Day 1
Started with intros, bus from hotel will drop you off at the Asa building, then waited in the lobby until we were met. Written test: questions on notams, vmc, approaches, fars, commercial written stuff, hold entries, wx, etc. My essay was "describe hydro planing", others were "describe wx radar", "describe thunderstorm avoidance", and "explain high altitude operation". After that, it was an hr questionnaire of basic hr questions, easy enough. "describe your worst flight, worst and best attributes, how people would describe you, etc". Then tabular test, grid -17 to 17 x and y, every point has a number, so it is jam packed. Nine minutes, I finished 48 of 50, stay focused and quick. After that was lunch, it was 5 bucks for a catered meal. Then job knowledge interview: my guy asked about mea/moca, ils parts, 121 takeoff alternates and destination alternates, 121 ifr rules, critical engine, thunderstorms, microbursts, regs, captain drunk scenarios, captain not responding at mins, a couple personal questions and had me brief the ILS34 into Ashville, NC. Some were asked the classic saltillo teardrop ILS approach and other questions along those lines. After that, a little paperwork, fingerprinting, drug testing, and a beer with the others.
Day 2
Began at delta building. Went into a small computer testing room. First test was a cognitive motor skills test. Remembering number sequences, multi tasking, remembering shapes and numbers, mental math, the works. The second was a neo personality test, 240 questions, nothing really to study from the first two. Final test was the delta pilots knowledge test. It consisted of a lot of subjects, different
applicants got different categories. I had questions on compressor stalls and other turbine systems, EPR and N1 readings and scenarios, descent planning, ifr regulations, airport operations that seemed like they were really dated, Mach number problems including changes in temp, altitude, TAS... A lot of stuff they expect delta applicants to
know, so some decently hard stuff. I would say study jet items like turbine operations, Mach related items, and things delta captains should know. it was NOT the ATP written. After that was the sim ride. Pretty straight forward if you are doing the 737-200, it just flies like an elephant, and thus, according to our sim evaluator "only responds to a 2 by 4 across the nose, not gentle precise inputs. You get briefed on powers and pitches, ie: cruise 250kt, 4 deg nose up, 1.30EPR... climb 250kt, 1.90 EPR 8 deg nose up, yadda yadda, we had plenty of time to go over the profiles during lunch. Just watch out for how long it takes to react to throttle changes, and fly the pitches! Your pitch attitude should NEVER be lower than 2 deg nose up or higher if you fly the same regimes as us. The hold was simple, a cardinal radial and either a parallel or teardrop. You don't get to draw it, just look at the HSI for reference and do it. After that, descend at idle, get dirty, and shoot an ILS to 500 agl. Another applicant is in the left seat, so use CRM, have them set bugs and make calls to remind you of what you're doing. That's it.
They told us that they are trying to eliminate the process from day 1 and have it be a one day interview consisting only of the delta building items. So heads up... They said maybe sometime around march possibly. |
