• 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

Envoy Air Pilot Interview Profiles

» Home » Pilot Interviews » National Airlines » Envoy Air
Date Interviewed: January 2010
Summary of Qualifications: 1250-1300tt 270multi 290 turbine current 135 cfi, cfii, mei
Were you offered the job? Don't Know
Pilot Interview Profile:
Disclaimer: I couldn't remember everything from the interview so use the previous gouges as well!

Previous gouges were still applicable however here is an update for those requesting one.

Emailed the week before last asking if I would be able to come in for an interview and if so out of these three dates (11,12,13) which would I prefer. I responded with my preferential interview date and was sent a list of hotels along with paperwork to fill out and bring to the interview.
I chose to stay at the Candlewood Suites (which is very nice) and booked my reservations using AMR's corporate rate of $51 a night. Flew out the day before positive space to DFW where I met another interviewee in the lobby. Remember everyone is watching you so be courteous and thankful to everyone you meet!
Didn't receive too much sleep (although the beds were nice) because my nerves were running wild however, if you can get a good night's rest. Got up at 5:30am performed the three S routine and went down to the lobby for a 7:15 shuttle to AMR HDQ. Arrived at HDQ where we received our badges and headed back to the waiting area for HR to arrive. Latrice Allen arrived a little past 8am and had us sign in then later left to go to her desk. Mrs. Carroll came in and walked us back to the pilot recruitment department where we were escorted into the "Holding Tank".

Claudette gave us a brief overview of the company and the future plans for expansion while telling us how our day would be constructed. She also wrote the names on the board of the interview team for that day (Claudette, Lelsie, Andy, David, Bill, Carlos, and Chuck) unlike previous interviews where PRIA paperwork was handed out in the beginning the only thing Eagle asked for was the forms which we were to bring. CLaudette collected our log books and paperwork and disappeared. When she came back we were introduced to Andy O'Hare who is one of Eagles check airman and a line captain who performs the tech portion. He is a very nice guy and made us feel at ease by telling us that the interview is pretty straight forward. He explained that he would start with an airport diagram as if we were about to fly a trip, look over a departure procedure, a low en-route chart, an arrival, and last an approach plate. READ the whole chart no matter what it is ad you will do fine. Andy left and Carroll talked to us some more about health plans, 401K and pass privileges.
About this point its around 9:20am and people start getting called out for HR and tech. David Smith (sim) and bill came in and give the sim brief before people left for different portions of the interview. We were told that it was a new sim its the elite IGATE with the 180 degree wrap around visual. It's outfitted as a Baron with a G1000 cockpit with a flight director. We are given our sim packets (everyone gets a different airport) and are told that our first approach will be with the V bars and the second will be raw data.
At this point those who have not been called out for tech, HR, or sim are sitting in the room talking about the company or asking those who have been through one of the three what to expect.

For the HR portion the following questions were asked:
Why Eagle?
Why should Eagle Hire you?
What makes a good captain?
Define CRM?
What is one thing you would change about yourself?
What is/was your greatest accomplishment? (Think outside of aviation they want to know about you they have all your pilot records!)
Who do you admire most?
Where would you like to be based and what equipment? (This is a test question they are not giving preferential base or equipment!)
Describe yourself in one word
What attributes can you bring to Eagle?
Any accidents, incidents, or violations in your past?
My HR was with Mrs. Carroll she is a very sweet lady who has been doing her job for years so she knows how to read people. Be yourself and don't come up with canned answers actually think about the question and give an honest response. Don't forget to thank her for the opportunity to come out and interview with Eagle especially since they are one of few regionals hiring.
After HR for me it was back to the Tank were most of my fellow colleagues were waiting another potion of the interview. Dave came in and asked who was ready for sim so I volunteered however, Andy had already signed me out for Tech so I went into tech.

