A brief update for the thread and a quick description of my recent experience:
Interview
Exactly as described at the very beginning of the thread. Why BA? Give me 3 examples of BA being in the press over the past year? Give me an example of when you have....made a big decision under pressure, influenced someone, dealt with cultural differences....etc...
My advice would be to spend no more than 30 secs setting the scene for your story. Then show how responsible, mature, open, honest, and communicative you are in these difficult situations. Imagine how your ideal hero BA captain would behave in a certain situation and convince the interviewers how close you are to being that person already. Remember that they don't just want to know about how much you want the job and how BA is such a great company to work for...they want to know how all your friends and family, some of whom already work for BA, have told you that they think you would fit into BA perfectly, right now.
Computer Tests
If done properly, I'm sure you will feel like your brain has melted after this! For the computer based tests you start by keeping the crosshairs centred using a joystick. Then you have to pull the trigger when you notice the subtraction in your headphones is wrong. Then you do both together. Next you learn to look for the coloured shapes that match the description you have heard in your headphones, spoken in between subtractions. Finally you do it all together. I have three top tips:
1. The subtraction is done using three figured numbers, 238, 234, 230, 226...but in my experience the largest number (that I noticed!) being subtracted was 5. So you can ignore the first 2 figures that are spoken.
2. When you see the coloured shape you need to press the correct coloured key, then the number displayed within the shape. So when you hear the description of the coloured shape, you might as well put a finger above the correct coloured key, and it's one less thing to worry about later.
3. Keep working at it and focus! Your mistakes are displayed in big red numbers right next to the crosshairs! I'm sure this is there to distract you and demoralize you! Don't let it get to you, focus on the task in hand and don't give up. I'm sure that BA are looking for someone who can make an embarrassing mistake, admit to it, and yet still fly the next approach competently.
Numerical Reasoning
Iakovos gave a good description. 24 quick questions in only 12 mins. Very short and sharp, and I personally used the wrong technique and finished only about 17 questions in the time. None of the questions are particularly difficult, but the arithmetic is awkward. I made the mistake of calculating the answers in long-hand, but at least I knew my solutions were all correct, sometimes to 2 decimal paces! As the answers were all multiple choice, I feel a better approach would have been to quickly estimate the answer using rough and quick mental arithmetic, and then choose the closest sensible answer. Then I would probably only have had to resort to long-hand written calculations for half of them - saving time.
Verbal Reasoning
You are given about 10 short passages of text, with 4 statements on each. You have to decide whether the statements are true, false or whether there is insufficient information to decide. So you have about 40 questions in about 25 mins. I had a nightmare! There is a practice question on the answer sheet so the invigilator can check that you know how to shade in the correct boxes before you start. She had to come to my table and tell me, in front of the other candidates, that I had 3 out of 4 wrong on the practice! Still, it made me concentrate a bit harder and my advice would be to 'read every single word' because the devil is in the detail.
Group Exercise
We had a ferry boat company exercise with several boats to set sail and a storm approaching. There was lots of information, almost information overload in the briefing sheets. My advice would be to find the bit that tells you what you need to decide. Find the bit that tells you what your priorities are. Cut out the bullsh*t and concentrate only on those facts that are important. Remember that you are being assessed as a future BA Captain, so play the role. Listen intently, encourage other people to share their information, praise people on their good ideas. Don't slam people down if they say something that you don't agree with, just nicely ask them to explain again the bits that you don't understand. Keep the conversation on track and steer it back by reminding people of the objectives when needed. Friendly, professional, open, encouraging, team player...that's you!
I must admit that I wasn't overly confident at the end of day 1, but I must have done something right as I made it to the sim assessment. Please let me know if you want my top tips from day 2, i.e. You only get 10mins to brief the sortie before you go into the sim, but the instructor will ask if you need to go to the toilet after the brief. Take the offer, and you'll gain another 5 minutes of briefing time!!
Good luck to everyone in the assessment process, and keep swimming to those who have made it into the pool. I've just signed my contract, had my uniform fitting and will be starting in a few weeks!