Wideroe tests

[sac]

Can anybody tell me something about Widerøes tests:
-What kind?
-How many?
-What happens on the first day?
-Where is the "nasty" stuff?
And if there is more.....

Thankyou very much:ok:

[Crossunder]

Hm. Either RTO is joking, or he/she has been given the thumbs-down from WF?
Anyways - I play a musical instrument, can be quite creative, and still passed the tests. Go figure. Think there are a few hints about these tests elsewhere on this forum... But basically it's just a standard test battery, with some custom tweaks by the company's psychologist. Spatial orientation, IQ, numerical reasoning, long- short-term memory, capacity to chew gum and walk at the same time etc. No nasty stuff, really, and you don't have to do the RNoAF/SAS pencil-tapping nightmare-test ;-)

One day of testing, one (panel/board) interview later on. No sim-test, unless they're having serious doubts about your recency, and no group tests(!). The OLD tests are out there, but you're better off not having seen them beforehand. Altered and additional tests were added last year (I think). Just do your best and be yourself. "Experts" on these tests are those people who've taken them 2-3 times, and still haven't made it... Don't listen to these people. Either you've got what Wideroe's lookin' for, or you don't.

Can definitely recommend this company. 7 days on - 7 days off (can't beat that). Good pay and excellent pension/insurance. Bases all over Norway, and expanding operations next year (or so the grapevine tells us). 5 pilot courses held so far this year, with more to come!

[Ingo1]

Are they recruiting at the moment?
I got registered last year and have sent updates now and then but still no interview.

[JT]

I hope that they are recruiting, because I've just got invited to take the first test..

Crossunder,

I was wondering, since WF will do the first day of testing on a hotel i Oslo, how do they test spatial orientation ? :O

Best regards,

[Ingo1]

It is always interesting to hear what kind of flying experience it would take to be invited for interview. How many hours do you have?

I have about 1200 hrs with 300 Multi and 250 turbine but no airline experience.

[JT]

Hi Ingo1,

I have approx. the same level of experience as you have, but I'm also a Flight Instructor. I don't know if that counts for anything ?

In addition I also have a lot of experience with JAR OPS 1 operations (charter flights to various destinations in Europe).

It suggests that it's not only total flight time that matters :confused:

[Son of a Beech]

I was wondering, since WF will do the first day of testing on a hotel i Oslo, how do they test spatial orientation

In the afternoon the group (75 pers) is split up in two and half the group is doing some more paper test, while the other half has to do a one on one series of test with the brother of 'the reincarnation of Jim Morrison' (he is the real brother) and in another room do the wideroe test with somebody from wideroe

Nothing to worry about, just some connect the numberdots games, etc.

Good luck, You'll be fine

[Crossunder]

Ingo1: Wideroe is calling people in for testing in October. New course starting in October also, and possibly one more this year...

RTO: don't I know it... ;)

[Ingo1]

Ok, Thanks!

I'll send another update then.

[Nordic Spirit]

I was hired earlier this year. 1200hrs total, all instruction apart from my education. So you can actually be hired without flying Caravan or light twin for 10 years first:)

The tests are, as others here imply, not too difficult. I thought they were in general based on memory drills and working under time pressure. Most tests only lasted 2-3 minutes (there were 12 tests in total; jeeze all the unuseful information one remembers...)

Eg. remembering word sequences, constructing squares out of different shaped parts (drawing), a scan test: picking out numbers in sequence from a random coordinate system (numbers all over a sheet of paper), and the usual "find the next two numbers in the sequence", "find the next figure in the sequence etc".

My impression was that the level for passing the tests wasn´t too high, at least compared to SAS and the Air Force (talk about underestimating oneself...;) ) I mean you really get a fair chance.

If making the tests you´re called in for an interview in Oslo about 3 weeks later. Standard 30min talk with the head of training, a pilot union representative, a chief pilot or equivalent, a secretary and "Jim Morrison" in own person. Standard questions about previous experience, what you expect from working in Wideroes etc.

