First, of all - let me say that the Continental team and subsequent interview was an incredible experience. As the other posts state - they go out of their way to make you relax and just enjoy the interview. All the gouge is spot-on. Panel was in EWR and the sim was the following week in IAH. Between this site & Judy Tarver, there was only one question I hadn't anticipated, "Anti-skid is MEL'd, poor weather, short runway - what are your considerations?" I was thinking accel/stop, abort issues - but they were looking for "not doing a reduced-power takeoff". Coming from a military background w/ FADEC and a 135 setting that doesn't do reduced-pwr t/o's....they didn't hold it against me. The panel/interview team in EWR was the aforementioned team of 3 pilots - all great guys. Know how to calc. VDP....they'll throw a scenario at you and ask when you'd begin descending. One will 'push-to-test' to see if you're guessing or really know the answer (i.e. "are you sure about that?"). The panel was 1-hr, and I had to wait the following day for a call inviting me back to the sim in IAH. Typical sim gouge as posted here. I did the sim prep with www.crewpilottraining.com. It was perfect....run by a retired CAL captain w/ all the gouge that was pretty much spot-on for the sim-interview. Having never sat in a 737, and having no 121 background......I was so glad I spent the money ($550). The actual sim-interview was rough on my part (IMO). However, after a few minutes - things calmed down and got better. They tell you up front that you'll fly around for a few minutes to get the feel of it. Just let them know that you realize you're off alt/speed and are correcting. No games in the sim...t/o 26L in IAH, turning/rollout/level-off at 4K'. A couple of turns, direct HUMBLE w/ holding instructions. Briefed the hold entry correctly - and was immediately vectored for the ILS. Flared for landing too late, crushed all our spines, logged 3 landings from the bounce, and offered to taxi to MX....that got a chuckle. Awesome experience and opportunity - what a blessing. God is good.

Really the same as previous gouges on this site. I used Crew Pilot training for the sim prep and Judy Tarver for the interview prep. I recommend both. In the sim and interview they really try to put you at ease, I was still pretty nervous and it showed, they expect this, and even joke about it. The Sim- 737-300 Take off rwy 26L at IAH level off at 4k some turns, then direct to IAH vortac for holding youll have about 10-15 miles to come up with your entry (brief the hold correctly: speed, type entry, initial turn direction, timing, and turn direction to become re-established on course). If you do this you probably wont have to hold but expect the holding problem to be right on the 70/110 line. From here you will get vectored for the ILS to 26L. Fly the flight director almost down to landing (go heads up around 50-100 ft). People who dont seem to duck under and get low=bad. What they really want to see is that your cross check is up to speed, if you have deviations fine, but fix them quickly especially airspeed deviations they don’t want you getting slow on the ILS. If you do the prep with crew pilot training, they do good work and you will fly this profile several times in your 1 hr session. When you schedule the prep they will give you some study material on pitch, power settings and call outs to the other pilot. For some unbeknownst-to-me reason they normally don’t use motion in the sim (maybe its more cost effective to them) but you will use it at Continental so make sure they turn the motion on for your sim, after all you are paying for it. The sim at CPT is much easier to fly then the one at Continental. The CAL sim is very very pitch sensitive and I spent a lot of brain-bytes chasing altitude. All I can say is just really work to trim the sim and maybe it will be easier for you. The interview- 3 captains, all in the training dept. Two of the pilots flew aircraft similar to the aircraft I currently fly so we spent a lot of time talking about our respective aircraft. Questions were: Tell me about yourself and how you got to this point in your life, TMA a good decision you made while flying? A bad decision while flying? Bases, your first choice? (keep in mind almost all of the current drops are going to Newark). I am a legacy at another airline so they asked why not that airline? (I chose to answer this as why I really want Continental) TMA a time you mediated a dispute? TMA the most scared you have ever been flying? Any questions for us? The interview panel seems to be different every day and a buddy of mine that went the day prior had a totally different set of questions, so be ready. Everybody there is rooting for you, they are very nice people and I really have nothing but great things to say about the company and my overall interview experience. The ladies in charge of pilot recruiting are awesome, make sure to meet them, they will also help put you at ease. One of the reasons Im really looking forward to going to training and flying the line with Continental is because everyone I met, including the students seemed very happy to be there. Best of luck

