TexasFlyer
Living the Dream (well at least trying to)
I been receiving many PM's on my Interview experience and since I am quite busy I will post the gouge here so you know what to expect.
First. You can stay at the suggested hotel, or find your own. I stayed at the suggested hotel. I think there may be better deals out there with some research, but not being familiar with CLT I went the suggested route. Just if you get in after 9pm don't expect to find anything in the area for dinner other than pizza delivery to your room. So yep. That was dinner.
The overall feel was very laid back. Everyone is extremely nice and welcoming at US Airways training facility.
The written test is not something to study for. If you been flying, you should do okay. Some questions are ATP based and others are their own questions. A few are tricky, so read all four choices. Overall. AIt is very very basic. Questions are literally like, "what does ALSF-2 mean," and "what is the fuel reserve for a commercial carrier" and "what does MEA guarentee" and questions on reading a TAF and questions about reading a Jepp approach. So if anything, just brush up on basic knowledge and beome familiar with Jepp Approaches. Then you will do fine on the written. Oh. There was one decent planning question (use the 3:1 rule).
The sim is a simple desktop sim. They are just looking for basic attitude flying skills and instrument scan. If you can play flight simulator with a yoke and throttle you'll do fine. It is just take off, some vectors, a couple questions like what radial are you on and how to enter a hold, and then intercept the ILS and fly it to mins.
The panel interview was with HR and a pilot. Very basic HR questions like why PSA, why did you become a pilot, tell us about your most recent flying job, etc. I had no technical interview, although I was prepared for such in case I was asked about the BE 55 I been flying. The only semi-technical questions in the interview were these two questions. I was asked to brief the Jepp Approach that was given to me. I never briefed a Jepp Approach since I use NACO, but the flow was fine on how the Jepp chart was set up. Then I was asked what does MSA mean, so I answered. Then asked how much clearance above obstacles does it give you, and I answered. Then asked how much distance it provides and I went blank when on the Jepp chart it did not list it like on the ones I use. So I told them I don't know, but I will guess 20 since unlike the charts I use Jepp does not list the distance below the segment MSA circle. I answered wrong. Answer was 25nm. Bet I never for that now!
After my wrong answer I was then told to wait in the hallway. I was hopeful, but really did not have a feeling either way on what they would decide. Actually, was not real sure why I was outside in the hall other than I knew they wanted to chat about me without me listening.
After 10 minutes they called me in the room and offered me the job. That made my day. I cancelled my future Express Jet interview since PSA became my first choice for personal reasons and I accepted the first class date offered. Had a brief conversation to present one logistics issue I have in October, but that was resolved so I left happy. They seem to really care about their pilots in comparison to some other companies. So I think I made a good choice given other potential options I had on my plate.
Conclusion. Very relaxed interview. No pressure. Just be yourself. The written and sim seems pretty standardized. The panel interview I feel has some standard HR questions with the approach brief, and then a just go with the flow of the candidate element as it really did seem more of a general get to know you conversation over a hard core technical interview.
To prepare I suggest this.
1) Skim everything explained for the professional pilot (it is an iPad App now!).
2) Be familiar with Jepp Approaches.
3) And if you have enough time on your hands, review ATP questions. Skip all the problem and math based questions. Just review the Regs and Weather and General Knowledge parts of the ATP. I suggest the Dauntless ATP Written iPad App for this as I like that one the best in preparing for interviews.
4) Just get a good nights rest.
I wish you all the best of success.
First. You can stay at the suggested hotel, or find your own. I stayed at the suggested hotel. I think there may be better deals out there with some research, but not being familiar with CLT I went the suggested route. Just if you get in after 9pm don't expect to find anything in the area for dinner other than pizza delivery to your room. So yep. That was dinner.
The overall feel was very laid back. Everyone is extremely nice and welcoming at US Airways training facility.
The written test is not something to study for. If you been flying, you should do okay. Some questions are ATP based and others are their own questions. A few are tricky, so read all four choices. Overall. AIt is very very basic. Questions are literally like, "what does ALSF-2 mean," and "what is the fuel reserve for a commercial carrier" and "what does MEA guarentee" and questions on reading a TAF and questions about reading a Jepp approach. So if anything, just brush up on basic knowledge and beome familiar with Jepp Approaches. Then you will do fine on the written. Oh. There was one decent planning question (use the 3:1 rule).
The sim is a simple desktop sim. They are just looking for basic attitude flying skills and instrument scan. If you can play flight simulator with a yoke and throttle you'll do fine. It is just take off, some vectors, a couple questions like what radial are you on and how to enter a hold, and then intercept the ILS and fly it to mins.
The panel interview was with HR and a pilot. Very basic HR questions like why PSA, why did you become a pilot, tell us about your most recent flying job, etc. I had no technical interview, although I was prepared for such in case I was asked about the BE 55 I been flying. The only semi-technical questions in the interview were these two questions. I was asked to brief the Jepp Approach that was given to me. I never briefed a Jepp Approach since I use NACO, but the flow was fine on how the Jepp chart was set up. Then I was asked what does MSA mean, so I answered. Then asked how much clearance above obstacles does it give you, and I answered. Then asked how much distance it provides and I went blank when on the Jepp chart it did not list it like on the ones I use. So I told them I don't know, but I will guess 20 since unlike the charts I use Jepp does not list the distance below the segment MSA circle. I answered wrong. Answer was 25nm. Bet I never for that now!
After my wrong answer I was then told to wait in the hallway. I was hopeful, but really did not have a feeling either way on what they would decide. Actually, was not real sure why I was outside in the hall other than I knew they wanted to chat about me without me listening.
After 10 minutes they called me in the room and offered me the job. That made my day. I cancelled my future Express Jet interview since PSA became my first choice for personal reasons and I accepted the first class date offered. Had a brief conversation to present one logistics issue I have in October, but that was resolved so I left happy. They seem to really care about their pilots in comparison to some other companies. So I think I made a good choice given other potential options I had on my plate.
Conclusion. Very relaxed interview. No pressure. Just be yourself. The written and sim seems pretty standardized. The panel interview I feel has some standard HR questions with the approach brief, and then a just go with the flow of the candidate element as it really did seem more of a general get to know you conversation over a hard core technical interview.
To prepare I suggest this.
1) Skim everything explained for the professional pilot (it is an iPad App now!).
2) Be familiar with Jepp Approaches.
3) And if you have enough time on your hands, review ATP questions. Skip all the problem and math based questions. Just review the Regs and Weather and General Knowledge parts of the ATP. I suggest the Dauntless ATP Written iPad App for this as I like that one the best in preparing for interviews.
4) Just get a good nights rest.
I wish you all the best of success.
