Everyone arrived at the interview at 7:30 to be briefed by Lori Clark. She started out by getting people to say some jokes, just trying to cut the tension a little. Then Capt. Scarf came in and talked to us about the company. What aircraft they fly, which ones we will probably get, what bases to expect, the company benefits, etc... It seemed as though lower time, close to company minimums, were going to go into the jets, CRJ or ERJ. They were about a 3 to 4 year upgrade. All higher time candidates were going to go to either the 1900, A THREE MONTH UPGRADE, or the Dash8, A TWO MONTH UPGRADE.

Next four line pilots came in to answer any questions that we might have, three captains and one first officer. They are also part of the interviewer staff. We had about 30 - 40 applicants. They had eight interviewers total. They divide up into four groups of two. So it kind of depends on which ones you get. They do not deviate much from the previous gouges. Written exam was 50 questions.

I was interviewed by one HR and a line captain. They started by asking:

How did you get interested in flying?
They asked about any blemishes on my driving record? Be Honest!!! I had a reckless driving, I told the truth about what happened.
Captain shows up smelling of alcohol? Safety!!!! Don't waiver. They are going to try to make you change your answer. Don't.
Captain goes below DH without runway environment.
Define runway environment.
Have you ever disagreed with a co-worker. How did you handle it.
They wanted me to explain any gaps in my flying history.

Technical:

I had to brief an approach.
Then I had to finger fly the approach.
Asked a couple more questions on the approach plate.
Read this Metar.
pulled out a TAF and put me in a scenario and asked if I need to list an alternate. Know your alternate minimums for whatever you are flying now. I was Part 135.

That was pretty much it. Some of the other questions I heard posed that I didn't get were:

Descent profile questions.
Lots of enroute chart stuff. Know Jepp charts!!!
They really look through your packet (resume, driving record, letters of rec., logbooks etc.) if you go through it yourself and can tell a story about it whether it was positive or negative you should be good. Stay Positive.

I will start by saying this, if you get called for this interview you have an excellent chance of being hired. The interview is exactly as the previous gouge states. You must study the ATP written and omit all figures and 135 regulations, if you study the written will be very easy. Next you leave the room and once everyone is done with the written they give a company overview, the interview captains, Todd and Lori are hilarious. Once the company overview is over you will be scheduled for you personal interview. The questions I got were to brief this approach then finger fly it, then several questions on the approach plate and enroute chart. After this they pulled out a Metar a TAF and asked me to decode it. When do you need an alternate? What are stages of a thunderstorm? What is most severe? Then they gave the Capt goes below DH what would you do? Capt smells like alcohol what would you do? How do you feel about moving to the mid west and how much notice do you need. I was called with an offer 2 days later. Good Luck, this interview is very low stress.