I´m enjoying every minute of the job!! No problems at all recommending it to others.

Good luck on the tests!!:D

[viking207]

Hi everyone

In the application form they ask about human factor, is this a psychological evaluation?:8

RGDS

Viking207

[Nordic Spirit]

Nope. They wanna know if you´ve passed the JAA-exam "Human factors and limitations" (me seem to remember).

Regards

[Bengt Engel]

so what if you passed all your exams when nobody had heard the word JAA....:} :E

[viking207]

Thanks Nordic spirit

Have they ever hired low-timers or do they stick to their formal requirements at all times?

Regards

Viking207

[Crossunder]

They stick to it unless you know someone really good, the company reeeeally needs pilots and you're lucky at the same time. Ain't that the way it goes in this business... But, seriously, maybe 2-3 pilots in total that have been hired with <800h tt.
However: WF will not be able to keep the 800h requirement in the future, even though pilots from all over Europe are applying now. Rumour has it that they'll have to start reducing towards 2-300hrs next year! Either way - you can do the tests first, and then wait for the crummy 800hrs before starting your t/r!

Hot tip: call and /or show up in person. That's how I, and a lot of my colleagues, got called in for testing ;)

[JT]

Crossunder,

How come that WF is in such a desperate need of pilots that they would lower their requirements to 2-300 hours ?

Are they expanding ?
Are a lot of pilots leaving the company for other operators ?

BTW: Thanks for the info so far ;)

[Crossunder]

JT - check your PMs.

[viking207]

I wouldn't mind the info also

Viking

[sac]

Me too........ please...;)

[beppesignori]

I am one of the lucky ones that are going to Oslo in November. I had about 600 h total time when I sent in my application, mostly Instructing, and very little twin time(50 h or so). Up to around 800 h now, which i was told in a letter from Wideroe, is one of the requirements. The other requirements are(at the moment)

Military duty/or exemption
Norwegian or JAA-CPL
IR
MEP
Valid ATPL
Min. 800 h total time
Able to provide clean Police-report

To the people that have been at the interview...Will they go into depth with technical ATPL-style questions, or is it only amplitude tests?

cheers, C

[Nordic Spirit]

No tech. questions. Only interested in former jobs, military duty, why you chose to be a pilot etc. My interview lasted approx. 30 mins. Didn´t feel pressured at all really.
Just put on a tie and smile (and look smart, he, he)!:)

[norving]

Wideroe............

HaHa, a funny place! Did my tetsts back in '97 and called them after a couple of weeks. Was then told that I've passed all the tests but has never heard from them since!!!!

Makes you wonder, don't it!
Have heard that it's getting more proffesional once on line and I sure hope so!

More funny though that Jim Morrison is still doing the psych thing, though he would have OD'd by now.........

Good luck to anyone going for it:-)

[Crossunder]

Viking207 & SAC:

Well - nothing official yet. Too many variables to be dealt with, leading up to our new industrial agreement in 2006. But I can tell you that we would not be holding 5-6 t/r courses this year, if we weren't expanding the next two years ;)

RE interview: I had a 15min chat with the admission board. Nothing nasty, and no ATPL Qs. But that's almost 7 years ago now!
Good luck! WF probably has the best working conditions in the business! :) But then there's the thing about light turbo props and STOL-ops...

norving: haven't heard of a single company yet, that does not do exactly the same to one or more of it's applicants. That's the way this business goes.

[Jr. Ewing]

anybody have any details on terms and such at wideroe, fo pay, rosters etc etc.

Jr

[Ingo1]

Crossunder:

How do you think they look at skydiving pilots?
Do they have any max age? (I am 37 at the moment)

Regards

[Nordic Spirit]

My impression is they think hours are hours, no matter where they came from.

On my course we had a guy who was 40yrs old. No worry!:D

[Ingo1]

Sounds good... hope you're right!

