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TMAAT questions:

Old 08-30-2011, 03:52 PM
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Default TMAAT questions:

With so many airlines adopting the TMAAT style interview, I have been digging deep into both my Corporate and 121 history in order to produce some good stories. Most of these questions I can format a good answer except:

Q: Tell me about a time when you have flown with a difficult captain.

A: Yes, I have and tolerated it. Even during debrief over a beer this guy would go on about how the aircraft was to be flown IAW the GOM, FOM, FTM, and FAR's...ATP standards. I eventually got it out of him that he had no degree, and that this was some form of displacement. How should this be presented?

Q: Have you ever broke an SOP/FAR to help the company?

A: Actually it was a broken tow bar ar XYZ airport. Although the GOM
reads powerback at XYZ okay with ODM approval, ODM said no. Attempted to procur towbar from carrier with same equipment, was told one hour wait. We called for powerback and departed on sched, never compromising safety. Never heard from ODM.
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Old 08-31-2011, 05:58 AM
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Originally Posted by RonWeasley View Post
With so many airlines adopting the TMAAT style interview, I have been digging deep into both my Corporate and 121 history in order to produce some good stories. Most of these questions I can format a good answer except:

Q: Tell me about a time when you have flown with a difficult captain.

A: Yes, I have and tolerated it. Even during debrief over a beer this guy would go on about how the aircraft was to be flown IAW the GOM, FOM, FTM, and FAR's...ATP standards. I eventually got it out of him that he had no degree, and that this was some form of displacement. How should this be presented?

Q: Have you ever broke an SOP/FAR to help the company?

A: Actually it was a broken tow bar ar XYZ airport. Although the GOM
reads powerback at XYZ okay with ODM approval, ODM said no. Attempted to procur towbar from carrier with same equipment, was told one hour wait. We called for powerback and departed on sched, never compromising safety. Never heard from ODM.
I would approach number 2 with something that shows you in a positive light. At most airlines it is not SOP to handle customers baggage let alone go above and beyond in regards to baggage. Have you ever had a customer forget a gate check and you ran it to the top of the jetbridge to get it to them? Have you ever gone to the ramp and collected a stroller and brought it up and set it up for a customer? These are some things to consider and are not "gray" areas from breaking rules or FARs. What did it do to benefit the company? An act like this can foster long lasting customer relations with the company and spread word of mouth advertising which has a high value for your company.

Number one does not sit well with me. It comes off as you are better than him because he does not have a degree or that you have a problem because he flies by the book. While I certainly dont think that is the case you have to wonder if the person on the other side of the table may think you could be the problem in this case.

Have you ever had a captain constantly tell you how to fly the airplane every step of the way despite your experience in the airplane? Maybe you could spin it that after landing with the door closed you spoke with the Captain and told him that although you valued his experience and input that you would like to be given the opportunity to develop your own technique providing it is within SOPs etc.


Now, I would HIGHLY advice that if you get a coveted spot to interview at a place you really want to be you spend the money on an interview consultant. If you need a rec I have one for you as it would be money well spent. PM AlbieF15 if you have any in depth questions, he knows his way around these kinds of questions.

Last edited by usmc-sgt; 08-31-2011 at 06:26 AM.
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Old 08-31-2011, 09:33 AM
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I would recommend against using either one of these examples.

#1 sounds like you're suggesting that flying the aircraft IAW with company and federal regulations is a problem, and then blaming the captain's background for pointing that out.

#2 you received a direct order from the operational duty manager to not use a proceedure, but then did it anyway without further consultation with the company.

Of course any line of questioning is designed to uncover trends and you simply can't practice canned answers for every potential question. My best advise is to seriously think about how you approach flying, your role in a multi crew environment, and how to fully comply with regulations. If you do an honest self-assessment, drawing examples from your experience to talk about in an interview should be easy.
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Old 09-02-2011, 04:59 AM
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Also bear in mind that in some cases the actual answer holds less meaning than the WAY that you answer.

