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ExpressJet Airlines Pilot Interview Profiles

» Home » Pilot Interviews » National Airlines » ExpressJet Airlines
Date Interviewed: February 2006
Summary of Qualifications: 700TT/30PIC/125ME - CFI/CFII/MEI w/ ATP Written
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
I got the job!
Interview format seemed to be different than the gouge, and much easier. Pack a lunch - the number one factor in the interview was that it was close to 12 hours without food or rest, and the mind seemed to shut down... by the time I interviewed my hands were shaking from hunger. That's were I discovered I couldn't complete sentences, or remember ANYTHING, my mind absolutely shut down....

3 phases like all the other gouge shows
1) "Good cop" interview, laid back:
Tell me about some system on your airplane (I got asked what the Mcrit airspeed was for the T45C... I told him I hadn't seem a T45 in 6 years)

Read off the MOCA from a Mexico En Route Chart (note mountains across your airway above 14000'). Scenario: Cleared direct to mexico airport in visual conditions, Capt rogers that he is descending to 8000', direct to the airport. What do you do? After your input the Capt becomes angry, says he flies in here like this all the time and knows what the hell he is doing, so what do you do? After you get on the ground he convinces you that you read the chart wrong, and wants you butt to get in serious trouble... what do you do to diffuse his anger?

2) "Bad Cop" interview (this was my fault...silly errors) - Read off a Metar report and determine if an alternate is required. Note: Know how to read the TEMPO times vs. BECMG times (Tempo of 111800 reads "11th from 18Z to 18Z on the 12th" and BECMG of 111800 reads as "11th at 1800Z" see the difference?) Okay so determine if an alternate is needed and would you fly this route with the reported weather even if the ceiling was okay? Look at a mexico approach plate to a VOR that is on the airport... calculate the VDP for that approach in miles (remember to subtract or add the distance from the threshold to the VOR - it will be different)
I think I got kicked out of the room at this point... I was hungry, tired, and talking stupid at this point. Very disappointed in my answers.

3) Chief pilot and Pilot Recruiter: Different twist on the drunk pilot routine question. You just have to react to it and BE SUPER CONSERVATIVE. The Chief pilot listened to my input and tried to get me to say "okay, lets just fly". I stuck to my guns, and he told me he KNEW I would have told the Captain it wasn't a big deal... we laughed and he offered me the job.

Basically I saw a bunch of people come in thinking they had totally lost their shot at this job. When I entered the last room, all of them were filling out new hire paperwork! In the morning group we had over 40 people with hours ranging from 600 to 2500 hrs (91, 135, and 121 types). I would guess that almost all of them were hired.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE PAPERWORK EXACTLY IN THE ORDER IT WAS REQUESTED. FAIL THIS AND YOU'LL GO HOME IMMEDIATELY (Saw a military pilot get the boot in the first 20 minutes of our long day. Was talking like "Ace of the Base" in the lobby and was the first to leave - I don't wish that on anyone) Staple means staple not paperclip! Also college grads.... you MUST have a high school transcript to get hired. Saw one guy get the boot after the finish line for not having his paperwork! Be careful and bring EVERYTHING in exactly the order they request it...
Date Interviewed: November 2005
Summary of Qualifications: 1500TT  600 turbinemulti  250 Hawker800xp timeAtp written, RVSM Certified
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Previous gouges are very accurate.. I will point out the new things.
You wait in the "waiting room" for a long time. There at 9am, and my interviews did not start until 12:30. Other pilots seemed to like to tell stories while we waited(as did I). This helped alot with getting your mind off thinking about interview. I thought everyone would be studying while they wait but, that did not happen at all so study before you get there(I studied on the plane ride down). 10 total in my interview time slot with 6 more in the afternoon. Lots of instructors, one from ATP and even a guy there that managed the assembly of the planes(he already worked for ExpressJet)! Another guy that had 800xp time like myself(he made it also).

Scenario: Your ten miles out and there is a thunderstorm 3-5 miles from threshold. What will you do? The captain is ignoring your request. your 6 miles out now, What do you do? Captain is still ignoring you. Captain says he is tired after a long 4 day trip and wants to get in. Your 2 miles from storm. Your 1 mile from storm. Your in storm. What do you do?

Make sure your logbook is correct eg: Total time = single plus multi etc.
Know JEPP plates and enroute charts. Know metar/taf like a second language(know ALL of it)

The one thing that caught me off gaurd the most is that in 2 different interview rooms they asked about gouges(basically letting you know that they know and asking if you read them) Advice: dont lie.

