A recent article in the post " Trainee pilots turn their back on Air New Zealand" has some points and will hit home with a lot of candidates who have turned down and or dodged the bullet that is the Air NZ hiring process that they have created just to become a pilot with them. Australia has Austranaught status but so should Air NZ. They seem to have an opinion of themselves, that candidates are desperate for a job with them and that they are joining this incredible amazing airline, which they aren’t. If you want to join as a career First officer or even as a career Second officer are happy to deal with an over convoluted hiring process, then this place is for you!
Congratulations if you made it past the 2-3 hour online testing that was suitable for astronauts and rocket scientists…. That is now the first step through a new Aon process.
The current interview selection takes place over 2 whole days! A vast array of up to 8 pilots and 2 HR staff. Pilots are flown in from all corners for these two days and the script is very tightly controlled by a senior base captain from NPL, Other selection pilots include 787 First and Second officers A320 Captains and F/O’s and also more Q400 Captains. There are so many pilots involved you may feel slightly overwhelmed. Kick-off is nice and early when you enter the lion's den with all pilots wanting you to experience a day as an “ Air NZ pilot”. You will be mingling in the training center simultaneously, so bear that in mind.
Everything is very touchy-feely, and you are being assessed for everything. It helps to think like a good strong Christopher Luxon, Strong Hint here! Air NZ management is very religious, and this is also predominant in the pilot management ranks. So, bear that in mind.
1. The Tech exam takes you back to your ATPL exams with roughly 30-40 Questions, be sure to obtain the question bank that is floating around prior as these questions are just a vast collection of ATPL questions that you have already sat and passed! 40 minutes allowed, all multichoice on old school paper!
2. Planning assessment, Read the instructions but a-b-c-d with two en route alternates and Flight and duty time limits. Diversion is necessary and it's your job to work out diversion and duty time limit problems. Strange exercise after completing the absurdly hard pre-online testing. You are again afforded 40 minutes
3. Interview, two pilots, not HR or Actual pilot managers, just line pilots asking all the textbook interview questions, strengths, weaknesses, Conflict management and what you know about Air NZ etc.
4. Sim is very old school and very” Holding pattern orientated”, entry, radials and DME questions distances and will pepper you with questions along the way like what a dot on GS and LOC means in Degrees etc. Be very weary to treat the sim godfather, 787 Senior Capt as he is very touchy-feely and the F/O who is on ‘work experience ‘with absolute respect. If you stuff it up remember to offer up a chocolate fish. No Automatics allowed and you must read back the clearances and talk on the radio. This sim is not necessarily about your actual flying skills, but is more CRM orientated, in other words, if you can’t fly but they can get along that is possibly ok.
5. Group Exercise, vary apparently, but by the sounds of things the Godfather of this event should be a TV host, the scenario was a full cooker of extremely wealthy clients who wants to start up an airline and you have an unlimited budget. Yawn. Clipboards abound by all assessors so don’t freak out too much. Some of the pilot managers like to debrief your points at the end so be sure to have active listening and pretend to care.
6. Meet and greet with Senior Managers , all very rushed and the first time you actually meet with high up management , strange to say the leas. This takes place in the cafeteria where other pilots are also mingling.You are then rushed out and onto the street so that the 8 pilots can make there decison.
Progression at Air NZ is extremely slow and you can expect extremely slow progression through the ranks. Good for those who are happy being based in NZ permanently, but for those who do want to progress and become a wide body Captain before you turn 55, this isn’t the place for you. Good luck and remember the lord watches over.