British Airways DEP Selection - THE lowdown Part 1
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Maths Test
Hi
With regard to the Maths test - it hasn't changed at all! I was given fairly reliable information about what was in it from someone that went last year. The information was all accurate this year. It means, that you do not need to worry about techincal questions, data interpretation or anything else like that. What other people have written on here is correct. It is simple maths with the challenge being the time pressure and the time pressure alone. You need not worry about the content but just practice simple arithemtic, quickly and in your head.
With regard to the Maths test - it hasn't changed at all! I was given fairly reliable information about what was in it from someone that went last year. The information was all accurate this year. It means, that you do not need to worry about techincal questions, data interpretation or anything else like that. What other people have written on here is correct. It is simple maths with the challenge being the time pressure and the time pressure alone. You need not worry about the content but just practice simple arithemtic, quickly and in your head.
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Hi there you all!
Does anyone know maybe what kind of criteria BA uses for inviting applicants?
I got a rejection email saying I won't be invited for selection.
I met the criteria on the website (though just over 750hrs), but maybe since I'm not a native speaker I won't get considered.
Or maybe due to the number of applications they still only invite people with reasonably more experience as the minimum posted on the website?!
Unfortunately BA won't tell me anything about that....
Greetz
Does anyone know maybe what kind of criteria BA uses for inviting applicants?
I got a rejection email saying I won't be invited for selection.
I met the criteria on the website (though just over 750hrs), but maybe since I'm not a native speaker I won't get considered.
Or maybe due to the number of applications they still only invite people with reasonably more experience as the minimum posted on the website?!
Unfortunately BA won't tell me anything about that....
Greetz
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Regarding the sim prep vs no sim prep debate....
I would like to contribute to this debate with my own experience if I may.....
I did the BA selection a little over 2 years ago and got through to the sim stage but failed that. I have just done it again this year and passed this time. The difference - no practice in a sim the first time vs 2 hours PF + 2 hours PNF this time.
I understand what people say about the exercise being primarily about how you and your colleague work together, but there is an element of assessing the flying - it says so in the sim brief! It also says they assess capacity - if you have none because you are concentrating so hard on flying straight and level it will be noticed.
I am an airbus bod at the moment, and spent 4 hours in the 737NG sim at Horsham that I talked about previously in this thread. This practice gave me enough manual flying and handling a Boeing MCP to allow me to contribute to managing the detail while manually flying the 747 sim during the assessment. If I hadn't done it there is no way I would have passed. No matter how you prepare mentally or on the PC, the power / pitch couple when flying the 747 will undo you if you have been on an airbus for a number of years like me.
Different horses work for different courses, but everyone I know who did even a little sim prep has passed the sim assessment with BA. I think it is probably only those who passed with no sim prep that speak up against it. It would be interesting to know how many who didn't do any sim prep didn't pass the assessment. However, that is not something one advertises on here too readily. Those who want to do some prep don't be put off by the whizz kids who can pass it without preparation. The rest of us are mortal.
The course I did on the 737 sim at Horsham was the difference between me passing and failing the BA sim assessment - simple as that. And no I don't work for them, have shares in their sim, sleep with them or anything else the cynics will suggest.............Good luck all.
I did the BA selection a little over 2 years ago and got through to the sim stage but failed that. I have just done it again this year and passed this time. The difference - no practice in a sim the first time vs 2 hours PF + 2 hours PNF this time.
I understand what people say about the exercise being primarily about how you and your colleague work together, but there is an element of assessing the flying - it says so in the sim brief! It also says they assess capacity - if you have none because you are concentrating so hard on flying straight and level it will be noticed.
I am an airbus bod at the moment, and spent 4 hours in the 737NG sim at Horsham that I talked about previously in this thread. This practice gave me enough manual flying and handling a Boeing MCP to allow me to contribute to managing the detail while manually flying the 747 sim during the assessment. If I hadn't done it there is no way I would have passed. No matter how you prepare mentally or on the PC, the power / pitch couple when flying the 747 will undo you if you have been on an airbus for a number of years like me.
Different horses work for different courses, but everyone I know who did even a little sim prep has passed the sim assessment with BA. I think it is probably only those who passed with no sim prep that speak up against it. It would be interesting to know how many who didn't do any sim prep didn't pass the assessment. However, that is not something one advertises on here too readily. Those who want to do some prep don't be put off by the whizz kids who can pass it without preparation. The rest of us are mortal.
The course I did on the 737 sim at Horsham was the difference between me passing and failing the BA sim assessment - simple as that. And no I don't work for them, have shares in their sim, sleep with them or anything else the cynics will suggest.............Good luck all.
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Sphinx,
I think you have slightly misunderstood the point on sim practice. Any preparation is, obviously, good. However there are many who, for a variety of reasons, can't achieve a sim slot for practice.
