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Compass Airlines Pilot Interview Profiles

» Home » Pilot Interviews » Jet Airlines » Compass Airlines
Date Interviewed: April 2011
Summary of Qualifications: 5,000TT ATP, CFII/MEI, CE500, CE650, EMB145 type ratings, 1600 Jet PIC
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:
Compass did a very good job of supporting me throughout the selection process. Recruiter called me to offer me an opportunity to interview about three weeks in advance of the interview date. They will email you a study guide for one of their exams (aviation knowledge exam) and also a formal application and miscellaneous paperwork. Before the interview date you will be contacted in a follow-up to set up *positive space* travel to and from your home city and also to set up your hotel reservation at MSP.

Fly you in the day before on Delta or regional carrier. Hotel accommodations are at the Crown Plaza MSP Airport (used to be the Holiday Inn). It's all taken care of by Compass Airlines so no need to pay or even present your credit card.

Interview for us was at 8am but we were advised to arrive around 7:30am. Caught the shuttle from the hotel with two other interviewees. Both of them were regional airline pilots; one from AWAC and the other from ExpressJet who were well prepared.

At 7:30am we were greeted in the lobby at Compass by the HR recruiter who escorts you to a small conference room. Immediately she will collect your licenses, medical, passport and logbooks. (You will not get these back until the actual panel interview later in the day). Will be offered coffee/water and shown where the restroom is located. Quick 15 minute presentation on the company then Q&A session regarding company specifics in discussion forum with one of the flight operations people assigned to administer the interviews.

After a short break went into a computer testing room. It is dark and you'll be wearing a headset- so be prepared. First exam is cognitive abilities exam. Starts off easily but gets increasingly complex. Each question and section is timed and also graded for accuracy. Examples of the types of activities are, for example, using your left hand on the computer left or right arrow keys to select numbers in a sequence while using your right hand to keep a small black line within the boundaries of a red circle by clicking on the "reset" button whenever the erratic little line moves outside the circle. Also will see a set of numbers and letters early on and will be asked to immediately remember and write it on screen using stylus. (remember the sequence!) Was asked about it again about :30 later. (Looking for long-term recall). Also asks conceptual questions by showing a box and then asking which set of prints to use to assemble that box. Typical conceptual questions regarding a flagman and which hand he is holding the flag in (he is upside down and reversed, or right-up and reversed, etc.).

Cognitive skills testing took about :45 or so. Without a break asked to go directly into psychological profile exam. About 100 questions. Just be honest. Test will try to ask you same question multiple times/ways. Be consistent with your answers. After completing that we were asked to take a quick break and then when I returned with one of the other pilots we were told that the third guy wouldn't be continuing as he had not performed well enough thus far.

Next test was job related questions (which you had the study packet for). There are probably 100 questions related to flying. These are not gleim questions and the questions/answers are ambiguous enough as to have multiple correct answers. Read the questions and answers carefully. If you have jet experience you should be fine. IFR procedures, jet engine operation, high altitude/swept wing aerodynamics were the majority of my questions. Test is random generated from a bank so no 2 tests are the same.

After this was offered to go back to conference room. Waited over 3 hours to be called in for the panel interview (presumably while the panel went to lunch). Three of the panel are flight operations personnel, 1 representative from HR and 1 intern. Randomized, rapid fire questions not following any particular flow. Be prepared for anything. Questions are fairly straight-forward and typical for airline interviews.

TMATW had a disagreement with another pilot, TMATW you had a conflict with a passenger and how you resolved it, WWYDI captain was intoxicated, WWYDI zone control advises that meals will take an extra :45 to board; do you take a delay? if so, why? What if situation changes?

These guys are meticulous with your logbooks and will ask you varied questions about your flying background. I had three small gaps in flying at previous air carrier and they asked for explanations (were you furloughed, on long call reserve, bid vacation, etc.) they want to hear you explain solidly your flying career and background.

Unfortunately was not offered a position... however, was a good interview experience and aside from the 3 hour wait I'd say Compass was a friendly group of people and they seem to know what they're doing. Very "delta-ish" if you understand what I mean there.