Well, I have been waiting a looooonnnnnnggggg time to be able to contribute to this fine site--and now I can! I interviewed with Mesa on the date noted above. In order to be interviewed you are going to need to fill out the entire employment package located on their website and submit it with a $50 check. Two weeks after they received my package Lori Clark called me for an interview. I was offered 4 different days to interview, 2 for the next week and 2 for the following week. I chose the latter to give me more time to prepare. They send you an information packet through email which contains all the information you need to know as well as your space available flight information for getting to PHX. They conduct the interviews at the Holiday Inn Select Airport in PHX. A nice hotel for only $35.00 per night (crew rate) but you have to call asap after Lori calls you in order to secure a room. You fly in the day before and the interview takes place at 7:30am sharp in one of the conference rooms (everyone mingles in the lobby beforehand). There were about 25 candidates on my particular day, of those there were about 4 females and 2 minorities. Everyone socialized real well (hey--we are all in this together, right). Flight exprerience really varied, some were just CFI's like myself while some were flying corporate (Lear's and King Air's) and one guy I met was still in the USAF as a B-52 Pilot! They start the day off by introducing themselves and really trying to make everyone feel at ease. They ask if anyone knows any jokes and about four of us spoke up, most were corny buy it did break the ice. Then Lori and Todd (her husband who is a Mesa Captain) filled us in on the day's events. After that, Capt. Scarff? gave a briefing on the company pay/benefits as well as equipment and domiciles information (nice guy). After that, about 8 Mesa Captain's came in the room and introduced themselves and spoke about themselves and answered any questions that we had (they would be assisting with the interviews). Then the 50 question test was passed out. It is entirely based on the ATP so if you have taken it recently (I did just the week before) you should ace it (no performance questions or flight planning). It is not pass/fail but I do think that it goes a long way towards determining how your Tech/HR interview will go. You have an hour to finish the test but most were done within about 25 minutes. They call everyone back in after they grade the exams and inform you of what time slot you will get for your 2 on 1 interview, times ranged from 10am till 4pm, I got 11am. Make sure you are there well before your interview slot as it does not look good to have them call out your name and you are not available (this happened to a couple of folks). They gather up your log books, certificates, drivers license, medical, and Radio permit and look over them prior to actually speaking to you. Then they call you in. My interview may vary from someone else's as it really depends on who you get, but I honestly do not think that they are trying to trip anyone up. They want to see what you know and how you will react to their questions. They do not give you any indication on how well you are doing or how well you did on the test. The first part of my interview was technical questions like, read this metar out loud (know all the parts, even the ones you usually ignore). Then he asked me to read a TAF and tell him if I needed an alternate or not. Next, he wanted me to brief an approach and explain how I would enter the hold (Flagstaff, AZ I think). He then asked me what I needed to see in order to land (know all the visual requirments). He then asked me what the MSA circle meant. After that he pulled out a low enroute chart and asked me a few hold entry questions coming from different directions and some very basic symbology. After that, the other Captain began asking me some 'what if' and HR type questions like, 'What do you like about flying'? What do you dislike about flying? What would you do if the captain gets to MDA and continues to decsend? Of course, I said declare a missed with the tower and he quickly stated that it was an uncontrolled field--so be ready to tell them what you really would do! Next, he asked me the drunk captain questions (alot of people think that this is an out dated question but as recent news events continue to show--it is still quite relevant). Then he asked me why they should hire me rather then my fellow interviewees. Lastly, they asked me if I had any questions for them (which I really didn't). The whole interview lasted about 15 minutes I think. However, some people were in theirs for as much as 45--it just really depends on who you get. Afterwards, Lori had me fill out some additional paperwork and then I was done in time to eat lunch and go home! Some folks that got a later time slot though were still not done at 4pm! Nearly 2 full weeks after I interviewed they called to offer me a class date (it was pure torture during Christmas but I should now have a happy new year!). Everyone seemed very genuine and they are definetly hiring however, someone earlier posted that they are just looking for a pulse--that is pure BS, if you go in there with that kind of attitude and you WILL NOT get the job! I have corresponded with several of the other interviewees and some already have gotten the rejection letter so take this interview seriously--you were warned! This was my first airline interview and I was pretty nervous but am glad that the 'right rudder, right rudder!' days are now closing (although I would not have changed a thing about being a CFI--I learned so much more because of it). Go to the Mesa website and fill out the application as well as ALL the other paperwork that they want (it will take you about 2 weeks to get it all together) and send it in! They are hiring!

The interview was conducted in Phoenix with Mesa Airlines providing a pass to fly to the interview (check your flights frequently as you may have to leave
very early in the morning to make sure you get a flight out). The morning
started off at 0830 am at the Double Tree (Mesa Hqtrs. is right next door).
Ms. Clark came in to welcome us to the interview and told us that Mesa would
like to hire all of us. Then the written test on Part 121 regs was
distributed. The questions are straight out of the ATP book just like the
FAA would give them to you (questions posted from 11/99 were very helpful but
not the only things on the test). So if your currently flying 121 now -
study the book, don't rely on your experience. After the test, several FO's
and Captains for Mesa spoke to us about the company, their experiences and
future plans. After they spoke and told us about themselves, it was our
c! hance next to tell them about ourselves. Then Ms. Clark came back in and
gave us all an interview time. I recommend you stick around unless your time
is several hours away. The face to face interview is with 2 of the FO's or
Captains that had just spoke to you. The interview was a very pleasant
experience. Not at all what I had expected. It seemed to be geared more
toward HR than technical. They asked me about 3 technical questions.
(Phoenix STAR from Beatty-at what point do you need to be a a specific
altitude, airspeed and what are they? PLSNT-12,000/250kts for turbojet,
11,000/250kts for turboprop). Your at FL320 and you need to be at 12,000 at
that intersection- when do you start down? 3 to 1 decent = 60 miles at 500
kts gs = about 3000 feet per min descent rate (6 times your ground speed =
feet per min). The rest of the questions were you HR questions. Why Mesa? &! nbsp;
Have you applied anywhere else and if so why would you choose Mesa? The only
other questions that stick in my mind was a situation- You and a Captain just
got off a trip, your at the hotel and have to leave on another trip the next
morning. You see the Captain drinking a beer in the lounge 2 hrs after you
arrive at the hotel. What would you do? Keep the 8 hours bottle to throttle
Reg in mind but we all know that alcohol can affect you a lot longer. I
said that I would suggest to the Captain that he might want to wait until the
trip is completely over and then have a drink if that is what he would like
to do. Next, the same Captain shows up to depart with you the next morning
with alcohol on his breathe- What would you do? I stated that I would advise
the Captain that he should not go on the trip and he should take sick time.
The Captain's response was, " I'm not sick." - ! What would you do then? I
told them I would take sick time if the Captain wouldn't. I told them the
main things is that it would not be a good idea for either of us to be on the
flight with the Captain in that state. After that things were pretty much
over. A few more questions here and there. Ms Clark told us we would know
something in a week. I got the call 3 days later.

