Recent Incidents Lead to Suspension of Solo Flights for Cathay Pacific Cadets

US Pilot School Suspends Solo Flights for Cathay Pacific Cadets After Training Incidents

A pilot school in the US has taken the drastic step of suspending all solo flights for Cathay Pacific Airways cadets following a series of training incidents that resulted in damaged planes and unreported incidents by the trainee aircrew.

The AeroGuard Flight Training Center in Phoenix, Arizona, made the decision to ground all solo flights for Cathay cadets after witnessing an “alarming increase in solo incidents during cadet training,” according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News.

The incidents in question were not minor, with one involving a wingtip collision with a fixed object, another resulting in a substantial prop strike on the runway due to a bounced landing, and the most recent incident being a complete runway excursion. In each case, the required consultation did not occur, and in two out of the three instances, the students failed to properly report the damage.

Cathay Pacific responded to the incidents by acknowledging their seriousness and stating that they are taking them seriously. The airline emphasized that safety is their top priority and that they fully support the decision of the training school to suspend solo flights for their cadets.

The suspension of solo flights comes at a challenging time for Cathay Pacific as they work to replenish their pilot ranks post-COVID. The airline suffered a sharp decline in pilot numbers during the pandemic, and the situation was exacerbated by Hong Kong’s strict border closures and isolation measures. As a result, many pilots resigned, and the airline’s business has yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels.

Cathay Pacific had announced plans to recruit and train 800 new junior pilots by 2025, with around 150 cadets affected by the suspension of solo flights at AeroGuard. The flight training school had signed a five-year agreement with Cathay in 2022 to train future pilots in 10-month programs.

AeroGuard Flight Training Center also provides training for other airlines, including Air India, China Airlines, and SkyWest Airlines. The school offers programs for both aspiring pilots with no prior experience and experienced aircrew looking to convert their licenses to Hong Kong standards.

The decision to suspend solo flights for Cathay cadets underscores the importance of safety in aviation training and the need for thorough reporting and consultation in all training incidents.