Nicholas Air
09-19-2021, 08:26 PM
#131
Line Holder
Joined APC: May 2016
Posts: 57
Interview at Nicholas Air.
FYI and what my experience was going for an interview at NA.
I saw an ad about the company and decided to give it a try thinking that my experience with turboprop could get me an interview. It worked and a Pilot recruiter decided to call me. It was a simple phone interview and a very pleasant conversation. I remember him asking me if I was a pragmatic person and I answered Yes. I like to be straight to the point.
Two weeks later I received an invitation to fly to headquarters in MS. They would cover the expenses and it was a no brainer to go and do the best I could. By the way, my tickets, and hotel expenses were paid.
Then it came the research part and I became aware of what a couple of people have been talking about. First of all, NA is a very small company, they have 5 planes, but in their mindset act as if they were a 50 plane company. If you look at youtube they have flown high profile passengers and think a lot about themselves because of that. Beautiful office to attract their clients, saw some visitors on the interview day.
What I started feeling was that the company was not an end goal for my career and that if I could get the position it would be like anybody that has been there, just to build time. Let me share how the interview went.
I got there at 9:00am and went upstairs to the office. Was greeted by my recruiter that did not fully introduce himself to say who he was. We went to the conference room where two other people were there, a lady from HR, and the hardcore upper manager guy that also never introduced himself. Why am I making a point about introductions? I think it’s the polite thing to do. Has anybody been in an interview where they make you feel comfortable and not the other way around? I felt uncomfortable and I didn’t do well on the technical portion but my vent-out is more to agree on the comments on the forum about the company and more specific the hardcore manager.
I strongly believe the harsh comments about him to be correct and the way he presented himself and never made me feel at ease reflects what you can expect from his management style. Tell me what you know about our company, tell why I should take a chance to spend money on your training. Oh, I saw that you have visited airline pilot forums, what did you see about us? I saw that maybe the main reason why pilots are leaving the company is because of you, but I kept myself quiet. I am sure he already saw I was not a good candidate.
I will tell you what I did that I don’t regret. I asked for the job because I have good customer service skills and I am a pleasant and committed person to work with. No, this is not going to get you the job, at least it didn’t work for me.
Final comment. Even Though I failed the interview I really didn't feel at ease, comfortable, or welcome. The hardcore manager would not be a pleasant person to work with. I know. Wait until you get the other nasty one in other operations.
PS. I really wonder why they called me. It was on my resume I had no jet time. Maybe this hardcore guy is not a pilot and doesn’t do preflight planning. If the main problem was my lack of jet time, why bother to fly me there? He’d better not be the chief pilot.
I saw an ad about the company and decided to give it a try thinking that my experience with turboprop could get me an interview. It worked and a Pilot recruiter decided to call me. It was a simple phone interview and a very pleasant conversation. I remember him asking me if I was a pragmatic person and I answered Yes. I like to be straight to the point.
Two weeks later I received an invitation to fly to headquarters in MS. They would cover the expenses and it was a no brainer to go and do the best I could. By the way, my tickets, and hotel expenses were paid.
Then it came the research part and I became aware of what a couple of people have been talking about. First of all, NA is a very small company, they have 5 planes, but in their mindset act as if they were a 50 plane company. If you look at youtube they have flown high profile passengers and think a lot about themselves because of that. Beautiful office to attract their clients, saw some visitors on the interview day.
What I started feeling was that the company was not an end goal for my career and that if I could get the position it would be like anybody that has been there, just to build time. Let me share how the interview went.
I got there at 9:00am and went upstairs to the office. Was greeted by my recruiter that did not fully introduce himself to say who he was. We went to the conference room where two other people were there, a lady from HR, and the hardcore upper manager guy that also never introduced himself. Why am I making a point about introductions? I think it’s the polite thing to do. Has anybody been in an interview where they make you feel comfortable and not the other way around? I felt uncomfortable and I didn’t do well on the technical portion but my vent-out is more to agree on the comments on the forum about the company and more specific the hardcore manager.