Hope this helps and best of luck!
Date Interviewed: April 2011
Summary of Qualifications: met mins...by quite a bit
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
previous gouge is pretty much right on in terms of the overall process. In regards to the tests, the personality you can't study for, both of the others you can. Go to Lumosity and use their free trial just to get your brain warmed up a bit. None of the cog test sections are by themselves very difficult, but it can take some getting used to, so it helps to have that experience...

Job knowledge test is probably the most difficult part: memorize the rules of thumb for descent planning, don't forget about the distance it takes to slow down.

know holding pattern entries - I drew them all out on the scratch paper just to make it easier on myself.

know the 60-1 rule
-------------Sorry I don't remember many more of the questions- the cog test turned my brain to mush:)

After you pass the battery of tests you usually wait around for the panel interview...R-e-l-a-x....

Panel interview was very low stress, all HR, situation based, and TMAAT..

-tell me your life story in aviation

-Tell me about something you did in an airplane you will never do again

-Tell me about a time someone challenged your judgment while flying

-tell me about a situation where you had to deal with an unruly passenger

-flying along and captain wants to fly through a buildup that has hail in it, how do you address the situation? captain still says he is going to fly through it..

-F/A calls the cockpit and says that there is a passenger acting suspicious, what do you do

overall a great experience, everyone that I met was very nice and professional. Looking forward to starting!
Date Interviewed: March 2011
Summary of Qualifications: ATP
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
I was called in for an interview about 3 months after I submitted my application. I had 2 internal recommendations. They e-mail you a study guide (pretty broad, basic aerodynamics, high speed aerodynamics, weather, navigation, IFR flying, etc) and like to give you at least 2 weeks to study for the interview.
Compass gets you a confirmed flight to and from the
interview (in MSP) and a hotel.

The interview starts at 8 am with a short Company presentation, then you start the testing. There are 3 tests: Cognitive, Personality Inventory, and Job Knowledge test.

The cognitive test was exactly the same as the one I've taken in other interviews (I had it 3 years ago at Comair). bunch of mini tests like a man is holding a flag in one hand and they flip him upside down and backward and you have to tell what hand the flag is in, memory tests, they flash a string of numbers and you have to type them in once theyre gone backwards, speed tests UGKT7QU and UGKTO7U Same or Different, they give you six symbols that correspond to the numbers 1-6 and then they give you a long line of the symbols and you have to write underneath what number it is, REMEMBER the symbols because they ask you what numbers they are twice more throughout the cog tests. There were a few more but I can't remember.

The personality inventory is 240 questions of strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree. there is a time limit, but it's not a factor. Do you ever overeat, do you ever cheat at solitaire, do you think you are superior, do you enjoy trying new exotic foods, do you think we should look to our religious leaders for guidance (strongly disagree), do you ever bubble over with happiness, etc...

The Job Knowledge test is what they sent you the study guide for, it is really hard. 60 questions, 60 minutes, you can go back and change your answers (some of the other gouges said you couldn't) There were lots of descent planning calculations (some of them they give you way more information than you needed to confuse you). Lots of questions on large a/c systems (electrical, deicing, pressurization). If you have never flown one, don't just study, get someone to really explain them so you understand, because the questions are situational. Time of useful consciousness, Zulu to local time conversion, airport lights and markings, EPR definition, volcanic ash, wake turbulence (not just basic stay in the bowl), sweptback wing characteristics, hold entries, compressor stalls, hydroplaning. Very hard test, taken from a bank of questions so each test is different, not from the gleim, it is useless to study the gleim. No 121 questions. Hard test to study for, and you will leave feeling like you failed. Just don't give up halfway through, read the questions carefully and try to narrow down the multiple choice, because you will not know all of the answers. The 60 minutes was just long enough for me to answer all the questions and then go back through and thoroughly go back through them, so don't freak out about the time (i did a little bit)

Then they separate the people who passed and send the people who didn't. The people who passed go in for the actual interview. It's 3 people 2 pilots and one HR person. It lasts about 30-45 minutes. This interview is only HR questions and tell me about a time, what would you do if, what would you never do again, tell me about yourself, do you have any questions. Then they give you back your logbooks (they collect them at the beginning of the day), and bring you back to a room. You wait while they talk it over, and then they come back 10 minutes later or so to either offer you the job or not. Then if you are offered the job they give you a class date, and you fill out paperwork and go for drug testing.

