Originally Posted by
Dukaster
Despite all the ads of EW all around the web, the company doesn't look for many pilots.
Very very low success rate (2% for my 3-sessions).
The computer based tests are classics.
The sim is extremely selective, assessing your manual flying skills
The interviews are just a mystery, no feedback, just a generic email.
It's clearly disrepectful from such a large company to ask the applicants to pay 3 times flight tickets + hotels (+ put days off) and then no debriefing, just a generic email.
If the company needs pilots, the success rate wouldn't be a few %.
I totally agree with you
Dukaster !
I understand to pay for the tickets and hotel, I did many many time for almost all the other companies, but to go 3 times, in different periods, and probably also in different cities (the sim is in Vienna sometime, than hamburg again), it's out of any conception !
the simulator is bordering on the ridiculous, as you are basically on a single pilot operation. There is no monitoring at all, the assessor behaves like a dummy, just putting some data on the MCDU or FCU. All raw data from departure to landing (and this is pretty much ok, it's an assessment), but the problem is that they ask you to perform the approach briefing, whilst performing a single engine hold, all manual, raw data, calculting the entry, the gate (like a cessna), trimming the rudder, speaking and reading the chart at the same time !
This is madness, and it's also against the Airbus philosophy !
It's clearly stated on the FCTM under "golden rules for pilots" to use all the system available, including automation and flight guidance, the CRM and delegate task to work as a team in order to reduce the workload.
Here everything was made for unnecessarily increase the workload for a nonsense exercise.
If I'm able to perform a landing whilst standing up on one leg, and holding a tea cup with a finger, it does not mean that I'm a good pilot, maybe I could be a good juggler.
The assessor at the end told me that I was not "ahead of the airplane" because i haven't done proper planning ahead.
Which sort of planning is expected when you discover your route when entering the sim, and you are supposed to do everything raw data, when actually the holding requires all your concentration because you must be on the commands ?
In all my previous OPCs/LPCs, to plan an approach, I've always been giving control to the other pilot, and focusing of the chart / MCDU /etc. , How can this be possible is you are busy doing a manual, raw data holding (and maybe in single engine) ?
that's insane !
I hope the best for all the candidates, and if you have a chance rent a simulator before going !