Chq called
 

Any chq pilots with any advice on the interview other than the gouge? It seems like sometimes they use the simulator and sometimes they dont. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

The interview is very straight forward, they care about personality more than they care about hiring a Chuck Yaeger.
Make sure you have 1500 total time and 300 multi, they are getting really tight with that. If you have previous 121 or 135 experience then you don't have to do the sim.
good luck

awesome, sounds great! I have just over 1500 with about 680 multi with prev 121

How long after turning your stuff in did you get the call? I submitted several weeks ago, and again last week, and haven't heard anything. I easily exceed their mins. I don't know anyone there to walk stuff in, so that's out. Just curious, thanks.

I sent in my stuff on sunday, got a call back the next monday, so 8 days - I faxed in my stuff and also did the online app - no walkins but as far as i know theyre trying to fill up an june 6th interview class. Good luck!

I just interviewed last week and am 121 and had to do the sim. Actually, both of us that were 121 had to do the sim, and one CFI didn't have to. We were surprised, and the HR lady explained that she was new and that they aren't determining who does the SIM based on 121 or not any longer. I was glad I had spent an hour studying for the SIM just in case, so don't count on not doing it.

Whenever i sent in my stuff, HR called 3 days later. I did the online thing, everybody I interviewd with that emailed HR or did the online app got an interview faster than the people that had their resumes walked in, but that could just be coincidence.
HR lady, Linda is very friendly, the company is great, interview is a fair process!

cool thanks a lot, sounds like a great company! I planned on practicing for the sim anyway since its been forever since i did a full approach!

Another thing - does the sim center let you practice fly to get a feel for it the day before your interview?? I know Awac does that

What about for the Erj145? Still 1500tt and 300multi?

I have a June 15th interview. Anyone know if they are just interviewing into a pool? I have 170 mins and 121 experience as well. I hear the written has changed???

I was just there a week ago to interview. Hiring into pool, in fact I got the "pool" letter three days later. HR says the "pool is very shallow." Do to recent hiring the pool was pretty much depleted. Some classes are on the horizon, but she did not give any specifics about when, certificate, or equipment.

Written was the same as you find on the gouge sites. Still looks like 3 versions. Very straight forward. With 121 prop experience you will find it easy...with jet experience (we get dumbed down by the automation!) you may have to think a bit about some of the questions that we are used to the automation in the airplane doing for us. Some people say you need a calculator. ALL of the questions can be answered by using rules of thumb. Mental Math for Pilots by Ronald D. McElroy (Cage Consulting) is a perfect "prep" for the formulae you will find extremely useful. What I am getting at is you don't need to pull out 2*pi*r to find the distance along an arc between radials. Use the mental formulas you would use in the cockpit. Even for the descent. 3 to 1 is all you need. Forget about converting groundspeed to miles per minute and multiplying etc. Just use the 3 to 1 plan that we are all familiar with, and the answer is there.

In my group, everyone was previous 121. 1 guy that hadn't flown in quite a while had to do the sim and that was it.

Upgrade as of last week was reported to be 19-22 months. 15k/2-yr training contract pro-rated. $125/wk for meals in training, no pay during training, hotel is double occupancy. 75-hr guarantee, $22.06 year one, $29.68 year two, $1.55 per diem.

I did the interview in the middle of May, got the pool letter a couple of days after that and heard from friends in the company that 1-2 months sounds like a reasonable waiting period (I still can't find out how accurate this is though.) I went in with 1700 and 335 as an active CFI. I hear the guys that are prior 121 with 170 mins. start almost immediately - I'm still 100 hours short on Cross Country time. I did have to do the Sim - it's a PCATD but if you can dig up a Frasca 142 it'll be close enough to practice on. Prior 121 and most 135 guys did not have to touch it. Written test is easy with some common sense and using the rules of thumb a previous poster talked about (3 to 1 descent, MDA/300 for DME or 10% MDA for time for VDP's). I just grilled a prior 121 friend of mine to learn all that and it worked out beautifully. Sim profile is very straight forward - talk your way through and make call outs. If you mess up, admit it and tell them how you would correct it. I almost fouled up the hold but caught it before I entered, rebriefed, then flew it and they seemed happy with that. Nerves definately came into play on that one. Hr/Tech interview was just an HR interview; no technical questions whatsoever (very surprising since I have no prior 121). All in all, enjoyable interview experience, seems like a great company with good people at it. Stuff you won't get on the gouges though - be prepared (use the study guide off of aviationinterviews.com and read the last 10 posts), wear a conservative suit with a white shirt and red tie, be nice to everyone you meet and be up front about everything. Good luck!

I was there mid-end May, got pool letter 3 days later. I am 121 (furloughed) with well beyond 170 mins and still treading water with everyone else. I am not sure if 170 deliveries have slowed/stopped but it appears that the 170 hiring boom is now just a trickle if at all.

are you by any chance with mesaba? I am guessing just be reading your name.

edik

Well I guess we're in the same boat. Aviationinterviews.com was posting people that interviewed on May 15 with a May 30th class date for the 170 but who knows how true that is. I do know a 170 class just started but I heard they were only running one class a month and it seems like they're hiring more than that (there were 11 people on my day). It's all rumor untill you get a phone call I guess....

there was a 170 Shuttle class that started on May 30 in STL, so that rumor is true.
Now I don't know if the plan on having more classes or not, good luck though!

At least there's classes going on, so that's a big plus. I've never been a big fan of the waiting game :)

Unfortunately, yes.

