China's unsafe interceptions of US military aircraft have reportedly decreased, according to defense officials [5ed1d5c5]. The decrease comes after a spike in dangerous incidents in October, which led to public condemnation from the Pentagon [5ed1d5c5]. The last interception occurred on October 24, when a Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of a US B-52 bomber [5ed1d5c5]. Since then, there have not been any major incidents [5ed1d5c5]. The Defense Department had previously warned of increasing coercive and risky behavior from China [5ed1d5c5]. However, the decline in aircraft interceptions does not diminish concerns about China's military power and nuclear arsenal [5ed1d5c5]. China currently has more than 500 operational nuclear warheads and is exploring the development of conventionally-armed long-range missiles [5ed1d5c5]. It is worth noting that while China has stopped intercepting US military aircraft, there have been maritime incidents with the Philippines [5ed1d5c5]. China's stance on Taiwan remains unchanged, with President Xi claiming that reunification with Taiwan is inevitable [5ed1d5c5].
In a separate development, the US and its allies have accused China of aggressively recruiting their fighter pilots [e1f2ac6b]. The allegations come as tensions between China and the US continue to rise [e1f2ac6b]. The US has accused China of engaging in cyberattacks, intellectual property theft, and human rights abuses [e1f2ac6b]. China has denied the allegations and called them baseless [e1f2ac6b]. The US and its allies are concerned about China's growing military capabilities and its assertive behavior in the South China Sea [e1f2ac6b]. The recruitment of fighter pilots is seen as part of China's efforts to strengthen its military and challenge US dominance [e1f2ac6b].
US intelligence officials have issued a warning to former 'Top Gun' pilots, urging them not to help China's People's Liberation Army train pilots in aircraft carrier takeoff and landing maneuvers [31da54fc]. China has been recruiting Western military talent through shell companies to teach Chinese pilots advanced maneuvers, violating US export laws [31da54fc]. Former fighter pilots from the US, Canada, France, Germany, the UK, and Australia have been hired to train Chinese pilots [31da54fc]. The warning bulletin is issued by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence and its intelligence partners in the 'Five Eyes' alliance [31da54fc]. The Chinese military has improved its own fighter pilots' skills and learned about Western air tactics through these training programs [31da54fc]. The intelligence agencies hope to deter Western fighter pilots from being lured by lucrative contracts and the opportunity to fly fighter jets again [31da54fc]. One former US Marine fighter pilot, Daniel Duggan, was arrested in Australia in 2022 for training Chinese military pilots in South Africa on aircraft carrier landing techniques [31da54fc]. Duggan is facing extradition to the US to face charges [31da54fc].
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. has faced its own challenges with pilot training. A U.S. flying school, AeroGuard Flight Training Center, has suspended all solo flights for Cathay Pacific cadets after a number of training incidents that damaged planes and went unreported [a01ff8d7]. The incidents included a wingtip collision with a fixed object, a bounced landing leading to a substantial prop strike on the runway, and a complete runway excursion [a01ff8d7]. Cathay Pacific acknowledged the events and stated that safety is their priority [a01ff8d7]. The suspension of solo flights is a setback for Cathay as it tries to restock its pilot ranks post-Covid [a01ff8d7]. Cathay plans to recruit and train 800 new junior pilots by 2025 [a01ff8d7]. Around 150 Cathay cadets are affected by the decision out of a total of 250 to 300 currently at the training school [a01ff8d7]. AeroGuard signed a contract with Cathay in 2022 to train future pilots [a01ff8d7]. Cathay Pacific's pilot numbers fell sharply during the pandemic due to border closures and isolation measures in Hong Kong [a01ff8d7]. The airline is still not back to pre-Covid levels of business [a01ff8d7].
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now investigating claims that pilot trainees for Cathay Pacific Airways at AeroGuard Flight Training Center in the US were involved in training mishaps that weren't properly reported [39b4f8bb]. The Phoenix-based flight school suspended all solo flights for Cathay cadets after incidents that damaged planes and went unreported by the trainee aircrew [39b4f8bb]. Cathay Pacific Airways acknowledged the incidents and stated that it supported the decision of the flight school [39b4f8bb]. The FAA's investigation adds to the challenges faced by Cathay Pacific in its pilot training program [39b4f8bb].
Cathay Pacific Airways has removed three cadet pilots from a training programme at the AeroGuard Flight Training Center in Phoenix, Arizona after they failed to comply with flight incident reporting requirements [50dbe49b]. The decision was made due to the airline's 'zero-tolerance' policy on non-compliance [50dbe49b]. The move followed a comprehensive investigation conducted by the training school, Cathay Pacific, and relevant authorities [50dbe49b]. The director of flight operations emphasized the importance of a just and open reporting culture and stated that non-compliance with reporting requirements would not be tolerated [50dbe49b]. The training centre's solo flights, which were suspended during the investigation, have now resumed [50dbe49b]. Concerns were raised after a series of major mistakes by Hong Kong trainees, including a wingtip collision, a bounced landing causing damage to the propeller, and a plane running off a runway [50dbe49b].
In a separate development, Cathay Pacific has come under scrutiny for its executive pay. The airline paid more than HK$60 million (US$7.67 million) to its 20 executive directors last year, a nearly 20% increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019 [dd3848b8]. This has raised questions about the company's priorities, especially considering the challenges faced by the airline during the pandemic and the need to rebuild its reputation [dd3848b8]. Critics argue that the lavish executive pay packages fail to recognize the collective effort required to weather the pandemic storm and that the airline should have focused on supporting its passengers and frontline workers instead [dd3848b8]. Hong Kong residents and visitors are said to desire lower airfares and enhanced customer service, and a more customer-centric approach in the aviation industry [dd3848b8]. The scrutiny on Cathay Pacific's executive pay comes at a time when the airline is still trying to recover from the impact of the pandemic and rebuild its business [dd3848b8].