What I did to prepare:
Metar/Taf Regs part 91 Enroute/approach charts aircraft systems
refreshed on overall view of approach process(lost comm.)
Talked to several part 121 captains
AirInc. mock interview(plus they will give you a study guide!)

Good luck

P.S. I think they like 2 pilot crew experience. Everyone in our group that had it(3) got hired(doesnt mean you wont if you dont.....just an observation)
Date Interviewed: November 2005
Summary of Qualifications: 700x-coutryCPL/ME/IFR 1100TT, 570ME, 800PIC,
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:
First of all Express Jet is an excellent company to work for.
They make you feel extrymely comfortable from minute one.
Must put the paperwork they aske you to bring at the order the told you.
Technical part: know very well the systems of the current airplane you fly. Jepp Charts have to be your 2nd nature.Do not go there unless you know Jepp Charts very very well.they will give you DME Arc and you need to know it.
HR they are very friendly and they will give you an ILS. They will ask you about what did you do to prepare yourself to transition to a jet, are you ready to fly an ERJ and some personality questions
As I said know your stuff and you are in. With me there were alot of guys that currently fly for airlines(messa, pinnacle, tsa,...etc) so as you understand the competition is up there.
I am applying with them again in few months
Good Luck to everyone any be prepared

Date Interviewed: September 2005
Summary of Qualifications: CFI,CFII,MEI 1000TT, 150+ Multi
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Congradulations to anyone who has been called for an interview! It is really only yours to loose. By all means come fully prepared. That means all papers requested in precise order and ready to be handed in. Bring extras! Also, don't worry if your logbooks are messy they just want to make sure the time grid matches...make sure it does! When I arrived we all waited in the lobby about 50 people. We were taken in a room and were asked to submitt our papers and logbooks and were given some information about the company and how the interview process worked. Once again 3 rooms, 1st room was situational questions, "had I ever had an emergency and how did I handle it?" I studied systems of every aircraft I had ever flown and they asked me which a/c I have flown most recently and then asked me about the fuel system in a 172...yeah. They also asked me regulations questions for example, "11,000ft. in class B airspace, what is the maximum speed restriction? That was about it. The next room was actually the next table over and it was mostly IFR stuff. I briefed 3 approaches and was given questions on high altitude charts. MEA, MCA, etc. They sent me back to the first room to wait. I sat down with 3 people in the last room and they asked me it I had ever failed a checkride and why. Be Honest! They asked me why I want to work at Express Jet and actually asked me if I had any questions. I waited in the hallway for about 10 minutes and someone came out to tell me I was hired and I went straight into a mile high worth of paperwork followed by fingerprinting and drug testing. I was given a class date right there. Wonderful experience but mostly a let down when you study for the worst. Always be prepared. Good Luck and I hope this helps.

Date Interviewed: May 2005
Summary of Qualifications: 1100 TT, 200 ME, ATP Written, CFII, MEI, AGI, IGI
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:

There were 23 pilot interviewees who all showed up at 9 AM in Houston, TX. The average age was probably 30 with three-four guys/girls in their late 30s, early 40s. A couple of airline captains from Piedmont and MESA were there, but not sure if they got the job. The interviews really didn't start until 12:30 PM. It's a long day, considering I was up at 4 AM and on an airplane to Houston by 7 AM. By the time I was done, it was 2:40 PM, and I was on my way back to the airport for my return flight home. There were 3 sets of interviews: HR, CRM, and the technical. The HR interview for me was last with the Director of Training and an HR lady. The Director of Training wasn't too impressive and quite frankly, lacked a lot, and the HR lady was not too friendly. The experience, IMHO, was less than professional even though the facility was impressive with the SIMs behind glass walls when you enter the building. The technical interview was second for me, and I think I busted here on the ILS approach briefing. The Captain who did mine was excellent even though I didn't pass this round. Know TRANS LEVEL and TRANS ALTITUDE; know what the notation, *TAMPICO, (Mexico instrument charts) means; and know your Mexico approach charts very well. Know what VDP means and how it is calculated. How do they determine mountainous terrain? Know your grid MORA and why they are important. What is MOCA, and what does it guarantee? What is MSA and its radius? What is TCH? They asked some esoteric questions, but mostly, they try to intimidate you while you answers questions, try to get you to change your mind, or throw you off track. There is only a training stipend for about $1,300, and the FOs start out at $23/flight hour. The bases are EWR, HOU, and Cleveland with mostly likely, Newark and Houston are the bases to be assigned. You have four days to get to your assigned base after completion of training. There is NO SIM ride. There are no written tests either. I was escorted out to the front desk and was thanked for my time and told they weren't going to pursue me any further. When I queried them as to why I wasn't offered the job and asked for feedback, they said they would not provide any further explanation.

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