Air Canada Interviews

[BLZD1]

PFO = Please F OFF!!!

[navajo_jay]

Interview are on the way again, I got one end of March. Any good tips anyone? I have 3000 TT, 1200 MPIC, mostly BE10 and 1100 DH8 FO. College degree and French.

Good luck everyone.

[FL020]

I think i see the way this is going. The more right seat time in King Air's and 1900 time you have the better the chance you are at getting an interview at AC. They're so used to getting paid the absolute shittiest coin, that a transition to BIG RED will be a non event!!!!!

I cant believe my ears when I hear the interviews going on / the type of pilots that are being hired. There's a whole new spectrum of individuals they're targeting, and it's not the more experienced ones.

input?

[Brick Head]

Do people ever get hired after being PFO'd? A friend got rejected last round and was wondering if its worth a shot this time.
Paddy

Paddy,

Yes all the time. The rate of failure on the first attempt is very high. The rate of success on second attempts is apparently very high.

The pool and how it works is a mystery to most. The process is competitive not benchmark based. You compete against all other interviewees doing the same process.

You can get a rejection letter two ways.

1. Once you finish the process you don't have a high enough score to get into the pool. The pool is a defined size. Say for example 100. You score below all 100 already in pool. You don't get in. This would be the immediate PFO.

2. Once you finish the process you barely make it into the pool. Lets say 90 out of 100. As people are being taken off the top the company is also doing further interviews. If the rate at which pilots with higher scores enter the pool, exceed the amount being taken off the top you risk getting shoved out the bottom of the pool. Becoming number 101 for example. This would be the you are accepted letter followed by PFO.

3. You can enter the pool somewhere in the middle and never reach the top. You just never make it into the top 10-12 when the course is pulled. Just enough higher scores enter the pool to keep you off a course. But not enough higher scores to boot you out the bottom. This would be the accepted letter and then never hear anything else.

4. You can enter the pool at the top due to your score, and be on the next course.

Advise. If you find one of these people talk to them. An immediate PFO, after a poor attempt, can be better than a mediocre result that leaves you at the bottom of the pool, because the reattempt comes sooner.

[Brick Head]

I think i see the way this is going. The more right seat time in King Air's and 1900 time you have the better the chance you are at getting an interview at AC. They're so used to getting paid the absolute shittiest coin, that a transition to BIG RED will be a non event!!!!!

I cant believe my ears when I hear the interviews going on / the type of pilots that are being hired. There's a whole new spectrum of individuals they're targeting, and it's not the more experienced ones.

input?

Your looking at it purely from a flying experience point of view. Education and language skills play a huge part. At a certain point flying experience doesn't produce higher points for interview selection.

[WestCoastPilot]

I cant believe my ears when I hear the interviews going on / the type of pilots that are being hired. There's a whole new spectrum of individuals they're targeting, and it's not the more experienced ones.

input?

Your looking at it purely from a flying experience point of view. Education and language skills play a huge part. At a certain point flying experience doesn't produce higher points for interview selection.

I have over 6000 tt, multiple type ratings, over 3000 hours jet or turboprop above 12,500 (including 2000+ jet), over 3000hrs PIC, Bachelors degree, bilingual, and no call.

Look through this thread - you'll find many many others with flight times, education, and language similar or greater to me who aren't getting interview calls.

I speak for many, who see people with literally half our credentials getting contacted for interviews, while we do not get that consideration.

All I ask for is a chance.

I know if I ever make it to Toronto for an AC interview, everything is equal and a low-time guy might shine while I might trip over my feet. Thats ok. But shouldn't my experience get me that interview, when countless others with far less flight time are getting the opportunity to do so.

[fish4life]

does flight time based on your age have any effect on hiring? eg someone that is 24 should have 2500 hours while someone that is 30 should have 6500 hours?

[scopiton]

they might have a look at your hours versus employment history, but age vs. hours no because the application matrice doesn't ask you your age. could be a thing they take in consideration during the interview though...

[Sea2Sky]

Fish... no, there is no age/experience expectations at all. If you can get noticed, it's all about your attitude in the interview.

Want some "input", FL? Get over your bitterness... it clearly runs so deep in your attitude that it would probably come out of your pores if you ever DO get an interview.

Good luck everybody... it's a great gig!

PS - stay positive... rumour is for at least two more classes by spring's end, maybe more

[El Comat]

PS - stay positive... rumour is for at least two more classes by spring's end, maybe more

I interviewed today, so here's hopin'!

[sunnysideup]

They can't ask your age until after hiring something to do with HRDC regs or something, is what im led to believe.. my two bits on the age question.

[fingersmac]

We have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms in Canada that is suppose to prevent employers from discriminating based on age, sex, religion, race, ethnicity, etc. Therefore flight time based on age should not have any effect on hiring as this would be construed as age discrimination.

[flyguycanuk]

Interview are on the way again, I got one end of March. Any good tips anyone? I have 3000 TT, 1200 MPIC, mostly BE10 and 1100 DH8 FO. College degree and French.

Good luck everyone.

Any tips? Yes, here are my 2 cents. Do a mock interview with these guys. http://www.pilotcareercentre.com/

Helped me get the job a few years back!

You've spent countless $$$ on your career to date... getting hired at what I'm guessing is your dream job... "priceless"!

