It seems no matter where you look, someone is saying that the airline
industry isn't doing very well. Pilots are being laid off, Airlines
are going bankrupt and shutting down. Even though the news seems
to be all "doom and gloom" that is not the case. As some
airlines are struggling to stay in business, many others are doing
very well. Airlines have announced buying new aircraft and adding
more routes to their schedule, hiring more pilots, and expanding
their market.
So what is the airline looking for in a pilot? Listed below are
some key points that our airline partners feel are very important.
These points are also areas of weakness in potential applicants.
- Strength in Instrument skills - Many pilots can fly
airplanes well, yet be weak on instrument skills. Airlines do
not have much time in their training program and must rely in
you to have those advanced instrument skills polished and ready
upon training. Some of the areas are instrument practices in procedures,
Federal Aviation Regulations that apply to your type of operation,
emergency procedures in instrument conditions, and advanced approach
and departures procedures.
- Advanced Aircraft Systems Knowledge - Airlines expect
you to know the systems in the type of aircraft you fly, but how
much do you know about systems on a jet operated aircraft. Turbo
jet and turbo prop aircraft are what the regional airlines fly.
They want you to have an in-depth knowledge of airline aircraft
systems (electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, fuel, and oil).
- Knowledge of Federal Regulations - The airlines expect
you to understand the regulations that apply to the operation.
They also expect you to understand how an airline works. You should
be ready to explain basic operation procedures practiced at the
airline.
- Crew Resource Management Skills - To fully understand
CRM, is more than just saying you can work well with others. It
is the knowledge of using all available information and recourses
to operate safely in many different environments.
- Customer Service and Attitude - One of our airline executives
states, "Attitude is everything". An airline is looking
at you as a sales person as well as a pilot. The airline wants
to know that you will take care of the customer and you are responsible.
They want to be assured that when you are responsible for their
customer, the customer will depart, and arrive on time happy that
they where taken care of.
- Selling yourself (Interview Technique) - Why do you
buy the things you buy? Chances are, you bought your clothing,
computer, car, etc by some means of marketing. Someone told you
that the product was good, you saw it on T.V., heard it on a radio,
etc. Some sort of marketing was the driving force as to what sold
you to that product. You need to think of yourself the same way.
The airlines get thousands of applications. How well does your
application sell you to them? What do you have that is special,
or more appealing to the airline? Why would the airline want to
choose you over the other applications? These are all questions
you need to prepare yourself in order to be able to sell yourself
to the airline.
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