Everyone is really nice throughout the process. The only stressful part is the Job Knowledge test. They are running a class every Thursday, so they need pilots. They have already spent money on the flight and the hotel on you so they want to offer you the job. Good Luck!
Date Interviewed: January 2011
Summary of Qualifications: 2500TT, 2000SIC 121 experience
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:
All in all they were very nice Paid for a confirmed seat to MSP and a hotel room near the airport and Mall of America. Van was arranged by the hotel to the interview location.

Once we arrived, they collected our logbook and info and gave a brief overview of the company and gave us a moment to ask questions.

After a quick break we proceeded to a small room for four computers. Took a seat and began the three computer tests. The screen is a touch screen and you began with taking the cognitive test. There were several short tests testing mental math, memory, motor skills, and simple reasoning.

Next test was phycological test. I agree, disagree, strongly agree, strongly disagree, and neutral. There is really no way to study for these tests.

We were given the option of one break between the three tests. When we returned it was the job knowledge test. This test was very difficult. It consited of 60 questions and you had 60 minutes to complete. On my way home I tried to remember as many questions as I could but since it was computer based, everyone gets a different test. These are the questions I remembered:

Given two GPS positions (N38degrees 24 min 22 secW, N34degrees 22min 15sW) how far apart are the two locations?

Prior to arriving at the MAP you lose you GS. The Missed approach procedure is to climb to 3000 and RT to 360. What do you do? (One answer was execute a missed approach and one said climb to 3000 and turn to 360 at the MAP. Not sure which is right)

When does a jet engine produce max effiency? (high or low trust, high or low speed)

When to start decending to cross a fix?

EPR definition?

Proverse roll and Adverse yaw?

Flaps up landing will produce _____?
higher/lower approach speed, higher/lower tail clearance

Lose an engine at V1, which crosswind is most hazardous

At fix ABC 090 radial 30DME, what initial heading to ABC 190 radial 60 DME.

FAF when established on LOC and GS

90 Miles S of ABC @ FL350, cross 10 miles N of ABC at 10,000 3* decent, when do you start decending?

If you forget to program a headwind into FMS, your TOD will be _____ compared to planned TOD.

Where is max L/D created (L/D diagram)

Which value most affects Lift
L=Co (1/2V2P)A

A Thunderstorm is 5 miles from approach end of runway, as you accellerate 5 knots before V1 you stop accelerating__________ (questions about what happens to V1)

In a skid moment is ______ (and I don't remember the rest of the question but something about increasing and decreasing in relation to rate of turn)

Shows a Jepp with decent rates needed to maintain GS. Given an airpeed and a direct crosswind and wanted to know what average decent rate to maintain.

In a constant airspeed level flight, explain relationship of lift weight thrust and drag

Several questions about taxi clearance. Just remember new FAA procedure states not clear to cross a runway w/o ATC clearance.

Danger of flying in volcanic ash.

Several questions about compressor stalls.

Hear a thudding sound after t/o with abnormal engine indications, what do you do?

Start sequence for a jet engine?

How long is consiousness if rapid decompress of FL350?

Climb from FL210 to FL350, cabin diff, press, and rate all increase. This indicates ______________.

How far offshore can you fly without liferafts and survival gear?

Cleared for an ILS means _______?

Vne definition.

DME arc with crosswind, keep station ahead or behind of reference?

Wet runway, best way to prevent hydroplaning?

Runway centerline lights?
Date Interviewed: November 2010
Summary of Qualifications: 1750 TT, 1000 ME, 900 Turbine, ATP written, Current Part 121 FO.
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:
Compass bought me a ticket to MSP which was pretty nice. They also put me in the Holiday Inn right by the airport and next to their HQ building. There were 3 of us interviewing that day and we met each other in the lobby for the van ride to the Compass building. We were greeted by HR staff and they walked us to a small room where we would "hang out" for the day. Jami, the HR?lady sat down with us and gave us a brief overview of the company. She was very nice and friendly and told us she hoped we all got hired.

