some more questions :\
 

thanks holdmetight and crwjerk! answers a lot of questions in my head cheers :ok:


sorry to keep going, I have some more questions:

out of curiosity, do any (if not all) CX pilots (S/Os, F/Os, Captains) operate both PAX and cargo fleet?, as mentioned in previous posts some S/Os operate cargo fleets, just wondering if its something common.

I heard somewhere that S/Os actually get to land the aircraft sometimes, is this by any chance true or just BS?

Are they still doing the 3 year instructor course or is it just the long course and short course now?

Since the training is in Australia do "recent cadets" have to do both CASA and HK exams? or just HK?... reason I ask this is because a previous batch of cadets (who are now instructors at FTA) had to go through the gruelling process of doing Australian air law after their training, as I understand HK air law is based on the english law?

Is it just an expectation for cadets to get at least 90% or is it an actual requirement to pass according to CX standards? I hear it a lot but i'm not sure if that's what's required.

Does anyone know much about Cathays escape routes? if they even still do them?

do CX have an online roster system where crew can manage/swap/bid trips?

is there a time limit on how long individual pilots can sleep?, for example the HK to New York route which is about 16 hours, is there like an equal sleep policy with CX or do pilots just suss it out and sleep whenever they feel like it?

Sorry for all these questions everyone :uhoh:, just trying to be informed as much as I can and maybe someone out there might be thinking the same thing.

Thanks in advance!! :ok:

If they are 747-400 pilots yes they fly the freighter. If they are 777 or A340 or A330 pilots no they do not fly the freighter as the only freighters are 747s.

It is BS SOs never ever land.

Don't know but doubt it as the deal was they get housing I believe after being instructors in ADL.

Think you just do HKCAD exams but not 100% sure.

If you pass you pass.

Yes there is a request and swap system online.

Not a democracy, what the captain wants is what happens. That being said it is rare to go on a flight where it is not shared equally as most of them are not p***ks but they are out there.

Em773ER
 

Cadets nowadays only do HKTECH and HKATPL ground school exams. I have never heard of any cadet course being asked to do any Australian exams, apart from the BAK which is a prerequisite for the CASA GFPT.

SloppyJoe is obviously right, that's the way it is with any job out there. Cathay, though, will try to get you to work harder by saying that their cadets usually get a 90% average. Which is probably true but they aren't saying that because they will not hire you if you don't get 90%. Hope you get my drift.

What do you mean by an escape route? Do you mean the set of published routes that pilots use to get a damaged aircraft away from hazardous terrain?

thanks sloppyjoe and holdmetight! :D

and yeah that's correct HMT, know much about these escape routes?

Cheers

Engine Out SIDs are normally published in the companys part B4 manual. For every runway at every airport, companies usually establish their own set of escape procedures as you put it. ATC normally are not aware of these as they can differ from the published missed approach. Normally it is recommended to turn towards the lowest Minimum sector altitude. In HKIAs case, it would be towards the South where MSA is around 3300 feet as opposed to 4000 to the north. Hope that helps. It would be very difficuly to obtain Cathays B4 manual anyway...

Em773ER
 

I'm afraid I don't know very much about these routes...

All I know is that most airlines flying over mountainous terrain should have published escape routes in their operation manuals. In the event of a depressurization, engine failure or anything that could jeopardize flying safety, the escape route can provide pilots with a list of routes they can use to navigate the aircraft past the mountains and towards an available/usable aerodrome. I haven't seen an escape route map myself, but I'm guessing it would contain a wealth of information including escape route lengths, magnetic headings, enroute MSAs, navaids and aerodromes etc.

Stage 2 27th
 

Hi Everyone,

Anybody going to stage 2 in HK on Oct 27th? I'll be there and it would be great to get in touch with anyone else due to be there too. Feel free to PM me.

Thanks!

