the company will treat you poorly. It can easily end up being a career-ending dead end job. I went through it, and still have scars to this day. Have "moved beyond," but only because I was lucky. Of course, your mileage may vary. For those who want the job, all the best of luck..

Hi Boulanger, may you be so kind to share more specifically about your experience on how bad the SO job is?
From what I saw online, the SO job seems to be quite boring, just sitting in the back and monitoring things most of the time. It seems to be boring but easy. Such workload or nature compared to the pay, I thought it was quite good tho? I could be wrong, please correct me if you see anything wrong below as its just my understanding from the information available online and I know it definitely not the full picture.
During the 3 years that a part of salary has to compensate for the training fee, the SO is getting at least 30K (HKD), and then close to 50K (HKD) after that 3 years, while just sitting in the back mainly and studying by self most of the time. If lucky enough, in 6-10 years time, the salary will rise to 80K (HKD) per month when moved up to FO, not to mention the captain's range.
I know if for a person who loves to fly an airplane, it must be tough to not having control for 6-7 years. But as an average person with non-aviation background, I think the path and remuneration is actually quite good for SO. I was a manager dealing a lot of pressure situations day to day, and the pay was also just 50k (HKD) a month, with no much room to climb up. So, from the angle of an outsider, it feels like quite good to start as a SO. Could you please share more how bad the SO job actually is, so I can really have a second thought before making a turn?
Thank you!

Hello,

I’ve sent my application last Jan 4 and got a reply on the 9th saying they needed a document from me and that I have 7 days to submit. I submit the document on the 12th. Any ideas maybe on when they’ll get back to me? Hoping they’ll reply soon.

I admire your sarcasm, harsh, but absolutely true. Nothing is more important than earning real experiences, and that's why I've always been in favor of Dragon (And HK Airlines), more than CX back then. Flying a 320 might not be as attractive as 773, but, the good thing is, you get to fly a few more rounds to build experiences, to any entry level pilot, this is absolutely crucial, not spending X number of years watch and observe.

Look at Singapore Air, they are also hiring cadets, but their cadets will go straight to be FO rather than P2X, a huge difference.

Hi, does anyone know how long it will take to receive the result of initial interview? Did my interview 2 days ago, the application is still active in portal, but haven't heard anything yet.

Way to become a pilot without a loan giveback period of 6 years?
 

Hello. I wish to start training to become an airline pilot in 2025 after finishing my degree. I'm a permanent Hong Kong resident. I searched online and found that Cathay Pacific has restarted its sponsored cadet program. I can't apply for Cathay's cadet program because of the six-year loan giveback period. I can't fly for continuous six years due to personal reasons but being a pilot is my dream goal. I want to make sure that I really can't before changing my goal. HKIAA has a newly released cadet pilot program but it's fee is unaffordable. Are there any other cadet programs eligible for HK residents in other countries with less than six years loan giveback period? Thank you.

If you cannot fly for six years continuously, there is not any cadet pilot programmes eligible for you. Usually the candidates of the cadet pilot programmes are bonded for 6-7 years (SQ for 7 yrs, BA for 6 yrs) after training. The self-finance cadet programme would be more suitable for you.

What makes you cannot fly for continuous six years? or you just don't want to be bonded by CX for 6 years?

As far as I know, a lot of cadet programs in Japan don’t explicitly state that you have to sign a contracts for whatever years. They neither require citizenship nor PR, well at least they don’t openly mention that citizenship/PR is required.
However, I’ve never heard of a case foreigners getting accepted to these kind of programs even his mother tongue is Japanese, was born in Japan and raised up there. Perhaps there’s this hidden discrimination against foreigners, who knows. And even for pure Japanese, getting into JAL or ANA cadet is extremely difficult, perhaps as hard as getting into Harvard or even harder.
So technically there’s an option for you. But I doubt there’s a company willing to spend money and train you knowing you won’t work for them long enough. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

I'm eager to share my recent 'terrible' interview experience. I use the term terrible not because I didn't achieve the expected outcome, but due to some unsettling discussions. Initially, I thought I would just move on, but now I feel it's important to share my perspective with those who might apply or join this program in the future.