Tech portion:
Andy is a great guy he was very calm and wanted you to feel relaxed as well.
He asked about my current airline
What type of flying we do
What type of equipment you fly
Oh I've never flown that I hear they are pretty nice aircraft, What type of engine does ****** have?
How much SHP that rated for?
What is the max amount of fuel that can hold? Gallons and Pounds
What's the usable fuel? Gallons and pounds
Read this metar? Pretty straight forward
And the first line of the Taf
Okay we're going to start a trip go out and fly a departure, check in en-route, fly an arrival and come back in for an approach.
{Pulls out the DFW Jepp airport diagram}
We are over here we're told to taxi to runway *** what's the available take off distance?
What if weather is below landing mins what can we take off with weather wise for *** (look on back of chart for below standard take off mins 666 555)
What do you need to take off with 666: CL RCLM 2 out of 3 RVR taskers
What's this circle with the star in it?
So we depart on this runway flying the **** departure what altitude should we climb and maintain and at what speed?
What's the max speed in class B
Ok so you are at ***** intersection at 10,000 feet what speed should you maintain on this departure: Speed at your discretion unless otherwise noted)
Pulls out the Low en-route:
Why is this vor box shaded?
What is this Big number 88 (grid mora)
Why is this (same image from above) green and this one brown( one has terrain above 14000 feet and the other is below)
What is this number below V47? It's the MEA
Why does the one under it have a T?
What does that T stand for?
If we want to pick up Hiwas over this fix how would we go about performing this action?
Whats this Blue shaded line? (class b)
What is this magenta segmented line and why is it there? Class E to the surface and for and instrument approach.

Now for the Arrival:
Read everything on the arrival and you will be fine

For the approach:
Brief the approach: standard briefing however now you need to brief runway length look on back of airport diagram for LDA and note where the LDA length is predicated off of. Also brief what type of turn off it is going to be once you land.

Asked if you had any questions told me not to worry about some items in my log book that I had discussed with him. Took me back to the tank where we were all told to go to lunch and given the 5 dollar lunch voucher. Normally your given an hour for lunch I had an half an hour since I still had sim left.
Sim profile is briefed below, overall we all made it to medical the second day everyone at AE is nice. Be sure to thank everyone for the opportunity and get a business card from each person so you can send thank you cards to each. Carlos Zapata does the FBI finger prints and he is a pretty cool guy, ex military and retired FBI agent so he will mess with you mental state a little but he is a genuine person.

Stay at the Admiral which is AE's hotel for all crews, room is on them. Being the Admiral has a lot of crews and they know that your interviewing be careful what you say and do, do not drink during dinner if you decide to eat at the hotel restaurant reports will get back to HR! Best of luck to all and I hope this helps someone. In case you're wondering I do have a conditional offer however I'm waiting for captains review board so this is why I put unknown in where you offered the job!

The SIm profile:
Full power on take off
V1
Rotate( 90kts)
Positive rate (gear Up)
Climb 110kts or follow the V bars (flight director)
800 feet acceleration alt
Set Climb power(26-27 in Man) ask for Climb check list
Maintain RWY HDG to 2000 feet turn to a heading to intercept a radial (each person had a different aiport)
Continue climb to 3000
Accelerate to 180kts cruise checklist
Turn Direct Vor
Eagle flight 34 we have holding instructions when ready.
Copy holding instructions tell him the type of hold.
Dave will unfreeze the sim and you will fly the hold (when you enter don�t forget to have him announce that you entered the hold at **** time have him start your one minute so on so forth.
Hold correctly and you will be given vectors for the ILS approach.
Everything up to this point is done with the flight director
Configure Configure Configure
Checklist Checklist Checklist
Follow the V bars on approach go missed when he calls it
For the missed:
Full Power
TOGA button (take off go around resets flight director for climb)
You will be given vectors for an approach which will be raw data come back and land, landing not graded!
Date Interviewed: April 2008
Summary of Qualifications: 665TT, 120ME
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
Arrived in DFW and made my way to the Baymont Inn in Bedford. Hotel staff was very nice and the rooms were basic. There were 2 vans of pilots the next morning at 6:30am and 7am. As stated before, we were all lead into the holding tank and given a welcome and a brief about the company and the sim ride. We were told that because there were so many of us, most could expect the Frasca (Baron) and then some would be sent over to the Saab sim. Note: Bill briefs the Frasca sim, not the Saab sim.

Be organized, professional and polite to everyone you come in contact with. Above all try to relax and just be yourself.

We filled out more paperwork while waiting, and most people studied gouge questions and the sim profile. The room was PACKED! The interviews began, and people were randomly selected for either Technical, HR, or the simulator. Fingerprinting is also done randomly. Also note, that your luggage stays in the room with everyone else, so if you are asked to bring all your things, you will have to face a room full of people when gathering your stuff. Kind of rough to see people leave, and we were all on edge everytime the door opened.

HR Interview:
Why Eagle? Why should we hire you? Describe yourself in one word? What makes a good Captain? Define CRM. What base do you want? What would your past employers say about you? How soon are you available? Totally cool pilot who interviewed me, calm, relaxed and took a bit of the stress out of the situation with personal small talk.