Hello..I wanted to share my interview experience at Mesa Airlines with everyone. I Interviewed at Mesa Airlines in Phoenix on September 7, 2000. I counted 23 people there as well as myself. We met at the Doubletree Hotel near the airport.
The festivities began at 8:30 with Lori Clark giving a short intro. Lori is a really nice lady. First up was a 70 question written test. The questions were verbatim from the ATP written exam. Subjects covered were METARS, TAFS, 121 Regs, airport markings and lighting, physiological factors, wind shear, wake turbulence, effects of CG, medical certificates. There was a question such as: "you are going 300 knots at 20000 feet. You have to cross such and such a place at 10000 feet. when do you start down and what rate of descent do you use?" Study the Gliem ATP book( chapters 2,3,4,6,7,8,16,17,18) and you will do well.
Everyone was given one hour to complete the test. As usual, there we a few hot shots that finished the test in about 25 minutes. I took about 50- Old age I guess..

After the test, A large group of Mesa Captains and F/O's came in to give a mass briefing on the company. Things like Current domiciles, aircraft, company officers and plans, etc. Then all the interviewees were asked to introduce themselves and give the group a little background info on themselves. This portion of the interview was very laid back. The Mesa pilots were all very friendly and informative. Most of them cracked a lot of jokes.

After that evryone was scheduled for their face to face interviews. Mine was scheduled for one o clock. We were told to be back a little early in case they were running ahead of schedule. I showed back up at about 12:30 and it was a good thing because just a short time later(about 12:40) I was called in. I'm not sure what would have happened had I not been there when they called.

The face to face interview was formal but easy-going. Each interviewee was met by a board of three line pilots. My guys were two of the real jokesters and they made me feel VERY much at ease. They asked me the standard CRM questions. "what would you do if the Captain descended to 10000 and was still supposed to be at 14000." They asked me what you would do if you were in IOE and United called. They want to hear you say you would go to United. BE HONEST. They pulled out an approach plate for Durango Colorado(ILS RWY 02, I believe) and went through it with a fine tooth comb. They had me brief it as though I were the Captain going in to Durango. One guy threw me a curve ball by asking me why I had only printed my application and not type written it. Thinking quickly, I told him that I was a lousy typist and wanted to get it back in quickly. He seemed OK with the answer but told me that if I were sending an app to a major, I would want to type it. Looking back at it, I think he couldnt have cared less whether or not I typed it. I think he just wanted to see my reaction to a tough, slightly negative question. How would I react in the cockpit if things werent going well. Would I get defensive about it or what?
All in all, I think that the face to face portion of the interview was designed to get an insight into your personality. "Is this the kind of person I would want to spend a 6 day trip with or a 12 hour day in the cockpit with?" Just be yourself and tell the truth. dont try to hide anything. They make you feel very much at home.
I was called two days later by Lori and offered the job. I start ground school on October 2.
I feel pretty good about my future at Mesa. Upgrades are happening VERY quickly at Mesa. anywhere from 12 to 18 months. They are hiring straight into the RJ's. Bases are currently Phoenix, ABQ, GJT, PHL, DCA, and CLT. Philly, DCA, and CLT are US Air Express sites flying mostly the new ERJ.

Well, Any way.. Happy flying and good Luck. Get that app into Mesa NOW. They are hiring 50 a month indefinitely.