Interview with CAL
 

Hi everybody

At november i have my interview with CAL.

I`ve read all the threads about CAL but i still want to go to this Airline.

I`m interessted in hints & tipps to make a good job there.
That means:

* About Culture, are there special points to consider during the interview? e.g. behaviour, the way to talk, body language etc.

* In which level are the techinical questions?

I`m happy with any professional hint!!

Thank you all

Hape

Airline Pilot Interviews, Irv Jasinski
http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

TOEIC or TOEFL test.
TOEIC test test 2nd part:
TOEIC
MBA Center

Am curious about any tech quiz questions as well.

Hi cal4ever

Thanks for you hints. I bought already the book "ACE The technical pilot interview".
I think it is well structured and has a lot of good questions/answers.

I also take my old Jeppesen back( i fly with LIDO), to review the general part.

Any other Informations?

Thank you and have nice days / flights

Hape

Hi LEMBD

Did you have some special experience wit CAL?

Some Informations from your side?

I`m interessded

Sincerely

Hape

Do you think they will hire someone with only a CPL, 300hrs, and no jet experience?

No,
I have 6,000 with 3,000 jet(airline time) and I can't get in.

HondaFIA,

While the Asian airlines are going through what can be called a period of massive expansion, they're not short of pilots at the beginning of their careers.

Keep at it and keep building your time. Your're not that far from having the mins to apply to some of the US regional carriers.

I got the call from CAL with 4000TT and 2000Jet but after a thorough review of everything I'd learnt here and talking to a few guys who had experience of them, decided not to go for it. I did however feel a moment of regret when I lined up next to a CAL Cargo 744 last week in KORD but it didn't last long.

Good luck with the flying.

Tech quiz - again
 

All you CAL cracks.

I can't believe, that nobody recalls any of the Tech-Quiz questions with CAL. Was it not memorable at all?
All what's known is that there are 4 possible answers to the question and a total of 30 questions.

Come on guys, reactivate the grey cells! It will do you and me good.

Cheers

Kenny,

Thanks for the advice. I will keep at it and build up my hours and hopefully in the short future I can apply for CAL.



Cal4ever,

What are the 4 possible answers to the 30 questions?

HondaFIA,

No worries mate, just please promise me one thing; Do NOT go to Mesa.

No matter how desperate you think you are to fly for an airline, you are not desperate enough to go to Mesa.

Kenny.

CAL were at the BALPA conference in London (UK) this week, and they seemed very keen on getting guys through the door providing the met the minimum requirements:

1500 total flight hours
Full ATPL
Under 45
Current flight hours within past 12 months
Jet experience is a + (as is a type rating)
Fluent in English

Seem like a reasonable package and the guy gave the best presentation for entertainment by far, however, he highlighted that people do keep pulling out on contracts (5 years initially) and they are not happy about it, "Integrity" was the buzz word for his speech, stating you have none if you abandon the CAL family?

Good Luck all
YYZ

yyz

I understand that with min req. you would be offered a F/O B738 post in Taipei.

Did CAL specifiy under which conditions they would recruit pilots for the other types? (what min. reqs for B744, A330/340, who pays the typerating?, bonding?, etc.)

Cheers

Hape, is your interview in TPE or in Europe? Do you have the same interview as the normal direct entry pilots?

Viel Glück, chom mi de go bsueche im Nightstopp Singapur!
Dani

What Interview.?.....It was take a ticket and move on to uniform fitting for me.

Tech quizzz? what tech quiz? They don't know anything, anyway.

If you are breathing and can land the simulator back on the runway, you will get a job.
You might be surprised but, you are proabably better at it than the guy testing you.

It is a dead end job as anything but a captain.
Only join as a captain.....

Read the hundreds and hundreds of old posts.
More are leaving than they can employ. Ask yourself why and then look elsewhere.

From what I have been told it is initially a phone interview followed by a trip to Taipei if successful.

cal4ever
They seemed quite open for opportunities for others, type ratings were not top of the list of priorities, I do not know who would pay for the ratings or anything else along them lines, didn't pay a great deal of attention as I have nowhere near the minimum requirements.

Contacts if needed:
CAL Applications

And email: [email protected]

Fax: 886-2-2514-6336

Hope it's of some use?

YYZ

Hi International trader

You must have bad experience with CAL.

As far as i get dfferent information, it seems to be CAL did a huge improvement generally and the CAL Homepage gives me a very professional impression.

I`looking forward to meet them personally to get the final impression. Until then they have fully 100% of acceptance.

Before i start with flying i was in the "Company reorganisation and optimising" business, and with this rate of improvement i have a good feeling.

If i get a chance to join CAL, i take the opportunity.