Also, a recommended read is Airline Pilot Interviews: How you can succeed in getting hired.

It's not a technical interview. I'm sure you can probably find someone with the current interview questions. Get a copy of them. Prepare answers for each questions and answer them out loud everyday. You don't want to sound like you have "canned" answers, but you want to feel comfortable talking about yourserlf. Know your strengths and weaknesses, have a repetoir of a few good stories about differenent scenarios throughout your life/career.

Overall, Have a smile on your face, a positive attitude, and show them that you have all the qualities that will make a good airline Captain someday.


Good Luck!

[j0rdan]

I read in an older fourm that while its not written anywheres, that AC prefers people with bachelor degrees? Just curious what most people who are getting interviewed/hired have or dont have education wise?

[Thirteentennorth]

I read in an older fourm that while its not written anywheres, that AC prefers people with bachelor degrees? Just curious what most people who are getting interviewed/hired have or dont have education wise?

Having served on the AC Pilot Selection Board, FWIW, remember that in the interview AC is not hiring F/O's, they are hiring captains. That used to be the thrust of the interview process. Technical qualifications and skills are good and necessary, but leadership skills are paramount. Note that I say "leadership" not "management." Most airlines are over-managed and under-led. Demonstrate your leadership skills and prove to the interviewers that they simply cannot afford NOT to hire you.

All the Best to all potential AC captains.

IE.

[Idle Thrust]

Most airlines are over-managed and under-led.

Very well put Iain. The problem has always been that those selected to "manage" are often those incapable of "leading".

[LuckyPilot]

Most airlines are over-managed and under-led.

Very well put Iain. The problem has always been that those selected to "manage" are often those incapable of "leading".

This in a nutshell, discribes most, (NOT ALL!) of the people running Air Canada Flight Operations. On many occasions I've been approached to do a project, or other and find who I have to anwser to, is just not worth my time and effort. I do take heart in the fact that many of these managers have glass ceilings, even in AC Flt Ops, you can only be incompetent to a point. If you are an MLO for more then 5 years, that might be your sign.

[C-MNOP]

Q: Why does Air Canada interview and hire the people that they do???

A: At Air Canada they hire for today and tommorow. They are looking for people that fill an age requirement in the roster. They look at the current age of their pilots and what age they will be in 10, 20, 30 years. They dont want a whole bunch of people retiring at the same time.

A: They know at Air Canada you will be sitting right seat for at least 10 years. If your a 30 year old pilot with 6500 hours they know that your not going to be happy in the right seat and its only a matter of time that you will leave your 40000-50000 dollar a year job for something better. If your 25 then you might be willing to wait it out.

A: They are looking for a degree because its a case of supply and demand. Right now there are lots of pilots and not alot of jobs so they can ask for degrees. When the pilot shortage hits (haha...yeah right) it will go the other way. In the 70's they were hiring guys with 250 hours into the back seat of the 727.

A: Air Canada is an affirmitive action employer. Yes this means that they hire pilots based on minority groups. They have to hire so many of this and that. If your not this or that, you have to wait a little longer.

A: At Air Canada they dont care about your experience. They train to standard. They have other things that they look at that they consider more important then what you can bring to them.

Good luck in getting your interview and try not to be to discouraged when you see others getting one before you. Stick with it and its only a matter of time.

[Thirteentennorth]

This in a nutshell, discribes most, (NOT ALL!) of the people running Air Canada Flight Operations. On many occasions I've been approached to do a project, or other and find who I have to anwser to, is just not worth my time and effort. I do take heart in the fact that many of these managers have glass ceilings, even in AC Flt Ops, you can only be incompetent to a point. If you are an MLO for more then 5 years, that might be your sign.

Just for the record, my comment referred to airlines in general not Air Canada in particular. That said, I think that AC has been blessed with some very competent Flt. Ops executives. Two of the finest I ever worked for were Ron (RAC) Dennis and Barry Smith. Barry's BS detector was always calibrated to full search-and-destroy mode. He was a true leader, as was RAC. There were many others who were excellent leaders, such as Capt. Ed (Fast Eddie) Cymbaluk of CAF and C3 fame, and others who were good managers. As to the current crop, can't say as I'm OTP...but not OTH.

Cheers all,

Iain E.

[JazzJetDriver]

Have had the pleasure of meeting RAC Denis...quite a gentleman.

[freeze112]

Interview for me at the end of March. Any tips out there.

[El Comat]

Do the Pilot Career Center prep course, and be honest on the psych tests. lol..I haven't even been accepted or rejected yet, but that's the advice I was given!

EC

[DH772]

After applying for job posting, for those who have been called, did you receive an email stating you meet qualifications and your application will be viewed by human or did you just end up getting a call/email for interview?
thanks

[sunnysideup]

After applying for job posting, for those who have been called, did you receive an email stating you meet qualifications and your application will be viewed by human or did you just end up getting a call/email for interview

I received the auto email, stating that my application would be viewd by a "human" that i met the selection criteria, but not heard anything since. That was in Oct-2010.
no news is good news, well good luck to you for your interview

[DH772]

Yea thought I had read here somewhere that if you meet qualifications you get an email stating a human will have a look at it. Wasn't sure if that was fact or fiction. very well then
thanks