I strongly believe the harsh comments about him to be correct and the way he presented himself and never made me feel at ease reflects what you can expect from his management style. Tell me what you know about our company, tell why I should take a chance to spend money on your training. Oh, I saw that you have visited airline pilot forums, what did you see about us? I saw that maybe the main reason why pilots are leaving the company is because of you, but I kept myself quiet. I am sure he already saw I was not a good candidate.
I will tell you what I did that I don’t regret. I asked for the job because I have good customer service skills and I am a pleasant and committed person to work with. No, this is not going to get you the job, at least it didn’t work for me.
Final comment. Even Though I failed the interview I really didn't feel at ease, comfortable, or welcome. The hardcore manager would not be a pleasant person to work with. I know. Wait until you get the other nasty one in other operations.
PS. I really wonder why they called me. It was on my resume I had no jet time. Maybe this hardcore guy is not a pilot and doesn’t do preflight planning. If the main problem was my lack of jet time, why bother to fly me there? He’d better not be the chief pilot.
09-19-2021, 10:35 PM
#132
In a land of unicorns
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Position: Whale FO
Posts: 6,469
Originally Posted by BarbaPapa
FYI and what my experience was going for an interview at NA.
I saw an ad about the company and decided to give it a try thinking that my experience with turboprop could get me an interview. It worked and a Pilot recruiter decided to call me. It was a simple phone interview and a very pleasant conversation. I remember him asking me if I was a pragmatic person and I answered Yes. I like to be straight to the point.
Two weeks later I received an invitation to fly to headquarters in MS. They would cover the expenses and it was a no brainer to go and do the best I could. By the way, my tickets, and hotel expenses were paid.
Then it came the research part and I became aware of what a couple of people have been talking about. First of all, NA is a very small company, they have 5 planes, but in their mindset act as if they were a 50 plane company. If you look at youtube they have flown high profile passengers and think a lot about themselves because of that. Beautiful office to attract their clients, saw some visitors on the interview day.
What I started feeling was that the company was not an end goal for my career and that if I could get the position it would be like anybody that has been there, just to build time. Let me share how the interview went.
I got there at 9:00am and went upstairs to the office. Was greeted by my recruiter that did not fully introduce himself to say who he was. We went to the conference room where two other people were there, a lady from HR, and the hardcore upper manager guy that also never introduced himself. Why am I making a point about introductions? I think it’s the polite thing to do. Has anybody been in an interview where they make you feel comfortable and not the other way around? I felt uncomfortable and I didn’t do well on the technical portion but my vent-out is more to agree on the comments on the forum about the company and more specific the hardcore manager.
I strongly believe the harsh comments about him to be correct and the way he presented himself and never made me feel at ease reflects what you can expect from his management style. Tell me what you know about our company, tell why I should take a chance to spend money on your training. Oh, I saw that you have visited airline pilot forums, what did you see about us? I saw that maybe the main reason why pilots are leaving the company is because of you, but I kept myself quiet. I am sure he already saw I was not a good candidate.
I will tell you what I did that I don’t regret. I asked for the job because I have good customer service skills and I am a pleasant and committed person to work with. No, this is not going to get you the job, at least it didn’t work for me.
Final comment. Even Though I failed the interview I really didn't feel at ease, comfortable, or welcome. The hardcore manager would not be a pleasant person to work with. I know. Wait until you get the other nasty one in other operations.
PS. I really wonder why they called me. It was on my resume I had no jet time. Maybe this hardcore guy is not a pilot and doesn’t do preflight planning. If the main problem was my lack of jet time, why bother to fly me there? He’d better not be the chief pilot.
I saw an ad about the company and decided to give it a try thinking that my experience with turboprop could get me an interview. It worked and a Pilot recruiter decided to call me. It was a simple phone interview and a very pleasant conversation. I remember him asking me if I was a pragmatic person and I answered Yes. I like to be straight to the point.
Two weeks later I received an invitation to fly to headquarters in MS. They would cover the expenses and it was a no brainer to go and do the best I could. By the way, my tickets, and hotel expenses were paid.
Then it came the research part and I became aware of what a couple of people have been talking about. First of all, NA is a very small company, they have 5 planes, but in their mindset act as if they were a 50 plane company. If you look at youtube they have flown high profile passengers and think a lot about themselves because of that. Beautiful office to attract their clients, saw some visitors on the interview day.