My point was that there are alot of applicants who put themselves on a nervous footing when they are confronted by the complexity of the 747 simulator, cosy as the cockpit may be. If you can't or don't want to invest in a full simulator session then familiarisation with the basic Boeing setup can be done through Flight Sim. In the dim and distant pass sim assessments were done on the BAC 1-11, how did the non-whizz kids get their passes on that, BAC 1-11 sims are as rare as hens teeth!
If you get to the sim you are expected to have the minimum requirements, flying wise, required to adequately pass an initial assessment. If not you won't even get to the interview. Therefore, if you go to the sim and can't or don't have the opportunity to go to a 737ng sim, familiarise yourself with the cockpit layout of the 744, (airlinephotos have good cockpit piccies), have a look at FSX (geeky but useful for the MDU) and relax, you should be able to fly an aircraft by now!
If you want to do the sim practice then I'm sure it's money well spent, have fun and enjoy! It is not, however, a necessity.
Good luck to all.
I think you have slightly misunderstood the point on sim practice. Any preparation is, obviously, good. However there are many who, for a variety of reasons, can't achieve a sim slot for practice.
My point was that there are alot of applicants who put themselves on a nervous footing when they are confronted by the complexity of the 747 simulator, cosy as the cockpit may be. If you can't or don't want to invest in a full simulator session then familiarisation with the basic Boeing setup can be done through Flight Sim. In the dim and distant pass sim assessments were done on the BAC 1-11, how did the non-whizz kids get their passes on that, BAC 1-11 sims are as rare as hens teeth!
If you get to the sim you are expected to have the minimum requirements, flying wise, required to adequately pass an initial assessment. If not you won't even get to the interview. Therefore, if you go to the sim and can't or don't have the opportunity to go to a 737ng sim, familiarise yourself with the cockpit layout of the 744, (airlinephotos have good cockpit piccies), have a look at FSX (geeky but useful for the MDU) and relax, you should be able to fly an aircraft by now!
If you want to do the sim practice then I'm sure it's money well spent, have fun and enjoy! It is not, however, a necessity.
Good luck to all.
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Morning all,
Just a quick one. Can someone whos been to the assessment recently just confirm what tests are in the aptitude tests as cockpitweb have added new tests to their software but im not sure they are in the BA assessment day.
thanks and keep up the good work. this post is great
Just a quick one. Can someone whos been to the assessment recently just confirm what tests are in the aptitude tests as cockpitweb have added new tests to their software but im not sure they are in the BA assessment day.
thanks and keep up the good work. this post is great
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Tests
Speedy to answer your question:
i) Suitcase Man
ii) Friend or Foe
iii) Boxes and points (put point in box, controls reversed)
iv) Subtraction
v) Combination of iii) and iv)
vi) Fly an approach
vii) Capacity Test (shapes, numbers, shaky cross and various combinations of these)
viii) Radar
Hope this helps and I haven't forgotten anything!
i) Suitcase Man
ii) Friend or Foe
iii) Boxes and points (put point in box, controls reversed)
iv) Subtraction
v) Combination of iii) and iv)
vi) Fly an approach
vii) Capacity Test (shapes, numbers, shaky cross and various combinations of these)
viii) Radar
Hope this helps and I haven't forgotten anything!
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Hi
I had the old cockpit web test and I think that has everything you need for BA Selection, seeing as I have just got through to the sim.
The test are the sames as ever:
1. Suitcase Man
2. Friend and Foe
3. putting dot in box(controls reversed)
4. subtraction - just look at last 2 numbers works, 303-153= 150 you have to decide if its correct or not.
5. number 3 and 4 together
6. Fly an approach, and as previous people have said get the height off and alligned to runway before taking the power off all in one go at about 200ft so to be 100x(speed) by 50ft
7. Radar screen, cockpit web very good version however on the day most people got all the N,S E,W correct but the accuracy for the NW,NE,SW,SE is very difficult and people got about half right.
8. shape and colour.
9. spoken numbers counting down.
10. keeping cross in the middle of the screen, left and right are as so, but upand down are opposite.
11. then the last 3 done altogether. (cockpit web again very good BUT only does the shape & colour and number counting together. If you can get all hits in that before you go, it helps alot on the day when the next element is added.
Hope this helps.
Maths and verbal same as 3 years ago.
Evian
I had the old cockpit web test and I think that has everything you need for BA Selection, seeing as I have just got through to the sim.
The test are the sames as ever:
1. Suitcase Man
2. Friend and Foe
3. putting dot in box(controls reversed)
4. subtraction - just look at last 2 numbers works, 303-153= 150 you have to decide if its correct or not.
5. number 3 and 4 together
6. Fly an approach, and as previous people have said get the height off and alligned to runway before taking the power off all in one go at about 200ft so to be 100x(speed) by 50ft
7. Radar screen, cockpit web very good version however on the day most people got all the N,S E,W correct but the accuracy for the NW,NE,SW,SE is very difficult and people got about half right.
