Being Competitive @ Cathay

[IMBB]

Could anyone who's been recently hired or called for an interview at Cathay please post your times so I can see what's competitive for hiring? thank you.

IMBB

 

[MED]

6000 TT

2600 jet

500 PIC turbine

civilian

male

ATP

 

[Corny]

1700 TT, 1600 Jet, 1500 PIC

 

[Wesb737fo]

Anybody comment on what it is like working there? Training time, schedules, bases, etc. I had a friend interview about a year ago. He went to a second interview but didn't get selected. I hear the interview is pretty intense.

 

[altscap]

I talked to a guy at my company who whent to HK for round 2 as a direct entry FO but did not get selected. He said the interview was very intenese (his first in several years), worse than you might imagine, and that the 747-200 sim is a bear. He mentioned doing 280kts at 3,000ft after a missed to come back around. Raw data ILS w/engine fire on loc capture. Not sure why 280kts, could just be him, seems a bit fast, but they are probably using the speed to increse the pressure. Said he knew a few 747 calls but sounded like he wished he would have had some sim prep. at $6-800 an hour. I thought they prefered interviewees to have no experience. Also said an interview prep would not be necessary. ******take with a grain of salt, I don't know the guy very well but have been told he is a little high-stung*******

Also talked to another guy at my company who WAS hired, but for an SO slot. He didn't have the 4,000 total at time of interview. Personally, I'd take an SO slot over no slot.

Hopefully CATHAY747400, or another CX driver will chime in with a few thoughts for us.

btw, I have an app. on file, for your numbers question. Not expecting a call for several months, but have started studying anyway. Prepare for everything, expect nothing...I guess. Luck to all!

 

[Skater]

Cathay comes up every couple of months. Run a search with "Cathay Pacific" and there is a lot of info on this board. Cathay747400 is a regular poster and has a lot of good info. I always thought it sounded pretty good. Good luck.

 

[Cathay747400]

Speak of the devil and the devil appears

My biggest piece of advice; If you really wanna decent job and wanna work for Cathay then BUY SOME 747-200 SIM TIME!!! I'll say it again, Cathay is a great company and things are getting better. We are making money hand over fist, lots of aeroplanes coming and lots of hiring. The interview is intense but they wanna hire you. Only you elimintae yourself. Yes, you have to study and a lot. Yes, the sim is a bear but it is all worth it. I love this place and am still excited when I go to work. I still can't believe I am here.

I will say again Cathay is not for everyone. You have to be thicked skinned and have to adjust to the Cathay way. It is VERY VERY different than the US. A few recent new hires are having difficulty. Attitude is everything here. If you keep an open mind and a positive attitude, you will do fine, if not you may hate life. I have been here a year and still enjoy it very much.

Just my opinion again but where you you be able to find a job flying 747's in international operations making decent pay with possible upgrades in 2-5 years on Freighter and 7-10 on passenger. Perspective-No one at Northwest/United are flying the 400 with less than about 8+ years as F/O or F/E and there are NO 5-10 year 777 or 747 captains there either. I busted my ass to get here, I busted it to get through and now reap the rewards. Best job I've ever had period...

 

[Wesb737fo]

Hey Altscap.

You wouldn't happen to work for Mesa?

Hi Cathay74,

I guess while you are on the line. How long is training and where do you live?

 

[Corny]

The interview was VERY straight forward. If you've honestly studied the interview becomes a fairly pleasant conversation about Cathay, your career, aero and 747's.

As for the sim, I know of people who did not do a sim prep and got hired. I'm thankful I did a session in Miami; I was asked repeatedly if I had, kinda makes me think they want to see dedication as much as performance.

Bottom line: if you truly want the job you'll do well.

 

[UM#1]

Hi, for anyone that can answer. I just received the package in the mail requiring you to fill out the 4 forms and send them back in. Does anyone know what the process to the interview is from this point and how long? Thanks.

 

[BobbyB]

I was hired for the Freighter Direct Entry FO job. I am military 2200 hrs/1800 PIC all turbine time except 70 civil hours. I studied my butt off for the interview but will echo what Corny said. Get "Preparing for your Cathay Pacific Interview" by Capt XYZ and have answers for all the questions in it, and you will do fine. I didn't do a sim prep, but it would have made me feel a ton more comfortable. If Cathay is what you want to do, by all means GET THE SIM TIME and study hard! Good Luck!

 

[Beer&Brauts]

I recently did my second interview in HKG (for SO). I don't believe flight times play as much a factor as most US airlines, as my group had a variety of experience.

If you do get an interview, know Handling the Big Jets backwards and forwards and use the Captains XYZ for additional study. Every question I was asked in both interviews and on the quiz stems from HTBJ. I didn't think the sim was that tough, but I have a decent amount of jet experience, and did not do a prep.

If you are married or have a GF/BF they will ask lots of probing questions to decide whether you are a risk to leave for a job back in the USA. I know several people who have gotten the job who felt their interview went not-so-well who got the job but are married to a Chinese.

Our group was told to expect a class date at the end of 2005, as they are pretty backed up for training.

 

[UM#1]

what are the pilot bases?

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

This issue of buying sim time is one that has been kicked around for ages amongst prospective Cathay hires. Those that have will swear by it, those that haven't will say it's a waste of money. As a former manager of recruiting at CX, here's my 02c:

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY.

