Background: R-ATP (AMEL) Military 800+TT, ~200+hrs multi-engine turboprop, Commercial (ASEL and helicopter), 3-types, FAA IGI and dispatch certs
Bottom Line Up Front: Apply at Skywest! They want to hire you, don’t wait. Even if you don’t meet the minimums just yet, interview now, lock in a class date, seniority is everything. Changing jobs or getting out of the military, lock in that class date now. They need to hire at least 350 pilots ASAP and are sending some pilots to Paris, France for sim training because they have so many pilots in training right now and have a sim backlog. Join now and watch your seniority grow.
Submitted Resume: 6/16/2015. I followed up with a call shortly thereafter, called SkyWest airlines headquarters number 435.634.3000 and asked to speak with pilot recruiting, spoke with Kristin B. She pulled up my application and we chatted for a bit. Afterwards we talked about scheduling an interview. We scheduled an interview two days later on 06/18/2015, in Houston, TX at a pilot recruitment event. (They pay for the flights to/from interview, positive space, no standby required) Interviews started at 10:00AM, short video and slide deck about SkyWest. SkyWest had two captains and one HR representative in site. Open forum, or at least we made it that way, the group asked questions as they went through the slides, about an hour. After that there was a one-on-one technical interview with a line captain. Break for lunch provided by SkyWest. One-on-one HR interview with a line captain. Break. Then a two-on-one de-briefing, they give you feedback on how the interviews went, and if they went OK they ask preferences for aircraft and training dates. I was told that they send their recommendations to headquarters and that they would get back to me shortly thereafter. I was called the next morning 6/19/2015 with a conditional job offer. I accepted!! Class date 6/25/2015 in the ERJ-175. As this pilot recruitment event away from the simulator, No Sim, No CRM event, and No written exam (might have been due to my current ATP or my military background). Easy going, professional, learned a lot. If they invite you to the interview, it’s your job to lose, study and be prepared, and get hired. I know that at least 4 of the 5 guys that interviewed got job offers, two military, two CFI, one guy with SIC light jet time.
Technical Questions:
Swept wing; characteristics (general discussion) Where does the wing first stall? What does an impending stall do to aircraft control? What effect does airspeed have on a swept wing (low vs. high speeds)
Rudder Boast (general discussion) what does it do, what does it prevent?
Bleed Air: Where does it come off the turbine engine? What is it used for? How is it cooled?
No electrical questions
Know 91.175, flat out. Know when you can continue an approach if weather from the tower goes below minimums (before and after FAF). How would you demonstrate that you as the pilot had the required visibility to land? Know distance(s) and what markings on the runway mean and how far apart they are. Being able to draw it was helpful. When can a Part 121 pilot go to 100ft above the runway height?
Jeppesen Charts:
Approach charts; Know everything in the “Landing minimums” section. They sample chart they used allowed a RVR reduction if you were flying with a flight director and AP, reduced from RVR 2400 to 1800.
Know that in the “Briefing Strip” that the height above ground at the FAF is given.
What does the “D” in “D-ATIS” mean?
What does the MSA tell you? What distance does it apply to?
They had me brief the missed approach instructions and asked how I would fly it.
Asked what weather I would need to start the approach? Then asked how those weather requirements would change if part of the landing system was INOP.
What does the (L) and (H) mean next to the Navaids.
Low level chart: Asked about airspeed restrictions under, over, and within below and above 10,000MSL in class B airspace.
SID: How can you tell the minimum altitude per segment, and distances between segments? On my particular SID the minimum altitude for the first segment happened to be lower then the published procedure so ensure you give them the higher of the two when describing how you would fly it.
Weather: Microbursts (Know when they happen, what they look like). What are aircraft indications that you have encounter one? What should you do? Increase/decease power?
Virga, know what it is and what it tells you as a pilot
You will read a METAR and TAF. They will give you an estimate arrival time and ask if you need an alternate. Then ask what weather you will need at the alternate. Questions about the fuel required? If you file with a single alternate and then if you filed with a second alternate.
Was asked to read the remarks section as well, so read up on that.
HR questions: Biggest weakness? Weakness in the aircraft? Any failed checkrides? How actuate is your logbook? Tell me about a time you were scared when flying? Tell me about a time you broke a FAR? How would you deal with a younger pilot, maybe with less experience than you, that is the captain of the aircraft? How would you deal with a difficult co-work/captain/flight attendant? What will be your biggest challenge at ground school?
