Cathay Career progression

[NAAPilot]

Thanks again to everyone has answered my seemingly dumb questions...Just wondering if anyone can tell me a good place to pick up some of the study material that has been mentioned above. Most importantly Preparing for your CX interview. Thanks in advance....

 

[rhinodriver]

Need some fertilizer for your lawn?

I'm confused. Normally a large number of aircraft on order, especially widebodies, would cause a flood of applications. And, judging by what I've heard of the schedules, it sounds like a pretty nice QOL can be had right off the bat. If that's true, why do I hear about so many people bitching/quitting and why? Where is the grass greener?

-Moose

PS - speaking of the DEFO position.

Good questions... there's really no greener grass. It just depends on what you want and what your other opportunities are.

This is a good job. Maybe not the best job, but a good job. If you know what an actual debrief of performance (good or bad) is like then you probably will not have problems here. If you are a delicate flower and get your feelings hurt easily then you should probably stay away cause training (checking) will be hard for you.

If you think you don't have the hours but are interested... just apply. I've been here about a year and a half and was hired DEFO with 2200TT. I've heard that a guy just started with 2000TT. All they can say is no...

As with everywhere the company has issues, but the check is there every month and I enjoy quite a bit of time off.

 

[Little Bubba]

how do you enjoy the increase of the retirement age?

 

[Trash8Mofo]

As a DEFO, one would get a check every mo? I thought that was just for the SO. what kind of checks, sim, line check, oral?

do you guys bid for your time off like every other airlines or the co assigns them to you? e.g. you bid for the specific pairings vs. pre-made lines that you'd pick based on senority.

one last stupid question. If a pilot doesnt use his/her hotel room, does the company split the savings with the pilot (a hotel bank)? Thanks again.

 

[rhinodriver]

Ooops, I didn't mean check ride

As a DEFO, one would get a check every mo? I thought that was just for the SO. what kind of checks, sim, line check, oral?

do you guys bid for your time off like every other airlines or the co assigns them to you? e.g. you bid for the specific pairings vs. pre-made lines that you'd pick based on senority.

one last stupid question. If a pilot doesnt use his/her hotel room, does the company split the savings with the pilot (a hotel bank)? Thanks again.

Sorry, I ment the pay check.

You have very little control over your schedule. There isn't bidding like at a U.S. carrier. The company just writes your schedule. You can request certain trips or certain days off but you may or may not get them. You also get a block of 5 days and 2 days every three months that you get off (so you don't have to bid vacation for stuff like birthdays etc). We also get 42 paid days of vacation per year.

The hotel room thing... yeah right.

Age 65 is likely coming to everywhere at some point so I see it as a wash anyway (not that I'm happy about it).

 

[Bjammin]

In a company that is expanding as much as we are and being between 15 and 25 captains short on the freighter this month, I think this is the absolute best time to raise the age.

Imagine if it happened in a downturn. Then I might be pissed.

 

[Little Bubba]

Bjammin,

Why are we 15-25 captains short on the freighters?

 

[Bjammin]

Many reasons.

1. FO's on the freighter would rather go to the PAX side as FO's then upgrade to captain on the freighter because: A. They don't want the crappy rosters the captains have. This makes for even worse captain rosters (self licking ice cream cone) B. It's about the same money either way. C. They don't want to take the chance of failing the upgrade course.

2. We get new freighters all the time and "A" scale guys are not signing up for freighter trips.

3. Some captains are finding greener pastures.

The intigration of the fleets will help, but with all the new A/C orders it is just a band-aid.

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

BJ, don't feel obliged to answer Bubb's questions: he already knows the answers and is trying (successfully) to stir the pot.

 

[Mooseflyer]

Good questions... there's really no greener grass. It just depends on what you want and what your other opportunities are.

This is a good job. Maybe not the best job, but a good job. If you know what an actual debrief of performance (good or bad) is like then you probably will not have problems here. If you are a delicate flower and get your feelings hurt easily then you should probably stay away cause training (checking) will be hard for you.

If you think you don't have the hours but are interested... just apply. I've been here about a year and a half and was hired DEFO with 2200TT. I've heard that a guy just started with 2000TT. All they can say is no...

As with everywhere the company has issues, but the check is there every month and I enjoy quite a bit of time off.

Thanks for the replys Rhino et. al.

Are there a "minimum" number of days off per month? From what I've read/searched for here, sounds like most guys are doing 2 trips per month, of 5-7 days each?

42 paid vacation days ain't too shabby! Does this work out to 3 months off per year, or doesn't it work like that?

From what I've researched so far, sounds like a pretty nice place to be - now if they'd only call.....

 

[rhinodriver]

Are there a "minimum" number of days off per month? From what I've read/searched for here, sounds like most guys are doing 2 trips per month, of 5-7 days each?

42 paid vacation days ain't too shabby! Does this work out to 3 months off per year, or doesn't it work like that?

quote]

There is no minimum number of days off per month. How much they can work you is governed by Hong Kong flight time limitations. Here is a quote...