Sorry about that man, sure it sucks a big one. Mesaba is one of my fav regionals, i would have liked to work there, (especially when they had ton of Avros).


edik

Thanks. It is very unfortunate the they are in the position they are in. It has been a favorite regional for a lot of people. Our seniority list is very senior, and that is one of the big issues when it comes down to talking pay cuts and fleet downsizing. It has been a career for many pilots. A company that used to treat its employees well, pay better than average, good wook rules and the small company feel, where you could know everyone you work with. In my opinion, Mesaba will come out of this, it is only a matter of when and for how little pay. My personal question is can I hold out that long, should I hold out that long and can I live on that pay. 146 of us on furlough now, looks like another 40ish to come by Aug-Sep.

I 100% agree with RJ85 about Mesaba. The people there were cool and eveyone knew everyone. After getting kicked to the street so swiftly though, there is no way I'll make a career at a regional. I just want to get my time in and move on to other things. I hope XJ turns things around. I personally can't wait around much longer to see what happens and the sounds of it, its going to be a while before they go into recall/hiring mode again.

I have an interview coming up soon at CHQ. I wonder how long the pool will be? Do people with prior 121 experience doing the sim or is it pretty random on whose doing it? I know people that interviewed there in May and a class day 6 days later. It sounds like Shuttle is taking 1 a/c per month.

Buddy of mine at CHQ says they took the last midatlantic 170 already and are behind on training for it. From what I understand, the 170 is what they're trying to fill right now so you should be made in the shade. If you're prior 121, it's a pretty safe bet that you won't be doing the sim as long as your current. If you're really worried, hit a Frasca 142 and just practice putzing around with some turns, climbs, and descents ILS and a hold. It is sensitive if you try to fly it too much, just let it do it's thing. I know people that crashed on the ILS at GS intercept because they pulled the power out and tried to descend. I just dropped the gear and it flew fine. Profile's easy so you won't have any trouble with that. Just remember, treat her like a lady and she'll take you home everytime. Good luck, they're nice people there.

I wouldn't sweat the interview too much. I really felt like the XJ training was excellent in terms of knkowledge needed for their exam. I would recommend getting the study guide off of aviationinterviews.com and at least getting a feel for what might be asked. I did find that I needed to review the DME/60*the number of radials to find the distance along the arc. Some other minor points like descent rates on the glideslope and approach light types and distance from the runway.

I have been in the pool for almost 3 weeks now. They did run a class on May 30, but no info from HR about when the next class might be. She only said the pool was "very shallow" it may be just "shallow" by now as there have been several additional interview groups since mine.

I did not do the sim.

Good Luck. Just be sure that $125/wk for 6 weeks of training, buying a new uniform (you will need new jacket-their stripes go all the way around the sleeve) and a 2 year 15,000 dollar training contract are something you can live with. A lot can change in 2 years. There are lots of other regionals that will pay you during training like XJ and not lock you into a nasty contract again. Be informed, and go get what you want. You'll be fine!

Let us know where to go once you get your time in. Only 1500 of us here looking for the same place.

Later and good luck.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Interviewed end of May, in pool too. Have a good friend there, in training right now, says that the grapevine news is that there are around 9 Shuttle and Rep classes planned for the rest on the year.

If the group that interviewed mid May got a class date of end May, then the rest of us should have too long to wait (I hope).

I know though that the simi at STL is pretty full till August, so next class of ground school maybe beginning July?

RJ85FO there were two ex-Mesaba guys in my interview, you one of them?

etops777 was wondering where you are from since you wrote 'telefoon' like my people do, and not telephone ...

Possibly. A lot of X-XJ or about to be X-XJ have been interviewing there lately. The door at XJ is revolving with so many people leaving. My seniority there continues to improve with each passing day!

oh, youre still there, no wasnt you then, these blokes were ex-xj

oh for the love of all that is good and holy!!!!!!!!!!!!! why havent they phoned yet, my dumb*ss bu11sh1t deadend retail job is driving me insane!

Newbie question. . .

What is this 15k/2 yr contract?

Pretty much if you leave the airline before your two years are up, you owe them 15k? I'm also guessing that this 15k is what it cost the airline to train you into their aircraft type, etc?

Thanks

I think its pro-rated, and as far as I know, you do not get a type as an fo. But I might be wrong on that. It could be that you get a SIC type, but I am not sure.

Have a buddy going thru sim now with Shuttle, will ask him when I next speak to him.

As an FO you get an SIC type.
The contract is pretty solid, but yes it is pro-rated.

Alright, thanks guys.

I can't think of any logical reason to leave a regional after only 2 years, plus to get slapped with a 15k payback. . . no thank you.

etops 777 are you flying for them now?

where are you from?

I don't see why you wouldn't want to leave a regional as quickly as possible. Not all regional pilots came on board with 300 hours and a cfii(ok mei too). Some of us flew our #@!es off 135 and actually learned how to HAND FLY AIRPLANES without the autopilot(and aren't scared of weather) In my case, I have more tt and PIC turbine than MOST captains that I fly with, just need the 121 time.

C175,

I'm always trying to learn about this career. What's you story? It sounds like you have 135 experience , please elobarate. I'm interested in going that route after in a few years when i can afford to financially.

Sincerely,
LAFF

I originally was a mechanic for eagle and ata. Didi the cfi thing for 13 months, flew freight for a few years in a navajo and metro(single pilot) and am now a FO on the 170 for a regional. I think that the 135 route is the best experience that any pilot can have. It not only makes you a better stick, but it builds character. With the exception of pay(so far), this is the best JOB i've ever had. I think people lose sight that this IS a job (and some jobs can really suck). In comparison to the real world(pay included) we're not doing too bad.

Thanks for your story...I want to do 135 someday in the future. Just working at being financially secure so I can make the jump to aviation.

I would be happy being a regional CA. Hell - I'd be happy at a 135 operation. I would like the challenge of hand flying a plane in all types of weather / day or night.

-LAFF

Anyone hear back from RAH after the 14th/15th interviews?