Professional Documents
Culture Documents
with none, you will need to study the book that they give you from the early tu
rn of the century, I would recommend some addition basic reading too on Basic Ae
ronautical Knowledge, you should be able to fine enough online or go to a flying
school and see if you can buy or borrow one, about 40 USD I would expect, or ev
en half for a used one.
- Reasoning Test (45mins)
Again this was an absolute breeze, very much different to the QF boxes reasonin
g test, but matrix aligned reasoning of addition multiplication and substitution
or rotation in picture format. I got a copy that some d1ckheads before me decid
ed to write all over. I was happy to see they circled about 5 wrong. This is eas
y again if you look into your local library, or look up MENSA testing and do som
e practices to get the hang of what is required.
- A Personality Assessment (30mins)
I can not remember if I did do this, I don t think I did. I honestly believe thes
e are BS in the most part, but sometimes do keep the loons out. Hence maybe the
reason I did not progress further than I did.
I did want to attach the basic letter of offered conditions here and will do so
when I relearn how to do so via an outsorced HTML site. Basically it is 4 pages
of notes, so the figures and fact are then public.
This is what you should prepare to know:
Approx 180,000 aircraft movements per year.
Just under 27 million pax per year.
1.8 million tonnes of freight.
90 million dollar revenue, 14 million profit.
19,000 core staff
27,000 in subsidiaries.
Founded 25/09/1946 by an American, Roy C Farrell, and Australian, Sydney H De K
ranzow.
Major achievement in 1998 was achieving permission of the polar routing to NYC
direct.
Swire group is the parent company and controlling intrest. They have a large st
ake in and control over many other businesses around asia, including
Air China,
AC Cargo, Air Hong Kong, Dragon Air, etc.
Destinations:
Johanesburg
Adelaide
Brisbane
Cairns
Melbourne
Perth
Sydney
Auckland
Beijing
Shanghai
Taipai
Bahrain
Chenai
Dehli
Mumbai
Karachi
Jeddah
Ryadah
Colombo
Dubai
Paris
Frankfurt
Milan
Rome
Moscow
Amsterdam
London
Toronto
Vancover
Los Angeles
New York
San Fransisco
Denpesar
Jakata
Surabaya
Kula Lumpor
Penang
Cebu
Manilla
Singapore
Bangkok
Ho Chi Minh
Fuokoka
Nagoya
Osaka
Supporo
Tokyo
Seoul
Need to know: Hong Kong Lat Long: 22 deg 18 min 32 sec north. 113 deg 54 min 52
sec east.
spoken language in my opinion is about 95% as wel
Hong Kong: 95% ethnic Chinese
l. Although you can get around speaking English it is about equivalent to living
in Qubec city although english is another official language people do treat you
differently if you can not speak the language although unlike the French Canadian
s I found the ethnic majority of Chinese to be very pleasant and accepting that
I could not speak much of the language.
City consists of 7 million people.
New territories have been added. Know something about these.
Three goals of CX:
Safety first
Grow winning team
Socially and Environmentaly responsible
Base starting salary:
Approx 45,000 HKD refer to pictures for more official documentation and reasoni
ng.
After expenses of living (housing, eating out, transport, bills and leisure exp
enses the take home pay after tax I calculated to be about 10,000HKD)
NB/ this is being frugal and living below my current standard of living. It is
important to look for a place that you want to be happy living in when over ther
e.
A/C and numbers:
Subject to change and I have found many varying sources from both official CX w
ebsites and documentation contradicting itself and other user posts here on prun
e.
120 currently online:
777-200 (5)
777-300 (12)
777-300ER (19)
747-400 (21)
747-400F (6)
747-400BCF (12)
747-400ECF (6)
A340-300 (11)
A330-300 (32)
AC on order: 90
777-300 (27)
747-8F (10)
A350-900 (32)
A330-300 (21)
Engines currently used on each AC:
777-200 T877
777-300 T884B
777-300ER GE90-115B
747-400 variants:
PW 4052
RB211-524
A340-300 CFM-56-564
A330-300 T772
You should know static or full thrust ratings for these engines, but will not p
ost these as you need to know why the engines designators are what they are:
Ie. T877 is the Trent 8th series engine with 77,000 pound of thrust (from memor
y).
