Hi there!
I'm a local candidate and I just did my stage 3 last Thursday, am still waiting for news. Is there anyone who did there management interview last week has got call for flight grading yet?

Hey Andrew W. Can you let us know how it went and give us some pointers on what takes place in stage 3?

You'll have a general briefing about being a S/O in CX and live in HKG. That's a general briefing and you won't be graded at this part. You're more than welcome to ask any questions especially about HKG.

Then you'll have 30 mins management interview with 2 management pilots. This interview is not as stressful as the technical interview and the interviewers just want to know more about you. They will ask a few technical questions but these technical questions are up to your standard only.

Then overseas candidate will do their ICAO English test which should be easy for you guys as English is your native lanuguage. Just be releaxed and you guys will be fine.

Also, you'll do your Australian Class 2 and Hong Kong Class 1 medical check up. Drink more water as you need to leave your urine sample.

Finally, you'll have uniform measurement and that only takes you few minutes to do it.

I did my ICAO English test before stage 3 so I didn't have to do the test on that day, so it took me half a day to complete all the stuff.

I hope this could give you guys a good idea what's going on if you're accepted for stage 3.

Good Luck!

Hey guys

Sorry it took me so long to post this. So here’s a summary of my stage 2.

Stage 2 is like a second date. Basically you’ve impressed them enough for them to ask you out again only this time it’s your job to show them who you are and how interested you are in the company. Don’t ever think you have to put on a mask because they will see straight through it :=. Do you research on them and make sure you know as much as you can. Be yourself and show them why you love lighting up the sky.

The day consisted of several tasks and interviews. The group exercise is nothing major. Don’t be nervous; it’s just a test to see how you work in a group and if you can use all the resources available to you to come up with an answer. As a shy person, I noticed that what I have is vital to the group and not speaking up would cause nothing but failure for the group as well as me.

Next up: the panel interview – 2 parts. General and technical. This was the grilling I referred to earlier. You make or break it here. The general interview is nice and like a conversation with a friend to lure you into a false sense of security. Then the tech guy will shake it up. Very much good cop bad cop. His job is to make you feel 2 feet tall and still land in a 25kt crosswind after a 4 hour flight in IMC on limited panel – he wants to see you work under pressure.

For the tech part, know your stuff. What stuff? Good question. Basically, as much as your qualification allows. As a CPL with +580 hours they expected much from me. But if you have -0 hours it doesn’t matter. They have given you material to read up on and that’s the tech stuff they will ask you on. Of course there will be more; I had to brief on the asymmetric blade effect of a twin piston even though I have never flown one. I even had to tell him the critical engine of a 747 400. Easy if you know about it, but the most powerful plane I’ve flown is a 235hp C 182 RG and not a 240000 lbs-thrust jumbo (60 000 lbs per engine). Stay cool and keep your head and above all be humble. If you don’t know something :confused: DO NOT try bluff your way through it. Just admit you don’t know it and ask for an explanation or tell them you’re gonna go read up on it. Leave all cockiness and arrogance in your hotel room. Humility goes much further than pride.

The aptitude test was fun. The link posted a few posts ago was golden; Perfect examples of the games and what is expected of you. The GMA (numeric test) was also quite gruelling. If you’re going soon then my advice is practice. Practice, practice, practice. It is tough but do able. Don’t lie in the personality test. I mean why would you? All they want to see is if you’re crazy or not :E.

The flight planning exercise was easy and I found that my previous experience in flying helped a lot. No don’t let this burst your bubble. FPL (flight planning & limitations) is just a matter of weighing up all the variables and coming to the best conclusion for the given circumstances :8. That’s geek for “figure out how to get there with the stuff they give you”. Think logically through it and use all your info as well as the person next to you whose is also nervous and shaking.

Above all else guys, go in giving it your all and come out know that you showed them who you are and how interested you are in them... Just like a second date :ok:

Hi Phili-T,

thanks for all the info you have provided. I am curious about the grilling math test. Is calculator allowed? Or you have to write it all out? Thanks for the info! :ok:

Komie...

The Maths Test in stage 2 is designed to make you feel like a failure - at least it did with myself and most other people I spoke to in my group. It's a computer based test with 30-odd questions (can't remember exactly how many), but most people will only get 2/3 of the way through it. It gets progressively harder as you go through the questions and unless you're a maths pro, chances are you won't complete all the questions.

It's set up so that you have a grid of answers in front of you on the computer screen - you have to pick the right one from this grid when you've worked it all out. They do give you pen & paper for your workings (no calculator allowed). All of it is based on the simplest maths - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. All you can do for preparation is practice the above. I'm not particularly quick with my mental workings so I prepared by downloading a program called 'Mental Maths' on my iPhone. It was good just for speeding things up in my head.

how long?
 

Hi guys,

when do CX contact you if your eligible for stage 1? One month ahead or more?

UK career change pilot...
 

I am aged 30, however, I have an excellent academic scientific track record and work experience under pressure (medic) and am looking for a career change. The only possible limitation I have apart from my age is my height which is 6'6" (2m02). I am looking at the Cathay Pacific cadet pilot training in Adelaide.

I think that 50+ hours and a PPL would really help my CV for the application to Cathay Pacific (I speak Chinese too which could help as its a HK based airline) however I'm tempted to just submit the app with no experience, just ambition and commitment and save a few K on the PPL and also save time, but also it seems wise to get the PPL because it shows I'm already serious about piloting.

Its a bit of a catch 22. What would you any of you guys who got through stages recommend?

I'm putting UK and Hong Kong on my preferred places for interview.