For example, the question "Tell me about a time you make a mistake while flying". We all make mistakes... A candidate that sits and has to think a long time about the appropriate answer simply can't or doesn't conduct a realistic self-assessment of their performance.

TMAAT interviewing is part of a larger technique which many companies are adapting called Targeted Selection.
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Old 09-02-2011, 02:15 PM
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Wouldn't a simple..."I have not deviated, or will not deviate, from SOPs, FAR, Regs, ATC clearances unless safety of flight dictates or in the event of an Emergency or if required to protect lives"? That is how it is written in USAF speak. Since that was what I grew up learning, that is what is stuck in my nugget. But word it in a way that explains how you truly care about the company's success, and that you will execute your actions w/in policy/regs to be as efficient as possible.

Efficient mission execution w/ safety of crew and pax as the priority.

btw, i'm learning too, so i'll gladly accept the feedback as well.
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Old 09-02-2011, 06:14 PM
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Originally Posted by flyn2001 View Post
Wouldn't a simple..."I have not deviated, or will not deviate, from SOPs, FAR, Regs, ATC clearances unless safety of flight dictates or in the event of an Emergency or if required to protect lives"? That is how it is written in USAF speak. Since that was what I grew up learning, that is what is stuck in my nugget. But word it in a way that explains how you truly care about the company's success, and that you will execute your actions w/in policy/regs to be as efficient as possible.

Efficient mission execution w/ safety of crew and pax as the priority.

btw, i'm learning too, so i'll gladly accept the feedback as well.
I'm sure we have all pressed at times Flynn. To me the answer you provided sounds like something written by a CEOs lawyers or a politician's handler

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Old 09-02-2011, 08:47 PM
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An old Chief Pilot said this: "Every guy the employment office sent in to me was qualified. I was mostly interested in whether a four-day trip with them would be a pleasure ... or not."
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Old 09-03-2011, 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by flyn2001 View Post
Wouldn't a simple..."I have not deviated, or will not deviate, from SOPs, FAR, Regs, ATC clearances unless safety of flight dictates or in the event of an Emergency or if required to protect lives"? That is how it is written in USAF speak. Since that was what I grew up learning, that is what is stuck in my nugget. But word it in a way that explains how you truly care about the company's success, and that you will execute your actions w/in policy/regs to be as efficient as possible.

Efficient mission execution w/ safety of crew and pax as the priority.

btw, i'm learning too, so i'll gladly accept the feedback as well.
Answer that in an interview and I guarantee you won't get hired. Simply put, it's a load of excrement.

We deviate from SOP every flight. Everybody. It might be something really minor like sterile cockpit or not adhering to checklist flow or something, but it's still a deviation from SOP.

There's nothing wrong with stressing the importance of protocol and SOP, but it's just as equally important to understand your limits as a pilot, AND to have a realistic picture of your mistakes.

An answer such as what you posted, has some merits, but it also has a major flaw in that it tells me that you either don't have, or can't express a realistic self-judgement of your abilities and performance.
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Old 09-03-2011, 07:19 PM
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[QUOTE=FlyerJosh;1048815]Answer that in an interview and I guarantee you won't get hired. Simply put, it's a load of excrement.

We deviate from SOP every flight. Everybody. It might be something really minor like sterile cockpit or not adhering to checklist flow or something, but it's still a deviation from SOP.


Holy s#%t bro...are you serious? Every flight?

I must be thinking of something different because SOP's in my sqdn mean "Standard Operating Procedures". They are the guidlines by which we teach new instructors how to employ our aircraft in various categories throughout the NAS. Now, I can understand briefing something as "non-standard" before the flight IF the standards give me that flexibility (i.e. "should" vs. "shall" or "will"). If I set the tone such that SOPs are only to be followed unless the AC doesn't want to follow them...what kind of message is that? Is that what they will teach their brand new UPT students too?