After the intro she took us over to the testing room to begin the tests. All three of us took the tests at the same time which are on computers. First we took the cognitive test. You can't really study for this, but it pretty much tests your multi-tasking and ability to react. If you just stay focused, just think of it as a game. It's actually pretty fun. If you've gone throught the Delta or Comair interviews, then this is exactly the same test.

Next is the personality test. You can't really study for this either. It's 240 questions, you just put STRONGLY AGREE, AGREE, NEUTRAL, DISAGREE, or STRONGLY DISAGREE. It's questions like, you're a positive person, or you're a talkitive person, etc.

Then was the job knowledge test. This was 50-60 (I can't remember) questions and you have 60 minutes to complete. This is one you can study for. There was some mental math questions such as you're going X speed, how far are you from the VOR? There were quite a few questions about turbine engines. Also calculate when you desend to cross a certain fix at X altitude and also calculate a VDP. If you know basic pilot skills you should be fine. There were also a few aerodynamic questions having to do with swept wing aircraft. I was hung up on a few questions but I feel I did pretty alright. Mental Math for Pilot's is a good book to prepare for this. Also a book about passing the airline technical interview will help as well. No need to read the whole thing in detail, but at least thumb through the basic subject areas. I should mention that Compass did send me a study guide when they offered me an interview.

After we all finished the test, Jami came back and said we all passed. They said if you pass the tests, the hard part is over, and all you have to do is pass the easy interview.

We had lunch after that, and then got ready for the interviews. Whomever finished their test first, went to interview first. I went second, so I waited over an hour. Before they call you in, they pour over your logbooks and paperwork, which takes some time. When it was finally my turn, I went in to meet a current Compass checkairman, a retired NWA captain and an HR rep. I probably should have prepared a little more for the HR part. I was so busy studying for the tests, that I got some hard questions asks. There were NO technical questions. They were all very nice though. I started off by telling them my history, how I got started in aviation, why, where I did my flight training and where else I have worked. They also asked about my extracurricular activities which they seemed pretty interested in. They also asked me about busted checkrides, which I explained. All other questions were situational questions, such as tell me time when...have you ever...etc. I'll try to remember a few:

Tell me a time when you had to make an unpopular disicion and how you convinced others to go along with you. You're a captain and after takeoff on a 35 minute flight and there is a loud bang from the back. FA calls up and describes the bang but sees nothing wrong nor anything else out of the ordinary. All cockpit indications are normal. Pax have a very worried look on their faces. What would you tell them? Would you continue? You see an FO with their hat hanging on their bag. What would you tell him/her? What is something you did, and would never do again while flying? What did you learn from it? Tell me a time when you had a Captain not following SOP's or about to make a mistake. How did you handle it? What did you say to him/her? Did you have to say anything again while back on the ground? Why or why not? Have you ever gone beyond the call of duty to get something done, even though you didn't really have to do it? How do you feel about customer service? How do you feel about calling in sick or being late? Have you ever or how many times have you done so? Have you ever made a decision that was unpopular with the passengers? (I said I called in fatigued for the last flight of the night) Have you ever called in fatigued?

Thats most of them. They ask different questions to different people so be ready for anything. HR interview lasted about 45 minutes and then they sent me out to wait. The great thing is that Compass will let you know right away. They sit and deliberate for about 20 minutes after you've gone to make a final dicesion. Then they come out and tell you yes or no. I walked out feeling pretty good, but unfortunately, another HR rep came and told me I had not been selected. :( Bummer. Not sure what they didn't like, but I'm guessing some of my answers weren't that great when I think about it. They stumped me on a few. They called me a cab and I headed back to the terminal.

If they do select you, you'll stay and fill out more paperwork, such as more job history forms, PRIIA paperwork, drug test forms. I also believe they send you across the street for fingerprinting and drug test. After that, they call you a cab and give you a voucher to get you back to the terminal.

It's a pretty long day. You should bring your lunch as there is no cafeteria or anything. Good luck to everyone. We need as many pilots off the street as possible!
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