Airline Interview Books/Study Material

Thanks for the suggestions again, guys. Skywest, ExpressJet, and Envoy will all be at my company next week which I am meeting with all of them. Skywest has always been at the top of my list and where I was looking at most gouges for.

I can always ask the recruiters next week but just wondering if anyone saw my question about the ATP written requirement above? Also, for the gouges that say a short 50 question ATP written style question bank, where is a good place to start studying those answers? I've always used Sheppard Air or Gleim for my writtens up to this point, but they weren't for interviews.
 
tcco94 said:
.

Also, for the gouges that say a short 50 question ATP written style question bank, where is a good place to start studying those answers? I've always used Sheppard Air or Gleim for my writtens up to this point, but they weren't for interviews.
Click to expand...
A good place to start would be the gouges online. Head over to willflyforfood and start reading interview write ups for the airline you are interviewing. Some of them are pretty detailed and with several of them you can get a pretty good composite picture of what will be on the tests or asked in the panel interviews.

What i do is start there, get the questions AND answers, then verify those answers from more primary sources. This has worked pretty well for me so far.
 
wheelsup said:
Sweet knock yourself out!

Just don't ask me test questions constantly on a transon like the guy I just flew with. All he talked about was airplanes, even over breakfast.

The hardest question I got in an interview:

What's your favorite thing about your current plane? Least favorite?

Is the answer in a Naval Aviator's book?
Click to expand...

You're definitely an outlier. That said, I never recommend anybody underprepare. Compartmentalizing the important stuff as you get close is best.
 
falconvalley said:
You're definitely an outlier. That said, I never recommend anybody underprepare. Compartmentalizing the important stuff as you get close is best.
Click to expand...
Reading Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators is a good idea for Delta apparently but for a commuter? Dude look through the trees to see the forest. They are asking about much lower level stuff. Don't waste your time on military pubs...
 
wheelsup said:
Reading Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators is a good idea for Delta apparently but for a commuter? Dude look through the trees to see the forest. They are asking about much lower level stuff. Don't waste your time on military pubs...
Click to expand...

I can't say I'd take anyone seriously if they said the knowledge you get from that book becomes relevant sometime between the 2 interviews. That's not the case. It's relevant knowledge. Why waste your time telling someone to not try?
 
falconvalley said:
I can't say I'd take anyone seriously if they said the knowledge you get from that book becomes relevant sometime between the 2 interviews. That's not the case. It's relevant knowledge. Why waste your time telling someone to not try?
Click to expand...

You're right, it is good knowledge and a highly recommended read. But the OP is asking specifically about interview prep for the regionals, and honestly reading that publication isn't going to matter in that regard. Are you aware of how desperate these companies are becoming?
 
at1024 said:
You're right, it is good knowledge and a highly recommended read. But the OP is asking specifically about interview prep for the regionals, and honestly reading that publication isn't going to matter in that regard. Are you aware of how desperate these companies are becoming?
Click to expand...

Yes. That's been discussed, correct? Are you guys aware that over-preparing is ok, as long as you're ready. A simple, "they won't ask you this stuff" would suffice. I'm attacking the "why bother" philosophy, NOT the content of a Regional interview. I've been there, also.
 
You know, I'm just a newb rookie student idiot etc etc etc, but it occurs to me that if you're trying to get hired by a company that operates turbofan-powered airplanes, it's probably a good idea to go into the hiring process with a basic understanding of the operation of turbofan engines. Regardless of if they're asking for you to draw them in the interview.
 
falconvalley said:
Yes. That's been discussed, correct? Are you guys aware that over-preparing is ok, as long as you're ready. A simple, "they won't ask you this stuff" would suffice. I'm attacking the "why bother" philosophy, NOT the content of a Regional interview. I've been there, also.
Click to expand...
It's about prioritization.

Aviate
Navigate
Communicate

In that order.

Would someone learn a lot reading that book? Sure. I've forgotten most when I went through my classes at you know where.

Would I put that at the top of my list when studying for a commuter? No.

Go through your logbook and have some great TMAAT stories. STAR method of responding (Google it, it's great, makes you look very polished). A first book I would purchase is Checklist for Success by Sherl Cage, a longtime UAL HR pilot interviewer (now with her own interview prep). Read up on aviationinterviews.com. Print out all the questions for your targeted companies and run through the STAR method. Practice! A lot! Any tech knowledge they want, like SkyWest for example has your draw a jet engine, learn that.

Get a decent (but cheap) suit and some shoes.

Once you're done all that, sure, go nuts with reading military flight pubs.

Here's my interview prep for Airways.
 

Attachments

  • WIN_20151104_190948.JPG
    WIN_20151104_190948.JPG
    1 MB · Views: 112
Last edited:
Ruck said:
You know, I'm just a newb rookie student idiot etc etc etc, but it occurs to me that if you're trying to get hired by a company that operates turbofan-powered airplanes, it's probably a good idea to go into the hiring process with a basic understanding of the operation of turbofan engines. Regardless of if they're asking for you to draw them in the interview.
Click to expand...
I've taken advanced systems and powerplants in college. It's not complete foreign to me, but when I fly piston engine aircraft everyday for a living... it can be hard to focus on an engine that I've never flown with in my life. That's why I want to continue to study them now so I don't try to cram a study session in before an interview and have no real "understanding" of a jet turbine engine. Hell...most of these interviews through cadet programs only ask IFR questions for some regionals?

My point was what was emphasized on the level of knowledge I should have on the systems and powerplants, rather than take a guess on what I should know. For instance, many of the gouges say "draw your aircraft's electrical system and explain" ... which I'm trying to figure out if a simple PA-28-181 electrical system is going to be "enough" for them.

Thanks for the book suggestions. I've got them all noted to purchase. I saw them at a bookstore here in PHX, but need to buy cheaper versions online. So far I've met with ExpressJet and Envoy. I've heard Envoy's pitch about 3-4 times in the last few months and a co-worker of mine is doing their instructor program. He said his interview was just IFR regs and briefing an IFR approach plate (jepp). He didn't get any technical turbine engine questions or anything pertaining to MEL flying either. I'm meeting Skywest tomorrow who is my go to airline that I want help for an interview with. Either way, the gouges could change in the next 10-12 months but I figure you guys would help me out in the process getting ready.... which I greatly appreciate.
 
tcco94 said:
I didn't want to post a question into the experiences of airline interviews for a few quick questions.

I sometimes read the gouges online for airline interviews. I notice a lot and have heard from pilots that the airlines will require you to draw and explain jet turbine engines....

I'm not interviewing soon but within the next year. I'd like to at least do some type of studying on the stuff that is completely foreign to me, like jet turbine engines.... other than the college classes I had. Studying IFR regs won't be so hard for me since I'll be teaching it to my students, but since I don't fly turbine engines, are there any good resources out there on reading about this material? From the gouges, they seem to get very detailed into jet turbine questions and some systems questions and I just assumed airlines didn't give you any type of study material and instead just expected you to come prepared?

I'm not sure if I'm just overthinking it too. I know to admit saying you "don't know" if you don't like on checkrides, but do they expect you to be 100%?

Any references that I can read now and get it into my brain for next year would be fantastic. I'd rather plan early, then a few weeks out.
Click to expand...
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...d=0CB0QMygAMABqFQoTCO_GzJuF-MgCFUpWPgodFZYOgA
 
@tcco94 - My post wasn't aimed at you at all :) In fact, it wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, period. I guess I'm just not really a fan of "you don't need to know that because it won't be on the test / asked at the interview / covered in the checkride" etc. My butt has been saved several times in my working life by some "you don't need this for the test" type knowledge. So, study away, I say!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top