You need to know this if questioned.
NB// For anyone with previous flight experience; know your type and the speeds
etc. Know what does what and why.
I unfortunately got asked some curly questions and was told to explain why cert
ain aspects are used for certain periods in flight and why we do not change our
speeds etc (company policy for us). But you will get asked to demonstrate the kn
owledge you have not just regurgitate it.
Know your emergency procedures: (you should already) and more importantly think
about the reasoning behind why.
Questions I was asked through various stages and prep ed for:
? Name and identify the following AC and give reason to how you came to your ch
oice. (best practice go on airliners.net and have a look through there as there
are multi-choice games where you can pick AC types, after a while you should for
m some distinction)
? What is the x-wind limit of current AC type, is this a demonstrated limit, wh
at does demonstrated mean?
? This is the landing designated, wind is XX/XXX tell me x-wind and headwind co
mponents: I used the 60/45/30 method of 90/75/50 for my answering which seemed f
ine.
? What does a SO do? What would a likely roster be? How much time on and off do
you expect to have?
? What AC do we operate?
? Where do we fly in Europe/Asia/Australasia/Japan/Middle East/Americas?
? What AC are on order?
? Why did you want to fly?
? What have you done towards getting your qualifications to fly?
? Why did it take you so long?
? Why did you choose your degree?
? What aspects did you enjoy most?
? Which aspect did you struggle with?
? What will you do if you don t work for CX?
? How did you fund your PPL?
? How long did this take?
? Why did it take this long? Is this normal?
? When did you go solo?
? What other activities do you do?
? Why should we hire you?
? What would your friends say about you?
? What would ex bosses say about you?
? What role do you assume in teamwork?
? Are you a leader or follower? Why justify your answer and give and example.
? Why did you choose aviation?
? How did you find out about the program?
? What is the differences b/n leading edge and trailing edge devices? What are
Any fines payable as a result of failure to have the correct travel documentati
on and/or Hong Kong visa at the time of travel ill be borne by the applicant.
Best Regards,
CX Cadet Program
Dear Mr_Pilot
SECOND OFFICER INITIAL INTERVIEW
Welcome to CX city, blah blah Enclosed is a map of the surrounding areas for nav
igation. Access is strictly controlled, get your pass from downstairs in the mai
n entrance.
Day 1:
Welcome brief:
Nothing to really say.
Interview:
Laid back and mostly informal the process is varied, as some were interviewed b
y HR and a pilot where some were interviewed by just pilots it seemed. Know how
to explain things about aviation if you are already a pilot, know timings and ho
w these change with Longtitude and why. Know distances and timings of aircraft t
o fly between places.
Group exercise:
Scenario given where each member has 5 minutes to read a brief of what is invol
ved and requested of them to choose a commander for space mission.
NB/ Each member is given different information for the selection. There are num
erous applicants on the table in the middle, be sure to pick these up the examin
ers do not say anything and will not comment.
Use the board for working things out. Work together and divide tasks. They are
looking to see you can work as part of a team. You then have to choose someone t
o present your decision and then answer each a question proposed by the intervie
wer.
How did you feel about the choice?
If you walked out for five minutes and came back, what would you change?
How did you think the group worked together?
What would you do differently?
Who was a leader?
Were they good?
What role do you think you played?
Was this more important or less important?
Etc.
Flight Planing exercise:
Given to a group of two you are given 10 minutes to digest an information packa
ge and prepare for a series of following questions?
NB/ you are given different information and should collaborate from the start.
Ask to compare notes and make sure you both understand the additional difference
s.
Then you are given a series of scenarios at which you are asked to work both se
perately and together.
At the end of the exercise you are required to write a report for management, i
nto how and why you came to your decisions.