Now let me lessen the blow you will probably deliver (sts)....I've never been an airline guy...zero experience. My company has never been focused around the revenue generated from flying from Pt A to Pt B...but I would argue that I have flown missions just as critical...if not more so! I realize it is different...but I'm willing and eager to learn! Is deviation from SOP's an acceptable and normal "every day" practice? Is Integrity not a core value that a company is seeking? Are rules only to be followed if conditions permit? In my experience, when I tell my leadership that something can't be done, and give them the reasons why and also my suggested solutions to make the mission move (within regs) they usually agree...and then my decision making processes, in their eyes, becomes that much more valuable, as do I. If they direct me to deviate....well, now that just became their call...and if safety will not be compromised, I will press.

Here is an example interview question a buddy of mine got when interviewing at the 89th (presidential airlift).

You are flying the 1st Lady from Pt A to Pt B. She needs to be there for some type of super important event. When you check wx, while enroute, you determine it is below mins. Do you break the rules and get her there as directed or do you divert and make the President's wife late or even no show? For the record, I think a person on the receiving end of this type of question is going to get slammed either way, but the interviewers are looking for something...what could it be?
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Old 09-03-2011, 07:52 PM
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I'm not a military flyer, but I seriously can't think of a flight where there wasn't some sort of deviation from a reg or SOP on any of the flights I've flown on since I started flying professionally... and I hope that you didn't think I was being critical previously...

Most deviations are minor. Maybe you slip up and start chatting before 10,000'. In the airline world, how many folks are doing crosswords (even though the SOP calls for no non-related reading material). Maybe you were fast or low on an approach, deviating from the published stabilized approach criteria - even if briefed, it may be considered a deviation from SOP- especially if something goes wrong. Perhaps you just got tired of wearing on O2 mask above the mandated altitude - so you took it off for just a minute to give your cheeks a rest. Maybe a distraction caused you to miss a critical checklist item that was caught later on when *****ing Betty yelled at you. Maybe you were heads down pushing buttons/programming the FMS when you shouldn't have been. I'm not talking about big things like "let's drop down another 100' to see if we see anything" or "This is the last leg home... pull the speed clacker circuit breaker"- but the fact is we all make deviations (sometimes intentional, but often not). The trick is recognition and recovery from them.

Don't paint a bad picture of yourself in an interview, but if you're asked the question, "have you ever violated a reg" or "tell me about a time your performance was substandard" be realistic. We all make mistakes and from time to time we bend the rules or push the envelope. As pilots we take calculated risks everyday- even on a routine flight. Recognize that, respect it, and consider it during your day to day ops and in an interview.


Originally Posted by flyn2001 View Post
You are flying the 1st Lady from Pt A to Pt B. She needs to be there for some type of super important event. When you check wx, while enroute, you determine it is below mins. Do you break the rules and get her there as directed or do you divert and make the President's wife late or even no show? For the record, I think a person on the receiving end of this type of question is going to get slammed either way, but the interviewers are looking for something...what could it be?
I've never flown or interviewed with the 89th, but I can tell you in my neck of the woods (Fortune 50 flight dept), you can NEVER go wrong with the safest course of action.

Will the boss potentially be unhappy if plans have to change? Sure. But they have NEVER second guessed us or pressured us. Your job isn't to keep the passengers itinerary after they arrive- it's to get them to Pt B, with the utmost consideration for Safety, Comfort, and Efficiency (in that order- although the airlines generally swap the last two variables). When that can't be done, your primary job is to come up with solutions or alternatives to the problem that allows your passengers to recover from the irregular operation as quickly as possible.

If somebody at the 89th felt otherwise, I'd be surprised... Things go very poorly when you start to push the limits just to get the job done. The crash of the Polish Presidential aircraft last year is perfect supporting evidence that safety comes before ANYBODY'S schedule...

Personally I don't care who I'm flying or what they need to do when they get there. My primary and only consideration is when I plan and execute a flight is will I arrive safely at the end of the flight. If I make it safely, then by default the plane, other crewmembers, and my passengers also arrive safely.

Last edited by FlyerJosh; 09-03-2011 at 08:05 PM.
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