PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Ryanair Interview and Sim Assessment (merged)
Old 22nd Oct 2018, 20:31
  #8392 (permalink)  
Pilotkin
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Europe
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ryanair assessment feedback

Hello everybody,I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this topic sharing info and giving his/her feedback.Last Monday, the 15th, I got the great news that I was successful at the assessment process and have been offered a cadet position at Ryanair.

Thus, it’s now my turn to provide some feedback about my experience.
I won’t talk about the online tests from cut-e since plenty of information can be already found in this pprune topic. As for the actual assessment:I stayed at the Travelodge North Swords hotel. It’s nothing special but at least you are a 5min walk away from Ryanair’s HQ and the place is quiet enough to have some good quality sleep.

I will start by saying that the whole assessment process is a very enjoyable experience. The environment is relaxed and the assessors don’t put you under too much pressure. On the assessment day I was at the Ryanair’s HQ at 7:45AM. I let the receptionist know I was there for an assessment and met with the other guys who were there for the selection process as well. Shortly before 8AM, Patrick, one of the very friendly assessors, welcomed and picked the candidates up to show us around whilst we were heading for the “assessment area”.Next step consisted in one of the assessors taking all the documents/copies we were required to carry before he went onto briefing us about the day. Most of the info he gave us were already included in the briefing pack Ryanair sends to candidates. Nevertheless, pay attention to this briefing, learn all the info you have been given.

They will appreciate you following their pieces of advice and indications later during the sim/interview (and it wouldn’t be very clever not listening to your assessors anyways).
After the briefing, couples for the sim were formed. They then gave us our charts (LPL that day) and 30 minutes to brief them with our sim partner. Use this time wisely, brief as much as possible…go through the whole flight (including the briefings you will do in the sim) and “standardise” all the procedures/calls so that both you and your partner know what to expect from each other. The more both of you are on the same page the better. I was the second one to be called for the interview (my partner went first). The interview is a rather friendly and relaxed chat. The guy from the HR department started first and his questions were: Is it your first time in Dublin?
Talk me about your flight school
Why did you choose the APS MCC?
How was it?
Have you applied to other airlines?Why did you choose to apply at Ryanair for your first interview?
How do you see yourself in 5 years?
Why would you like becoming an LTC?
Qualities a good LTC should have?
When can you start?

And a few other questions I can’t recall. Nothing too difficult though. As for the technical interview
Take-off segments
Critical engine
Rhumb line, GC line and why do we still have them nowadays?
How does a TS form?
This is all I can recall about the tech part.A few minutes later I was called for the sim session with my partner. I was PF first, so I asked my PM to get the clearance. I then set-up the aircraft (no need to get the ATIS as they give it to you before the sim and you are told it won’t change during the assessment) and gave the PM a briefing (give your PM an “active” briefing to involve and engage him/her, keeping his/her attention level high. A good thing, for instance, might be to ask your PM what threats he/she sees for the flight, during the TEM phase, and then discuss them together).

We then did our t/o checks before I called for the pre-takeoff checklist (do not forget any checklists) and then asked the PM to get the take-off clearance. We took off and performed the WAL2T departure. After the SID we did a couple of turns and accellerated to 250kts for the handling part. In the meantime we got a FD failure (the assessor didn’t switched them off…he gave us an “actual failure”).

After I finished the turn, I handed the controls to my PM and gave him a SA briefing before starting the T-DODAR…we called for the emergency checklist (the assessor just said….complete) and decided to go back to LPL (with a FD failure you can continue raw data to destination but neither of us knew at the time so we decided to rather divert).

I then contacted ATC to let them know our intentions and then gave a NITS briefing to the SCCM. In the meantime we were cleared to enter a hold (parallel entry) so I briefed my partner about it. The assessor then asked me to take the controls back and fly the hold…which I did. As I was performing the parallel entry he repositioned us and asked to point on the chart where we were. He then let us setup the aircraft, brief the approach and call for the appropriate checklist before starting the ILS NDB 27 procedure. The ILS was uneventful until we were visual with the runway at which point both g/s and loc failed. I remained stable keeping 800 ft/min vs and agreed with my PM that continuing the approach was safe. I then landed the aircraft. That was it.


We swapped seats and it was now my partner’s turn to be PF. Everything was the same as the first flight apart from the clearance (the assessor gave us a very simple radar departure). Unfortunately, my sim partner screwed the briefing and takeoff…as he firewalled the throttles without pressing TOGA (as per briefing). I had to call “check toga” which prompted him to press it and correct his error. Everything else was the same as the first flight apart for a very simple QDM interception. After landing we got a radio failure, so we squawked 7600 and agreed to vacate the runway and stop just beyond the threshold to wait for the follow me.

The assessor then called it a day and we were done with our assessment.
Keyword in the sim are TEAMWORK and CRM. Don’t be a passive PM, constantly assist your PF and help him/her keep a high SA level. As a PF, don’t be afraid to delegate. Remember, when one of you is giving a NITS briefing or talking to the SCCM, the guy who is flying must also watch ATC. Don’t forget to call for checklists, do T-DODAR and NITS and don’t be afraid to perform a go-around should either of you deem the approach to be unsafe. As for the handling part. The 737NG is a very stable and nice aircraft to fly. Trim it well and your workload will dramatically decrease (use tiny inputs as the trim on the 737 is very powerful). Mind the pitch-power moment when you change thrust setting.

As for my preparation:
- I used ACE the pilot technical interview
- I revised most of the ATPL theory on the OAA books
- I revised my notes and some studying material from my MCC course
- I practiced the sim session through chair Flying and a desktop simulator
- I booked 2 hours at Upilot the day before the assessment. I would definetely recommend them, John gave me some tips which proved to be very useful during the assessment.
Of my group of 4 I was the only one who passed the assessment whereas for the other 4, 2 of them passed.My suggestion is to prepare yourself as much as you can. Whilst you are there focus, be nice, smile and do your best. Best of luck to anyone and, should you have any questions, feel free to ask.I apologize for my English grammar, I wrote this post rather quickly and English is not my first language. I hope I could get my "message" through anyways. P.S.

Anyone on the CAE1825 in Amsterdam?
Pilotkin is offline