Yours sincerely,

Sam, BMedSci, MSc

PS I've really enjoyed reading through the whole thread. V interesting views and info about the Cx CPP.

Andrew_W
 

Hi Andrew
With all good wishes for you, I'd like to ask about what they told you about SOs and Hong Kong living style in the briefing you mentioned in your post?

Regards

Thanks FinalApp for your info.

No calculator.. mum.... sounds challenging. Do you or anyone from your group know the purpose of the test? If no body can finish the test, time is limited and not aviation related... It's kind of weird to place something like that in the assessment. A way for them to target you during interview to see your reaction/response to their question?? :confused: Any thoughts/inputs are welcome! thanks in adv.

Having done Stage 2/3 last week I would say that some of the previous posts were spot on. Just wanted to add one piece of advice on the numeracy exam.

Study Study Study!! For candidates like myself, the last time I did math was years ago in High School, and we used the calculator alot in High School, and you cannot on the CX Numeracy exam, so my mental math was extremely rusty. I used some of the links that have been posted above and one I posted a while back from Kent University to prep for the exam (or just google numeracy exam). I did almost 2 weeks straight of a couple hours of math and numeracy exams to prep for the CX one.

ALSO- If you cannot answer a question quick enough, move on. You can always go back near the end to use the remaining time to work on the hard ones. Some of the latter questions were extremely easy! If I had spent too much time on some of the previous questions I would not have gotten those guaranteed points.

Really what it comes down to is your passion and desire for working at CX. If its something you want, putting in the effort to do well in Stage 2/3 will come easily, as this is not something you can not just turn up to do. CX cadet program has gotten thousands and thousands of applications. Most will not even get a call back, yet hundreds will atleast get AN interview.....how will you stand out?

auto--pilot off

CX 2nd and 3rd stage interview
 

Hi,

Anybody going for the CX cadet 2nd stage interview in Hong Kong on the 9 and 10may2010,please PM me.Thanks..

@samuk1000

Here's my answer to your question. If you don't cast your net out how are you gonna catch anything. The guys in my office all laughed at me when I told them about the cadet program. They said "What are the odds of you getting in?". Well you will never know until you try. Give it a shot :ok: You got the smarts now cast your line out. What's the worst that could happen? If it's what you wanna do then by all means try it ;)

As for your age, it doesn't matter. A buddy of mine is 33 and he is on his way to Adelaide for stage 4. In terms of height; you're pretty tall :eek: but the planes are pretty big as well. this shouldn't pose any threat. If anything you'll just stick out in HK ;).

If you can get the experience then do it. Not so much for the program but just for the love of flying :)

Many thanks for the metaphor and advice, PhiliT.

A quote from a while ago that deserves comment.
Why do pissed off CX pilots stay in their job? If you need to ask this question you are likely very young, innocent and single.

Lifestyle? CX made us promises like you are getting made and they broke our trust in them by continually unilaterally changing the conditions of service. Only this week did the Australian based crew get a new contract in the mail with a sign or else. The Canadian crew got one a month or so ago. CX are NOT trustworthy when it comes to contracts.

We are here not because of lifestyle but because we have families to bring up and support. We can no longer get into good western airlines because of seniority. We dont want to change schools for the kids and uproot our lives and start again somewhere else, with new friends and places. If you dont get that wait until you want to get married and have a family. You will simply have nothing to do it with, and you wont get a partner from a modern country living in a slum appartmant in Pui O or Sha Tin.

Trust me guys you will be living like a pauper in an ugly mass of ancient tiny appartments and you will be wondering why your partner left. You will be wondering why you came. You are being offered this chance because NO LOCAL HONK KONGERS WANT THE JOB and CX have a major program to employ them. Get it? You are cheap labour and will be seen as that by other crew.

ASL & Bizzle!
 

hey guys congrats! looks like ill be joining the june1/2 interviews! Thanks to all those who are also contributing to the forums! And good luck to those applying!

okay so the break down of stage 2 is:

- Personality Test (Computer-based/Time allowed: 45mins)
- Numeracy Test (Computer-based/Time allowed: 30mins)
- Aptitude test (Computer bases/ Time allowed: 75mins)
- Group Exercise (60mins)
- Flight Planning Exercise (90mins)
- Panel Interview (General and Technical/ 60mins)
- ICAO English Language Test
- Medical

Can anyone elaborate on the 75 min ptitude test, that would be great. Is it like another keep the dot b/w the parallel lines, shoot the bandit kind of thing.. or? Can someone give examples of what it is like?

Congrats Lancer!

can someone confirm the correct heading of the Parafield runways?

03L/R - 020
21L/R - 220

08L/R - 077
26L/R - 257

Are these correct?

Thanks,

Kommie77W... I don't think the test is that unusual at all. The whole idea is that it's a good way to gauge the candidate's basic mathematical abilities in both speed and accuracy. And since you'll be using basic maths throughout your piloting career - it's almost an essential check they need to make!

Hi ASL,

I cannot confirm those runway headings, however such information can be obtained within the Australian AIP in the ERSA section.

Here is a link for you to view the entire document online:

Airservices Australia - Aeronautical Information Package (AIP)


*I accept no responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. And nothing in my post should be used for flight planning purposes.

PS: By going to such lengths to find the runway HDG's for YPPF it is clear you have put an absolutely huge ammount of effort into getting into CX, I wish you the best of luck!

Stage 1
 

Wiiie! Just got the invitation for stage 1. May I ask how many are invited for stage1 in percentage of how many applicants?

And whats the dresscode?

Many thanks!