• When you get into the sim, what the sim trainer wants to see is your learning curve - he is trying to assess if you are a training risk or not.
• In training (and I have done a lot of it on large complex types) a typical learning curve is exponential in the beginning, flattening out quite rapidly and then transitioning to an almost linear advance.
• If you buy sim time prior to coming for a second interview (assuming you get that far) you would have negated the initial exponential portion, biassing the learning process to a slow linear advance: assuming you don't screw the pooch, the trainer will have to really look hard to see advancement.
• Cathay are not looking for 747 qualified types. If you have prior 747 experience (and it's easy to spot) the bar will be set that much higher and you will be expected to perform to a higher standard. For Pete's sake, we are looking for S/O's!
• In Cathay747400's case, all I can say is that he probably never learned much from the sim time that he bought (no insult intended) other than familiarity with instrument and control layout. You can get the same from a large wall poster. If you are hell-bent on buying sim time, be sure to rent a RR or PW configured simulator as Cathay's sim is configured RR, and uses EPR.
• We have no "5 year" 777 Captains. The earliest upgrades on the 777 and Airbus have been in CX for 12 years. The 747 early upgrades are on the freighter, and that's a whole different, significantly lower salaried ball game. In the past (pre 1990) upgrades were a lot faster, but we were hiring significantly more experienced candidates - Brits, Ozzies and Kiwi's - no N Americans.

A final word on this sim time issue: In many respects, I consider the peddlers of open market sim time to be in the same league as PFT proponents. It's a cancer that preys on the weak and uniformed. Leave it alone. I would like to see them stopped.

XYZ is an an out-of-date guide that was compiled by three failed candidates - I know them all. Go figure. HTBJ, Flying The Wing, EFFORT and Al Gore's finest invention, the internet, is what will get you through.

I am a current Senior Captain with CX, 16 years with the company. Trust me, I know of what I speak.

 

[center]

Hey Cpt. Underpants, when were you manager of recruitment?

 

[Cathay747400]

Correction

Capt underpants has way more experience in this arena than I so his advice should be more listened too. All his points are correct except just one; I did not buy sim time prior to the interview. I was a DC9/MD80 captain so... 1) I was current, 2) I had loads of analog time and not least of all I flew 747-200's in a prior life. I was asked and told the truth. I flew from the left seat and did fine. I am sure that is what they expected as Capt underpants pointed out. My only point is that some have not flown analog in a while and a sim flies a lot different than an airplane so my advice was mearly a practice thing. The guys I interviewed with were all laid off and not current. Some guys that went through after me also were laid off and not current. Some failed the interview and some did not. I have been told and can of course be corrected that the sim is EVERYTHING! You HAVE to pass. I just think it may help to "brush up" not to impress but to make sure you can still fly. Just my advice. I think the job/money/career is worth it.

I did not mean to make people believe that there are 5 year 777 captains. My misquote. Yes, the freighter is a little different but still No widebody (what I should have said) at ANY major airline.

Me, I am based at JFK and fly the 744 freighter. Live in the Northeast. Hello back to you Mesa.

 

[BobbyB]

Capt U confirms my suspicions that the "learning curve" is what the sim guys look for. My comment about sim time is for the applicant comfort level. If you really want to be a Cathay guy and know your dream shot is riding on the -200 sim, having a little sim time may give you the confidence to relax and get the instrument scan going to show the learning curve they are looking for. As far as the XYZ book. It contains a lot of out of date info, and some anti-Cathay propoganda, however, it is full of questions asked in Cathay interviews. Most DON'T have answers, so you have to look them up yourself which is what makes you prepared for the interview. A majority of the stuff I was asked was contained in that book, and the ANSWERS for the questions were from the also old and outdated Handling the Big Jets. There is no "one stop shopping" if you want to do well in the Cathay interview. Capt U is a wealth of great info about Cathay, its unique culture, and the interview process. If you search this site, you will have hints like the XYZ book, Handling the Big Jets, and either get the sim time or don't. Know yourself. I got hired without sim time, my buddy felt he'd be more comfortable after a sim practice, we both got hired. We both studied our A's off.

 

[toad572]

My 2 cents

Just to add my opinion to the mix. I did Phase I in Aug and am waiting to head over to HKG for Phase II sometime early in the new year. I studied from the books by A,B,C and X,Y,Z as well as some pretty good gouge from a friend who was hired there this past summer and also a lot of research on the web. My personal opinion to getting through Phase I is a good attitude. If you demonstrate that you want to work for Cathay and are excited about flying international on some great a/c then you will be doing pretty good. The interview can be a little intense when it gets to the tech portion, but if you continue to demonstrate a good attitude and don't get rattled if you are asked something difficult thank you can get through it. I felt like my HR portion went very well, but I could have done a little better on the tech questions. Like I said, if you show a good attitude and demonstrate that you have some decent systems knowledge than you will pass. As far as Phase II goes, I've heard again that your attitude is a big item again, but the sim check is also very important. FYI, at the end of my Phase I the interviewers recommended that I get some time in the sim if I was invited to HKG for Phase II. Good luck to those hoping to get on and congrats to those that already have.

 

[Tomct]

Do you have to convert all of your FAA licenses? What kind of time frame are you looking at? What is first year pay? I have heard of what a great company Cathay is, A guy I know is based in L.A. and he loves it there! Do you have to live in HK to start or are there other possibilities? Thanks for the info!