I was on the second last assessment back in 2006. If it hasn't changed much since then, it goes something like this.
It takes two days and broken into 5 main components.
1. Psychometric test.
2. ATPL general exam.
3. Flight planning exercise.
4. Group exercise.
5. Two on one interview.
6. Sim ride.
Psych test.
You can't really study for this because they have a database of thousands of mind boggling questions so I won't elaborate on it's contents. But if you fail, you will be on your way home and the assessment ends for you. This, naturally, will be the first test.
The only tip I can give you is to do it quickly and most importantly, accurately. There will be way too many questions to complete in the allocated time but accuracy is the key.
The only guy who completed the exam in my day was some Russian guy. He passed the psych brilliantly to the point of genius but ended up failing the overall assessment because of a dodgy sim ride.
Unless you're a nutter, you should pass. To date, I think only one ever failed the psych test. Sorry, didn't mean to pressure you to be the second!
ATPL general exam.
Covers general ATPL type questions. One hour. This one has nothing to do with licencing. It is fairly straight forward if you've been working in the ATPL environment. Polish up on aviation formulas, radiotelephony, aerodrome markings/signals, some met and basic IFR rules.
Flight planning exercise.
You will be given an inflight scenario that necessitates a diversion.
Elements like technical problems, availability of engineering at a non-suitable alternate, unavailability of engineering at a suitable alternate, weather, Ramadan, quarrelling crewmembers, flight time limits etc are thrown in to complicate things.
The mission must be completed within legal flight time limits at the planned destination.
This exercise actually closely reflects what happens occassionally at GF!! (probably why they have this exercise)
Group exercise.
You're a member of a charter planning group. Each candidate will have an observer who monitors his/her performance.
There will be a booklet with all the charter data that you will be given one minute to read (impossible!).
A decision will need to be made on which type of aircraft will be best suited for the charter.
Considerations such as ETOPS requirements, curfews, wet/dry lease, monsoon, alternates, profiability versus risks etc will be thrown in.
The main point about this exercise is your performance within the group environment.
Make sure every member of the group reads a chapter each so as to cover every part of the booklet before the discussion.
You should not be overbearing but try not to 'fly under the radar'. Don't forget you a being watched closely.
You must make intelligible inputs to the eventual outcome of the group's decision. Assertiveness with diplomacy and general knowledge in profitability comes to mind.
Two on one interview.
Two staffers (usually a pilot and someone from HR) will probe you for personal qualities they think will be an asset to GF.
Key virtues are work-ethics and loyalty.
GF has experienced quite a few 'bond jumpers' lately so be sure they that they know 'those' types.
Just be honest or be a really good liar. I advise the former with only the good bits.
Sim ride.
Until this point, you've only been a pilot on paper as far as GF is concerned.
This is your chance to show your flying prowess on the big jet, most likely the B767 (though GF has dispensed with those).
There will be a circuit, engine failure after V1, single engine ILS's and go around with a visual one engine landing, all that good stuff.
Should take around 30 minutes.
Oh yeah, all hand-flown without flight-director, autopilot and autothrottle.
They will be looking for:
a) a standard commensurate with your said experience,
b) CRM qualities and
c) trainability.
Use the guy to the left of you to tune navaids and talk to the tower (sorry, he can't fly for you).
Unless you crashed, or decided to do aerobatics, this one should be easy for jet pilots and at worst, too fast for non jet pilots. In which case, extend down wind, request vectoring further out (not to 100nm) etc to buy yourself time to sort it all out. Whatever you do, don't freeze. Just do that flying thing as you've always known it.
That's all I got. Hope it helps.
Last edited by Sal-e; 30th Jun 2008 at 14:13.
Reason: typo