BBWsRULE

I also believe it is important to hire candidates who can think like a Captain. Unfortunately this is not always the case and it is going on everywhere, not just United. I don't know who is responsible but it seems that certain groups of people completely pass under the radar. While TT does not necessarily equate to airmanship, certain people have been hired with barely the mins, 0 PIC time, and limited CRM experience. I ask, how is this possible and who thought it would be a good idea? This is a recipe for disaster and is not fair to the people who have to fly with these individuals.

Otters

Disagree. You will see sim portion go away. Older sims being sold to make room for new sims. And yes, my well placed source. What the new hire class was told is the beginning of he end. I think at most, a year and that's generous

dsmith3631

I was on the United Military Hiring Webinar last month and BK, head of hiring at UAL, said the SIM portion of interview is definitely going away. The timeline was much looser, but he indicated this fall to early spring as the window.

jetlink

Sim evaluation is an integral part of interview process. Just because an applicant has 7K hours, it doesn't mean he/she can operate in multi crew environment and utilize all available resources. Sim evaluates, basic CRM, operation in stressful situation, as well as skills of adaptability to new environment and procedures. I hope it stays as a part of interview process. It's not the amount of hours you have on your resume, but the quality of experience. You may have an applicant with 7K hours in C-414etc single pilot, 4K hours of CRJ/ERJ airlines, 4K in C17/C5 etc multi crew, 3K of F16F18etc, or 15K in Citation or Challenger etc FAR135; they are all different in the way pilots operate in those environments. A pilot flying in FAR135 Challenger for 20 years as a PIC, writing his/her own procedures, making small repairs on the field, just to get the show on the road and satisfy demands of rich and famous, will have a difficult time adopting into rigorists, procedural environment which is FAR121, where pilots, that have never flown with each other, can work in synch. It's obvious, that pilots with regional airline experience or armed forces multi crew environment experience, will have much higher advantage, then single pilots of fighters, or private jets. I have came accross, pilots transiting to FAR121, after flying FAR91,135 for 20 years as single pilots, or two pilots, where they operated the same aircraft for years, flying with the same co-pilot. They had many problems adopting to FAR121 CRM and procedures, and many, after multiple failures, decides to quit, or were terminated during training, some quit after just few months on probation, and returned into corporate, charter flying business. That's why, I believe we need those sim evaluations as a part of interview process, before we invest $ into such candidate.

ron kent

The sim is BS. Pay $1500 to get the gouge is BS. Hiring should be based on resume and recommendations. Anybody who comes from a regional has been trained in CRM. Anyone who comes from the military with a background in crew aircraft is trained in CRM. Anyone who comes from the military with a fighter background can be trained to to do anything.

worstpilotever

I'm gonna go ahead and disagree. I think the sim is a good part of the interview....especially the way they do it these days. It really is focused on the CRM aspect. What I do wish is they would make it so you are unable to buy a couple of hours ahead of time. I think if everyone came in cold they could get a feel for your basic skills...can you keep the thing shiny side up? Along the way they get a feel for your CRM ability and general personality in a cockpit (can we say that?). However, I dont run things, so guys will still be able to get time in it before hand. I still think it is a good part of the interview....much more applicable to the job of flying than the hogan test.

My feeling is you get the interview based on resume and recs and get the job based on personality and ability to fly the plane (sim).

AirlineOasis

Most simulator rides are focusing on workload management skills as well as the ability to learn and be trained. If you can't memorize some pitch and power settings, or take constructive advice how will you fare in training?

Delta's light pen cognitive test is a good test of situational awareness, decision making, and spatial skills. It is not a good indicator of if you can fly an airplane. Most airlines believe they can teach you to fly, but if the ingredients are not there, the cog test can weed it out.

horrido27

^+1
While every pilot who steps in to the sim knows how to fly.. so did every pilot/crew that has ever been involved in an accident or incident.
(IMO) What the sim interview brings is- can this individual learn the callouts and flow within a short time period, can they handle 2 or 3 things at once, how do they handle a strange stressful environment while under the eyes of someone.. and lastly, there's the CRM aspect.

Only those in the hiring department know the answer.. but, wonder how many are not getting through the sim portion?
Obviously the Hogan Test seems to be taking out (good?!) applicants. How many get shot down during the interview? and lastly.. the sim.

I would rather see less weight on the Hogan, more on personal recs.. and keep the panel and sim. But that's just me.
Always
Motch

PS> Every NH I've flown with has had a great attitude and been a quick/good learner. From the ASA FO (ex intern) to the retired USMC Col (ex Hornets). But there are also some pilots I flew with back in the regional & military days that I know would have a hard time getting through all 3 phases of our interview process. Lets keep it at 3 phases.. just weighed differently~

Blockoutblockin

Hahaha dude chill out its all good. Nobody gives a sheet anyway so frack off tooool

tikicarver

Some of you may not know that back in the 1999-2001 hiring there was no sim. They had a technical portion during the panel interview instead.
United was well know for the "mental math" problems they gave in the interview.

A buddy just did contract sim training in the 737 sim they use for interviews a few weeks ago. United told his instructors the two 737 sims will be gone in two months.