The Air Canada OTS thread

[dannyjet]

Is the equipment assigned for new hires at AC always on the A320/E190? Or it's assigned on a per company need basis?

What if an OTS candidate is currently flying a wide body that AC also operates? Would this be considered as a plus? Thanks.

[Ancient]

Is there a way to update your application? I did receive the 'good email' that you guys mentioned but that was almost a year ago. Since then I've gone from single engine 703 to 705 Capt. I imagine I would be a more appealing candidate to AC now if I could let them know. I see that online interviews are being offered to OTS candidates now and don't want to get overlooked because in their eyes I'm inexperienced.

[beaver1986]

Yeah the PML guys are doing the video "interviews" as well.

Pretty straight forward...you answer prerecorded questions, the majority are yes and no, with a few situational questions at the end, took about 15 minutes.

hi dash, do you remember some questions?

[Ancient]

Any more OTS candidates get video interview emails this week?

[pilot.nzl]

Hi everyone,

Just thought I'd join the thread, it's been interesting reading where everyone is at with regards to OTS interviews. I also have been sitting on the 'interview within 12 months' email sent in April '16. About me: 9000TT, background includes bush flying, turboprop FO and command time, A320 FO and command time, currently a training Captain on the A320 for a well known airline. University degree, diploma in aviation, diploma in aviation science, currently completing Masters. Unfortunately I am only a Canadian PR and not a full citizen so I feel fortunate to be on the list. Relocating to Canada with family.

Looking forward to the opportunity of an interview.

[JBI]

I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another that there were around 300 OTS candidates offered the 'good' e-mail. About 1/5th of those have been offered a video interview. This info isn't verified so take it (on the run, baby!) for what's it worth.

[Ancient]

Thanks. I'll take rumors over nothing. If ~60 people have already done the video I imagine the rest will get the invite for one over the next couple of months.

[PT6onH20]

I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another that there were around 300 OTS candidates offered the 'good' e-mail. About 1/5th of those have been offered a video interview. This info isn't verified so take it (on the run, baby!) for what's it worth.

I heard the same thing from a gossip queen at my place.

A good friend of mine (3500 TT no multi PIC, half jet time) and a colleague of his got the video email So have 2 or 3 people in my shop.

I've had the good email since last year and yet to hear anything yet. 5000 TT Currently sitting left seat in a 705 machine

[thedarknight]

Hey friends, does anyone who did a video interview remember how long it took HR to get back to you for either good or bad news?

cheers,
tdk

[Qdrivermann]

Glad to hear I'm not alone and that others are also waiting... I sincerely hope everybody will get a chance! Best wishes to all!
Q'mann

[aV1aTOr]

Is the equipment assigned for new hires at AC always on the A320/E190? Or it's assigned on a per company need basis?

What if an OTS candidate is currently flying a wide body that AC also operates? Would this be considered as a plus? Thanks.

New hires at AC have been offered the following positions in the past couple years:

EMJ FO
A320 FO
767 FO
Rouge A319 FO
Rouge 767 FO
787 RP
777 RP

Previous flying experience is what got you the interview. Once hired, previous flying experience (regardless of type) has no bearing on what type you are offered. That is 100% the result of current CMSC vacancies and seniority drawn within your new hire course. So to answer your question, having experience on type with an a/c that AC operates has no bearing and offers no advantage to getting hired.
Another way to make this crystal clear is this: The company hires pilots; the union has no say whatsoever who joins the company. Conversely, the union decides who gets what aircraft assignment (awarded through seniority by CMSC review) and the company has no say whatsoever who flies what type and in what seat.

[B777guy]

Well, this is incorrect on several levels, one thing I will comment on is tha Air Canada can and will assign you to aircraft off the PIT course based on requirements. After you are on the line then seniority dictates what you can hold in terms of aircraft.

[altiplano]

They may put only certain vacancies up for selection on a given course based on training availability and need...

ie. there may be 777 & 787rp vacancies but only EMJ, 320 and 767 FO spots are offered to a course.

Then it's by seniority drawn in the course who chooses what... the only person assigned anything on a course is the bottom guy who takes the left over seat...

Same goes for bases...

[schnitzel2k3]

What blows me away is how people are still uncertain about this process.

So far there are more than three different versions on this thread alone, of a process that should be pretty straight forward.

Good luck to all those that have participated so far in the video interview process.

S.

[altiplano]

It's pretty simple...

That's the deal...

If anyone is still unsure you can PM me and I'll answer any questions.

[ba31pilot]

tdk,

In my experience, it took one week to hear back from HR after my video interview. My in person interview was approx two weeks after that.

Am still waiting for a response, but a friend heard back within 10 days of his in person interview.

Hope this helps.

[aV1aTOr]

Well, this is incorrect on several levels, one thing I will comment on is tha Air Canada can and will assign you to aircraft off the PIT course based on requirements. After you are on the line then seniority dictates what you can hold in terms of aircraft.

