Cathay Pacific was delighted to celebrate the graduation of its latest batch of cadet pilots who completed the Cadet Pilot Training Programme. It also marks the very first time that graduates’ ground theory training was conducted in-house by Cathay Academy, demonstrating Cathay’s expertise in creating and delivering tailored and comprehensive training.

In addition to the theoretical ground training, these cadet pilots also underwent flight training at AeroGuard Flight Training Center in Arizona and Multi Crew Cooperation (MCC) training in flight simulators with Cathay Academy before graduating from the programme. These 34 graduates have since joined Cathay Pacific as Second Officers and commenced flying duty. Currently, there are more than 500 cadet pilots in training as part of the Cadet Pilot Training Programme.

Cathay Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer Alex McGowan welcomed Civil Aviation Department Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation Clara Wong as the guest of honour at the graduation ceremony, which was held on 16 May at the airline’s Cathay City headquarters.

Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation Clara Wong said: “For over 35 years, Cathay Pacific’s cadet pilot training programme has served as a cornerstone for nurturing local aviation talent. From engaging more flying schools around the world, to having theory courses taught by local institutions, and now Cathay Academy, together we are making history. This evolution aims to make pilot training more effective, efficient and sustainable.”

Cathay’s Alex McGowan said: “Developing aviation talent has always been a priority for Cathay. Our Cadet Pilot Training Programme provides us with world-class aviators, many of whom have gone on to hold senior training positions with us, as well as key flying leadership roles.

“Today’s graduation carries special significance as it marks our first group of cadet pilots to go through our very own Cathay Academy ground school, including Multi Crew Cooperation training in our simulators. This enables us to ensure the highest quality training, get closer to our future pilots, and enrich their overall experience. It also expands our ability to develop future generations of aviation talent locally.

“Our sincere appreciation goes out to the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Civil Aviation Department for their unwavering support.”

Cathay Pacific currently operates multi-path integrated courses for training its cadet pilots, including courses developed with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and its in-house Cathay Academy. Each course sees cadets first undertake theoretical ground training, then flight training at AeroGuard Flight Training Center in Arizona or Flight Training Adelaide in Adelaide, followed by multi-crew simulator training also developed by Cathay Academy at the airline’s Cathay City headquarters in Hong Kong.

Cathay Pacific’s Cadet Pilot Training Programme was launched in 1988. Graduates of the programme include 185 Captains, more than 40 of whom are Training Captains. The airline also has seven management pilots who originated from this programme.

Since 2022, the Cadet Pilot Training Programme has provided training for more than 1,000 cadet pilots. As Cathay continues to play its part in elevating Hong Kong’s status as a leading international aviation hub, it targets to recruit more than 130 cadet pilots in 2025 as an airline Group.

Enrolment for the Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Training Programme is open, and the airline greatly encourages aspiring pilots to visit the following link for information on the application criteria and the benefits of a rewarding career:

https://careers.cathaypacific.com/jobs/cadet-pilot-programme-2590883