Tech Interview:
Read a Metar and a TAF. Brief an approach plate, SID and STAR, Low enroute chart (no high enroute chart), airport diagram, runway lengths & symbols, MEA, MOCA and Grid MORA, Part 121 duty times and regulations, RVR and takeoff mins, given this random weather, can we choose this airport as an alternate?, icing, T-storm formation, Virga, runway lighting systems and finally airspace & max speeds/restrictions. All stuff you really should know. One thing I should also pass on was that the pilot interviewing me was a cool guy, but all business and no BS. He also said that he "reads all the AE interview gouges every night" and "makes each interview different from the next." So just because you read it here, doesn't mean that's how your interview will go.

Frasca Sim:
I got a big kick out of Bill. He is a really great guy in my opinion, funny and really wants you to succeed in the sim. The sim is as previously gouged, and yes: THE FRASCA IS EXTREMELY REACTIVE TO ALL CONTROL INPUTS. I wasn't able to fly it perfectly, but was able to maintain speeds, altitudes (for the most part I was within plus/minus 200FT and on course, it can get away from you FAST), and fly the ILS. Watch your HSI and vertical. I briefed the hold correctly, and Bill st me up for the ILS 24R at LAX, broke out and had to go missed for a white 737 on the runway. The TV screen in the Frasca sim is small. Once I went missed properly, he set me up for a regular ILS to a full stop landing (go idle before flaring). Also, you need to land the plane and not crash the sim. I've hear that the Saab sim landing is not evaluated, but I can guarantee you the Frasca sim is. Please remember your callouts, checklists and to tell Bill what you'd like him to do. Say "correcting" when you are off your course or altitude. Fly it agressively but with fingertips, if that makes sense. Always communicate, work together and keep the scan going and you'll be fine. Some guys that came out of the sim did fine flying it and then when they relaxed a bit toward the end, reported that the sim turned/lost 500+ FT of altitude in seconds, made turns, etc. Both hands are probably needed all the way to the runway.

At the end of the day, only about half of us were left. I was only in the room for one person's quick departure, the others just disappeared. We were given the ok to go back for a 2nd night at the hotel and to return in the morning for medical (hearing test and two urine tests).

Dorothy, Ashley and Tiffany are a great team that works really hard at keeping it all together, they are amazing ladies. Awaiting the Captain's Board decision and a base. Overall, a great interview experience with this company. Good luck!!!
Date Interviewed: April 2008
Summary of Qualifications: Multi/Inst./Commercial, 500TT/130 Multi.
Were you offered the job? Yes
Pilot Interview Profile:
The majority of previous interviews were dead on. I had interviewed with several other airlines and I can honestly say that American Eagle is the most professional and detail oriented interview I have experienced. The complex is huge and everyone in there knows exactly what to do and what they are looking for. If you are not on top of your game (121 knowledge, IFR regs., IFR flight skills, etc.,) do everyone and yourself a favor and don't bother. They can see through the BS. If you are confident in your knowledge and other material, go for it!!

Pick up at the Baymont at 7am to headquarters and sat in a lobby with 15 or 18 other applicants. Went to the holding tank (classroom) and was briefed on the company's overall structure and watched an orientation interview. Around 9ish, applicants were filling out and combing over paperwork and some didnt make it that far.

An hour later I was called in for the HR portion. Basic things here people...like "What assets can you bring to us?", "Why you and Why us?" If you cant get by HR, God bless you!! For real!

Back to the holding tank and waited around for the Tech portion. Most people were twitching with anxiety at this point because we watched people get called one by one to bring all of their things. If you are told to do this you are not coming back. I felt that we were being randomly targeted for a fight with a freakin' gladiator. We just didnt know:) Oh yeah...the tech. Basic IFR things including airport diagrams, Low Alt. en route charts, Jepp Plates and RVR, RVR, RVR. I was aked a few questions that I didnt know but I plowed through it and found the answer because they are all on the charts. Every answer asked was there...you just needed to know where to look. Sometimes I didnt know but I didn't give up. NOTE: DO NOT GIVE UP!! Even if you feel like your blowing it...KEEP GOING!! Honestly, after the tech portion I thought it was a wrap but I made it to the sim. late in the afternoon.

