ShyGuy

That abrogates seniority. Assume the MD is not closed in NY or CVG, say a 4-month ATL CA MD88 just base swaps with a CVG MD88 CA, who is a 12+ year guy. Now this 4 month CA is in CVG would be holding a spot that his seniority in no way allowed otherwise, and all the CVG MD FOs who wanted a CVG CA slot would be out of luck. A true "base swap" does hurt the concept of seniority-based vacancies.

At most airlines, a vacancy has to exist first.

sailingfun

Captain A wants into base XXX. On recent bids he can't hold it but has a senior friend who can. Senior friend bids it and they swap. Seniority is abrogated.

Lurchi

I did emerald coast....was good to help prepare my 4 min intro but not necessary for anything else....they will not tell you that at emerald coast of course.

For general knowledge I read FAR/AIM, Everything for the Professional pilot, Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators, and did the RST (ready set takeoff) course.

The RST course has a cognitive test trainer as well that I found beneficial.

If I had to do it again I would read the same stuff and do the RST course but would not do Emerald Coast interview prep. In my opinion the HR portion of the interview is not about getting the “right” answer as much as showing that you can think, communicate, and are not a tool. In other words, “your” answer is more important than the “right” answer.

Denny Crane

You’ve been given a few examples how it does and here is another. Using your example how about the SLC A320A who is trying to get into DTW and is senior to the guy from ATL? It just plain and simple abrogates seniority.

Denny

Vincent Chase

I think you may be discounting the non-verbal recommendations EC offered. Unless you're a professional from the get-go. Also, the recommendations about TMAAT stories that will help paint you in a better light than just going into an interview and saying something stupid like, "$h!t is just *******ED up at (insert your current RJ employer)."

But if you're that rock-solid, congrats. I used EC. I thought it was worth every penny to polish my act, seeing as this was my one shot at the job I wanted with the company I wanted to work at.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

To the original question, I also found M3: The Mile, The Mach, and The Minute to be a great refresher for the knowledge test.

Han Solo

I had a buddy who was a T-bird, he did no interview prep and was in the 1st or 2nd class hired by UAL in '13. He already knew how to sell himself and present the best possible act without any help, for a guy like him interview prep is a waste of time and money.

I tend to say what I'm thinking, I don't have a poker face and if I think you're an effing retard you can see it in my expression. I'm honest to a fault and rarely lie or exaggerate so I'm not good at it. I say things that make fighter pilots shake their heads. For me ECC was essential to getting hired.

Sun Tzu was a wise old 'feller. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

If you need interview prep you know it, if you don't need it you also probably know it. If you're not sure which is worse, not needing it and wasting $400 or needing it and blowing your interview?

ColdUpHere

Was it Slim?

TED74

With this kind of set up it might. But if there's a waiting list of pilots who want into a particular base, the system wouldn't have to work like this. Just like our swap board - everyone has to have a shot at any opportunity, and seniority wins. All this base shuffle does is allow movements that would otherwise happen a few times a year happen much more quickly. Seems like a win all around - junior or senior.

TED74

Who cares? Doesn't make it a good idea. Pairing base movement to vacancies is no law of nature. The two need not be related with a base swap swap board analagous to our rotation swap board. I could see a monthly base swap working great. Bids due by the 11th of every month on the CQ timeline (two months lead). Swappers would have to yield their vacation allocation if the new base couldn't accommodate. And along that line, we could also have a vacation swap board.

As long as seniority is applied appropriately, I don't get the resistance to such hypothetical flexibility.

Scoop

Who says it has to be Pilot specific? Why would your Captain A go before a more senior Pilot wanting the same swap? Every guy interested in the swaps put in his request. The WOPR than runs the complete list system wide and awards swap in straight seniority order.

For an air-frame like the 737 that is represented at every single Pilot base this has potential. Yes there are definitely details to work out, but I am pretty sure that it could be worked out if there was a desire to do so.

Scoop