If you re-read what I wrote, it was not incorrect at all. I never said you may choose from all the following positions, but rather listed what may be vacant and offered to new hires. Obviously the company dictates what positions are offered to a PIT course based on need, but never has a company representative decided "John W will be 777 RP, Bob M will be A320 FO" etc. That is determined by the union, who sends a rep to the PIT course to draw numbers and determine pick order. The company then awards positions in the order determined by ACPA from the available vacancies offered. If all vacancies are on one aircraft type (as was the case for me years ago), then yes, the company has indirectly assigned a specific pilot to a specific aircraft. This would be based on current need however, and have nothing to do with experience represented among the new hires.
The question I was answering referred to joining the company with an endorsement on an Air Canada type. It would translate to zero advantage to getting hired (based on that commonality alone).

[thedarknight]

Thanks ba31pilot!

[Taxi]

tdk,

In my experience, it took one week to hear back from HR after my video interview. My in person interview was approx two weeks after that.

Am still waiting for a response, but a friend heard back within 10 days of his in person interview.

Hope this helps.

Did your friend get a good news ? Cause i heard bad news comes quick and i don't know if it's true.

[NotDirty!]

Did your friend get a good news ? Cause i heard bad news comes quick and i don't know if it's true.

My experience was 5 years ago, so take it with a grain of salt, but I didn't hear from them for 6 weeks after the (in-person) interview, and when I did finally hear back, it was bad news.

Best of luck.

[ba31pilot]

tdk,

In my experience, it took one week to hear back from HR after my video interview. My in person interview was approx two weeks after that.

Am still waiting for a response, but a friend heard back within 10 days of his in person interview.

Hope this helps.

Did your friend get a good news ? Cause i heard bad news comes quick and i don't know if it's true.

He was successful and is now awaiting a course date. No indication given as to how long this might be.

[beaver1986]

i got pfo'd after 4 days from my video interview.... based on 18 questions that had to be answered with a yes or no, and 4 open questions.
how can you evaluate someone just like that?
i have aviation degree, glass cockpit and jet experience and 5000hrs total and have been working in the Air Canada express for 4 years.
i bet that if i have had one of my parents working there it would have been different...
I say that because i have evidences that people with less than 2 years in the aircanada express and with parents in AC were interviewed and hired (to be eligible for the interview, the PML agreement states "min 2 years").
NICE JOB TO BE THE ICONIC SYMBOL OF THE COUNTRY!

[Inverted2]

Don't take it personally. I know of several pilots at Jazz who had 10,000+ hours, aviation college diploma and 10-20 years of flying AC's own friggin' passengers safely from A to B that were turned down. It all boils down to there being more applicants than positions available.

[beaver1986]

Don't take it personally. I know of several pilots at Jazz who had 10,000+ hours, aviation college diploma and 10-20 years of flying AC's own friggin' passengers safely from A to B that were turned down. It all boils down to there being more applicants than positions available.

it is not personal at all, the thing is: how come i'm good for Qatar and not for my main national carrier?
i don't want to sound like "i'm entitled" to be hired by AC, but i don't want to be treated like i have no requirements or that i'm a douche.
i have the qualifications and experience... and i'm not a asshole.
we all know that qatar selection is not a joke, and has nothing to do with the selection process that AC is using. we all know that mainline needs pilots, so positions are there and are open.
again, how can you invite me for a video interview, with 18 yes/no questions where the answers are already in my profile and CV? and pfo'd me based on those?
do you know a son/daughter of an AC's employee who got pfo'd?
is there anyone from HR that can answer to my question?cause thats the thing, they don't provide you the reason!

[Rowdy]

i got pfo'd after 4 days from my video interview.... based on 18 questions that had to be answered with a yes or no, and 4 open questions.
how can you evaluate someone just like that?
i have aviation degree, glass cockpit and jet experience and 5000hrs total and have been working in the Air Canada express for 4 years.
i bet that if i have had one of my parents working there it would have been different...
I say that because i have evidences that people with less than 2 years in the aircanada express and with parents in AC were interviewed and hired (to be eligible for the interview, the PML agreement states "min 2 years").
NICE JOB TO BE THE ICONIC SYMBOL OF THE COUNTRY!

If someone went over under 2 years and it was found out.. It would instantly be grieved and most likely result in a lawsuit. I highly doubt the bright folk at AC's HR would create such chaos.. and added cost. This whole program was established to reduce cost..

I'll call your bluff though.. I'm at an express carrier and have a parent at AC (pilot). It has done nothing for me. I have post sec. I am fluent in french. +5k. two crew, MPIC and all that other stuff.. I did the video interview in december and have heard nothing back. Zero. Zilch. Nothing.

One of my childhood friends is also at an express carrier and their father worked with mine. They are close in time frame, came from one of the college programs and still.. nada!

One of my classmates with less time without a parent at AC did the in person interview though... Another friend at an express carrier, who lacks any family in aviation was also just hired.