What I started feeling was that the company was not an end goal for my career and that if I could get the position it would be like anybody that has been there, just to build time. Let me share how the interview went.
I got there at 9:00am and went upstairs to the office. Was greeted by my recruiter that did not fully introduce himself to say who he was. We went to the conference room where two other people were there, a lady from HR, and the hardcore upper manager guy that also never introduced himself. Why am I making a point about introductions? I think it’s the polite thing to do. Has anybody been in an interview where they make you feel comfortable and not the other way around? I felt uncomfortable and I didn’t do well on the technical portion but my vent-out is more to agree on the comments on the forum about the company and more specific the hardcore manager.
I strongly believe the harsh comments about him to be correct and the way he presented himself and never made me feel at ease reflects what you can expect from his management style. Tell me what you know about our company, tell why I should take a chance to spend money on your training. Oh, I saw that you have visited airline pilot forums, what did you see about us? I saw that maybe the main reason why pilots are leaving the company is because of you, but I kept myself quiet. I am sure he already saw I was not a good candidate.
I will tell you what I did that I don’t regret. I asked for the job because I have good customer service skills and I am a pleasant and committed person to work with. No, this is not going to get you the job, at least it didn’t work for me.
Final comment. Even Though I failed the interview I really didn't feel at ease, comfortable, or welcome. The hardcore manager would not be a pleasant person to work with. I know. Wait until you get the other nasty one in other operations.
PS. I really wonder why they called me. It was on my resume I had no jet time. Maybe this hardcore guy is not a pilot and doesn’t do preflight planning. If the main problem was my lack of jet time, why bother to fly me there? He’d better not be the chief pilot.
09-20-2021, 07:19 AM
#134
Line Holder
Joined APC: May 2016
Posts: 57
No reasoning. Awareness for pre planning.
Originally Posted by dera
Sounds like they didn't want you, and you are coming up with reasons why you didn't want them. Win win situation, right?
09-20-2021, 09:27 AM
#135
Line Holder
Joined APC: Nov 2014
Position: Phenom
Posts: 82
Originally Posted by RetiredAF135
Every single bad thing you’ve read about them in this thread is 100% true.
They refused to pay me a few times for scheduled days off that I worked. They tried to get me to break duty/rest regulations a few times, but I wouldn’t do it. The (then) DO told me to “stop annoying me with that GOM bullsh*t”, when I pointed out the company’s own GOM said ALL flights would be treated as part 135, and that it also spelled out the duty and rest requirements for all aircrew, and that section was part 135 crew duty/rest regulations word for word. He told me, more than once, that the GOM isn’t regulatory! Just remember who’s ultimately responsible if anything goes wrong (hint: It starts with the letters P I C). I honestly can’t believe they haven’t lost their certificate, specially after the FAA investigation confirmed they had been threatening to fire pilots who refused to break duty/rest regulations. One of he guys I flew with, who took over an airplane when I went off tour, told me they played that 135/91 switcheroo and had him on duty for almost 18 hours, with no compensatory rest.
They refused to pay me a few times for scheduled days off that I worked. They tried to get me to break duty/rest regulations a few times, but I wouldn’t do it. The (then) DO told me to “stop annoying me with that GOM bullsh*t”, when I pointed out the company’s own GOM said ALL flights would be treated as part 135, and that it also spelled out the duty and rest requirements for all aircrew, and that section was part 135 crew duty/rest regulations word for word. He told me, more than once, that the GOM isn’t regulatory! Just remember who’s ultimately responsible if anything goes wrong (hint: It starts with the letters P I C). I honestly can’t believe they haven’t lost their certificate, specially after the FAA investigation confirmed they had been threatening to fire pilots who refused to break duty/rest regulations. One of he guys I flew with, who took over an airplane when I went off tour, told me they played that 135/91 switcheroo and had him on duty for almost 18 hours, with no compensatory rest.
135- did they not tell you the game played to get around the GOM? What company name were the trips run under per the trip sheet as it created a loophole? I remember crews being on duty for nearly 20 hours and being given far less than min rest using that 91 loophole. I won’t detail beyond that.
