Cathay Cadet Program

That's just what I've heard and ascertained from those who have gotten an interview. But I may be mistaken.

Hi there,

I was a near zero timer when I applied April of 2009. I was invited to a stage 1 interview in Vancouver (I'm from Ottawa). After being successful there, I was flown out to HK for 2 nights on CX's dime to attend Stage II and Stage III. I was unsuccessful due in part to my lack of experience where the interviewers concentrated their flak. However, other aspects of the interview are scored almost right away, and I know I did well on those parts. I was among 5 people from EU, and Aus. All of them had at least 20+ hours, some much more. A friend of mine was selected an turned it down. This is an opportunity where through research is a must (think housing allowance and time to command).

Overall an excellent and fun process even with the Jet lag.

Good luck everyone.

I wonder if I updated my application if they would invite me for an interview. Since I've applied almost a year ago, I've accumulated more recent flying experience, am only a few weeks away from my PPL (if the weather cooperates), and have begin working at an entry level job elsewhere in the airline industry. I might be a more desirable candidate now.

Yes I have been in touch with the HR staff there about a 2nd go. They said they would reassess my application when Canada and the states gets its turn again (apparently next year). I work in marketing, had a few hours (in 2009) and I beat CFI's in the first interview. Almost anyone can make it to the interview.

Good luck!

Thank you!

My application still says that it's being processed; I wonder if I should just start a new one...

I'm curious as to what kind of stuff they asked you seeing as so many of you were very low time pilots. Was it all flying related? I'd be interested to hear it!

Hey there,

Despite being a low time pilot you were expected to know a lot. They would keep asking stuff until you just did not know. Some highlights. What are the tires filled with? Why? What are the difference between airbus and Boeing? This was the first interview. I got these. Then the 2nd interview with seasoned cadet pilot, far along in his career and a check captain, she was precise. Here are some from that interview: Remember I had 3 hours on a Katana.

1. Lift formala, air density vaiable - if higher density air means higher lift then why dont all airplanes fly at low alts.

2. What is the best CG? For cruise? Why? How would you trim the elevators.

3. You are flying a C152 desending at 500 fpm. You pilot tube becomes blocked, what does it read.

4. Your alt box is set for 29.92 on the runway at HK, you take off to 1000 ft then put 31.45 in the alt box, whats the alt read.

5. Slats and Slots, what are the differences, why does one allow air to pass through it?

6. Why does the 773 and 773ER have different engines.

7. What is the tire pressure of the main gear tire of the 777300ER

8. Coordinates of HK and Adelaide.

9. How do Typhoons form? When? Why?

I should also mention that it was not ALL flying. Lots of why do you want to be a pilot? What makes YOU a good pilot? What makes a good pilot? Why work for Cathay? Do you like Hong Kong? Are you okay being a SO and not making as much money as the DESO's? Lots of classic HR stuff. Heaps on info on pprune, and all over the web. If you have more questions that you cannot find, PM me and Id be happy to help.


This is a great resource and is exactly the process I went through in 2009. http://www.wowpeter.com/?p=75

Hope this helps.

Here is some more off of PPRUNE.

a) Personal

1) Please introduce yourself
2) Are your flying lessons incorporated into your university aviation degree? Why and why not?
3) How has your parents influenced you in your choice of university degree?
4) What is involved in your university studies? What have you learnt as a result of your studies?
5) What made you interested in the aviation industry?
6) How has your university degree relate to your current job?
7) Does your parents, partner and company know about you being here? What are their views on you being here?
8) What did you think made you fail last time?
9) What have you done to improve on the matters just mentioned?
10) How did you prepare for this interview?
11) Why do you want to become a pilot?
12) Are your parents and partner supportive of you being a pilot?
13) How would your friends describe you?
14) What have you got to offer to Cathay Pacific if selected?
15) Did you apply to other cadet pilot programs? If so, what do you think went wrong in those application.
16) Why did you choose Cathay Pacific?
17) What do you think of Hong Kong? Will you be happy living here?
18) How have you dealt with conflicts in the past? Provide an example please.

b) Program Knowledge
1) What aircrafts does Cathay Pacific operate?
2) What's the engine on the B747-400 and A340-300?
3) What aircraft does Cathay Pacific have on order?
4) Name 5 destination we fly to in Europe
5) Where will you be sent for training if successfully chosen
6) Which airport does that flight school operate out of?
7) What aircraft will you be flying during your training down there?
8) What license will you gain after the completion of the program?
9) What position will you be offered after the completion of the program? How long will you stay in that position?
10) What choice of fleet will you be given?

c) Technical
Note: The technical questions were chosen by the pilot interviewer during the personal section of the interview, as he was seen circling and writing down the questions during my chat with the HR girl. Items were based on your level of knowledge. I was given more jet aircraft questions due to my working background.

