Well to start I didn't even know Eagle was hiring again until I got an email asking me to update my application because it was going to be reviewed in 2 days. I updated my app and received another email a couple days later asking me to set up an interview. After talking to the lady that schedules things I was pretty excited. She said they are doing a lot of hiring and starting new hire classes ASAP.
She sent me a few packets of paperwork to fill out and said I would receive a sim packet and my travel a week out. There is a lot of paperwork, so start early! I started hitting the books early. I picked up this book "Everything Explained for the Professional Pilot", and it was well worth the money. About a week out I got another email with this packet of information you have to learn and flight profiles you'll have to know. A buddy of mine works for a 121 carrier and said this is pretty similiar to the stuff they have to know in their training. There was limitations, emergency procedures, power settings, and a bunch of flight profiles with everything you should know to do. I wasn't sure how well they wanted me to know this stuff so I just studied the heck out of it.
They fly you out to DFW the day before the interview and recommend you stay in the Candlewood. It has a special rate for interviews, but you do have to pay it yourself. The hotel is pretty nice though. There were 6 of us on the shuttle in the morning and everybody seemed cool. It was a broad mix, military, former 121, 135, and CFI's. They do the interviews at the AA/Eagle headquarters which is huge.
First thing at 8am they bring you back to this room with a bunch of chairs and coffee, water, etc. A recruiter collected everyone's logbooks and some of the paperwork. I'm guessing they check to see if your logbook matches your application, but they never said anything about mine. Next another recruiter comes in and gives a briefing on the company, why they are hiring, future plans, and how the interview process would go. Another recruiter gave us a brief on the simulator interview. It's a Frasca sim with wrap around visuals and a G1000 system. It's pretty sweet, something I would love to have in my house! Both the guys were line captains who do interviews too. Everyone was really cool and tried to put us at ease from the get go.
I did the technical interview first which was kind of combined with the HR. You interview with two pilots, one does the tech interview and the other does all the paperwork and HR questions along with checking all your licenses and records. The tech started with questions from the packet on limitations. You pretty much just have to know them cold. I had them all down so he only asked about 10-12. Next he got out an airport chart and started asking questions about takeoff mins and if we could takeoff with the weather they show you. You have to know those charts really well because the questions are not easy. He told me before we started that all the questions are real world things you need to know for 121 flying and not just random rare things on a chart. He asked about RVR and takeoff mins and runway lengths for takeoff and landing, frequencies for taxi, tower, etc. Next was an RNAV departure with questions on crossing restrictions, frequencies, lost comm procedures, MSA's, etc. Then they pulled out a low level chart with questions on airspace speed and weather, MEA's, MOCA's, MORA's, and different types of airspace, airway markings, etc. Everything was Jepps. I wasn't using Jepps before but found a legend online and studied that pretty hard. I would have been toast if I hadn't done that because most of the interview is knowing where to fly and how based on charts. Then was a STAR with the same stuff, crossing restrictions, frequencies, MSA's, etc. Last was an ILS approach. There were a alot of questions on this. They give you the weather and ask if you can start the approach. You have to be careful to look at the RVR and know which one is controlling. Other questions like if you can continue the approach at different points if the RVR drops and what you need to go below DA. After all that there are a bunch of questions about FAR's. They gave me two scenarios and ask what I would do. I haven't flown 121 but I think it's mostly common sense and thinking about safety while not pissing everyone off.
After that, the other pilot asked HR questions. Pretty standard, why AE, what do you want to change about yourself, and a few "tell me about a time when you" questions. Again there is a lot of paperwork. I tried to have everything really organized and follow this checklist they sent. The recruiter thanked me for having everything together so well, I figured that had to help a little.
We broke for lunch around 11:30 and they gave us a voucher for food in the cafeteria. Pretty good food, but I couldn't eat a lot, just kind of nervous. They gave us about 45 minutes which was plenty of time. Two guys had already been sent home after doing the sim so there was just four of us left. One of them said in the van that he hadn't really practiced the flight profiles.
Next was the sim. They give you the approach plate for an ILS and a VOR approach. The airplane is already set up on the runway, engine running and everything all set up. They give you a good brief on where everything is. It has a G1000 but they turn off the moving map. I guess that would make it too easy... haha. The packet they send talks about a takeoff briefing... don't forget to give one. He just asks you to tell him when you are ready for takeoff. I gave the brief, asked if there were any questions, then said I'm ready. Takeoff and climb to 3000 and a few turns. Then intercept a radial and track to the station. Some guys tracked from the station so I guess they want to see if you know which way to turn the HSI. Holding was next, gave instruction then asked what entry and how I would actually do that, headings, time, turn direction, etc. I know I got that right because I practiced it a lot. We never went into the hold just started vectoring again for a downwind for the ILS. This thing uses a flight director. If you don't know how to use a flight director you won't make it since half of the ride uses it. It is touchy though. It isn't quite right and if you follow it without scanning the other instruments you'll get off your altitude. They brief you on that at the beginning to scan all the instruments and not just follow the flight director. I did the ILS approach and then a missed approach. I didn't think it was all too bad but I studied their profiles and chair flew them a lot with a friend. Next was a VOR approach. No flight director on this one, just raw data. This wasn't too bad either but it takes a minute to transition from using the flight director to being without it. After the VOR approach we landed. It's weird landing it, I mean the visual is pretty good, but I'm nervous and it is a sim, and its kind of hard to really make a good landing. They said they don't grade the landing so I guess it doesn't matter.
After all that there were three of us left and they came in to give us all offers. They said they have to complete all the background paperwork before it is an official offer though. They collect all the background paperwork then and go over the process of what happens next as far as when you will likely hear official word and get a class date. It sounds like it isn't too long since they just started and they are hiring a lot. It took about two weeks and I got the call on Friday afternoon to say I'm officially hired. They said I'm in the Oct 29 class so thats really soon. I'm really excited and looking forward to starting. Everyone is really positive and cool so hopefully I can fly with some of those guys sometime. They said classes start every two weeks and looking to hire about 100 by the end of the year and at least 400 next year and possibly a lot more. |