The HR person, named Ada, spent the entire interview process looking down, making me feel like she wasn't interested in our interaction. Additionally, when asked certain questions, I even felt somewhat offended. She came across as arrogant. For example, she repeatedly questioned why I wasn't pursuing a career as a cabin crew member or engineer. It felt like going for a bartender position in a restaurant, and the interviewer asks, 'Hey, why don't you want to be a chef instead?' Moving on, there were instances where she seemed not to understand my points and facts, despite my patient explanations. I was often asked rhetorical questions. It was like being interrogated, 'Are you sure you weren't at the scene?' I simply stated what I knew, and while these things are easily verifiable, I didn't appreciate being questioned this way. Another issue was being asked technical questions during the initial interview. It felt as if Ada, after asking everything possible, still wanted to find something you don't know to trip you up. Imagine living in your house all your life and being asked, 'Hey, do you know how many planks of wood make up the fence around your house?'

As expected, I received an unsuccessful email. It's no wonder there's always been talk about intense conflicts between HR and pilots here. I can imagine why, as even before joining the program, I felt a complete lack of respect. They recruit hundreds of cadets each year, so they don’t really need to respect someone like me. Well, best of luck to everyone else.

Anyone know what is involved in a Teams interview?

I sent my application and after a few weeks they outright just rejected me. Although I’ve reached all the requirements (except the ICAO as I have not taken it yet), they still didn’t accept my application. Is there any possible reason why they would just straight up reject an applicant even though they reached all requirements? Do I have to take the ICAO test before applying?

”Thank you for submitting the application for Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Programme.
 
We have carefully reviewed your application and regret to inform you that you have not been selected to proceed to the next stage on this occasion. 
 
Thank you for your interest in our Cadet Pilot Programme. We encourage you to continue pursuing your passion for aviation and wish you the best in your future endeavours.”

Are you a HKPR? or from mainland China?

It’s pretty rare, but I’ve heard of several people getting rejected at the initial screening process.
No company will 100% give you an interview opportunity by only meeting the requirements listed on the website. Cathay at least sends out rejection letters so you know you’re not selected. A lot of the companies will simply ignore you. They could reject you based on your resume, cover letter etc. It could be the education background although there are some high school kids getting in. It could be the English grades, math grades whatever you filled in the application.
Did the email say when you can apply again? If not, why not just polish your resume and give it another try in case you feel your background is competitive enough. There’s not much else you can do.

Yes I am an HKPR

They didn’t really tell me when I can reapply again, all they said was they wouldn’t be proceeding with the application process.

Although I’ve tried refining my application, once it’s sent I’m unable to edit anymore, and the date of application still shows it was the first I’ve sent so I’m worried the application I’m sending still has the same details as my first application, without the new information.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently weighing my options for the CX Cadet Program. Despite the attractive job security and home based in HK where I'm from, I've seen comments about a potentially toxic work environment and the 6-year contract as an SO with not much actual flight time. I'm currently self-financing my PPL in the UK, so I'd like to know if anyone have firsthand insights. Is the program still worth it, considering the potential drawbacks, or may as well apply for direct entry FO in the future or join other cadet programs such as BA, etc.? Thank you

P.S. I'm an HKPR with resident status in the UK atm...and preferably to stay in HK in the long run

I think you need to contact them directly by email to clarfiy with it. Some high school grads with 0 flying experience also got interview invitation.

Do you happen to know the email I can contact? I can’t seem to find an email where I can contact the recruitment team

Interview Q Cathay Pacific cadet pilot
 

Hi everyone, I am applying for Cathay Pacific cadet pilot. I just wondering if anyone can share some interview questions and any tips for interview? Thanks a lot.