/Ingo1

[Flymag]

Anyone happen to know where at Wideroe to send the CV ?

[BNflyer]

Actually, I think they have a standard application form. But I don't know where you will find it? Not on the webpage, Someone who know where to get it?

[Ingo1]

send it to:
[email protected]

//Ingo1

[BNflyer]

Thank you Sir!

//BNflyer

[Nordic Spirit]

Or call Wideroe in Bodo at 75513500 and ask for Ashild Brekken/Training Department. She can send you the standard form (standard two pages, no "tell about one time your leadership resulted in the groups success, etc"-BS:) )

If you only send the CV or a free text application you will still receive the form to be completed anyway. Saves you some time to ask for the form in the first place (we are all standard lazy pilots, no?)!

Regards

[Jr. Ewing]

so anybody about the terms and such......PLEASE!

thanks!

[Crossunder]

OK - sent you a PM, but I'll post most of it as well:

WF pays for the type rating. No bonding. You get paid during the t/r course.

Roster is 7 on - 7 off, or another variant which will give you every weekend off, and you can manipulate your own roster quite a lot... the latter being somewhat complicated to explain here ;)

Pay is good, starting on about NOK350k/yr. Will have increased to NOK450k@year 4. Daily allowances and extra work comes in addition; about 30-100k/y, depending on how much you're willing to do extra work.

About 7 years to command at present.

Excellent pension and insurance/loss of license.

Bases are Torp/Sandefjord, Gardermoen/Oslo, Bergen, Bodø and Tromsø.

Full STAR Alliance ticket agreement ++.

In other words - a good deal. Other companies may pay you more, but you'll have to work a whole lot more... We fly about 450-550hrs/yr.

[sac]

Does anybody know how many they need???

[Jr. Ewing]

thanks for the info crossunder, just been on the road and been lazy checking my pm's ;)


cheers,
Jr

[Nordic Spirit]

Wideroe doesn´t really know themselves right now how many pilots they need. It depends on which routes they´re gonna fly the next 3 years (decided 1st Nov). They also have (rumour has it) own expansion plans for next year requiring further pilot recruitment. Time will show later this Fall.

[BestGlide]

So people, what do you think of the tests? I think I did OK overall. I performed a lot better after lunch than before.

I struggled specially with the test when Jim Morrison was reading numbers, words etc. and we should write it down backwards. My impression is that they expected everybody to struggle...and all the others I talked to did! :-)

Repeating numbers backwards together with Jim Morrions son was easier. He told me that I was OK and also wrote OK next to my name. Scanning test was easy.

The final test "Simultankapasitet" was tricky, but I finished them all! I have actually been through a similar test before. People sitting around me only got half way through as far as I could see.

The next few weeks gonna be very exciting! My feeling is good, but you never know what's gonna happend....

[Betaranger]

Let us all know how it goes, good luck! :ok:

[BestGlide]

Passed the tests! Next step is interview late November :D

[Betaranger]

Well done!

Good luck on the next one!

:ok:

[JT]

BestGlide, I´ve got the same reply - it´s great :ok:

At the tests in October, Roar Strande said that if their plans went as they hoped, they would be needing between 30 and 60 pilots in 2006.

Has anyone heard anything about that ?
Does anyone have any idea about how many pilots they will be needing ?

[Jimmy The Big Greek]

How did you find out that Wideroe was hiring pilots. I went to their website but there is no "job page". Just ticket information.

[JT]

Hi Jimmy TBG,

I heard it from a friend, who again heard from another friend, and that friend had sent an application, and got invited to do the tests.

The friend told it to my friend, who again told it to me, and then I applied, and got invited to do the tests.

The job hunt is all about how good your network is - or how often you check PPRUNE for info on whats shaking in the industry :)

I can send you the application form if you don't already has it !?

Best regards,

[pilot11]

Me too. Pleeeease.

Best Regards

Daniel

[BestGlide]

Has anyone heard anything about that ?
Does anyone have any idea about how many pilots they will be needing ?



