Cathay Pacific recently celebrated a significant achievement in its pilot development efforts: the graduation of its latest cohort of cadet pilots. This event was particularly noteworthy as it marked the first time graduates completed their ground theory training entirely in-house at the Cathay Academy.
The graduation ceremony, held on May 16 at Cathay Pacific’s Cathay City headquarters, welcomed Civil Aviation Department Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation Clara Wong as the guest of honor alongside Cathay Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer Alex McGowan.
These newly graduated pilots have already joined Cathay Pacific as Second Officers and begun their flying duties. Their training journey included ground theory instruction at Cathay Academy, flight training at AeroGuard Flight Training Center in Arizona, and Multi Crew Cooperation (MCC) training in flight simulators with Cathay Academy.
“For over 35 years, Cathay Pacific’s cadet pilot training programme has served as a cornerstone for nurturing local aviation talent,” said Acting Director-General of Civil Aviation Clara Wong at the ceremony. “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.”
The airline’s commitment to developing aviation talent remains strong with more than 500 additional cadet pilots currently in various stages of training through the Cadet Pilot Training Programme.
Alex McGowan highlighted the significance of this particular graduation: “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.”
Cathay Pacific’s Cadet Pilot Training Programme, launched in 1988, has produced 185 Captains, with more than 40 advancing to become Training Captains. The program has also developed seven management pilots who began their careers through this pathway.
The Hong Kong-based carrier currently operates multi-path integrated courses for training its cadet pilots. These include courses developed with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and its in-house Cathay Academy. The comprehensive training pathway includes theoretical ground training followed by flight training at either AeroGuard Flight Training Center in Arizona or Flight Training Adelaide in Adelaide, then concluding with multi-crew simulator training at Cathay City headquarters.
Since 2022, the program has provided training for more than 1,000 cadet pilots. Looking forward, Cathay Pacific plans to recruit more than 130 additional cadet pilots in 2025 as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading international aviation hub.
Aspiring pilots interested in the Cathay Pacific Cadet Pilot Training Programme can find application criteria and career information through the airline’s official channels.
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