Until about 1994 or 1995, I used to "prepare" applicants for FedEx in the 747 simulator they had at LAX (Flying Tigers) as these applicants were "evaluated" in that 747 simulator. Just basics, like turns, stalls and recoveries, a takeoff and a landing or so, and I briefed them "how" a 747 (simulator) "flies"...
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Most, if not all these applicants were FA-18 Navy and Marines... Maybe one or two from the Air Force, or "general aviation"... I had beer debriefings with the FA-18 guys often, they told me that FedEx corporate preference was "Navy and Marines"...
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Take it from there... Generally, airlines have marked preference for a certain type of applicants, as an example, I know that UAL hired high proportion of "general aviation" pilots, and were very keen on hiring female pilots... At PanAm, was high proportion of Air Force, TWA was same...
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Every airline flight management has preferences... if a chief pilot is ex-Air Force, or ex-Navy, it is likely that he will favor applicants of the same background. I am often sitting in the selection board of new hires for my airline overseas... I was PanAm, and yes, I like new hires who have FAA certificates, and have studied in that environment... And right now, my airline hires all pilots from a local bankrupt airline, because they like them... Period...
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Happy contrails