Interview experience:
Excellent interview process, but it was a bit nerve wrecking (at least for me). I have to say that all the people at Colgan are fantastic. Very nice, personable, and do their very best to make you feel comfortable the entire way through. I showed up at 8:20 for the 9:00 call, Mr. Colgan personally greeted me at the door and led me to the main room where several other interviewee's were already waiting. Waited for a few more minutes then got the general briefing as to how the day was structured. The day is just as posted before, written exam (only if you have NOT completed the ATP written), sim session, and HR interview. No particular order to the process, they just take you as they get the chance. Since myself and another applicant had already taken the ATP written, we went first to the sim. They are pretty organized in this process. They gave us a briefing sheet with all the target airspeeds, throttle settings, and critical checklist items for each part of the flight. It was organized in the exact order that they will ask you to do the session in. Takeoff from 16 at HPN. Note: The instructions are to hold the brakes, set throttles to T/O, then release and go. Watch the directional control on the runway, the sim really wanted to yaw right when I let the brakes go. After takeoff, do the westchester one departure and then once your level at 3000 you get direct CMK. Once your proceeding direct CMK he gives you holding instructions, brief it correctly and you get to go direct to HESTR NDB. I was then cleared for the ILS 16 HPN and had to brief the procedure turn at HESTR. Again, brief it correctly and you get vectors to final. Configure the airplane according to the checklist (flaps 17 when LOC alive, gear down at GS alive, flaps 35 at GS intercept). Fly ILS down till you breakout at 500' AGL and the sim freezes. No landing. Make sure you use your PNF. I asked my PNF to callout A/S, ALT, set HDG bug, NAV course, take airplane while I brief approach, and a couple other things that just made sense. I have no crew experience but just use your intelligence and work together. I definitely made some mistakes but I did a good job flying because we worked together. After that I had HR interview. No technical question, just general questions like why Colgan, why now, what aircraft would you like, etc.... No situational questions either. Waited for another 20 minutes or so then got called out of the room and was told I was being offered the Q400. Just a quick fingerprint, and drug testing (across the airport) and the day was done. I like that Colgan is a relatively small company that is still family oriented. Again, everyone couldn't have been nicer and I'm looking forward to working with such a fine group of people. They are taking delivery the 1st of 15 Q400 aircraft this Monday (Jan 7), and they are hopeful (as in they have options on 30 more aircraft) to expand the Q400 service across the country. I hope this is helpful, and good luck to everyone.
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