Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airways signed a three-year deal with Polytechnic University (PolyU) on Monday to collaborate on a new course for the airlines’s cadet pilot training programme, which resumed in March after it was suspended for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline is aiming to hire 400 cadet pilots by the end of 2023 and train more than 1,000 by 2025.

The Cadet Program itself already resumed in March, with the first intake of 24 cadets set to commence flight training in October. The total duration of the cadet pilot program will be 55 to 60 weeks and will include ground theory training in Hong Kong while flight training will be done in Australia or the United States. Following Flight Training cadets will complete their simulator training at the airlines simulator training center at its headquarters in Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Augustus TANG and PolyU Council Chairman Dr LAM Tai-fai welcomed Secretary for Transport and Logistics LAM Sai-hung as the guest of honour at the signing ceremony, which took place at Cathay Pacific’s headquarters, Cathay City. Civil Aviation Department (CAD) Assistant Director-General (Flight Standards) Clara WONG was also in attendance.

The Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mr Lam Sai-hung said today’s signing ceremony was very meaningful as it marked a milestone in Hong Kong’s aviation industry. The Cadet Pilot training programme would not only groom more pilots for Hong Kong, but it also marked the first time that aviation theory courses would be taught by a local institution, writing a new chapter in Hong Kong’s aviation history and enriching the variety of aviation professional training in the city.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Mr Augustus Tang said: “We are delighted to be continuing our Cadet Pilot programme. As Hong Kong’s home airline, we are committed to continuing to invest in young local talent and the long-term development of the Hong Kong international aviation hub. We firmly believe that there is huge potential for Hong Kong to become a leading centre for aviation training in the world, and this new integrated course will provide world-class instruction and training for prospective pilots. We would like to thank the CAD and PolyU for their support in getting this new course off the ground.

“Since the inception of our Cadet Pilot training programme, Cathay Pacific has trained more than 1,000 cadet pilots from Hong Kong. We look forward to welcoming candidates who will be starting the new cadet courses and becoming part of the Cathay Pacific team upon graduation. As we get ready to meet the rising global demand for travel, we have already started a comprehensive plan to hire 4,000 front-line employees to meet our operational needs over the next 18-24 months. This includes over 700 pilots, of which 400 are cadet graduates joining as Second Officers by the end of 2023. Overall, we aim to train more than 1,000 cadet pilots by 2025.”

PolyU Deputy President and Provost Prof. Wing-tak WONG said: “The civil aviation industry has been the backbone of Hong Kong’s development. PolyU and Boeing co-founded the first Aviation Services Research Centre (ASRC) in Hong Kong ten years ago and the centre has since become a successful exemplar of research and innovation collaboration between academia and industry. The University later established the Department of Aeronautical and Civil Aviation Engineering to provide undergraduate, master and doctoral degree programmes to nurture talents in the industry and strengthen scientific research in the field of civil aviation and aeronautical engineering.”

Prof. Wong continues: “Moving forward, we will continue to actively collaborate with industry partners to develop more professional qualifications and training programmes in support of the National 14th Five-Year Plan, so as to contribute to the healthy and sustainable development of the civil aviation industry in Hong Kong and the Nation.”

Source: Polytechnic University Press Release

Photo Credit: Cathay Pacific Airways

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