The sim. is simple...take off 24R at LAX. Climb RWY. hdg. to 3,000' at a given speed. I think it was 90, 110, 130. Initial, 10 degrees nose up, then climb. When you get to about 2,000' you are given a vector to intercept the R-265 off of Seal Beach (SLI). You will cruise at 180kts. About 10 DME from SLI, the sim. will be paused so you can copy the holding instructions. Give the right entry type and initial heading and you will not hold. Vectored to the ILS 24R LAX and was told to decend to 2,200 at 140kts. Bill will be the non-flying pilot. He will not do a thing until you tell him but he will do everything that you tell him. Cool guy. Kinda hyper...but he's cool. Fly the ILS to minimums and land. He may have you go aroud and just climb out. Thats it! NOTE: The Frasca sim. is extremely pitch sensitive. Dont even use the attitude indicator. Just focus on the Vertical Speed, DG, and turn coordinator. I was up and down a couple hundred feet in some turns but nothing major. They know the thing is touchy.

Medical, fingerprints, and background check the next day....and your Conditional letter of employment that says "CONGRATULATIONS" at the top. Its a good feeling. Slept like a rock the second night. It is stressful though. I believe they send low time new hires to a 3 week jet transition course in Phoenix before your actual class date. Rumor though.

Just relax and if you dont pray...you may want to start! Hope it helped!
Date Interviewed: April 2008
Summary of Qualifications: Commerical SEL/MEL
CFI, CFII, MEI
750tt 65 Multi
Were you offered the job? Don't Know
Pilot Interview Profile:
Was offered an interview almost immediately after sending in the airlineapps application. Flew down on a Sunday for a Monday interview. The Baymont staff are nice, and do a good job of getting you where you need to be. The shuttle left the hotel @ 7am on Monday for AMR headquarters. (You pay for first night's hotel room) We were greeted by a captain who took us back to the "holding room" where you spend most of the day. You watch a quick video on Eagle, and then submit your logbooks for inspection. You will get two emails setting up the interview....make sure you make the copies of your logbook...they need it!! We then got called out one by one for the interviews. I had my tech. first. Know your Jepps, weather charts, low and high Jepp en-route charts. My guy also asked me some stuff that did not show up on any other gouge I saw. He showed me a re-route from a trip he flew the week prior. He had me calcualte new distance, new fuel burn, and asked if we needed to divert! To say the least I struggled through it...I thought they were going to send me home....but I stayed the rest of the day. I ate lunch, then came HR...very straight forward. 1. Why American Eagle? 2. What is one thing you would change about yourself? 3. What is your greatest accomplishment, etc. Easy stuff...if you prepare. The SIM is new. Instead of the full-motion sims they now use a Frasca. Only 3 people got to use the Frasca before the hard-drive crashed! I ended up going to the AMR Flight Academy and flying the Saab 340 sim. I had never been in a full-motion SIM and initially was nervous....but Bill the SIM instructor was great and really can put you at ease. You depart LAX 24R climb to 3000 and intercept the 265 degree radial. He then takes the flight controls and you copy your holding clearance. You brief the hold and tell him how to enter. If you do that correctly...you will not hold. He then vectors you to the approach ILS 24R @ LAX. Call for checklists, intercept the GS and come on down. Bill has the weather set just above minimums...so if you do things right you can break out and land. Try and stay on the runway....use your breaks and beta...it helps. Day 2 is drug test, hearing test, and you sign your conditional letter of employment. They have a review board that meets every Friday...so you hear that day regardless of your outcome. Good luck!
Date Interviewed: March 2008
Summary of Qualifications: Multi/Inst/Commercial-TT500 Multi70
Were you offered the job? No
Pilot Interview Profile:
Pretty much all the gouges are right on.I just want to give a quick summry on my experince. With my HR intreview I had the luck of the draw getting the head of the department. He asked the useual; why us? why you? What would it take for you to take controll away from your captian? Good luck with that one. It kind of went south when he started on a few personal questions.But over all I though it went well. I think they go out of their way to make you loose it. So stay cool and you'll do fine.
The Tech portion is stright foward. You have to know your jepp's; RVR!! TK off mins!!"JEPP'S", "JEPP's" it's a must.
Also in the Tech int. they go over your log book. Mine had a minor discepency. Multi PIC time was off and he hammered me for that, Again they were looking for a reaction. At that point I though I was going home;DONE, But
I pergress to the SIM ,and did really good. I was asked to return the next day and went through the medical and finger printing process. At the very end I got my letter of welcome to the company and conditional hiring (back ground check pending)
The board meets on Friday nights and that's where they rescindid my offer??
It's baffling considering I'v wk for a major airline for 20 years as an a&p at many different airports & no problems with background checks for security badges??
Over all this was a great learning experince that I'll take to the next interview. Good Luck
» Home » Pilot Interviews » National Airlines » Envoy Air
Feedback Form