SAA interviews

[Figo]

Hi all

I am sure that a thread like this is floating around somewhere, I just cant seem to find it :O

Has anybody been to a SAA interview lately?

Any tips on what type or specific questions that can be expected?

Or any links to the most up to date gen on the company?

I know that preperation is key, so any help will be appreciated.

[bosbok]

You got invited to an interview at SAA without knowing someone on the inside you could ask this question to in person? That is pretty impressive. Good luck!

[CJ750]

Very impressive.


Have heard a rumour that as of end of this year only black pilots allowed to be employed at SAA. If that is true then good luck to all the South African wannabees as they will have to employ non south africans i think.

[cavortingcheetah]

There's already been a precedent for that and the authority seemed at the time, and the use of the words is judicious, quite happy to validate foreign commercial licences to enable non South African citizens from up country Africa to fly South African registered aircraft based at Lanseria.
One might therefore suppose that such a thing could happen again. Work permits would presumably not pose a problem because the required recruitment would not be able to be satisfied by the local market.
But even were all of this true one might reasonably ask what was wrong with the scheme anyway. It's not as though nepotism had interjected into the recruitment process is it and if true the proposal would surely be nothing more than most egalitarian in its application, advocating as it would the transport of the minority by the masses?

[unstable load]

There are even non-SA Citizens employed by the same CAA, so I am sure they will permit as many as required to meet the need. After all, bothe entities are Gov't departments and thus are bound to carry out policy.

[michaelbarns]

its so dissapointing that SAA would hire foreigners to work for them, I remember this one girl from Zimbabwe that worked in Rossair at ops and wasnt allowed to fly because she didnt have a work permit / SA residence etc.... guess where she is now, yip SAA co-pilot... Now what about all the other SA citizens that cant find work, not only in the aviation industry... what can you do hey, at least I earned my stripes, but that doesnt put food on the table... :oh:

[The Ancient Geek]

Aircrew work in a global marketplace. On yer bike lad, there is always an airline recruiting pilots somewhere in the world.

[cavortingcheetah]

What is at stake here of course is concern at the potential for the subjugation of a once great airline institution because of the importation of relatively unregulated materiel from sources whose own provenance is less than reliable.
This is the sort of thing that would upset and cause concern to any Jaguar owner were he to discover that his warranted spare part had been produced somewhere south west of Wakistan as opposed to Whitley.

Edit: I quite agree with the sentiments concerning the bicycle syndrome but increasingly for certain smaller groups of people these days the two wheel tandem becomes a penny farthing.

[NextLegUndefined]

Hi Figo

Study the ATC section of the Jepp manual (ICAO doc 8168), ACE The Technical Pilot Interview (I forget the author), CRM material, SAA's risk management model (if you can get it), the latest issue of Intercom (SAA Flight Ops internal magazine) and as much info as you can on the aeroplane you are currently flying or have most of your experience on.

I didn't have anyone push my CV through, I knew a few people who worked for SAA (like all pilots do) who helped me apply at the right time (i.e. when the HR wheel started turning) and guided me to study the above material.

Many of the pilots who make claims (on PPRUNE) about what SAA are doing, inadvertently set limitations on others who decide, like I used to, to not bother with an application because "it isn't going to happen anyway." My advice is to make your application and give of your best, it paid off for me. I didn't come from an airline, I never went to the SAAF and I am not related to anyone in the organisation, I did not share any close friendships with anyone in SAA prior to employment, I am not a cadet graduate nor am I a HDI (Historically Disadvantaged Individual). I built my experience the hard way (like everyone else) and I study almost every day to improve my knowledge. In short, I am not special or exceptional and I got in through putting in the work.

The selection process was really tough but conducted in a very professional and respectful manner which are two qualities, I have noticed, are part of the culture at SAA Flight Ops. The airline needs good quality applicants, don't listen to the naysayers on PPRUNE. Also, you can take what the airline says about employing black pilots only with an A340 cargo load of salt too, it is going to take a very, very long time to get what they are after.

Keep applying and studying.

