Applied: 30/08/2018
Online assessment: 30/08/2018
Email regarding phone call: 06/09/2018
Phone call: 18/09/2018
Assessment: 16/10/2018
Successful: 19/10/2018
Resources that I used:
- ACE the pilot technical interview
- Sky instructor questions and answers
- Ryanair documents shared by Simtech and friends of mine
- Researched the 737-800 systems
- Researched my previous aircrafts: DA 40 and 42
- Researched Ryanair
- Looked through my CV for potential weaknesses as they like to ask them
Hi everyone,
I have recently passed the assessment and wanted to share what I got on the day since this forum helped me out so much.
There were 8 of us who started at 8am. We had Paddy and Frank as the pilot assessors, I had Paddy for the day along with Collin who is the HR assessor.
I started with the interview first and HR asked me questions regarding my CV and background so you just have to be confident with your experiences as they do try to pick out weaknesses from there as it happened to my sim partner.
The technical part was quite nice as he only asked a couple of questions such as:
- Describe the electrical system of the 737-800: Engine driven generators etc
- Is the APU an engine? I started describing it and mentioned it can be used for air conditioning/ pressurisation, provide electrics and bleed air etc
- What altitude and psi is the cabin normally pressurized to at cruise: around 8 psi and 8,000 feet
- What is the G limit of the 737-800: I guessed between 2-3 g and I think the standard is 2.5g
- He then moved on to asking questions about my interests regarding astronomy: does gravity affect the ISS etc
Simulator we were given WAL 2T departure and the ILS plate for Liverpool.
My partner was PF first, did the standard SID, general handling with climbing and decent. Before WAL VOR ATC advised that Manchester radar is U/S so we can't pass the beacon and was given a radial to track outbound. We were given QDM to track. Afterwards, ATC advised that we will have to wait 4 hours before the radar is fixed so we did DODAR, NITS and requested to return to Liverpool. We had to do one hold and then procedural ILS for 27 with G/S going out and landed. Throughout I just supported my sim partner and gave suggestions.
When it was my turn to be PF I had a non-standard departure, "climb straight ahead until 3DME, then turn left heading 180 climbing to altitude 5,000 feet". Once we did that we did general handling again with QDM tacking and then cabin crew reported toilet fire so DODAR, NITS again and we requested radar vectors for the ILS approach. Assessor froze the sim and asked us individually for the position. Afterwards, he allowed me to set up for the approach and a quick brief. ILS approach was stable with the G/S going out when visual so I continued and landed. The assessor seemed very pleased with us when we walked out.
Think the most important thing that they are looking for is CRM so me and my sim partner didn't really shut up throughout the whole process.
The few days after, me and the other guys were so nervous as people here often said that they would get a positive reply within 1-2 days but I was so glad that I received a positive email in the late afternoon on the 3rd day.
I think my advice is the same as everyone else. Be prepared and study hard with the technical and also HR interview. I also booked 2 hours in the Sim with Simtech the night before and it definitely helped with my sim assessment.
Good luck to everyone who have assessments coming up!