Hape

.........and you will cry where nobody sees you and escape.It is really a huge improvement,not to have a fatal loss each year......but its far far away what you have seen in Europe,USA,Canada or Australia.

China Airlines
 

For all of you guys going to CAL interview.....and basing your decision on this forum.

A wise (bustie) man once said;



>>>>> Don’t let someone’s opinion be your reality <<<<<

I agree with Bus Tie, if I understand him correctly.
Everybody has different opinions and I wonder myself how many CAL pilots are in this forum.
Probable only a handful.
I think (even not everything is gold what is shiny) there are pilots outside telling good things about the present CAL.
I’m in the same position as Hape.
I go to this interview and I see what kind of impression the people of CAL making to me and then I decide after feeling and not according to the information’s of this forum.

Are there any chaps out there with Turbo prop time getting interviews? I recently filled out the on line application and CAL actually got back to me asking me to provide more references.I have 4000 TT and currently captain on a light turbo-prop and desperate to move on.
Have any guys got in before with just turbo prop time?
Cheers FM

CAL and light turbine time pilot
 

the answer to your questions is:

Yes and the pay was $5100 USD 3 months ago

yes and the pay was $4660 USD 2 months ago

yes and the pay was $3600 USD a month ago

yes an the pay will be even lower by the time you get the call.



good luck

I hear there is a training bond aswell? Do you pay up front or is it pro rata over a time period?
Looking at that money.........I might stay where I am.

We had now our interview!!
 

Hi again

Thanks a lot for your helpful feedbacks.
I see and appreciate, there are a lot of objective and professional colleagues in this forum.

I jus can assure you, we had a fair and professional selection, and if they like me to join CAL, i take this opportunity.

Once again thanks a lot to you allan and the best to you, ladys and gentleman!!!!

Greetings from switzerland!

Hape

That's a quote you don't get on some sites!

Good luck Hape wherever you end up, fly safe.

YYZ

To those pondering the Taiwan move.

They send you out an email a few days before you have planned the trip over for an interview etc...........confirming that they want 20,000USD Bank guarantee prior to joining (i.e you pay them 20k cash up front) and they keep it for 4 years commencing from final "check to line", and if you dont like this arrangement then dont come to the interview.

No mention of paying you any ....say... Interest on your money which they keep for at least 4.5 years(assuming your checked to line in 6 months)

No mention of paying you back that money with your salary each month over the 4 years pro-rata.

Not to mention whether or not you actually have a spare 20,000USD floating around just for this occassion.


So the bottom line is this gentlemen,

Firstly, this is a very strange way of conducting employment/recruitment. THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES IN THIS COMPANY.


The salary for a B737NG F/O is US$3300/month Minus 20% tax. I dont know where some of you guys work, but down in Aus. that equates to around AUD$860/week. Thats a net of approx AUD$44000/Year to fly a Blo*dy Boeing 737NG in what I can assume is a demanding environment.... Heck, the guy mowing the lawns at my kids school would be nearly earning that, certainly not a professional Jet Jockey.
Which leads me to the obvious conclusion that the only "Professional Flight Crew" that would take up this glorious offer would be the ones that either cannot fly for sh*t... or rich daddy will fork out the money so little Johnny can go fly the Jets.

(No offence intended to current CAL drivers whome I believe joined with much better employment conditions. My gripe is purely relating to this current pathetic attempt to employ professionals)....its the old saying.... :You pay peanuts....you get monkeys.

But wait there's more..
You will get a whole 8 days annual leave after one year, (WOW)

The contract terms are not fixed and tangeable, every item has the subclause.............."subject to change.....or subject to company policy...or at company discrection".


It would seem these "contract conditions" appear to be the main focus within their Human Resources department, with very little emphasis on the actual candidates ability to be a healthy part of their operation.


I am afraid that my principles and integrity outweigh the ambition to fly jets, at least with this particular operator, and I will pursue other "irons in the fire".



For those that choose to accept this situation, all I can say is... have a really good think about what you are accepting....I know it is a personal decision, but it is certainly not doing the Pilot group as a whole any good with this continual degradation of wages and conditions.