[Loerie]

Very,very well said after all the negatives I have been reading.A well balanced view from the inside is invaluable.There are always problems of some sort,everywhere in the World,and it is pleasant to read that good old SAA despite what others may think,is still properly managed employee-wise at least.:D

[cavortingcheetah]

It's to be hoped that in writing such an excellent letter NextLegUndefined has defined their next leg for many aspirants who should take heart from his words.

[Springbok614]

What is the best way to apply to SAA? Which channel in other words. I have applied the last couple of years by sending the Excel application with the required docs to a lady called Petra in SAA who I was told receives applications. Then I updated again with her and was channeled to a gentlemen called Steven Ramasodi in HR. That trail has since gone cold. Lastly I applied online through P-Net.

So what I am wondering about is whether these applications the last couple of years have been in vain. I have heard of guys with much less time and worse experience getting interviews and getting in. Some even on their first application.

This also makes me wonder what the odds are of my application ever being seen and considered for an interview.

SAA is still the best operator in my opinion to fly for as a SA citizen and license holder. This personally for more or other reasons than just the money.

At this stage it feels as the SAA dream might be out of reach considering the application is fairly random, I know no one at SAA and I am a white male.

O well, will continue trying! Any application advice will be much apprciated.

[Figo]

I have been off the grid for a couple of days and and only read the replies now.

Thanks a million NLU, I appreciate your invaluable input!

[Bergie]

Nice post NLU. My story is much the same as yours. Only SAA is my third airline and I was in well into my thirties with a Boeing command before my first interview. I had no one on the 'inside'. I thoroughly enjoyed my time flying charter and at the other carriers but SAA is kind of special.

NLU I'm sure you are a pleasure to fly with. Perhaps we have already ;)

[headbraker]

SAA the Most Racist Airline:ugh:

[Shrike200]

SAA the Most Racist Airline

I love the succinct reasoning expressed by this post, the well couched language, the nuance, the finesse. If only others were to strive for this, this definition of a thinking mans post, swaying all by it's clear logic and elegance, lifting the overall of standards of this thread, nay this entire forum. Epic. (said in Jeremy Clarkson voice)

Or not.

[Capt Bell End]

SAA Interviews ... Unfortunately it's mostly a rhetorical question I'm afraid. There is at last the P-Net online method now available but what that really feeds into and how transparant it is I think is anybodies guess. SAA will forever hold loads of question marks on how best to get an interview as there are dozens of differing methods. I'm 42 now and still holding thumbs that I'll get a call but I honestly don't rate my chances higher than 5% at a push.

There is though the infamous rumour that SAA will start looking at outside BEE and BEEEE and BBEEE etc towards then end of the year so who knows, thats purely what I base my 5% on otherwise I would say I have zero chance.

Good luck to all the guys and gals that got in because u surely have a guardian angel looking after you...:{

[headbraker]

Shrike200 thanks for the Excellent Post and reply :ok:

[oompilot]

In short, I am not special or exceptional

NextLegUndefined, you must be very lonely at SAA with thoughts like that.

[Shrike200]

headb.....never mind.

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/000/554/facepalm.jpg

[Alternative]

Good luck to the lads with interviews this week! GoMANgo

[JG1]

Oompilot bwaa haa +1 !!

He must truly be lonely at Sponsor Another Airbus with such a humble attitude...:p

[Chuck Notyeager]

He must truly be lonely at Sponsor Another Airbus with such a humble attitude...http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Quote:
In short, I am not special or exceptional
You guys are really doff. Do you REALLY think ALL SAA pilots are God/Family/Connected?

I was also a pilot at SAA and like NLU I too was not special.

[divinehover]

You gotta love the fact that only one person actually answered the question.

Read up on the following:

Jepp ATC, PBN (RNAV/RNP), current fleet details, transonic aero-d, Handling the big jets etc. Know your current type technical well. Know the difference between Part 121, 91 and 135. Go over ETOPS (have a look at 'beyond 180min' ETOPS) and Ultra Long Haul Ops. Perhaps a brush over of some aero med. I remember been asked what Tinnitus was. Know the definition of Vmca. Smile and say you don't know when you don't know. Call everyone Sir or Capt. Wear a tie. If you get through all of this you should be ready for direct entry command.

[cavortingcheetah]

Aren't the next batch of intake aspirant interviews going to be conducted in Sotho?