Mental Maths:
Seriously hard for some questions. Of absolute no real relevance to flying but
more so conceptual equations like .9999 x 9999.9 x 1/9 = xxxxxxxxxx there is no
multiple choice given for this, but you have to give a numerical answer. Horribl
e. I did okay I think as I have taught some of this crap maths, but find it prov
ides no real benefit except for flight calculations or approximations in concept
ualising data or timings.It may be good to revise again a math section on an IQ
booklet if you have one, or again borrow one from the local library.
Harrison Test:
I like working with my hands.
I like being appreciated for my worth.
I like being paid a lot.
I like being autonomous.
t these conditions do not come until others that waited it out get them first, b
ecause I for one will be casting the first stone of annoyance if you think thing
s will change. The bar has been set and it has been set low. As long as you are
happy to live with this decision and raise kids etc in a local lifestyle mannar.
But I do hope that you realise what you can get paid somewhere else if you do w
ait it out.
I do hope you have read through all the pages previous and that you are happy i
n knowing that you may not fly for a while. I hope you like living in Hong Kong
and realise what a life of an Airline pilot entails. It is not all glitz and Gla
mour, and if you are young and starry eyed, know very well, you will having noth
ing to look back on if you enter the program with no experience doing anything e
lse.
Live within your means, and these will change. The flight crew you will be work
ing with, are on 3-6 times as much money as you, and it is doubtful you will eve
r be able to accumulate as much money as these people. These will not be the peo
ple that you are able to make stable friendships and alliances as you are coming
in on the local equivalent wage. Do not expect to eat at expat restaurants or g
et blind drunk in the Fong without worrying about where your next 70HKD are from
. Although I hope you are able to find friends and make it all work out, I would
think long and hard about leaving mates in whatever country you are that are ha
ppy to pay for a round and support you where you are on equal footing.
That being said I do know people that are in CX and are happy there. I guess on
ce you are there and set up and established it may be alright as you hang out wi
th other SO s or expats, but again, not many people go there unless on a lot of mo
ney. And by a lot I mean more than twice what some of them get paid for doing th
e same thing in an equivalent first world country.
But judging from the postings and experience levels of people that came before,
I felt somewhat embarrassed to apply for this scheme. Just as I would if someon
e with 500 hours applied and was hired for my job. Not to mention the proposed s
afety risks I would not like being undercut in pay.
I thank everyone for the postings they have helped put up as it has helped me m
ake an informed and I believe balanced decision. CX do not care about you as an
employer now as much about you as a number that can be incorporated into their s
ystem. I would love to be a number in this system, but the numbers being offered
to me for this opportunity are non-negotiable, and unfortunately a breaking point
for many people.
All in all, the thing is I love my job, and still have room to grow in it. I am
treated well and respected by my boss and colleagues. Hopefully with time and t
he growth in global economy again expansion or eventual retirement will force ou
t more pilots, and the increased demand allows me to work locally for an operato
r that values the time and effort I have already invested in not only myself but
aviation in general. This may be prudent to remember in that you are betting th
e next ten years of your life (6 years to probationary FO, then other 4 to accum
ulate enough hours to become competitive in a labour force for repatriation or t
o any other carrier re:P2X rating) against the concept that CX will improve your
conditions above another upturn in the economy. And if this upturn occurs they
will increase your wage to that of expatriated labour forces brought in ahead of
you to ease any shortcomings? Again, I do not want to push my views on others a
s it is a decision for each persons circumstances, and if given the same thing a
year ago I would have been a lot more humble and tried to suck up my pride. I w
ant to let anyone out there that is aspiring to move onwards and upwards that al
though CX does offer something now that is good for some it is not always good f
or all. If you have the drive and passion for aviation it will still remain. I k
now people who love flying are now depressed and considering career moves away f
rom aviation as they do not get to fly in being a SO. Just because you do not be
come a airline pilot now does not make you a failure in any means. There are a m
yriad of jobs out there and employers do look for people with the right attitude
. Channel your passion to shaping the right stuff and you will be fine. Good luc
k to all and I hope this helps someone out there as many before have helped and
inspired me.
MP