• Pilot Jobs Board
  • Pilot Resume Database
  • Pilot Interview Gouge
  • Airline Pilot Pay Rates
  • Career Articles
  • Flight School Directory
  • Blog
  • Message Boards
  • Resume Services
  • And much more...
Post a Pilot Job

Kalitta Air Pilot Interview Profiles

» Home » Pilot Interviews » Jet Airlines » Kalitta Air
  • Page 1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2
Date Interviewed: August 2015
Summary of Qualifications: 4000TT, mostly mil, some regional 121.
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
The process started when I received a call from HR asking if I was still interested in the position. I said yes and we set up an interview date. Shortly thereafter received an email detailing the whens, wheres, and what to brings.

You're on your own getting yourself to Detroit, but once there Kalitta puts you up in the Holiday Inn Express between DTW and YIP. Hotel van shuttles you between both locations.

There were only two of us in for interviews, so the process went fairly quick. First was paperwork to turn in and fill out for HR, just your standard PRIA stuff and copies of your credentials. Then it was off to the 742 sim with a company check airman. The profile is an easy departure out of JFK, fly to and enter a hold, then shoot the ILS back in. Crosscheck and CRM are what's looked at, not how well you land or memorize the speeds and configuration schedule. After the sim was the drug test, and then the panel interviews. Our panel included the asst chief pilot and representatives from training and HR. No technical questions or what ifs, they just want to get a feel for how you'd fit in the company. The two biggest issues they're looking at is how you'd handle the 17 day schedule and your tolerance for working out of places like Afghanistan and other third world hot spots. Overall a very friendly and laid back environment. Towards the end of the interview they said they can't make same day offers, but asked when I could start. Took that as a good sign. The whole process took about four hours.

I received an email the following week inviting me to class. Can't wait to fly the whale!
Date Interviewed: May 2011
Summary of Qualifications: C-130,CRJ 900, 4600 Hrs 4500 ME
Were you offered the job? Don't Know
Pilot Interview Profile:
Received a packegae via email on the hotel, date/time interview and sim profile. Shuttle picked us up at hotel...5 of 6 showed. Once there immediately did urine test. Everyone was very nice. Was called in by Asst Chief Pilot. Very relaxed interview. Gave a few engine/hydraulic "what would you do" scenerios. Asked to brief a full procedure plate in Turkey. The rest of the interview was just talk about company history to future airplane purchases. After that sat with HR and discussed why they should hire me, what can I offer Kalitta and what did I expect from them. Next was the sim...747-200! Nice sim operator. Was paired with another interviewee...I flew left seat. Took off from 4L JFK, briefed takeoff and the instructor set speeds. Tookoff, climb to 3k, a couple of turns then cleared to DPK VOR, entered one turn in holding then outboud on 283 radial. Briefed up appch to 22L, configured and landed...very straight forward. Instructor encouraged us to help each other (for CRM) purposes and WE DID! We both were ass and elbows but it was fun! The 74 is alot of plane so be prepared to be wowed! After that, was fed pizza by company then released. Great experience and look forward to drivin the WHALE!
Date Interviewed: February 2011
Summary of Qualifications: 18,000 hours CAPT B737/A330/A320 FO B747/B727

Prev 121 airline 23 years
Were you offered the job? Don't Know
Pilot Interview Profile:
Fly to DTW, Hotel near YIP. Van to Office / Training Center.
12 candidates of varied age and background. Introduction by HR gal, fill out forms. Then two at a time in Sim...very straight forward stuff with no automation.

While others in Sim, interview with HR and then Chief Pilot, standard questions.

Afterward, go outside and wait for hotel van.

I was the last one finished and the Hotel Van never came, Doors were locked, so no getting back in. Major snowstorm and I'm stuck outside freezing. Finally after an hour, I flagged down a car and gave him a twenty to drop me at a Gas Station where I called a Taxi. Shoes were ruined and I was very wet and cold. Missed me flight home and had to stay in DTW Airport hotel.

Was a very lousy experience, I called HR Kalitta two days latter and told them to please pull me from consideration. They told me they had no record of me being there.
Date Interviewed: October 2010
Summary of Qualifications: ATP, all around nice guy
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Earlier posts are pretty close, but with some minor changes.

In the sim we stayed at Flaps 10 and 190 kts after T/O until we configured for the appch. Sim flies nice, dont make big corrections. They will give you all the numbers you need and you can ask during the ride for Flap speeds and power settings.

Short interview with 2 HR ladies. Very nice, what will I bring to the company, go thru your resume. Maybe 10-15 minutes.

Interview with 2 management pilots. Lasted less than 30 minutes I think. They tell you a little about the job and benefits. Ask what you know about the company. Standard questions about DUI, training, etc. Brief an appch plate from somewhere in Turkey and answer some questions about it. How will your family handle being gone for the 17 days? Some situational stuff....they describe a situation and you are the captain, what do you do? No TMAAT crap that so many other airlines ask you! Both guys were very nice and relaxed, I am looking forward to working there.

Recs are important...if you know anyone there hit them up. Get yourself to DTW and they pay for a hotel with a shuttle from the airport and to the training center.

good luck
Date Interviewed: September 2007
Summary of Qualifications: Military
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:

The interview was held in Detroit (KYIP) at the Kalitta Air sim building. Transportation is your responsibility, but they do provide you a hotel room. The whole process lasted less than two hours. The first event was a sim check--very straightforward. They send you the profile and grading criteria in advance so you know what they're looking for. JFK Runway 4L--takeoff on runway heading to 4000, clean up and accelerate to 250 KIAS. Then I was cleared to Deer Park to hold west on the 280 radial; that's pretty much where I already was so it was an easy direct entry. On the outbound leg I was given radar vectors for the ILS to 22L for a fullstop. They're looking at your basic instrument skills, situational awareness, and CRM. They could care less if you know anything about a 747--It's okay if you ask questions. The evaluator will walk you through the correct speeds so long as you verbalize that they're in your crosscheck. Be sure to delegate tasks and hand off aircraft control when appropriate. The ILS was flown with raw data (no FD to help you). As the previous poster mentioned, nothing below 300 feet is graded. The second event was a drug test. Finally was a 3 on 1 interview with the chief pilots (no H.R. person) which lasted about 15-20 minutes. They asked me about my flying background and also what I knew about the company. There really weren't any "tough" questions about personality, leadership, conflict resolution, etc. There were no technical questions. They asked about any checkride busts or DUI arrests. The rest of the interview was just a friendly chat about what the job is like. I asked them a few questions along the way and also at the end. My impression is that they really want to hire you if they call you in for an interview, so it's really your job to lose at that point. They just want to get a feel for you to see if you're someone they wouldn't mind spending a couple of weeks on the road with. If you're going to study anything, definitely research the company and be able to tell them about their history and direction. They have some good press releases on their website--know them. Know Connie Kalitta's background--he's into drag racing. He also owns all the airplanes outright, and his goal is to operate debt free. If you're looking for a job at Kalitta, also know that internal recommendations carry alot of weight there--I know 4 people who fly for them and put in a good word for me. Military experience is also a big plus there too; I didn't meet the 4000 TT posted on airlinepilotcareers.com, but they liked the fact I fly heavies worldwide and therefore already know how to cross the ocean and flying over countries with antequated ATC w/ language barriers. The Kalitta interview was very friendly and straightforward; like the other poster said--no B.S. Good luck!

» Home » Pilot Interviews » Jet Airlines » Kalitta Air
  • Page 1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2
Feedback Form