Cathay Cadet Pilot Program - Interview tips (ONLY)
 

Guys,

I have been following the other threads but they are not so informative about interview processes and stuff. Fine, there were positive side and negative sides, I agree.

So this place is for those pilot wannabe who decided to take whatever **** that's coming and get the deal done! (Yeah, some might say foolish or whatever, but for some of us who can't afford to get our own pilot license, its a whole new world!) ;)

So, Lets this place be ALL ABOUT INTERVIEW TIPS AND QUESTIONS AND NO ARGUMENT PLEASE. If you wanna discuss about financial backlash or policy or whatever ****, go to the other threads and start arguring. :hmm:

What I want here is, when the CX HR call us for interview, what should we PREPARE IN ADVANCE in order to pass the stages.

Guys, if you had been through the interview, passed the interivews or selected as Trainee Pilot at CX, please share your experiences here with your fellow pilot wannabe. :ok:

Your advice would be greatly appreciated! :D

What's wrong with the other thread? Contains all the information you are asking for.

oh yeah, but with over 10,000 posts and almost 80% is like argument :(

Well that didn't take long!

Bad dog, spot! :}

Some of the questions asked during my tech interview in Feb 2012 :

1. Which is the only continent CX doesn't fly to?
2. What is the population of Hong Kong?
3. How do you distinguish between a cold front and a warm front?
4. What causes the formation of a typhoon?
5. Latitude and longitude of Hong Kong.
6. Identify the aircraft model displayed, what engine is mounted on it.
7. In which year was CX founded? The first aircraft flown and its name.
8. Mental calculation based on rate of descent. Another one based on TRK and HDG.
9. Wing dihedral and sweptback.

I can't recall anything more than that.

In fact, it should be, 'which are the only continents CX doesn't fly to '.

One is Antarctica. You can work the other one out yourselves.

Thanks for all the information guys, thats unreal!

It looks very similar to the questions from this link

Airline Ratings & Interview Gouge

Anyone know about the new revised Aviation Math Test?

Tell us about tcas
What's the time to impact for ta/ra
What's the reaction time
What's the reaction time for a reversal
Tell us about the hydraulic system in your aircraft
What press
What quantity
What warnings linked to hydraulic system
How is the tank pressurised
What's a cyclone
What's a typhoon
Which direction do the winds travel
What dangers to flight
What's itcz
Describe a high speed wing
Why is it swept
What's EGPWS whats different to gpws
What's inputs
Why doesnt the 777 have winglets
Explain v1
What's your actions for failure before v1 and after v1
When would it differ
What model plane is this
How do you know
How many aircraft does cathay have
How many on order
Which ones
What's special about a350
Why is it good to be lighter
Which runway direction is hong kong
What's the coordinates
Your travelling 480kts how long to travel 50nm
Can you be more precise
You have to climb 6000' in 10nm what's the gradient
What's viz req on ILS
Which categories are there
Your 5nm on slope how high are you
Which engine is crit on turboprop

Clish:
Maths is basic
Fractions
Decimals
Pythagoras
1in60
Times fractions
Divide fractions
Times decimals
Divide decimals
Mix fractions and decimals
Simple times
Simple divide

Just large numbers so they take time.
Just practice random combinations of the above list and you'll be fine.
I'm not going to give exact questions on this on and answers, cause lets face it if you cant work out a ground speed or how far off track you are with 1in60 then what have you been doing with your current flying?

thank you very much!

Oh and they ask which material you studied for the interview...

I can garuantee more is better. Rattle of everything you used and at least show you've worked hard for it.

I used
All ATPL notes
Beyond lion rock
Preparing for Cathay xyz
Pprune
Cathay employees (bailed up cabin manager on flight over)
Squarefoot.hk
Wikipedia
Handling big jets
Aerodynamics for naval aviators
The quick ATPL reference book
Bureau of met aviation meteorology


Be honest, be yourself.

Oh and in the leadership exercise, don't just be the one who barks orders etc. encourage group involvement with open questions and involve the whole team. Remember everyone is trying to show they are "the one" so give some space to each other. But also be positive.

In the sim ride
Practice the profile
Remember the call outs
Practice a failure management model for your failure and use it. (remember your acting both parts of the pf and pnf crew, except the actions)
I.e
Fly a/c
Call failure and confirm
Cancel warning
Call for checklist (memory items, QRH)
Confirm actions (no that's not engine four dumbass, yes that's engine four)
Confirm checklist complete
Check cb's
Notify and plan
Notify ATC (pan call) with fuel and plan to return, ILS vectors
Notify flight attendants
Notify ops
Confirm normal checklists complete
Land

I only add this as I noticed a few non multi crew guys in the transitional stream who struggled on this, with the correct actions. One fast jet guy and a few freight metro dudes.

Oh and my sim guy preferred "I have control, you have control" not "handing over taking over" due to the Boeing, airbus sop.

Did you.have to. Do the aptitude tests? When.did you do your 2nd stage?

Xcel, were you selected for the transition training programme?

Clish... That was combined questions from 1st and 2nd.

No aptitude...

Yes was selected.

Congrats!!!!

"Selected"

I can guarantee that none of the current C-scale new-joiners are in any way selected in the traditional CX meaning of the word, and should not expect to be treated as such.

When we joined, we truly were selected because the pay package made for tough competition to get in, and the guys you were competing against were all similarly experienced Air-Force or Airline guys who needed an incentive to leave what they already had.

Now, the only criteria for getting in is eyes-wide-shut willingness to sign the crappy deal. spelling your name right and getting through a 45 minute chit-chat without making the interviewer physically unwell.