OK my turn........:8
RE: Resting on a long haul...... Captain will arrange rest time with his relief, F/O will arrange rest with the S/O, ( normally) Sometimes, both F/O's will be relief qualified and the rest becomes a bit more flexible. Can get a bit complicated depending on where the Crew is based. May have all, none, or half based somewhere other than HK.

I would SUSPECT ( cos i don't know) that the Instructor course thing that has now been canned, would have been the reason those guys did the AUS Air law. Nobody else had to do it I believe. Just a hunch.

The 90% Pass mark is the HKCAD's pass mark that you must get to pass the exams. Don't worry. You'll have the answers before you go in ......:oh:


Escape routes are very much a part of CX's operation. If you haven't got the chart out and studying it when you're in an area that it applies, you should not be operating the aeroplane. They are quite complex ( some more than others) and require discussion. Unless of course you're a slacker and just like staring out the window at 23000 ft mountains whooshing by.
They are quite often programmed into the Secondary Flight plan ( Airbus) or Route 2 ( 777 and 747 ). Briefly, you'll have a minimum height you can descend to, based on Jeppesen Minimum altitudes, and there's usually 2000 or 3000 feet added to it, depending on terrain height. I'm not gonna pull out my books cos it's too detailed for what you need to know right now. If the hills are too high, an escape route will be devised.

Hope this helps.

HKCAD exam pass marks are 70%

Hi guysJust wondering if anyone has ever gone for flight grading in FTA but failed to proceed for the subsequent training.Also is there any site detailing the demographic and weather in Hongkong?Regards.

dronehawk,

The pass rate is really high. There were six on my flight grading and all six of us got through. I friend of mine who is also a cadet had 5 and 4 got through. Talking to the cadets in Adelaide, they all pretty much agree. It can be frustrating at FG talking to all the cadets, because they all reiterate the point that it is incredibly hard to stuff it up (which is hard to swallow when you still feel so stressed). Most importantly, you need to have a good attitude and an ability to take criticism. Study as much as you can while your there. They will give you a folder of information... know it well

ANT

Hi Guys,

I put through a web application back in Feb but have still not heard back. I put my preference as Australia for the interviews. Should I be hearing something soon?

Do your Highschool scores play in to effect when they make a decision?

not exactly sure what you are referring to with escape routes.

There are 2 types, one for take-off/missed approach with an engine inop; the other is for high terrain as crwjerk said, mainly over western China when flying between HKG and Europe and around Alaska where the terrain can be higher than what your aircraft is capable of maintaining engine inop, or if you depressurise. In some high terrain areas there are custom tracks that will fly you down 'valleys' of lower terrain to get you to a nearby airport.

Take-off and go-around engine inop procedures are only sometimes different from the published SID, it all depends on the local terrain for that specific runway.

Sorry, I thought the Air Law was 90%. :ok:

@dronehawk

IMHO you would really have to screw up your flight grading in order not to be accepted. You're not expected to be a top-gun, you just have to show learning ability.

I have started a blog on the cadet program assessment - it is in it's infancy stages for now but perhaps there might be some shred of information that is useful to you?

cxge90 dot blog spot dot com

Flight Grading
 

Anyone heading to Adelaide for Flight Grading on 13th November?

good to hear from people getting through the whole selection process - congrats :ok:

just wondering what is the experience level of you guys that have got through?


oh, and congrats holdmetight on making it to flight grading :ok:

mtcaust
 

Congrats! unfortunately I was unable to join CP41 due to prior commitments...I actually did my flight grading back in May....

Does anyone have any information on how many more classes/cadets will begin in Adelaide before the end of the year? I'm just wondering what kind of timeframe I could face if I pass flight grading.

Thanks all! :ok:

@ mtcaust: I dont have a start date yet, most likely mid 2011.

@holdmetight: I believe CP40 just started and CP41 is the next course to start in December. I was told that these days they are starting courses very 2 months so I guess you may be in CP42 starting in Feb?