I got the interview call about 6 weeks after my buddy sat down with his chief pilot in Cleveland. Was offered plenty of dates/locations for the interview.// I got fingerprints/drug test one day prior at terminal C at IAH. Business casual is fine for these.// I did the sim prep 2 days prior in Houston with Crew Pilot Training 1800-441-5387. You'll prep with Continental retired MD-80 instructors in the same sim that you'll do the eval in. Sim eval was absolutely straightforward. T/O Rwy 26L, 2 turns, climb to 4K, cleared direct Humble VOR to hold (non-standard turns), then enroute to hold given vectors for the ILS 26L full stop. Sim prep was on the money. MD-80 sim #'s: Straight & level in the sim: ~ 4 degrees NH, 1.25 EPR. Turns: ~ 5 degrees NH, 1.30 EPR. Configured, level: ~ 8 deg NH, 1.25 EPR. On Glideslope, configured: 1.30 to 1.32 EPR. Also, most guys get a bit nervous about the holding entry. There's a great article about that at www.pilotsweb.com/train/pattern.htm. Take your time and correctly discuss how you plan to enter holding, and you'll more than likely not have to hold.// My panel interview was the afternoon after my sim at the Chief Pilot's office, near gate C-45 at IAH. Very friendly panel of 3 Captains. Questions: What brought you here today? A few questions from "yes" responses on my application. What makes a good captain? TMAAT a supervisor asked you to do something unethical. TMAA good decision you've recently made. TMAAT you went above and beyond for the sake of a customer. What is your commuting plan (they mentioned that Guam is now a senior base... commuting would be to/from other bases.) TMA an EP that you've had. What is the best & worst part about a job with Continental? TMA the worst co-pilot you've flown with. TMAAT you caught a supervisor doing something questionable or illegal. What was your best day flying? What was your worst day flying? You did the sim this morning... how did it go... what are holding speeds in the US? What are crosswind limits of your jet?--after a story I told. What are crosswind limits of an aircraft I flew 7 years ago?--also from a story I told. TMA a decision that you would go back and change. Everyone knows that there is black and white. Is there a gray area?// My job hire call was the next day from my friend who had recommended me. Interview to class start is only 5 weeks. So, be ready to go. Best of luck!

Nothing much different from previous gouge. Had a phone call in November for a "pre-screen" interview, then was called for an interview in January. Did the sim prep with Crew Pilot Training (Ray Brendle really hooks you up). Had the sim check and the panel interview on the same day. The sim was straightforward. Runway 26 at Houston. Straightahead climb to 4000ft then a couple of level turns. Told to proceed direct to VOR for holding. When they call for you to proceed direct, acknowledge the instructions but tell them to standby on the holding details. Slow down and get your navigation and checklists under control, then ask for the holding instructions. Do everything slow, including talking. Once I got the instructions I briefed the entry -- as soon as I finished they vectored me to the ILS so I never actually had to hold. The panel interview was the best I've had. The 3 pilots were friendly from the outset and didn't ask trick questions. On the technical side they asked about VDPs (do I think they're important, how would I calculate one), then one wrote out holding instructions and asked me to draw how I would enter the pattern. CRM question was how do you motivate a reluctant or mopey crew? Also, have you made a decision you later regretted? Every question led to a discussion. I emphasized safety and what I learned from each experience. They were interested in my military experience and my choice of aircraft over my career (I moved between several rather than staying in one.) When I left they seemed very happy with my performance and one made a point out in the hall of tapping me on the arm and saying "Really well done." Got a letter three days later saying they had found "more qualified candidates." I heard through the grapevine that although the sim guys and the panel liked me, someone further up the chain took offense that some of my time was in helicopters (though I had more than enough fixed-wing to meet the mins). It would have been nice if they had decided that before calling me for an interview, but there you have it. Some people just need someone to look down on. Overall it was a good experience. The people I met confirmed for me that Continental would be a great place to work (even if there are goobers up top). The interview was as low stress as it could get. If you already have a bank of "tell me about a time" stories then you're prepared. Good luck.

panel first: the questions that I got: a problem that I could not solve; acustomer complaint and how rectify; ever seen unethical or illegal behavior and what do; how get creative to solve a problem; what makes a good captain; Technical: circling, where miss; below dh when. Last part was allow me to ask a question of them, then ask a question to myself. I chose to ask myself why I want to be part of the Continental team. Very nice fellows all, absolutely no feedback in their smiles etc on how you do. Sim: know holding cold, describe it and you won't have to hold. I got a little below GS on final after vis, don't. I have 1800 hrs in the MD-80 but I've been flying a Citation corporate, I got a little low. When I didn't get a call the next day I thought I had blown it.