AIR JAPAN, ANA, JP EXPRESS INTERVIEW NOTES
Parc has you choose and purchase your own tickets to Narita/Tokyo and back home, then they will reimburse you. I live in the western US so I went thru LAX to avoid the delays in SFO, it is too hit or miss up there. They prefer that you book on ANA because the airline pays for it. Do anything you can to fly on ANA, you fly coach but it is like flying business class in coach. They take incredible care of you. I had a middle seat in back of a 777 but was treated like a king. In-seat Entertainment system with tons of movies, videos, games, etc included. More snack and drink service than you will know what to do with. 2 hot meals served with all the amenities. After flying the likes of United and American for many years, this was a very refreshing change. Wine, beer, Sake, champagne all complementary. It helps to print a map to the hotel to show the taxi driver. There are not street names in Tokyo. if you are at the Toyoko Inn Hanida, tell the driver that it is at the Otorii Train station. It is literally 200 ft from the station entrance.
Your guide will probably contact you at the hotel the night before your first day to tell you what time to meet in the lobby. Dont worry if you cant reach them on the crazy japanese telephone system. He will track you down. There is a 7-11 right across from the hotel and a grocery store right next to it. They both have lots of food. there are several little dinners so dont worry about food.
The hotel rooms are tiny and the beds and pillows are barely softer than a brick. You only get 1 pillow. You have internet and a tv in your room. As far as what to wear, people in Tokyo dress business to business casual everywhere. They prefer drab colors, nothing bright. When you go do physical, they put you in pajamas and slippers. I recommend slacks and a polo or oxford shirt to blend in. Wear comfortable but stylish shoes. you will do a lot of walking. For interview, your standard suit and tie routine.
Day 1 involved several medical tests in several medical clinics around Tokyo. My Parc guide took me by several trains and busses around to medical clinics for Ear, Nose, Throat, Hearing, Balance tests. then to a hospital/clinic for a whole battery of tests. Urine, Blood, Internal Medicine interview, EKG, Exercise EKG, EEG (30 min with electrodes on your head followed by shampoo your hair in sink to get all the goop out), BP, Height, Weight, BSA, and several other tests. Then across town to an eye doctor for a whole battery of eye tests. they took about an hour. They test your periperal vision, your depth perception, color perception, near and far sight, and peer prod and poke your eyes.
The reason for all these tests is, you will get them all again by the Japanese FAA for your ATP Medical. I am told that you get these tests every time you renew your medical. So, if you are not all that healthy, I would suggest getting your blood work done before you put all the work into going out there. High cholesterol, high, bp, poor vision, you can probably save your time and go somewhere else. They only want perfect healthy candidates.
You will be paying for all your own train and bus fares. they are not very expensive but they add up. You need local currency to purchase your train and bus fares yourself. I know that you can submit for reimbursement but the stack of 3 dollar train tickets is hardly worth the paperwork. Also, if you plan to submit them, be sure to get a receipt each time you get a ticket, which is every time you change trains. Choose your battles and dont waste your time, that is my advice.
DAY 2 INTERVIEW AND SIMULATOR CHECK RIDE
The day started in the afternoon. My guide took me to the ANA training center. We walked from my hotel which is just outside the Otorii “o-Tour-e-e” Train Station. I started with a 20 or 25 question mult choice test on FARs and basic airplane stuff. What do leading edge devices do, when you taxi clear of runway, when are you actually clear of the runway, what is needed to go Cat 2 ILS, nothing too surprising or tough.
Next is a MNPS test. The one with yes/no fill in like 100 questions. Things like do you hate your dad, do you hear voices, do you want to be a florist, do you have delusions of grandeur, are people out to get you, fun things like that.
Next I went and met with the “Tribal Elders” a panel of 6 Japanese men. 3 of which are pilots or retired pilots and the others I believe to be HR types. They were very cordial and explained the company, its history, and what to expect for the rest of the day. There are no surprises. Next one of the pilots goes over the sim profile. There is a paper poster of the flight deck, he shows you where everything is and exactly what to do. He writes on a white eraser board. Be sure to bring your sim prep packet and have your 3 jepp plates ready for notes. You can have notes on them already. They want you to be prepared. They speak english but their accents are strong so you have to listen closely. When they are done with this portion which takes 45 min, they send you out for a 15 min break. You come back in for a 45 min panel interview with the same men.