[glorybusdriver]

Hi Guys,

Do any of you know how many SAA planning to interview and how many positions open?

Regards

[Figo]

I actually stopped checking this thread for replies, people were more interested in complaining then actually replying to the initial question. I was,however, pleasantly surprised this morning to see another post relevant to the thread. (DH)

Thanks again NLU & DH, your assistance will go a long way in helping me prep for the interview. At the time of my 1st post I never had an interview date and was purely posting out of complete optimism that I would get a call. (I heard via the rumour mill that they will be interviewing throughout the year)

I guess it worked:p

Guys stay positive out there! The wheel does turn albeit . . .at a snails pace

[sky waiter]

Lucky you - so when is your interview then and just out of interest what sort of time/experience do you have?

No i am not going to flame you you can PM me to stay out of the firing line i am just interested to see what they are looking at in terms of experience etc...

Please note before anyone slags me off my CV has been there for years since i had 600hrs i update it every now and then, so these interviews always interest me.... :)

[TheManPartOne]

I heard 21 spots available and interviewing around 90 people. Don't know how accurate this is though. I believe all the cadets that didn't make the grade first time around will be reinterviewed so depending on that outcome the 21 spots might reduce.

[cavortingcheetah]

If SAA is going to interview the cadets that didn't make it the first time around couldn't that be construed as drawing recruits from the reject pile? In a kinder way of looking at the suggestion though, perhaps the original interviewing board was so inefficient that it let true talent fall, unnoticed, by the wayside? Or was there a communication problem and does one side of the interviewing table now speak better Swahili, Edo or Efik than before and is the CAA busy validating feringhee licences? Does this portend that the old crème de la crème of South African aviation manhood that used to fill the cockpits of the world renowned South African Airways has gone for a ball of woolly mammoth spittle? It's all very spatially disorientating!

[Flyer14]

I've also heard 90 interviews, 34 slots. As far as I know there are only 3 cadets in the system with relevant experience. 1 has been interviewed 3 times, another had a medical problem but is flying again and the last has apparently had a falling out with SAA. There are approx. 10 other cadets who got their license years ago but havn't flown since and are back at 43 for more training. Other than that there are no other cadets in the system so it will take some time before new ones start coming through.

[Nirak]

Why haven't those cadets flown for a few years? Were they inflight relief only pilots?

[glorybusdriver]

Any news when the first intake course start at SAA?

[Alternative]

1st August 2012!

[millertime]

Alternative I don't know where you get your information but that is incorrect. No dates have been decided on at all.

[Alternative]

Really? Maybe not the guys been interviewed at the moment,but there is definitely an intake starting 01/08/12!

[The Mixman]

Pistols at 10 paces............. my money is on the Alternative.

[millertime]

Correct, but they are not candidates who have been involved in the present interview process, and that was the intent of the question.

[Alternative]

Agreed...they were interviewed a while back,but the ball is rolling!

[JG1]

Millertime, you sound pretty pedantic... Lemme guess, saa captain?

[glorybusdriver]

Did the new pilots start at SAA today?

[Romeo E.T.]

I know of 2 Comair F/O's that started today

[glorybusdriver]

Have they done their interviews recently? I know of a few guys went thro the whole process in July and waiting for a call or start date.

[Ghost_Rider737]

4 pilots started their careers at SAA today

[CharlieVictorSierra]

Congrats to those guys :D

[glorybusdriver]

Well done to you 4 guys!:D

[i-Robot]

The present SAA selection board is probably one of the most objective in many years!

[merlock]

Good luck to the next group of guys with interviews next week.

[vlatkomk]

What I gather from a few of these posts is that SAA has and will make exceptions to the South African citizenship requirement for employment. Is this a true statement? Please correct me if I misunderstood.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/blog/images/684_467.jpg

[Ghost_Rider737]

No exceptions to the citizenship requirement . You MUST be a south African citizen or Burger ....LOL

That's 100% FACT....

[i-Robot]

In fact, one cannot register a CV on the website if not an SA citizen

[glorybusdriver]

Hi,

What is now the lastest with recruiting of pilots at SAA? I believe about 40 odd already been interviewed.