ShyGuy

Just had a friend interview with Pinnacle, and he mentioned how the questions on the written test were not any ATP questions, and that they were all from ICAO/FAR/AIM/AC only.

Of the 50 questions a good 25 or so were all about LNAV/VNAV/RNAV.

Things like, what is the sensitivity for a Q route? +/- how many miles?

(Heck, does anybody know that without looking it up somewhere?)

And some other questions regarding ETOPs, sensitivity for a Type A RNAV and Type B RNAV, and many other questions along those lines.

Anyone know what's going on?

I don't think he's yanking my chain. He mentioned how of the 8 how interviewed, three or four didn't pass the exam. You need a 70% to pass it, and the highest was around a 75%, and *several* people barely passed with the minimum required of 70%.


Don't get me wrong, I know a written test is to evaluate you as part of the interview.

But given past history of Pinnacle interviews, it seems their tests used to be Private, Instrument, Commercial, and ATP type test questions.

But now, it seems they strayed from that, and are using pretty much Advisory Curriculars as their new source for questions?

Anyone have any updates for Pinnacle's recent change?

flyingsioux

I interviewed with them on August 9th and didn't find the written test to be "overly" difficult, but it was nothing like what you have described. Most of the questions that I remember were from the instrument, commercial and ATP writtens. Lots of weather and aerodynamics. Nothing I recall about VNAV/LNAV, etc, but nothing a active CFII or commercial pilot shouldnt know.

ShyGuy

No, the test you're describing is the same one as described by the latest www.aviationinterviews.com gouges for Pinnacle Airlines.

That's the easy test, since ALL those questions were straight out of the FAA test banks.



The test I just described above is completely different, and brand new that Pinnacle just used.

Does an active CFII or commercial pilot know:


What's the sensitivity for a Q route? +/- how many miles?

Sensitivity for a Type A RNAV SID/STAR?


Sensitivity for a Type B RNAV SID/STAR?


Cause I'm a Commercial pilot, and I don't know any of those three above!

flyingsioux

My statement was referring to the test that I took. That one didn't contain any questions that a commercial pilot or CFII shouldnt know.

ShyGuy

No, I gotcha.

They just changed it effective today, cause this guy I know just interviewed today (8/15) with Pinnacle. Hence, the brand new exam.

rickair7777

ETOPS??? At Pinnacle????

I could see RNAV A/B and Q routes if they are looking for street CA's.

ShyGuy

Yeah, he said there was one ETOPs question on that test (50 questions total).

Why they decided to include an ETOPs question, I have no idea.

Some of the stuff was REALLY obscure, and could only be found in Advisory Curriculars.

SharkyBN584

I knew the A/B RNAV one when I was studying for interviews. The rest of it I would have drawn a picture of a stick figure giving the finger so I could at least walk out of the interview with a smile since I would already know I'm not getting THAT job.

flyingsioux

The people there are very aware of the large amounts of gouge on aviationinterviews.com as well as websites like this. They made it a point to ask individually as well as a group what we did to prepare for the interview. I wouldnt doubt the written was changed solely for that reason.

ShyGuy

Yup, they were changing it before today, but it would still be questions pulled from Private, Instrument, Commercial, and ATP FAA test banks.

Now, it was outta nowhere! Well, the Advisory Curriculars would be the closest guess. That's what the guy described it as.