Asian Flag Carrier Highlights Over 30 Year Partnership with FTO

Australia – Cathay Pacific has highlighted the long-standing role of Flight Training Adelaide (FTA) in its Cadet Pilot Programme, underscoring Adelaide’s favourable training conditions and the depth of the partnership that dates back to 1994. FTA is one of Cathay Pacific’s two primary ab initio training providers and has trained more than 1,500 Cathay cadets over the past three decades.

• Adelaide’s stable weather and clear flying conditions continue to make it an optimal environment for intensive flight training, supporting consistent sortie schedules and accelerated training progress.
• The Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Programme, now in its 35th year, has produced thousands of pilots, many of whom now hold senior roles across the airline including Chief Pilots, training managers and Senior Training Captains.
• Cadets begin with ground school in Hong Kong at Cathay Academy or Hong Kong Polytechnic University before progressing to approximately 35 weeks of flight training at FTA, where they achieve key milestones such as first flight, first solo and first multi-engine experience.
• Upon completion, cadets return to Cathay City as Second Officers and undertake the Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC) Course to transition from single-pilot operations to multi-crew airline environments.
• The programme continues to broaden participation, with female cadet representation rising significantly. Recent intakes have seen 35–45% women, compared to just one or two per class several years ago.

Statements

• Captain Jules Tidmarsh, Head of Flying Training, noted: “There are people throughout the organisation now, including Chief Pilots, training managers and Senior Training Captains, who came through the programme.”
• Captain Tidmarsh added: “We’d love to see applications coming in from anyone who has an interest in aviation… If you have the right to live and work in Hong Kong or the Chinese Mainland, put in an application and give it a try.”

Source: Cathay Pacific