They go over your application asking about you and how you will deal with being here for so long, how your family will support you, how you will fit in. They asked a bit about cold wx ops, nothing too detaled. Question about any abnormal ops such as emergencies, what CRM training you have had and your feeling about CRM. Question about V1 and abort vs go decision. Once again no tricks, no surprises, no stump the chump. Know which company you are there for AJX or AJV I didnt, I just knew it was for ANA/JP express the Freight op. JP stands for Japan Post. They asked a question that led me to state that I would not switch companies once I was hired, Loyalty.... They also asked which class date I would want Sept or a later one I told them Sept was great. They asked if I would be ok waiting. I interviewed in late June.
Next was a break of @ 1 hr for a 7pm sim ride. There is a cafeteria in the building, they dont take cash or credit just ANA meal card.
I got in the sim early. One of the pilots from the interview panel was my non flying pilot, the other 2 pilots observed and ran sim. They set everything up and you choose which seat to fly from and what flight director you want. You get a practice vfr pattern and a demonstration of the coupled ILS. Then the check ride starts. See my condensed version of the checkride. remember; 61% N1 135 knots 2.5deg pitch for 2 engine ILS/visual. Dont ask the non flying pilot to adjust your rudder trim in single engine operation. They thought I was crazy for asking him to set it. I did less than perfect on the visual apc. did better on the VOR but got a little squirrley and kicked butt on the V1 cut and SE ILS until the last 150 ft where I got squirrley.
Next I went back to my room waiting for the call. They email the host from Parc a simple “Yes or No” and he calls you in your hotel that night with the news.
A few pointers:
Bring Japanese Yen. Go to exchange and bring a few hundred dollars. Not many places take credit cards and US debit cards only work at a few places. If you need cash, go find a post office or a Chase Bank the atm works there. Have fun and soak in all of Tokyo that you can. It is a neat culture and very clean polite people. They dont litter. They dont use cell phones in public, and they are all very polite and submissive.
I hope my debrief has been helpful. Hope you do great and I see you online.
..............HERE IS THE SIM RIDE.........
--------------Normal Takeoff Rwy 17---------------
Speed Bugs V1, Vr, Vref+40 (170), Vref+80 (210), 250 Inner Bug at 139
Taxi and Takeoff CheckList
70 pct N1, Push N1 on MCP
V1, Vr Positive Rate- Gear Up
Pitch 15 deg, Speed V2+15-25
500’ Heading Select
1500’ FLCH Bug V2+60 (190)
Speed 170 Flaps 1, Speed 190 (flaps up if req) Climb out at 190
After Takeoff Checklist
3000’ Auto Pilot On
-------------Visual Approach Rwy 17---------
Prep for Landing: Speed Bugs, Wx, Brief,
Descent and Approach Checklists
Downwind 1500’, Stay w/in 2nm of airport, speed Vref+40 (170)
Abeam TDZ; Gear Down, Flaps 20, speed 150, Start Timer.
35 seconds; turn base, Flaps 30 Speed 135, Landing Check
-------------VOR Approach Rwy 17-------------
Brief Apc, Set Bugs, VOR Freq and Course, VOR 17 in CDU, RDMI Needles
Descent and Approach Checklists
Cross VOR at 2000, Flaps 5, Speed 170
Descend to 1500’, go out 8-10nm
Turning Base; Gear Down, Flaps 20, Landing Check, Heading Mode 110-120 deg
Course Alive; LNav Mode, LAVS (Lnav/loc, alt set lower, vnav, speed intervene-mcp)
Course Captured; flaps 30, continue landing check, descend to 460’
Alt Hold at 460’, call for set missed apc altitude
Runway in sight; land visually
--------------V1 Cut ---------------
V1, Vr, ENGINE FAILURE, maintain directional control, rotate slowly to 12 deg,
Speed V2-V2+15
500’ Heading Select, request straight out vector
1000’ V/S 300fpm
@170 kts Flaps 1, @190 kts FLCH 190 kts
Engine Failure Shutdown checklists followed by after takeoff checklist
1500’ Autopilot on
Check Wx
-----------Single Engine ILS------------------
Setup for ILS 17; speed bugs, ILS in CDU, ILS Freq and Course, MDA, VOR for missed
Descent and Approach Checklists
“Ready for Approach”
Base Turn; Flaps 5, 170 kts, Auto Pilot Off
When Cleared for Approach; Arm Approach
Glideslope Alive; Gear Down, Flaps 20, Landing Check |
