PA31Ho said:
First off, they told me June 14... what else was I supposed to do?
Uhh, how about being ready for an interview BEFORE it's an emergency? Truth be told, you really should have been ready for whatever might come BEFORE you sent out your first resume.
I know, I know, it's too late for that. But I'm afraid you've put yourself in a difficult position by not doing that. So the message is, to anyone else in a similar position out there reading this, GET STARTED WITH PREP AS SOON AS YOU TURN PROFESSIONAL!!!!!!! There are things you can do that will help you be more comfortable with a serious aviation interview all the way through whatever lower-echelon stint you have to do before you can be considered for another rung up on the ladder.
The time to prepare is not right before you go to an interview. You’ll come off stiff and robotic rather than comfortable with yourself and the answers you will offer in the interview. Part of the process is taking the time to get some information about yourself together, deciding what information you want them to know about you, organizing it in to coherent pieces that can be used to answer the questions they will have for you, and practicing answering questions using YOUR selling points as derived from this process.
Here are some questions. Some are straightforward and some are not. Be careful with the situational ones – they’re never what they seem to be. Situational questions are, by their very nature, incomplete. They’re purpose in an interview is to see how you think about difficult situations where time is of the essence and safety must be considered.
Situational questions are incomplete and ALWAYS require more information to answer. You don’t have to ask fifty questions but you do have to ask a few to get a better idea of what’s going on in the scenario they’ve posed. As I said, things are not always what they appear to be on the surface. Ask intelligent questions that show you can consider the use of resources like flight attendants or medical professionals, as well as ATC and airline station personnel and you’ll show them you can think like one of their captains. That’s part of what they want to see.
Anyway, here are the questions. If you like you can try a few answers out here. I'll tell you what I think.
Personnel Questions:
• Tell us (me) about yourself.
• Tell us (me) how you got here today.
• How did you get into flying?
• This job will require you to relocate. Do you foresee any problems with that?
• Is your family prepared for relocation with this job?
• Describe how you see yourself.
• Describe how others see you.
• What is your greatest strength? What would others say?
• What is your biggest weakness? What would others say?
• Tell us (me) about your leadership style.
• How would others describe your leadership style?
• Describe the most stressful situation you’ve ever been in.
• Where do you see yourself personally/professionally in five years?
• Where do you see yourself personally/professionally in ten years?
• This airline operates only turboprops and we do not see jets anywhere on the horizon. Do you have a problem with that?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• How did you hear about us?
• What interests you about working for us?
• How did you come to the decision to send us your resumé?
• We have five openings and fifteen applicants. Why should you be one of those selected to join us?
• Why should we hire you?
• If you were me, why would you hire you?
• Why do you want to leave your current job?
• Why did you leave your last job?
• What did you like most about your last job?
• What did you like least about your last job?
• This job does not pay very well. Will this present a problem for you?
• What types of people annoy you?
• If we check with your previous employers will they give you a good reference?
• Besides flying skills, what would you bring to this company?
• What does this company have to offer you?
• Do you know the latest stock price of the company?
• Do you have other resumes out?
• Have you interviewed with other carriers?
• How did your other interviews go?
• Have you been offered other jobs?
• If we offer you a position and another company also offers you a position would you come to work for us?
• Have you ever had your driver's license revoked?
• What makes a good Captain?
• What makes a good First Officer?
• How do you view the role of the pilot as a liason between the public and an airline?
• What makes a good airline?
• How do you feel about unions?
• Is there anything else we should know?
• Do you have any questions for us?
Flying Questions:
• Have you ever violated FARs?
• Why don’t you have your ATP?
• Do you have any accidents, incidents, or violations?
• Describe the most stressful flying situation you’ve ever been in.
• Tells us (me) about a decision you had to make while flying that turned out well.
• Tells us (me) about a decision you had to make while flying that did not turn out well. What would you have done differently?
• Would you have a problem flying with a female captain? (This would obviously be directed towards men.)
• How do you feel about using checklists?
• What is meant by the term Critical Engine?
• What multi-engine airplane are you most familiar with?
a. How much fuel does it hold?
b. What is Vle?
c. What is Vfe?
d. What is the horsepower of each engine?
e. Describe the manual gear extension procedure.
f. Can you transfer fuel in this airplane?
• Describe briefly how a turbine engine works.
• What is meant by the term "Free-Turbine?"
• How does a free-turbine work?
• Where is the highest temperature found in a turbine engine?
• Where is the highest pressure found in a turbine engine?
• What is a compressor stall.
135/121 Questions:
• When is an alternate required under FAR Part 135/121?
• When is a takeoff alternate required under FAR Part 135/121?
• Given this weather information (they will show you some METAR and TAF reports) can you launch for your destination?
• Given this weather information, can you execute the approach at your destination? (They will show you a METAR report and an approach plate.)
• You have begun the final approach segment of an approach. Given this weather information, can you execute the approach at your destination? (They will show you a METAR report and an approach plate.)
Judgment Questions:
• At 22:15, on the last leg of an eight leg day, you are set to return to the company’s maintenance base. You notice during your walkaround that the white navigation light is inoperative. What are your actions as the First Officer? As the Captain?
• At 22:15, on the last leg of an eight leg day, you are just arriving at the front of the takeoff line after a 25 minute taxi when the aircraft next to you advises you over the radio that you have a navigation light out. What are your actions as the First Officer? As the Captain?
• At 22:25 on the first day of a three day trip you notice that the captain you are flying with is in the bar drinking. You are scheduled to depart at 06:15 the next day. What would you do?
• On the first leg of a three day trip you climb into the cockpit and begin to notice that your partner smells of liquor. What are your actions as the First Officer? As the Captain?
• During a 30 minute turnaround you are in the cockpit and the flight attendant is in the rear of the aircraft at the galley station. You hear commotion coming from the back of the airplane and when you look you notice that your partner is in back with the flight attendant and she appears to be protesting. What would you do?
• As you greet passengers at the aircraft door one of them appears to be slightly intoxicated. What are your actions as the First Officer? As the Captain?
• As you greet passengers at the aircraft door one of them says, “Hey, I know you! You were just in the bar! I saw you there.” What are your actions as the First Officer? As the Captain?
• Shortly after a 600 RVR takeoff your flight attendant comes to the cockpit to tell you about a passenger who seems to be having heart trouble. What are your actions as the First Officer? As the Captain?
• You are the First Officer in the previous situation. The Captain has elected to declare an emergency and attempt to return to the departure airport. While on the approach you reach the ILS minimums and see nothing so you call, “Minimums, no runway.” The Captain continues the approach. What would you do?
• You arrive at your destination to find that it is below the 1800 RVR landing minimum. You have enough fuel to hold for ten minutes and then you must proceed to your alternate. What are your actions as the First Officer? As the Captain?
• Continuing with the previous situation. After holding for ten minutes you depart for your alternate. After five minutes ATC advises that the weather at your primary destination has come up to 18V20RVR. What would you do as the Captain? What would you do as the First Officer if the Captain wanted to turn back?
• Would you ever accept an approach clearance to a runway that was below minimums? Why or why not?
Your Questions to the Company
Relating to the Position:
• How many pilots does the airline have?
• When will a hiring decision be made?
• How long to an upgrade?
Relating to the Company:
• What are the growth plans of the company?
• What is the major challenge to the company in the short term? In the long term?
• What are the fleet diversification/standardization plans?
Employer's Expectations:
• What do you look for in an employee?
TIS
Someone actually did that who interviewed ahead of me once. We laughed about that through about 1/3 of my interview.