I didn't go as planned for Wideroe, so I don't think they will be needing as many as 60 pilots next year (but maybe 30?). DAT will still be flying on Florø, and Wideroe lost Andenes and Røros for the years 2006 - 2009.

You will find the complete list for "Regionale Flyruter 2006 - 2009" here: http://odin.dep.no/sd/norsk/aktuelt/pressesenter/pressem/028001-990946/dok-bn.html

Strande also mentioned that there will be a type rating course starting in December. That course is now cancelled and will earliest be held in February.

[JT]

Not good news for us hoping to join WF... :ugh:

And there are aparently more bad news in the horizon:
http://www.takeoff.nu/news.cfm?nNewsWeekly=0&nNewsId=5836

Has anyone heard anthing else beside the:
"Congratulations, we will like to see you again for a personal interview. We will contact you with further information.." :confused:

[BestGlide]

Has anyone heard anthing else beside the:
"Congratulations, we will like to see you again for a personal interview. We will contact you with further information.."


Yes :)

[paradropper]

Some good news for you :=

http://www.boarding.no/art.asp?id=18741

[BestGlide]

As I said: WF have lost Andenes - Bodø, Andenes - Tromsø, and Oslo - Rorøs.

Where is the good news?

[Nordic Spirit]

Dont be so pessimistic! The December course is still due in January, recruitment will continue at a steady rate throughout 2006, a lot of captains retiring and no waver to fly past 60 years in WF after all.
It doesn´t look grim at all if you ask me;)
And there are expantion plans on the horizon for next year.

Cheer up!!

[BestGlide]

I'm not pessimistic, rather optimistic, so no problem :)

[BestGlide]

The letter arrived today: "Welcome to Widerøe!"

I am sooooooooooo :mad: happy! :O

[Özcan]

congratulations :ok:

[JT]

Congratulations to you, BestGlide.

Hope to see you north of the arctic circle, because I also got accepted today :D

[Jr. Ewing]

I would say keep on applying!
Best of luck.

Jr.:ok:

[CMN]

I've sent an application 2 months ago, and got a confirmation letter.
Would it be a wise move to call them now to learn about a possible interview ?

1600 TT, 600 hrs TP.

[JT]

CMN,
Apparently WF is only planning to start one (!) TR course this year, so a lot of us that got accepted in late december '05, will maybe not get hired in 2006 :sad:
Outlook is currently not that good... however I think that you should keep updating your application every 4-6 months.

[BestGlide]

Times are changing! WF called me last week and I'm in on the next TR course, starting March 20th! OH YEAH! ::E

They are also planning courses in April and June, and a couple more before Santa Claus is coming!

[JT]

Congratulations Bestglide :D
Hope to join you up there in the near future..

[Rahowa]

If you don´t have one of the test, it will be very hard to pass...Luckey me...:-)

[Fokkersnagger]

Bestglide or others,

Are they still hiring danes and swedes as crazy, just like their mother company say they should, or is it getting better; Keeping It Simple Stupid norwegian?

[BestGlide]

1/3 norwegians
1/3 swedes
1/3 danes

A total of 3/3 scandinavians :)

[grrowler]

Hi all,

I'm a Scandinavian born pilot who's been living and working in Australia since 1987 (working since 99).

My Norwegian fiance and I would love to move back one day, but unfortunately my language is fairly rusty, and I was wondering if the interviews/ tests are conducted in English or Norwegian? Might need to brush up a bit!

Plus I need to convert my stupid ICAO ATPL...:(

What is the general outlook? Would they prefer pilots who have grown up and worked locally? BTW I have about 3500tt 1000 dash 8

[BestGlide]

Tests/interview: Norwegian
You have to speak and understand one of the scandinavian languages.

[seilfly]

and you don't have to do the RNoAF/SAS pencil-tapping nightmare-test ;-)

It really was only to follow the boxes and reply to any question the psychologist asked :} ( :yuk: hehe)