1) Circumference of the Earth measured at the Equator
2) Is it possible to provide a fairly accurate estimate of the distance between two points (e.g: A and B) if they are both on the same meridian?
3) Where approximately is Hong Kong in refence to Lats and Longs
4) Maximum rated thrust on B747-400
5) Draw on whiteboard the four stages of thrust generation for piston
6) Do exactly the same for jet engine
7) Identify differences between the two
8) Draw VSI and explain how it works
9) If the static port is blocked during a climb, will VSI read 0 or maintain constant after aircraft levels off?
10) Name types of drag
11) Explain how the winglets work
12) What other wing tip devices are available?
13) What is aspect ratio? Explain why winglets are essentially affecting the aspect ratio.
14) What is the lift formula
15) What is the most critical aspect in the lift formula?
16) If we doubled the speed and halved the size of wing, how is the lift affected?
17) Does the airflow over and below the wing flow in a same direction from leading edge to trailing edge? Explain.
18) How does flaps affect lift?
19) What is the name for the point where lift is said to be acting from?

Thanks a lot for posting all that, appreciate it!

Uh...what? Who the hell is going to know either one of those off the top of their heads...

think they just seeing if you know your basic lat and longs... if you hammered it out perfect they might suspect you've been studying the gouges too much but if you can say "judging from my knowledge of geography, well its about this..." they probably be impressed.

Do they give out training manuals to the 777ER and 747 prior to the interview I assume? Coincidently I have some 747 manuals on loan from a friend, but it takes some doing to get all that info, even through the web...

Well I read on Pprune about how some guys have gone to that interview, and when asked questions about Meteorology, they thought HKG was in the southern hemisphere, which it's not. Kind of funny though, since I always thought it was. I think they're just checking to make sure you've done some research on the city/country.

When I did the interview back in June or July, can't remember, they what hemisphere HKG is in. I got it right. What bit me in the ass, as far as I know, is when they asked "What you do career wise if not selected?" I was honest and told them I'd keep instructing until I had enough time for a regional. Dug my own grave there. Kept hounding me on why Cathay? Why not go to a regional? I'd answer both, then they'd rephrase the question, and I'd keep answering. They essentially asked me 4 times why Cathay and why not keep instructing. The interview is where I failed, I'm sure. The tests aren't that bad at all. Study up on the packets they email you, and you'll be golden.

I don't get it, what would be a good answer then? Most low timers (including myself) dream of getting into a Legacy or Int'l carrier like Cathay... If you have 500 hours and they ask you what you will do if you DON'T get hired... you go back to what your doing before and move on to other potential employers right? I mean I understand the whole "tell them what they want to hear" idea... OTOH the whole why do you want want to work your here? and you say, "yeah I just want to get my 1000 TPIC to go to Delta/FedEx/Southwest" then that would definitely make them mad. But theres nothing unprofessional about getting over rejection and moving on to another potential employer, even if Cathay is your dream company.

Really, they should take it all as a compliment anyways, Cathay is pretty much a carrier company anyways if you don't mind living overseas, with the money and benefits you get there pretty much match any other Legacy in the US anyways.

They do not give you any specific manuals. They do give you a 20 page pdf, basic ground school stuff. If you have more then 3 hours, you should know most of it. This knowledge is used in the first interview on a 50 question m/c test.

PM me if you want the pdf file from Cathay.

Did you ever managed to get your Green Card sponsored?

Hey there, So Ive got an interview in san francisco next month could you provide me a good gouge? questions asked the whole process in general. Ive just got the Job knowledge booklet. it would help soo much!

I have applied for it in cathay's website in 2010. I tried to apply once again, but the system stores your data and you're not allowed to apply more than once.
can you tell me if this cadet program is still open? I have a commercial and i am very interested to join it.

I would like to reapply myself especially now that I have my private and am working on my instrument.

Just got a email to interview at vancouver... hmm.

Commercial Muti - IFR... and almost enough hours to start applying for regionals...

Not sure if it's really worth while for me... since Im currently a student at UND too... Whatca all think?

*Edit* I'm also a Hong Kong permanent resident too... not sure if that had anything to do with how Cathy picks their candidates..