Depends on your background.
For zero hour guys read PHAK multiple times and understand every single details and aim to be a native English speaker or at least somewhat close. Then bs about your passion. Sometimes you’re kinda required to show you possess some additional aviation knowledge other than what’s written on PHAK to prove your passion, that’s a tricky part. Otherwise, pretty straightforward except the cut-e might require some prep.

I agree with you, smepc. As I shared the same terrible HR interview experience and eventually got failed from the HR interview recently. I can't remember what the HR's name is, but the very first bad impression she gave me was that she was late for around 5 minutes in a 30-minutes HR interview. After having a brief self-intro. She keep asking me why not to apply for the graduate engineer/other job in Cathay Pacific, despite I had said that I won't be qualified for graduate engineer. The HR seems to be poor in understanding English and even worse understanding about her own compony business. As I am graduating this summer, she keep asking why I don't apply for the Cadet pilot after graduation instead, while all engineer student I know (including me) would start seeking graduate job as early as October in their final academic year and no one would start finding a job only after their graduation. Although other questions about the Cadet program was also asked, the previous two make me annoyed about her and don't wanna answer the remaining (still she keep asking me why don't apply for other jobs/ why not apply after graduation then).

I could definitely feel her umprofession in HR jobs. I feel like that even if I could do more to "show my passion in aviation", she would still give vitriol comment like "why don't you do more?". No wonder why so many experienced pilot leave Cathay Pacific and seek their next pilot job in a higher-paid, more respected company environment.

Recent news from Cathay Pacific said they "Pledges No Pay Cuts" to retain pilot. Not sure why the management team are so ambitious that they could stop the outflowing pilot by offering "no pay cut", while all major airline (in US, not sure what other countries airlines do) are trying to attract pilots by offering a significant raise in salary. Not to mention that pilot salary in Cathay only offer two-step salary scale, while others airline's salary keep increasing every year a pilot working in their company.

Definitely considering training in foreign country and work after CPL training(e.g. CA, US) to accumulate real PIC experience if one could afford a training fee around $1M HKD.

Well, who doesn’t want to work for US Majors if you’ve got that green card or passport?
Do you know the paying scale in Canada, especially those regionals? After spending $1M, what are you gonna do? Middle East? Going back to HK?
The reality is that the majority of us don’t have any other options. We all know Cathay sucks, but at least Cathay covers your training cost and you will get paid decently compared to those guys trying to reach 1500 hours in the first couple of years. If you’re a US citizen, congrats you’re the lucky one.

That's because they have been given a new target - Direct Entry Second Officer. Have a look. They just reopened the hiring. All thanks to the "task force" I guess? Endless Waiting!

https://careers.cathaypacific.com/jo...-entry-2977238

Hi newbie here.

Have submitted my application to CX on 19th Jan but still pending reply. Got offer from HKIAA cadet programme, but it's too expensive plus employment is not guaranteed.

I just turned 36, earning over $120K/month in the public sector but sick of my job. Have mortgage, a wife and Canada passport. No aviation experience except flight sim. Have been thinking of pursuing an aviation dream and seeking inspirations in this forum, instead finding the realistic side of this sector.

Applied for the CX CPP before COVID but was rejected at the initial stage. No idea why.

It's a very difficult decision to start all over. Anyone have similar experiences?

hello, they got back to you yet?

Karen Leung, Talent Acquisition Specialist - Cadet Pilot Program
E: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-le...file-join-page

Ada Pang, Assistant Manager Talent Acquisition
E: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ada-pang-45911513a/

Carman Wong, Assistant Manager Talent Acquisition
E: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carman-wong-066a43146/

Becky Ng, Assistant Manager Talent Acquisition - Pilot Recruitment
E: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-ng-ab200012b/

Yanni Chan, Talent Acquisition Officer - Pilot
E: [email protected]
T: +852 2747 2390
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanni-chan-684826209/

Elene Cheng, Talent Acquisition Manager - Operation
E: [email protected]
T: +852 2747 8246
Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/elene-cheng-0408a6a8/


Feel free to bother them with load of your questions and frustration. Sure they would love to hear from you.