Many thanks to this website for helping me up during the prep for my test. I just thought in mind that since there was no information for Garuda Indonesia's Interviews, I promised myself that I'll write one if I succeed. And I did it!!! So here it is. I hope it'll help pilots to prepare for the test of Garuda Indonesia.

My invitation for the test was on June 2004. Actually I was inviting myself by bring my application at the last day before the 1st test. So if you heard that your friends have been contacted but you haven't, don't be shy to bring it even at the D-Day (It's true, my friend did came early in the morning at the test's day). FYI: This wasn't my 1st attempt! I've been through it 3 times before, and always failed..  So it was my 4th that came to a good ending. Morale of the story: Don't give up even though you've failed many times before guys! And I tell you: No connection's needed! (I don't have any family or relatives at Garuda). Of course you need some luck as well..

The first test was a written Psycho test. It helps a lot if you get help from Mr.H.Istingal (021-4401182). He is a psychologist, and he'll tell you everything you need to know about the Psycho Test. I heard of him from a friend, and he is awesome man!

The 2nd was a psycho test interview (sometimes they call it "wawancara kompetensi"). I've been interviewed by a woman from HRD named Ms. Melly. They asked me questions about what I've wrote and drawn in my written test. I think you should do simple and short answers. The more you talk, more probability of wrong words, and it could leads you to hell. Just act as a cadet with short, simple, and military type answers. Don't get too comfortable with the HRD. They are expert on interviewing, but you're not!

The 3rd was User Interview. This is the main part of the test. You will be questioned about aviation knowledge by 3 or four Senior Captains and a man from HRD. I studied The Jeppesen "Aviation Fundamentals" and some great gouge from this website during my preparation. The thing you have to know is: You need to know and understand all the basic knowledge that your Flying School gave you. Since those are kinda tons of materials, you should prepare for User Interview at least 2 weeks before the date. Here are some of the questions I can remember that have been orally asked or drawn for me and for other participants: - 2 aircrafts with different altitude, which one has bigger TAS than the other? (It's about the different in density: Higher altitude - Higher TAS). - Different kinds of Airspeed? IAS, CAS, EAS, TAS, GS, Mach Number, and how are they measured? - Wash in - wash out (the difference of "angle of attack" at wing root and wing tip). What for they build it that way? To make the wing tip's stalling speed lower than the root's. - Different kinds of wing shape and what are advantages and disadvantages? - Lateral stability: Dihedral and Unhedral. - How can an aircraft fly? It's about Airfoil. Explain!! - Drag. How many types are they? Explain!! - Flaps. How many kinds are they? Explain!! - 3 axis on an aircraft. Longitudinal, Lateral, Normal/Vertical. - Calculating point of descend. - Calculating headwind and crosswind components. (With sin & cos formula) - Thunderstorm stages. - Classification of clouds. - Conversion of temperature. - ISA. - Atmosphere. Layers and contents. - VFR and IFR Rules. - Entry Holding. - Interception Procedures of ADF and VOR. - Everything about aircrafts you have been flown. Performance and characteristic. - You will be given a paragraph of text in English, and after reading it you have to explain it to them in your own words (in English of course!!). And you can expect to be questioned bout what's written on the text. It's quite easy since you can understand of what I write this far, or can't you??? Hehehehe ;-) - Different kinds of altimeter settings: QFE, QNH, QNE. - Stable and Unstable Air. - Hydroplaning. - Four Strokes of Piston Engine. - 2 aircrafts flying head-on on a track (ex: the 1st from city A to B, and the 2nd from city B to A). The data that's been given are: ground speeds of each A/C, ETA of each A/C, and distance between A & B.

A B Distance

Calculate the time and the point when the 2 A/C will meet! You might be asked to do the calculation on a White Board. Hints: 1. Calculate the flight time of each A/C. 2. From the Flight time, calculate the Departure time of each A/C. 3. Find the time difference between each departure time. 4. Assume the difference is "x minutes". 5. Assume GS of A A/C is "GS Out", and GS of A/C B is "GS Home". 6. Calculate the position of first departing A/C at "x" minutes after departing. Name this point "Z". 7. From the position of both A/C at x minutes after the 1st departing (Which is the time when the other one's departing), we now have a NEW Distance which is from "Z" to "point of the last departing A/C. 8. Fill the values from the above calculation into this formula:

The Meeting Point (in Nm from Z) = Distance x GS Out GS Out + GS Home

Note: Distance in this formula is the NEW Distance (from Step7) There are wide varieties of this question, but this is the hardest one. If you can do this, then the others are easy. All you need is to improvise your mind a little bit and do a lot of practice.

The 4th was Simulator (Aptitude) Test. You'll be tested on a full simulator of one of Garuda A/C. Usually they'd use the 737-400, but if there's some certain reasons the F-28 may be used. Generally both of them are quite the same, as you'll be examined on your basic flying skill such as scanning and response to the captain's order (except the 737 is more sensitive than the F-28). The test will only take about 10 minutes for each candidate. You'll be ordered to make some basic exercise. Those are: - Straight and level flight, maintaining certain heading, speed, and altitude (eq. heading 150, 250 Knots, FL 150). - Level turn with 25 degrees angle of bank, maintaining speed and altitude. - Climbing Turn (250 knots, VSI 500 ft/min), descending turn (250 knots, VSI 500 ft/min). - Unusual Position (Nose up or Dive). I prepared for this test by spending many hours on FS 2002 in my PC. I suggest you to use The Flight One Dreamfleet B 737-400 aircraft as it provides me better handling and instrument scanning than the default Flight Simulator Aircraft. The key is: Scanning, Scanning, and Scanning!!! Focus on the Basic T Flight Instrument, don't bother look at the Engine Instrument (N1 or RPM), and don't use the rudder when turning (the A/C has yaw damper). Although precision is important, but the main idea is how you make the correction and adjustment during the test. They won't expect you to fly precisely (it's probably the 1st time you sit on the A/C, isn't it?), but they want to know if you get the idea of how to fly a Jet A/C instead of a prop one. Just be patience with the throttle, it's not as responsive as it does in Propeller A/C

The 5th is Medical Check. Well in this part I don't have much to say, just stay healthy, a little bit of jogging, and a lot of prayer. And there's also a Psychiatric Test, you'll easily get through it unless your name is Dr. Hannibal Lecter.. Hehehe

The 6th is Aviation Security Test. It's easy folks. Just answering a few question about safety matters, religion, and Pancasila. Be conservative at all times!!!

The 7th is TOEFL Test. Of course! As a pilot you'd need a good English Skill. For me, I studied with CD-ROM TOEFL Test. It includes simulation tests. Your scoring in these CD won't be a lot different than on the real TOEFL Test.

The 8th is The Final Result. Fiuuuuwh. Finally here we are now. It takes around 2 weeks from the TOEFL test before they called me on the phone, and told me the good news. The next working day I signed my training contract, and a week later I started my B 737 300-400-500 Ground Type Rating at Duri Kosambi. So good luck guys!!! (Curug 56)