Cheers

SA

I do really understand why CAL is afraid of pilots would leave very soon.But as always,CAL gave a wrong reply to the challange.
You will stuck here for 3000 and something USD for 4 years and your 20.000 USD will be witheld,paying 20% tax and stay in country where the costs of life is the same as in Europe or the USA.
The challange for CAL is the following:

November 2005
ACC B747-400 First Officer Positions
Please find below a indicative summary of the package for
B747-400 First Officers available with
Air China Cargo (ACC).
Basic prerequisites, as set by ACC, are a minimum of 500 hours on type,
and Total Flight Time of over 3000 hours.
Air China Cargo B747-400 First Officers:-
Term: - 24 months – extendable (For start immediately and into 2006)
Base: - Beijing (and possibly Shanghai)

Monthly Remuneration:
- US$6,000 salary net/month paid off-shore
During first 8 weeks of training US$4,800 salary net/month
- Overtime is paid on time over 255 hours per 3 months at 1/85th of monthly salary per hour
- Chinese income tax is paid by ACC
Per Diem: - US$1,000/month as per policy and procedures for equivalent personnel
Accommodation: - In Beijing: Hotel or allowance of RMB4,000/month (2 – 3 bedroom
apartment where foreigners live, nearby is a reasonably priced International
School, University, International standard golf course, new or recently
renovated 4 – 5 star hotels with gyms and pools, variety of restaurants, and
International Exhibition Centre)
Days free of duty: - 8 consecutive days per month (averaged over 6 months), during training 2 days/week

Travel: -
-
-
-
At beginning and completion (with excess luggage allowance)
3 international return air tickets every 12 months
2 domestic return air tickets
Access to ACC and Air China worldwide services for discount travel
Sick Leave: - 12 days per annum
Annual Leave: - 21 days per annum
Insurance: - Emergency medical/travel insurance provided to purchase Comprehensive Medical Cover (personal + family) at very
competitive rates.
Other: Maximum age limit of 56 years

Screening checks are to be conducted in Beijing immediately,
with travel and hotel provided.

you have posted the info on ACC twice now, how about sharing where you got it from and how to apply there

I did post it to make it clear for everyone-even for the managment of CAL-that the current T&C's at CAL are not worth to join.
Sorry,I have just copy+paste it,I have thought the details are included.You can see and apply for this vacancy on the website of IAC.

One important thing;convert the 747 type-rating into an ICAO ATPL as the CAA of Mainland China wont accept the taiwanese licence.

So which ICAO contracting states can convert a Taiwanese Licence and rating with minimal problems & paperwork?

I thought China would be the easiest as they still think Taiwan is one of their states.

Whats the go?

Beyond.

Yeah,but mainland doesnt recognise Taiwan,so they also dont recognise any of the taiwanese authorities as the local CAA.

Anybody have a phone # for CAL recruiting in Taipei? Would a phone call be acceptable to check on my application status? Thanks!!

Having been there and gone through the interview process I can tell you that a phone call to HR department is a definite "No No"

Be patient and soon they will call you as they still doing interviews.

Bustie

CAL expat conditions
 

After reading all the bad and occassional good post regarding CAL, Can anyone provide info on the following:

1. The 8 days off per month. Is it a block period in leiu of the normal 2 days off per week we get in the west or is it additional to "normal" days off (RDO's)

2. How long are typical layovers, are there layovers at all?

3. Has anyone had any luck converting a CAL type rating at all?

4. How is the salary paid, monthly, fornightly?

5. What type of accommodation is provided when away, are meal/transport allowances provided?

Thanks

monkey

Thanks - BusTie check your PM.

1. you get a block of 8 days none stop and you can ad 2 days of vacation to it every month for a max of 30 days per year.

2. typical layover is one to two days

3. yes

4. salary is paid monthly in USD after taxes (20%)

5. housing is paid in NT. 37,000NT after tax 29,600NT

6. Hilton, or 5 star +, x-portation is provided even in TPE. and you get $2 per hour from the time your leave Taipei until you get back. even during your sleep in KLAX

anything else?

Bustie

Just to remove confusion,

5.It is either the housing allowance or the hotel, not both of course, depending of your base.

5 stars hotels...euhh, yeah sure I can provide a few stations were it is the case :-)

To continue,

Does the company pay/withhold the tax on your behalf?

Does the flat tax rate get applied to all earnings/allowances or are some things exempt?

:ok:

happy CAL pilots
 

i know this is a loaded question and i do not intend start another negative thread about CAL...but where are all the happy CAL pilots? Personally, I have 3 good friends that are happy CAL pilots....they feel the pay is great, especially compared to what you can get in canada. yes taiwan is a dirty, polluted city but so is toronto. they all see it as an adventure..maybe not a career but definitly a great place to gain expereince and a type rating in a time that is hard for pilots to get jobs. give the rest of us a little glimmer of hope that CAL is not all bad.

What are you trying to accomplish from this thread? Are you trying to justify your decision to join CAL?

Normally company witheld 20% for taxes.

I think (not sure) you can ask to reduce that to 10%.

Tax legislation is :
- You stay less than 183 days in Taiwan, expat status = flat 20%, no deduction
- more than 183 days, "normal" Taiwan tax system, rate between 10 and 40%, deduction for housing, direct family,...

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