In all honesty, those truly selected (those in the pool since the mid 2000s) had the brains to turn this offer down, ironically proving that they were exactly what we need; wise decision makers.

Great post indeed!

Applied back in Feb and been called to have the 1st stage interview this week.. I have 0 hrs logged but have done some basic PPL ground courses.

Just curious how technical would the personal and technical interview be in the first stage? Having read the other thread some did mention no technical stuff was involved. On top of the JKI, I also read the FAA PHAK and Aviation Weather in my spare time. But as a candidate without much experience, I found some of the questions posted here are quite technical indeed..

Any answer would be much appreciated.

"Selected"
 

whackthemole,

Not too bright are you.:ugh:. The thread to whinge and complain about P2F, cadet programs and general entry conditions is the other thread. :=.

If only these up and coming guys were as amazing as the almighty "god's gift to airlines" whackthemole.:D. Please allow me the honour of kissing the feet of a "selected" one.:rolleyes:

Second Officer Transition
 

Hello,

I have been invited to attend a Final Interview for Second Officer Transition Training Programme in Hong Kong at the start of next month..

How do you study for your Interview? What are the best materials used for research.

Is there an Aptitude test or maths test?

I have been told sim should be on B747-200.. A Tech quiz and HR questions.

Thanks

Background Experience
 

Will CX consider applicant with absolutely no flying experience at all?

For example, I am a 22-yrs old engineer with Diploma in Engineering course and had some working experience in Singapore.

Had there been anyone selected purely from the beginning? I submitted my application on the last week or March 2012 and still waiting for reply. I currently live in Sg.

Just curious.

@Astronetster

I have effectively 0 experience (15 or so fam hours)
just finished my medicals yesterday and such - waiting for a response for flight grading,

Hi could anyone answer this question...

In the interview and asked to identify the aircraft in the picture....

Are you only tested on CX aircrafts which comprises of B747 & B777; A340s, A330s & A350? Or could you be tested on aircrafts which are not in the CX fleet?

Thanks.

Re: Beba
 

They could point at any aircraft outside the window and test you on that. This could be other airliner's fleet.

Just a quick question, i know that the tech interview will be based on a lot more than just the JKI booklet, but how about the technical multiple choice questionnaire?? is that gonna be comparatively easier or harder than the tech interiview?

Really boys and girls, they can only ask what is in the "Airline interview technical questions" book or whatever they're called.... Just rote learn those Q's and A's and you'll all be fine! Where do you think they get the questions from?? The interviewers have done this because they also don't have a clue.

Got an email to return to HK for an interview. I am reading some very technical questions here... do they ask anything technical for stage 1 interviews?

If not, what is stage 1 interview like?

For the airplane ID quiz... I was given a magazine - along with point and name along the apron outside...

NONE OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE CX.

which 2 were they?

Tech Quiz was not so bad, if you have done a JAA ATPL then the questions are very similar to that. PofF, Met, Simple Perf stuff.

My tuppenceworth from years ago:
They used to ask about light signals (yes, really - some guy at Kai Tak lost radio contact on the ground and ignored twr lamp signals).
If you are placed in a B747 sim, remember inertia - treat her like an aging dowager and gently but firmly direct her to where you want her ;)
Oh, yes, and when you ask for the engine fire checklist, it is likely that the beastly man will go for the wrong start lever or fire handle.

And how many stages of interview are there? and do they interview you in your preferred selected locations? or where are their interview stations?

From my limited amount of knowledge in this matter, I believe that there is no SIM evaluation but there is flight grading for the Advanced Entry SO candidate. (someone please correct me if I'm mistaken) Also, this flight grading does not occur until after your final assessments in HK.

You should post further questions in this matter in the other thread, as this thread is reserved for interview advice I believe.

Cheers mate.

AE 's do a sim.

hi~

Just received the invitation for initial interview of second officer programme, I found that the test is different from those mentioned before,

The old one:
English Test
Resoning Test
Aptitude test
English oral presenation
Personal Interview

The updated one as follow:
Interview with both Personal and Technical Questions
Technical multiple-choice Questionnaire
Abstract Reasoning Test
Perosnality Test

Anyone who took the test lately could share some thought on them??

No more oral presentation about FTA, English test & Aptitude test, right?
And the peronsal & technical interview is individual interview??

Will there be another formal technical interview afterward?

Thank for your help!

Recent Interview in SFO.
 

I just went thru the Stage 1 interview in SFO. The questions banks in this thread are a great starting point for the face-to-face and technical quiz. I also used "Handling the Big Jets" by Davies (old but good), Jeppeson's Aviation weather book, Aerodynamics for Naval Aviatiors, and Everything explained for the Professional Pilot by Lengel.

Also some came up with digital flash cards that were a HUGE help (although 5% are incorrect): iFlipr

For the techincal quiz - you have 45 minutes to get thru 40 questions. All pretty basic stuff and NO calculator. US pilots, go over conversions to the metic conversions.

For the Face-to-Face it's half HR and half more technical. As I said above look at the questions mentioned in this thread as well as the flash cards to prep.
One question that threw me was, "What is meant by the CFM56 is flat rated at ISA +15?"

The Abstract Reasoning test takes 45 min total and consists of 8 different designs and you have to choose the ninth that fits. Don't study too hard for this.

Last thing, don't go into this with Rose tinted glasses on. You need to compare Cathay to your local airline industry. Do your homework before deciding if they are the best fit for you. You have to be able to answer yes to: "Can I leave in Hong Kong for the next 10+ years?"

Good Luck.

AE course
 

Hi guys,

Does AE course candidates go to FTA for flight grading?:confused:

"Thats unreal, how can they expect someone with 0hours applying for abinitio course to know that?"

Look it up, except for the "your own aircraft part".