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Mesa Airlines Pilot Interview Profiles

» Home » Pilot Interviews » National Airlines » Mesa Airlines
Date Interviewed: May 2017
Summary of Qualifications: ATP, 20+ years 121 flying experience, Type Rated on Boeing.
Were you offered the job? Don't Know
Pilot Interview Profile:
Filled out the Mesa Air Pilot application.

Got pre-screened.

Told to send in my Pilot documents: ATP with Type Ratings, FAA Medical, FCC License, current USA Passport.

Got called back to go over flight hours and experience.

Skype interview the next day, went very well.

Waiting to hear back about a job offer.
Date Interviewed: September 2015
Summary of Qualifications: Enough TT, CMEL, R-ATP eligible, Bachelors Degree
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Submitted my application on airline apps. Received a call from a recruiter the next day. After speaking with him for a few minutes he then stated that "this (phone conversation) was my interview". After asking a few more "get to know you" questions he told me that if I wanted that he could place me in either an ERJ or CRJ class by the end of the month.
Date Interviewed: July 2008
Summary of Qualifications: more than enough
Were you offered the job? Don't Know
Pilot Interview Profile:
Interview date: 30 July

Mesa flies its applicants to Phoenix on a Non-Rev standby basis, so be aware that you don’t have positive seating. Lots of guys got bumped off two or three flights and took all day to get to Phoenix. I recommend scheduling an early flight and give yourself plenty of time to get to Phoenix.
Interview started at 8:00am, most interviewees were there around 7:30, but nothing happens before 8:00 so there’s really no reason to be too early. I think we started with 18 applicants.
Blake Smith, a Mesa Captain, started us off with some paperwork and collected our logbooks and all the copies we were told to bring with us. Then it was the 50 question ATP written. The written was just like the earlier gouges described. Right out of Geilm’s, and most questions were from sections 3, 14, and 16. Maybe another one or two from section 6 and 15. After the test there were 12 of us left.
After the test Blake showed us a Mesa recruiting presentation describing the company and why we would want to fly for Mesa.
I think that there were five Mesa pilots there to interview us, so we were split into three groups based on how early we had to leave for our flights home. I had Mike Brewer, Dash-8 captain. He started off with a logbook review and some HR questions. Any tickets, DUIs, violations, etc.? Where do you want to be based and what if you can’t? How will you deal with slow upgrades to captain? Tell me about your most challenging flight.
The technical questions were; brief a Jeppeson approach plate, ILS RWY 2 at Durango, CO. Where is the missed approach point for the localizer approach? Some other guys were ask where the VDP was and what it meant to them. Read a TAF. Figure a descent point if you have 10,000 feet to lose by a fix 15NM from a VOR.
Then Mike asked if I had any questions for him.
All in all, the Mesa interview team did great job of putting us at ease. The interview was conversational and low threat, although I do think that they tailor the questions to your experience level. The next open training classes are in October, so we should hear within the next couple weeks or so if we got the job.
Date Interviewed: March 2008
Summary of Qualifications: 550TT 220ME CFI,II,MEI
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Went to phoenix day before the interview and got a hotel close to the airport. I would recommend not staying at the radisson unless you have the funds. Studied most of the evening for the 50 question test, which by the way is word for word out of the gliems. You only have to focus on 121 regs no 135 regs, and know all the chapters except for the performance chapters i.e beech 1900, boeing 737 etc. There is a guy a couple of gouges back who tells you the numbers of the chapters to study and that is dead on.

Arrived at the radisson around 7:00 about an hour early. Sat around and talked with a few other guys about past flying and other stuff. At 8:00 we went into a room at the hotel where the interview was to start. Misti, blake and 2 captains were there and welcomed us and began with a powerpoint presentation. Brief history anout the company. Then asked if any one had any questions. After were handed the 50 question test, once again word for word out of the atp gliems. Very easy if you study it well. All of us were done in about 20-30 min. Some of course were done in 5 min. After that we were all told to wait in the lobby while the tests where to be scored and then we would be called in one by one for the interview. Note you have to pass the 50 question test with at least an 80 percent to move on to the interview otherwise you are sent home. But it is very easy if you study. Nobody was sent home in my interview group everyone passed.

