Flyby: Nobody knows exactly when the "snap shot" will be. For now, it's probably safe to assume (Misnomer!) that anything after 2/14/13 would be DOH. To me, getting hired by either/or is one and the same at this point.

Probationary check ride? Good question. I know I had to go in to the chief's office at my 1 year anniversary for the official blessing. Was supposed to be kind of a mini oral but we ended up shooting the sh1t. I also had a check engineer around the 1 year mark who "observed" my most excellent duties keeping the cabin temp, pressurization, and fuel all within reasonable (new hire) limits.