09-20-2021, 02:39 PM
#136
Line Holder
Joined APC: May 2016
Posts: 57
14 Hours Duty asked more than once.
Originally Posted by BuddhaPilot73
100% true-absolutely. This is far from a place where former “disgruntled pilots” gripe about a past employer. This is a company that will attempt to stir up issues at your next employer even if you left when your “promissory note” was fulfilled. The grudge holding is real.
135- did they not tell you the game played to get around the GOM? What company name were the trips run under per the trip sheet as it created a loophole? I remember crews being on duty for nearly 20 hours and being given far less than min rest using that 91 loophole. I won’t detail beyond that.
135- did they not tell you the game played to get around the GOM? What company name were the trips run under per the trip sheet as it created a loophole? I remember crews being on duty for nearly 20 hours and being given far less than min rest using that 91 loophole. I won’t detail beyond that.
100% Believable what the other pilot is also trying to share. Let's just imagine that we decide to quit and they place some derrogatory comments in our file.
01-07-2022, 05:20 PM
#137
New Hire
Joined APC: Dec 2021
Posts: 7
Air 21 Whistleblower Case 2020-Air-00015
Originally Posted by BarbaPapa
I was asked during interview more than once if I could handle 14 duty hour day. Explained that the most common schedule would start at 6:00 am and end at 8:00 pm. That would not include delays and everything the same for the following day.
100% Believable what the other pilot is also trying to share. Let's just imagine that we decide to quit and they place some derrogatory comments in our file.
100% Believable what the other pilot is also trying to share. Let's just imagine that we decide to quit and they place some derrogatory comments in our file.
01-07-2022, 05:33 PM
#138
New Hire
Joined APC: Dec 2021
Posts: 7
Air 21 Whistleblower 2020-AIR-00015
Originally Posted by dera
Sounds like they didn't want you, and you are coming up with reasons why you didn't want them. Win win situation, right?
01-07-2022, 06:56 PM
#139
In a land of unicorns
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Position: Whale FO
Posts: 6,469
Originally Posted by IBNJ
Here is a pilot that sued Nicholas Air And won over unsafe Concerns https://www.oalj.dol.gov/DECISIONS/A...1_CADEC_PD.PDF
It's pretty obvious that Nicholas is a complete mickey mouse operation though from that document. "observers" sitting right seat wearing 3 stripes, wow.
07-21-2023, 03:39 PM
#140
New Hire
Joined APC: Jul 2023
Posts: 1
Interview at Nicholas Air
This thread seems pretty dead so I think I should contribute some updates. I was able to read some stuff about this operation before I interviewed and hoped that since it wasn't fresh that some things had changed.... Nope, this operation felt like what others had mentioned and almost as if Nicholas Air was no longer hiding behind the "prisoner pilot" theme, but now embraced it.
Day of Interview:
Landed in Memphis and caught a 1.5hr "party van" ride down to NA headquarters in what was actually a pretty fancy ride. After getting to their HQ, went upstairs and loitered around the front desk for 5 minutes waiting for someone to greet me. Finally got greeted and signed in, waited about 5 more min until the DO came and took me into the classroom where he told me to take the on-computer test and wave at the camera when I was done. Did okay, only missed 2-3 part 135 questions out of the 30 question test. After passing the test, I moved 5 feet left did the Cirrus SF50 sim test portion (which was one of those single tv AATD sims most flight schools use,) and did well and even got a compliment from the observer. All was pretty normal and I felt very comfortable up until this point, then it went to hell; the HR sit-down portion.
The Interview:
Opened with a pretty standard tell me about yourself and aviation experience, totally normal. Then, the first real question was "So, have you applied or interviewed anywhere else?" I know that this is a pretty standard lie-detector question and if you answer "no," that throws your credibility out the window. So I answered that I had at that point applied to two other 135 operators and two 121 operators. I got hit with the "which airline did you apply to" question and the second a regional left my mouth, "Oh, you wanna be an airline pilot...." in a very condescending tone came after. The interview became very hostile and more like sitting in a police interrogation room after this exchange.
