I don't know anyone that knows all of this. Memorize all of the FARs? Everything about Jeppesen? METARs and TAFs? Yeah, I had to look up some METAR codes yesterday as a matter of fact. And what in the world is the Turbine Pilot's Manual and how does one memorize it? Is this all legit?

 

Testing at DAL had probably 1-3 FAR questions and 1-2 airport markings or lighting. Not too many calculation questions, although the gouge floating around has a zillion examples. Handful on turbine parts, temps etc. A lot on generic aero stuff (lift, drag, aoa, airspeed concepts, effects of alt, CG).

I read the Turbine pilot manual. Hits a few subjects that may be good review/introduction for a mil pilot.

 

I did no sim prep, no job fairs, got called by UAL, and hired on my FIRST DAY of terminal leave. I hate to come across this way, but it's all timing. Sure, do that crap, but in the end it's all timing. Just be a good dude and a good pilot. The HR and CAs in the interview will be able to figure that out. It's all that matters whether you BS the board or not.

 

Deuce, yes, this is actually true for SkyWest. That's what all the gouge tells you they will ask, both in the test and in the technical portion of the interview, and it was true for me.

We spent roughly 10 minutes on TAFs/METARs, about 10 minutes on Jeppessen (low chart, approach plates), 20 minutes on turbine engines/electrical systems/aerodynamics/weather, and then another 15ish minutes on FARs, drawing runways/lighting systems, everything there is to know about 91.175. "Here's a blank piece of paper, draw the electrical system of the F-16, in as much detail as you can." Etc.

I was sweating when it was over. Plus, the test covered all that stuff as well. NONE of the questions about TAF/METAR and Jepp's were the simple stuff - they were all the things that you and I would have to no-kidding look up in the real world. There were several that I just didn't know.

I know that it's different for the majors, but that's how they do it at SkyWest - not sure if they do that at any other regionals or not.

I'm pretty sure I haven't had a tougher ground eval since the mid-80's!

 

Well that won't get you very far in the USN/USMC tactical world then.
Starting in T-2Cs the IP told you that if you could touch it from the cockpit you didn't need to know it and you certainly weren't going to be fixing it.
We had enough with the standard NATOPS and the plethra of TACMANs to worry about without tracing a spark across a wire diagram.

John - I'm also assuming you used this example as a technical question about a plane that you are coming from, or currently in, as after a few months I'd forgotten whatever I did manage to store in the back of my brain about my fleet aircraft's electrical system!

Memorize the FARs That is like memorizing the Tax Codes.
You know they even teach lawyers HOW to look things up/research because trying to memorize stuff just leads to mistakes.

I'll say that I like my current jobs approach better than SkyWest's then. My most recent oral exam was around 5 hours long for my ASIP - but we had the manuals in front of us - both FOM type and technical type for the flight inspection. they tell you NOT to try and memorize all of the information. You'll see techs in the back after 10-15+ years on the job still looking up tolerances and they all have the book open and available to them during an inspection (of course we do have a lot of exceptions to work out too)

 

Ladies,

I'm just telling ya what I had to go through and how it was. I've been a fighter pilot since before you children were in diapers, so spare me the outcry about how much bs their process is. It is what it is.

Note the title of this thread - we're passing gouge so we can all get hired. I didn't tell them how to run their interview process, I'm simply passing along what I learned. I'm not making this stuff up you monkeys

 

Sounds like a rough day going through that process at Skywest! Did they do that all in one day?

 

Yep, one day. They tell you to plan on being there from 0800 - 1700. Two of us were cleared off not too long after lunch, 3 guys got booted before lunch, and the one "maybe" got the full meal deal.

The really rough part was the studying and prep - if you can power through all that then you're just regurgitating everything they want you to know. They were gentlemen about it, they weren't Hitler Youth, but you need to go in there prepared. In fact, now that I think about it, they were actually quite nice to me as a military guy - they seemed to give great respect for the military

 

lol@ "draw the electrical system". That's the most ridiculous thing that goes on during oral checkrides IMO. I'll never ask anyone to do it. If someone wants to do it to prove they know the system, then go for it, but it's a ridiculous test and most people often don't understand the theories behind the components, just some wire diagram and (usually wrong) direction of current flow (which doesn't really flow anyways). Honestly, my opinion of that airline drops when I hear that's one of the interview "questions".

 

So, did you get the job?