Flydubai Assestment with CTC
I just want be short and concise.
After 7 months for application to be accepted. 4 weeks to get the appointment for the assessment. 26 hours travel and US$ 2500 expenses for interview.
A group of 8 divided in 2 teams of 4 each. Red and Blue. Almost all with similar qualifications, some with jet experience some without it. Some type rated and some none.
I was in the Red team. We did the group exercise while the blue team was doing the PILAPT test.
We lasted 10 min for the first exercise plus the 2 min each for explaining (Just as the previous comment)We discussed very friendly and respectful towards each other, we all had our opinions and we agreed on the points to expose. We nailed the timing for the discussion and each got their 2 minutes to expose.
After,we got the Lost on the Moon exercise. Same as before. Discussed the best options, agreed on some, disagreed on others but at the end we came to a conclusion.
Again, all the time very friendly, polite and professional. We managed timing very well at this one too.
When we finished the exercise we ALL felt good about it. We thought that we had a good performance as a group.
After that we did the PILAPT test. Only 3 tests of about 40 to 60 SECONDS each. (Cross hairs, Cross hairs with colored shapes and numbers and cross hairs with colored shapes and numbers plus a backward counting sound) With the option to practice for 20 to 30 SECONDS. It was very hard to control since the Joystick is very sensitive and in some cases it reverses and the inputs have to be switched (left to go Right, Down to go UP and Vice versa)
After talking to the other applicants we were pretty much on the same level on the PILAPT test. So the 8 of us were very anxious on having the results.
After lunch SURPRISE!!!! Sue asked 3 of the red Team (including me) and 1 of the Blue Team to follow her to the conference room where the bad news where given. The room fell with sadness and disappointment.
Now my insights of the process:
Apparently very friendly people and make you feel comfortable all the time.
First thing I smelled fishy :
During the "presentation" the 8 of us were sitting on a big conference round table. Not much to show at this time right? Except showing interest and paying attention to what Julianne (Name of the person doing the presentation) and sitting in straight and properly ( we all were doing that)BUT at the last corner behind us there was Terry sitting and writing like a machine.(hard to ignore that) and I remember Julianne saying that we shouldn't worry about her that she was there to "evaluate" her in the presentation. I remember as well Julianne talking about CTC background and history and she mentioned that she has being working there for 10 or 15 years (Don't remember the exact time)
Now, who's going to evaluate a person who's just doing a presentation and that has being working in the same place for so many years?
What kind of insight can they have of people just sitting down paying attention to a presentation? This is one thing to think about!
Another situation, the PILAPT test:
Who can determine in a combined test of 3 minutes (where pretty much all of us got the same results) whether you are a good pilot or not? Specially when you are not familiar with the Joystick sensitivity and even worse making the controls reverse during the test.. Airplanes if you push you go down if you pull you go up!! As simple as that!!!Another thing to think about!!!
And last but not least.. What are they looking for on the group exercises? I believe we did a decent job as group and that almost all of us got chopped at the first cut.
Another hint that make me thing that there's more behind CTC that meets the eye is that when Sue gave us the "bad" news she suggested us to look into a web page about CRM exercises and methods. So this make me think that no matter what the PILAPT test result is they know how many they will fail every day from I don't know what basis and based on their perception of the group exercise.
My sincere opinion and you can take it or leave it. But it will save you time, money and a very bitter moment.
DO NOT APPLY TO FLYDUBAI AS SOON AS CTC IS INVOLVED!!!!
I will love to try again but not to CTC. I flew 26 hours for this assessment and got well prepared with some interview questions and answers. Researched on leadership and CRM. Practiced some sample tests, etc.I got a nice suit and I was behaving very professional, friendly and adequate but it looks that none of these is good enough for CTC.
I believe we did a great job on the group exercise. None of this show how good or bad pilot am I but the "evaluation" of 3 Ladies of I don't know what!!!!
Maybe CTC rate is 2% from outside and 98% from their own school.. Think about it, they SELL pilot Licenses and Type ratings including a chance to apply to an airline.. Why the want to have more from outside if they can offer that to the ones who are paying for their type?? Just thinking on different possibilities and trying to find reasonable answers.
I hope it helps and that my experience will open the eyes of some out there who want as badly as I did to have the chance for flydubai but the odds are against the majority.
Thank You