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Interview experience:

Interviewed at their facitlity in Plattsburgh, NY. Airfare and hotel was covered. First off Derinda McKinstry will call you to schedule the interview. About a week before the interview all of your paperwork - application, background info, release forms - will arrive with the instruction to have them filled out before you get there. You can call Derinda if you have any questions about the paperwork and it is no big deal if you don't have something finished, it is just to help reduce the time at the interview. I arrived the day of the interview and they should arrange transportation from the terminal over to their ops. They send you into a lounge area where most of your paperwork is collected. You are then called out one by one to fill out a couple of more forms and then take a 35 question knowledge test. It covers IFR, WX and some other basic aviation info. After finishing you are sent back into the lounge. They then call you out for the HR interview. It is usually done with 2-4 ops/senior pilots. I had two senior pilots in my interview. Very friendly and honestly want you to relax. They ask A LOT of background questions. Be prepared to tell the story of your aviation life - how you started up through what brought you to Commutair. They then pulled out an old METAR and had me read through it, asking me situational questions along the way. At one point there is freezing rain and they ask you what you would do to get out of the ice build-up. They then pull out the Roanoke, VA ILS 33 and have you talk through that. After that there were some system questions on the aircraft I was currently flying. They then send you back to the lounge. A little while later Derinda will come in and tell you if you passed the HR interview. If the news is bad you are sent off for your return flight, or to the Hotel if it is late. If you pass, the fun part comes next, the Cognitive Skills test. This is a matching, memory, orientation type of test you can't study for. It is done on computer and last about 45 minutes. Just a hint: If you feel totally fried afterwards then you probably did fine. The first portion of the test is the most difficult. After that Derinda briefs you on company benefits, the training schedule, and what to expect when you are working for them. She also tells you a lot about how they are a training ground for the majors and they seem to take pride in the fact you will move through quickly. As she said, the fact that the majors take their pilots so quickly (and they do mean quick!!) indicates to them that Commutair is doing something right in their training and operating procedures. A very straight forward interview. The most important thing is be friendly. They treat you well, are very friendly and as I said earlier, honestly want you to relax and be comfortable. And when they ask you what your ultimate goal is, be honest and tell them a major. Sure you aren't flying an RJ here, but the 1900 is a great airplane. You hand fly a big airplane in the worst weather in the country in the busiest airpsace in the country, you'll also upgrade in under 15 months. You'll be very attractive to the majors in just a couple of years. I think Commutair is the best kept secret in the regional airline industry, you'll beat your buddy who is flying the RJs, to the majors by a few years by coming here. Anyway there was a message on my voice mail offering me the job when I got home. Can't wait to start!

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CommutAir Pilot Pay Rates



CommutAir Study Guide Questions:

1. Why Commutair?
2. Rate yourself 1-10
3. How did you hear about Commutair?
4. Why do you want to work for Commutair?
5. Have you ever been convicted of a crime?
6. Have you had an accident?
7. Tell me why I should spend the money to train you when we both know you could leave right away and go fly a regional jet.
8. What is the metar? and when is it issued?
9. What would your current students say about you if we talked to them?
10. If you could change anything about yourself what would it be?

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