After they realized that I wasn't going to stay at them forever, they reiterated that they "really don't like to train people who are going to leave us." The interviewers did a really thorough job of going through the training bond/promissory note requirements to work there. I figured they were so thorough as an almost warning in case I thought about joining and then leaving within the next 5 years...Yes, you read that right, 5 years. The training bond for your initial SIC type is only 12 months but is required to be signed again to receive recurrent training for at least 2 more years. If you want to upgrade to PIC or a new type, you have to sign a training bond to do so until you've been with the company for at least 5 years. So, unless you want to be stuck SIC on the same type for the next 3 years, you have to sign more training bonds to upgrade until 5 years. They didn't seem ashamed of this ridiculous requirement and even embraced it as a pilot retention program.
Still on the "airline train," the COO asked me, "what even interests you about working for an airline?" I simply replied "the pay." She said, "well the DO here came from the airline world and didn't like it, plus the pay here is comparable here and the QoL is better." This was an obvious lie as they sent me their interview packet and I possess eyeballs. The hourly rate is the same but the interview packet says, "The tier pay structure is based on a guarantee of 29 flight hours a month. Pilots who fly over 29 live leg (passenger occupied) hours in any given month are paid at their calculated hourly rate for each live leg hour over their 29-hour monthly guarantee. The average live leg hours per month range from 38 to 45, depending on airframe." I don't know how they think 29 guaranteed hours and an average of 40 hours a month is "comparable in pay" to an airline that guarantees 75 hours per month and most pilots average 82 hours paid time. At this point, I knew this interview was effectively over. They felt I wasn't going to be there for the next 3-5 years and I didn't appreciate being lied to on something so easy to fact check. While I'm commenting some info about the interview packet, there's a hilarious portion in there. "You may negotiate your job offer however it is not recommended. If you decline the employment offer you will not be eligible for future hire." This screams, "you will be pilot cattle at this operation." I'll drop a link to the packet at the bottom.
The next portion of the interview was the scenario based questions, however, they all ended up being "gotcha" questions. For example, "There's a ground stop at your departure airport for 3 hours, so you and the captain head back into the FBO to wait it out. You get inside and see the captain having a drink at the full service bar. What do you do?" I answered in a negotiable themed response about how "we as pilots shouldn't be drinking alcohol before a flight" to which I was then scolded and said "are you accusing the captain of drinking alcohol? It's just tonic water and lime!" After feeling like a fool for falling for the "gotcha" question I remarked "well it's not a good look for a pilot to be drinking at the bar in uniform, even if it's not alcohol." The interviewer said, "okay, how would you apologize to the captain for accusing them of drinking?" I just sat there and questioned if this was real or if I was dreaming.
The next scenario was a member who wanted to bring 13 bags on board for a flight from Tennessee to Denver. I had to find a diplomatic answer that wouldn't **** off the member in any way shape or form. Every weight I thought about removing was not accepted, and I was really being pressured into allowing the member to bring all their bags. It eventually got whittled down to removing the emergency over water equipment and for the pilots to not bring their own bags, instead opting to, as they said, "mail them to your next airport and do the Walmart run for clothes in the mean time." Apparently, foregoing your own bags and Fedexing them to where you will be in 2 days was the answer they were looking for.
The rest of the interview is kind of a blur as I mentally resigned, and TMAAT questions. Needless to say, I walked out of there knowing I didn't get the job, nor would I have taken it if offered.
Link to Interview Guide: https://mega.nz/file/4PJGXbTY#41sGcN...Yij-xD176EU58Q
Day of Interview:
Landed in Memphis and caught a 1.5hr "party van" ride down to NA headquarters in what was actually a pretty fancy ride. After getting to their HQ, went upstairs and loitered around the front desk for 5 minutes waiting for someone to greet me. Finally got greeted and signed in, waited about 5 more min until the DO came and took me into the classroom where he told me to take the on-computer test and wave at the camera when I was done. Did okay, only missed 2-3 part 135 questions out of the 30 question test. After passing the test, I moved 5 feet left did the Cirrus SF50 sim test portion (which was one of those single tv AATD sims most flight schools use,) and did well and even got a compliment from the observer. All was pretty normal and I felt very comfortable up until this point, then it went to hell; the HR sit-down portion.
