Asa Interview

[C-5 MEM]

I have been called for an interview on 9 and 10 July. I am looking for an updated gouge. Does anyone have any intel?


Terry V.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Terry:

Know your Jeppesen Charts, be able to brief an approach and spend some time with the FAR/AIM. At one point there was a dog eared copy of "Questions? Questions?" by Air Inc floating around that some of the interviewers would refer to. Another good resource is "Airline Pilot Technical Interviews" published by Cage Consulting. Basically, the airline wants to know if you are technically ready to start ground school today.

I believe the Company is doing sim rides in either the ATR, or EMB. The ATR is docile, the E120 a handful. The E120 pretty much refuses to go straight and power changes will yank it sideways through the "sky." Getting a few recent hours in a SIM will help ensure your scan is working for you. Neither airplane is hard to fly and the level C sims are OK. (Delta does not do SIM rides, but hopefully we still do. The interviewing process undergoes a lot of change based on resource availability) The SIM profile is take off, a couple heading changes then out to a VOR and hold. Come out of the hold and you lose an engine, single engine ILS (easy) and land. When you lose the engine the sim will be re configured for you, you are not expected to know anything about the airplane, just how to fly instruments.

The interviews are performed by line pilots and Capt. Loretta Boyd. These are fine, down to Earth, folks who above anything else are trying to decide if they would like flying with you for a month. On the day of your interview one of the Pilots may have the initials PB, if so, he is former Air Force Intel and you guys can talk shop.

With your experience and times, you may actually have more experience than the pilot interviewing you (when we had quick Captain upgrades some guys went over, then have got stuck on reserve). As an interviewer, I would want to know why you picked ASA and what your intentions are when the economy picks up. The Company has concerns about hiring pilots who will leave at the first opportunity, since training costs much more than you will earn the first year.

That was sort of my problem, having come in with a Master's Degree and jet time. However, I honestly answered citing the things I like about ASA's operations, route structure and aircraft. ASA really was my first choice, so it was an easy answer.

The other concern I would have as an interviewer is ensuring that you are aware that training is different in the regional environment. ASA does not have the budget Delta has to coddle its new hires with extra training time. Most of the military guys going through training find it a rude awakening. The programs have become more reasonable, but training still requires many 16 hour days.

They will ask you which domicile you want to live in and which aircraft you want to fly. There really is no right answer for this, since the airline's needs for new hires change rapidly depending on on what folks like me bid.

And most important of all. Have a friendly, easygoing attitude. I'm sure you have known pilots who know their stuff, fly great, take problems in stride and who are not above helping a flight attendant with a heavy bag. Be that pilot.

Rumors, rumors. (1) We are moving some ATR's to CVG, at least 9 aircraft will be crewed and deadheaded each way, or operate the aircraft through AVL on a staged trip. (2) Delta does love the CRJ700 and wants as many as ALPA will allow them to operate. There are always rumors of airplane orders, but if any of these rumors turns out to be true it could be great for you as a new hire.

Best of luck,
~~~^~~~

 

[CF34-3B1]

If you wind up flying the EMB sim for the interview, one helpful rule of thumb is for a given airspeed (clean configuraton) take the target A/S, subtract 100, then divide by 2 for a ball park power setting. (EX: for 180KIAS, set approx 40% torque) This gets you close enough to be able to fine tune it quickly without chasing the A/S indicator.

And as previously stated, the 120 sim likes to fly sideways. ANY power/config change is a 2 step process: 1) Change power or configuration then 2) re trim the rudder. Keeping the rudder trimmed makes a world of difference in how the sim flys.

Best of luck with the interview, see you on the line.

 

[C-5 MEM]

Thank you for the brief. I understand the point where the company worries about a pilot leaving. My position is who ever hires me first will be the company that I retire at. Plus the major airlines are having such a bad time with lay offs.


Thank you again

Terry V.

 

[Anaconda]

i hope they aren't using the emb for the sim check. i just flew that thing this past weekend on a LOFT and it is a piece of junk. you described the process of flying it well. make an input, then wait to see what happens. the atr sim was a heck of a lot easier to fly when i did the asa interview almost two years ago.

interesting rumor about the atr in cvg. haven't heard that one before...

 

[C-5 MEM]

Anaconda

Where are you living? TN?


Terry V.

 

[Anaconda]

TN

yeah, when i'm not on reserve at MCO i live in MQY...

 

[C-5 MEM]

How is commuting with ASA? I know MEM would be easy going to ATL. Would you know the upgrade time to capt?

Terry

 

[Anaconda]

No, the other Delta Connection

Sorry C141FE, I didn't mean to indicate that I worked for ASA, I merely interviewd with them. I didn't get the nod for some reason and so now I work for the other wholly-owned...

how did the aca interview go?

is the TN 141 unit in MEM?

 

[Airpiraterob]

well i went to the ASA website. found the email for information about resume's etc. got a reply, said error. undeliverable mail address.

so the question is this.
how do they accept resume's and,
where do i send it to?

how long did you all wait before the initial contact after you sent in yours?

thanks,

 

[C-5 MEM]

I sent a fax to ASA. Also they will be at the Air Inc in ATL on the 12-14. That would be the best place to give you resume. I know one of the recruiters and sent her a email. She sent me the paper work 2 days later. I sent it back Fed Ex the next day. That same day they recieved it, I got a call for an interview.
But like I said you should go to the Airfair conference to get noticed. How many hours do you have and MEL?

 

[Airpiraterob]

talkin to me?

900+ multi. 1000+ turbine, 800 multi turbine. all the multi turbine single pilot with no FO <we got an stc to do it> gets busy shutting one down at 17k
im good for it. i just need to get my stuff out there.

whats the best way to get it to ASA then and whats the appropriate fax/email #/addy?

i need that 121 step in there to go pro eventually.

 

[~~~^~~~]

How is commuting with ASA? I know MEM would be easy going to ATL. Would you know the upgrade time to capt?

Terry

Commuting is difficult anywhere, but probable better here than at most places. You of course have Delta pass benefits you can use on all Delta, Delta Connection and Skyteam airlines. You also have the jumpseat on Delta, ASA, Comair, ACA and possibly Skywest. However, we have no contractual protections if you can not make it to work. They will fire pilots who no show.

Upgrade to Capt all depends on ASA growth which is tied to ALPA's scope policies that we debate with intensity on the other part of this board. Right now the ATR went down to two years and five months. The RJ is over five years in ATL and around three in Dallas. There has not been a E120 class recently for ATL.

Upgrade times are very dynamic and almost unpredictable. Just a few months ago it was impossible to upgrade with less than five years seniority. However, ALPA lost their force majure grievance and we are keeping the E120's for the short term, meaning new Captains are being trained for the RJ's as they are delivered.

When scope is re-applied the T-Props will disappear very fast and those Captains will migrate over to the RJ's, meaning no upgrades for the rest of us.

So watch those scope debates to learn about ASA's future. As a junior pilot there is no issue that affects your pay and schedule more than growth.

Best Regards,
~~~^~~~