"A Flight Crew member will not act as Flight Crew of an aircraft if at the beginning of
the flight:
a. the total of all previous Sector Times during the period of twenty eight
consecutive days expiring at the end of the day on which the flight begins
exceeds one hundred hours; or
b. the total of all previous Sector Times during the period of twelve calendar
months, expiring at the end of the previous month, exceeds nine hundred
hours." If you do the math it averages 75 hours a month. There is talk that Cathay is petitioning the HKCAD right now to have these hour requirements lengthened. Hopefully they will be preserved.​

​

​

Our contract reads "Officers entitled to forty two (42) days' Annual Leave will receive a minimum of ninety two (92) Guaranteed Days Off per year." Since we are on salary for the majority of our pay they are all basically paid days off (hourly duty pay makes up only a very little part of our check unless you are into overtime which starts at 84 hours).

Cheers

 

[captpetefam]

Another stupid question

So, I've heard all sorts of 'rumors' (mainly from guys I'm flying with in Europe) that say that CX is a terribly boring place to work. I've heard you can't read books or newspapers in the flight deck. I know that most carriers have that rule but what the heck do you do for 12 freekin' hours on a long haul flight without reading the free USA Today, latest novel or doing Sudoku? I would think the brain would stop functioning due to inactivity.

I've done some flying across the pond with empty aircraft and even with our position checks and fuel checks, we still had time to watch a show on the laptop.

Again, I'd be willing to put that all aside to have a stable place to work and get me back in the ol' Red, White and Blue but I'm just wondering what it's like.

Cya,

CP

 

[Cpt. Underpants]

Cal me anal if you wish, but aren't you employed as a pilot - to do your job for 84 hours a month? Too much to ask? If it is, then you really shouldn't consider Cathay at all.

Our FOMs' clearly state that nothing other than "company publications" are to be read on the flight deck. Movies? You have to be kidding. Try watching a movie while you're at the controls and discover how fast CX sacks people.

 

[vtwin]

Yep, that is what it is like.............

 

[Bjammin]

It's not as bad as all that, my god.

Sure CX is pretty anal about that sort of stuff, but they also now say that short naps on the flight deck are authorized.

I personally, as well as many captains, think it's better to keep the mind working with something of interest or taking a nap when the other guys is alert then just staring off into space or both zoning out for 8 hours.

 

[Trash8Mofo]

So, is it accurate to say that one eye on the USA Today and one eye on the flight displays is OK? Just dont bust out the Video Ipod or God forbidden the damn laptop! Its that about right?

What do you say the % of Capt is cool with that?

Or am I completely wrong, that sorta reading is not at all allowed at CX?

Im not a slacker, but boredom is the #1 compliant of job un-satisfiction (other than lack of advancment and seeminly unfair treatment, scientifically speaking).

 

[Mooseflyer]

Thanks again Rhino, but I think I'm more confused now than before. 92 guaranteed days off per year is only 7.666 days per month, no?

 

[captpetefam]

Majority Says

I would agree that 35,000 ft is not the best place to be whippin' out the iPod or Laptop. I would also agree that having a book open or newspaper would not be bad.

I think the primary difference is like when I'm at home. It's much easier for me to drown out the wife's chattin' when I'm watching a show on the tube compared to when I'm reading a book. It's much easier to keep the head alert but still in the flying game when you're reading compared to not doing anything.

Who knows, maybe those CX Captains are just so incredibly interesting to listen to that I won't want to read anything...

Cya,

CP

 

[rhinodriver]

Thanks again Rhino, but I think I'm more confused now than before. 92 guaranteed days off per year is only 7.666 days per month, no?

You raise a good point and something to consider before you decide to come here. We have no trip or duty rig parts of our contract to protect us. We are basically protected by the flight time limitations that I mentioned before. The company has worked some freighter captains into 100 hours a month. This will soon stop as the passenger guys are now flying the freighter so there are more bodies to throw at the problem of scheduling. I listed the number of days I've had off per month as a year two (non-relief) first officer below.
Aug - 18
Sep - 24 (14 were leave)
Oct - 14
Nov - 14
Dec - 18
One other thing to consider is my trips start pretty late at night and I live in domicile. So I get the whole day off before I have to go to work. But my schedule doesn't account for that. It just depends on how you want to look at it. I've only been into overtime twice with the company and both times were less than 2 hours. The relief guys do a couple of extra days a month, but that should ease up a bit as the company brings more relief folks to the line. Recently the relief qualification became an add on at the end of initial training. They just haven't gotten around to me yet (not that I'm actively seeking them out either).

So to answer your question.... I guess they could work you as much as they wanted per month within the guidelines of the flight time limitations of Hong Kong law. Right now I'm pretty happy with the time off...

 

[ballsdeep123]

might have missed it but do they require a 4yr deg?
thanks