The Interview:
Opened with a pretty standard tell me about yourself and aviation experience, totally normal. Then, the first real question was "So, have you applied or interviewed anywhere else?" I know that this is a pretty standard lie-detector question and if you answer "no," that throws your credibility out the window. So I answered that I had at that point applied to two other 135 operators and two 121 operators. I got hit with the "which airline did you apply to" question and the second a regional left my mouth, "Oh, you wanna be an airline pilot...." in a very condescending tone came after. The interview became very hostile and more like sitting in a police interrogation room after this exchange.
After they realized that I wasn't going to stay at them forever, they reiterated that they "really don't like to train people who are going to leave us." The interviewers did a really thorough job of going through the training bond/promissory note requirements to work there. I figured they were so thorough as an almost warning in case I thought about joining and then leaving within the next 5 years...Yes, you read that right, 5 years. The training bond for your initial SIC type is only 12 months but is required to be signed again to receive recurrent training for at least 2 more years. If you want to upgrade to PIC or a new type, you have to sign a training bond to do so until you've been with the company for at least 5 years. So, unless you want to be stuck SIC on the same type for the next 3 years, you have to sign more training bonds to upgrade until 5 years. They didn't seem ashamed of this ridiculous requirement and even embraced it as a pilot retention program.
Still on the "airline train," the COO asked me, "what even interests you about working for an airline?" I simply replied "the pay." She said, "well the DO here came from the airline world and didn't like it, plus the pay here is comparable here and the QoL is better." This was an obvious lie as they sent me their interview packet and I possess eyeballs. The hourly rate is the same but the interview packet says, "The tier pay structure is based on a guarantee of 29 flight hours a month. Pilots who fly over 29 live leg (passenger occupied) hours in any given month are paid at their calculated hourly rate for each live leg hour over their 29-hour monthly guarantee. The average live leg hours per month range from 38 to 45, depending on airframe." I don't know how they think 29 guaranteed hours and an average of 40 hours a month is "comparable in pay" to an airline that guarantees 75 hours per month and most pilots average 82 hours paid time. At this point, I knew this interview was effectively over. They felt I wasn't going to be there for the next 3-5 years and I didn't appreciate being lied to on something so easy to fact check. While I'm commenting some info about the interview packet, there's a hilarious portion in there. "You may negotiate your job offer however it is not recommended. If you decline the employment offer you will not be eligible for future hire." This screams, "you will be pilot cattle at this operation." I'll drop a link to the packet at the bottom.
The next portion of the interview was the scenario based questions, however, they all ended up being "gotcha" questions. For example, "There's a ground stop at your departure airport for 3 hours, so you and the captain head back into the FBO to wait it out. You get inside and see the captain having a drink at the full service bar. What do you do?" I answered in a negotiable themed response about how "we as pilots shouldn't be drinking alcohol before a flight" to which I was then scolded and said "are you accusing the captain of drinking alcohol? It's just tonic water and lime!" After feeling like a fool for falling for the "gotcha" question I remarked "well it's not a good look for a pilot to be drinking at the bar in uniform, even if it's not alcohol." The interviewer said, "okay, how would you apologize to the captain for accusing them of drinking?" I just sat there and questioned if this was real or if I was dreaming.
The next scenario was a member who wanted to bring 13 bags on board for a flight from Tennessee to Denver. I had to find a diplomatic answer that wouldn't **** off the member in any way shape or form. Every weight I thought about removing was not accepted, and I was really being pressured into allowing the member to bring all their bags. It eventually got whittled down to removing the emergency over water equipment and for the pilots to not bring their own bags, instead opting to, as they said, "mail them to your next airport and do the Walmart run for clothes in the mean time." Apparently, foregoing your own bags and Fedexing them to where you will be in 2 days was the answer they were looking for.
The rest of the interview is kind of a blur as I mentally resigned, and TMAAT questions. Needless to say, I walked out of there knowing I didn't get the job, nor would I have taken it if offered.
Link to Interview Guide: https://mega.nz/file/4PJGXbTY#41sGcN...Yij-xD176EU58Q
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