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Old 02-20-2014, 07:14 PM
  #123  
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Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 390
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From my experience at interviewing at three airlines (hired by all three), the fact that you're a military pilot is golden. Nobody cares about tenths of an hour conversions or having super high flight time. They know that even in a career, a military pilot may only have 3000-5000 hours depending on the weapon system. The vast majority of that should be PIC. Nobody cares about simulator or drone time. Probably no one will ask for a logbook, just a military flying summary to check that you are what you say you are. Don't get hung up about flying time. It's the quality of that time that's important.

What they are concerned about:

1. Normal progression to aircraft commander and instructor. Instructor hours are considered PIC time.
2. Staying in flying for a good part of your career and recent flying currency is a big plus. Someone who spends most of their career in non-flying staff work is suspect in their dedication-to and like-of flying . . . . and keep in mind that in an airline, that's ALL you're going to be doing.
3. Not getting an idiot, geek, head-case, someone that can't let the military mindset go, or someone who might have problems in training.
4. Someone they wouldn't mind going on a 4-day trip with.

Don't be complacent, but don't get up-tight either. Likely the pilot interviewer was a former military pilot themselves. If your credentials and experience are up to standard, they know you can fly. That's not in question. But "who you are as a person" is what they're looking at closely . . . . friendly, confident, easy-going, not arrogant, affable, flexible, and competent.
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