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I used "somewhat recognized" only because there is, as you say, separate RP ratings in Canada, and because pilots there would typically dump all their cruise hours into the "Co-pilot" column of their logbook. I'm not sure if an CX SO doing the same if applying for a job in Canada would have the same recognition. I'd say probably, but to not lose sight of the bigger picture, being employable is still a huge problem. This is because when an employer goes through the logbook during the recruitment process, they would assess (assuming they are doing their jobs) the kind of flying the applicant has performed. If the overwhelming majority of a pilot's logbook is cruise time without takeoffs and landings, this makes him/her far less employable than someone with actual P1/P2 time.
On the other end of the spectrum, you would think an AC RP applying to the likes of EK, should not have their RP time counted since in essence it's the same as P2X time... I know we're getting a bit into semantics, but reality is, if we're counting hours logged as per ICAO, time in seat is time in seat... You sat 1000 hours in a 777, it shouldn't matter if it was done as an RP in Canada, Europe, HK, or anywhere else, if one is looking purely at hours for hiring requirements...
Last edited by a334; 25th Nov 2023 at 21:34.
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Hi Panda express,
Unfortunately SO time is largely a Cathay construct and is not really recognized in most places around the world. This is true for the US, and also Canada, despite the post above saying otherwise. EK will not accept it, I'm not sure about Australia. UK apparently have just began to accept it at half. US regional carriers in an interview will likely have never heard of such a foreign concept, and will be skeptical of it.
Not many places will recognize it making it next to useless; that's not to say the job is uesless it's more to say being an SO for the logbook is not productive move forward. People become an SO for the promotion to FO, of which the time is very useful and valuable for applying for other jobs. The only problem with that is you have to be an SO first, and currently there are SOs at Cathay who have been stuck in that position for 8+ years so it's a big commitment to see through.
As an aside, it seems like your position is that you are a HK US dual national with the goal of a career in the US but with the option to be a cadet in HK. I would look at it as how long will it take you from Day 1 in HK to having a useful chunk of FO time in the logbook to make you marketable to US carriers, rather than gaining SO time
Unfortunately SO time is largely a Cathay construct and is not really recognized in most places around the world. This is true for the US, and also Canada, despite the post above saying otherwise. EK will not accept it, I'm not sure about Australia. UK apparently have just began to accept it at half. US regional carriers in an interview will likely have never heard of such a foreign concept, and will be skeptical of it.
Not many places will recognize it making it next to useless; that's not to say the job is uesless it's more to say being an SO for the logbook is not productive move forward. People become an SO for the promotion to FO, of which the time is very useful and valuable for applying for other jobs. The only problem with that is you have to be an SO first, and currently there are SOs at Cathay who have been stuck in that position for 8+ years so it's a big commitment to see through.
As an aside, it seems like your position is that you are a HK US dual national with the goal of a career in the US but with the option to be a cadet in HK. I would look at it as how long will it take you from Day 1 in HK to having a useful chunk of FO time in the logbook to make you marketable to US carriers, rather than gaining SO time
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Thanks for chiming in. Allow me to go off topic a bit, I notice there is a HKIAA cadet program and chances are cadets will also become SO in one of the three regional airlines: HX, UO, GBA. Will the SO time in these airlines be more translatable to other countries as they will be at the right seats of the narrow body, logging P2 time?
The caveat is that this cadet program is self funded and a job is not guaranteed.
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If you get on with any of those carriers, you will get a full P1 rating and will log P1US and P2. You will fly the right hand seat, either as an FO or as an SO doing an FO job. The experience gained is translatable and is in fact very valuable.
The caveat is that this cadet program is self funded and a job is not guaranteed.
The caveat is that this cadet program is self funded and a job is not guaranteed.
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