After about 15 min they began calling people in 2-3 at a time for the tech and hr which are both with the same person. Each person was in there about 15 min and then left to go home. If you have a early flight home you are likely to go first. I was then called in and interviewed with misti. She was very cool about everything and made me feel relaxed. She began by pulling out a approach plate into north carolina it was and ils. Asked me to finger fly the approach and along the way tell her what headings i was turning to and what altitudes i would descend down to. The approach had a course reversal and i was asked what entry i would make into the course reversal of course it was parallel, then i continued the brief. When i got to the final approach segment she asked me how to calculate vdp. Not hard. Then briefed the missed and told here the entry into the missed holding pattern. She then pulled out a metar and taf asked me what they where and had me read them about half way through each she said that was good. They where very simple no tricky stuff you have seen i promise you.

After that she asked me some genral hr questions why mesa, what are your three worse traits, etc. I think i stumbled on these more than i did anything else but i just kept on answering them the best i could. It seemed to be good enough for her. All in all it was by far the easiest interview so far. I interviewed with eagle before and they had no organization plus i was there for like 10 hrs that day. Mesa was quick to the point and then i left. Study jepp plates and low enroutes i saw others being asked moca and mea simple things about charts, and also study the white aviation weather services book or any other weather book and you will be just fine. All of the interviewers had the smae things a jepp plate a low enroute and a metar and taf.

Hope this helps and good look to you. If you study the basics you will be fine. Got the call from mesa a week later saying i was in the hiring pool and there should be a class in a month or two. A week later i got an email for july 28th class on the dash-8.
Date Interviewed: March 2008
Summary of Qualifications: TT 1200 ME 120
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Interview started at 08:30 at the Radisson in Phoenix. Bring the usually interview stuff: Copies and originals of Drivers License, Pilots License, 1st class Medical Certificate, Passport, Social Security Card, five year driving record and FCC License. Bring all logbooks with all checkrides flagged and any letters of recommendation.

There were fifteen candidates. It began with the usual paperwork stuff and then proceeded directly to the 50 question ATP exam. The ATP questions were from all chapters except the W&B stuff. Specifically study Gliem chapters 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, and 17. During the test the interviewers review all paperwork and logbooks. After the test was completed we were told to hangout outside the room for about fifteen minutes and that we would be called in for the one on one portion. Five candidates were asked to leave, I assume because of a score below 80% on the ATP test which is what they require to move on.

The interviewers were all line pilots. Three were CRJ Captains the other two were Dash 8 First Officers.

My one on one questions started with the usual stuff: DUI offences, tickets, any past troubles. What would you do if the nav light was out on the last flight and the captain wanted to go / WWYD if the captain smelled of alcohol and wanted to go / WWYD if the captain accidentally took the aircraft off the taxiway and wanted you to lie for him and say that "we were dodging an animal"...just general HR questions.

Next, were the chart questions. All questions were basic Low enroute questions: Green vs. blue airports (VFR-IFR) / Changeover points / MORA / T L H VOR ranges / What’s the T on that altitude mean (1,000' terrain clearance nav good to 22nm) / Shaded VOR box vs un-shaded (used for airway or not). Just very basic IFR nav stuff.

Next was the approach plate...I believe it was ILS 25L at LAX. Again very basic stuff: What's the highest point on the plate / MSA / Brief the approach / If the GS goes out at this point... what should we do / What are the LOC mins / Even if you briefed the missed correctly she still asked me: If we go missed, what is the hold entry.

Next was what you could call the technical part. Once again, very basic stuff on your most recent twin aircraft: What was max takeoff weight / Max landing weight / Basic V-speeds / Describe the fuel system / Describe the electrical system. Just general descriptions will do.

That was it. After you finish the one on one, the interview is over. You are informed that you will receive a call in about a weeks time (mine was two days) for good news; an e-mail or letter with bad news.

This was by far the easiest interview I have had but be warned: If you do stumble on such easy questions you will most likely be dismissed form the interview. They have been cracking down, or so I've heard, so they are no longer taking just "anyone" anymore. The interview ended for me at about 12:30. The last interview was over by 15:00 (for those of you flying out to Phoenix).

Another side note: I got the April 7th class for the CRJ but it was just moved to May 5th. From what I gathered, oil prices as well as the new contracts with United and Delta dictated a slowdown in hiring. However, the Dash 8 class (and if you did well in the interview, you'll have the choice between the Dash 8 and CRJ) is still going strong. Something to consider if you want to fly NOW. They are no longer hiring for the ERJ or Beech 1900.

Good luck too all!
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