8. shape and colour.
9. spoken numbers counting down.
10. keeping cross in the middle of the screen, left and right are as so, but upand down are opposite.
11. then the last 3 done altogether. (cockpit web again very good BUT only does the shape & colour and number counting together. If you can get all hits in that before you go, it helps alot on the day when the next element is added.
Hope this helps.
Maths and verbal same as 3 years ago.
Evian
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yeah, change your username! Only kidding!
Use the flight path vector on the flight director to make any gh a bit easier. Its no doubt on msfs (a guess) and simply put when the wings r on the horizon then ur flying straight and level.
The datums contained in the qrh for flight with unreiable airspeed will be all you need to prep for being confident of putting her in the right place to do the right thing. In sure a google search will provide. The pitch power couple is not that big a deal for Boeing/real pilots but for aircrap stick monkeys its less than i remember of a Seneca (little banter, given with smile). Anybody coming of the 737 try not to overcontrol, you will still be trying like every 737 guy after 5 years if you come to the 744. Its got a lot of momentum so give ur inputs a couple I'd secs to have effect. If you end u putting a whole lot of power on it will require a whole lot of stick to control. T/o 250t max climb thr approx 9deg @ 10k. Level flight 2.5 & 1.2/3 on the epr @ 20k. App with 25F and gear @ 250 2.6 & 1.15 epr. U get the picture.
Landing it couldn't be easier. The mistakes on the jumbo r the same as a warrior. Keep it coming down thru 75' and flare just under 30 (27 works for the a'pilot) thrust levers slowly shutting and complete as touchdown occurs. Suck eggs time I know but look down the end not the tdz. Hey why should you not make the same mistakes I see/make every month on the line.
My final bit of advice would be if you have the money to burn go for a sim. If not, I didn't, just trust in the skillset that got u there and support the guy beside you as if he was a lifelong bud. Plane, path, people is what they look for in the sim cxs so try and think along those lines. Most of all when trying to impress the guy remember he has seen it all. What he wants to see is somebody with an open manner who wants to work in a crew. There is a time to lead and a time to support.
Good luck.
Use the flight path vector on the flight director to make any gh a bit easier. Its no doubt on msfs (a guess) and simply put when the wings r on the horizon then ur flying straight and level.
The datums contained in the qrh for flight with unreiable airspeed will be all you need to prep for being confident of putting her in the right place to do the right thing. In sure a google search will provide. The pitch power couple is not that big a deal for Boeing/real pilots but for aircrap stick monkeys its less than i remember of a Seneca (little banter, given with smile). Anybody coming of the 737 try not to overcontrol, you will still be trying like every 737 guy after 5 years if you come to the 744. Its got a lot of momentum so give ur inputs a couple I'd secs to have effect. If you end u putting a whole lot of power on it will require a whole lot of stick to control. T/o 250t max climb thr approx 9deg @ 10k. Level flight 2.5 & 1.2/3 on the epr @ 20k. App with 25F and gear @ 250 2.6 & 1.15 epr. U get the picture.
Landing it couldn't be easier. The mistakes on the jumbo r the same as a warrior. Keep it coming down thru 75' and flare just under 30 (27 works for the a'pilot) thrust levers slowly shutting and complete as touchdown occurs. Suck eggs time I know but look down the end not the tdz. Hey why should you not make the same mistakes I see/make every month on the line.
My final bit of advice would be if you have the money to burn go for a sim. If not, I didn't, just trust in the skillset that got u there and support the guy beside you as if he was a lifelong bud. Plane, path, people is what they look for in the sim cxs so try and think along those lines. Most of all when trying to impress the guy remember he has seen it all. What he wants to see is somebody with an open manner who wants to work in a crew. There is a time to lead and a time to support.
Good luck.
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I passed day 1 a few weeks ago and now I have a simulator assessment coming up next month. 
The interview was very customer service based with the same questions as have previously appeared on this thread… but be aware that they only need to change one word in the question to make your prepared answer wide of the mark.
Also having a chat with the other candidates it appeared they were alternating the same question between us simply by asking for work or personal based responses.
Anybody be so kind to shed some more light on the simulator?
Regards
B.
The interview was very customer service based with the same questions as have previously appeared on this thread… but be aware that they only need to change one word in the question to make your prepared answer wide of the mark.
Also having a chat with the other candidates it appeared they were alternating the same question between us simply by asking for work or personal based responses.
Anybody be so kind to shed some more light on the simulator?
Regards
B.
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Why don't you just buy it??
Anyway, thanks Evian for the lowdown on the micropat stuff. Had forgotten what all of the tests consisted of.
In the 'putting the dot in the box' are you able to turn the joystick through 180 degrees bearing in mind the controls are reversed...........??
Anyway, thanks Evian for the lowdown on the micropat stuff. Had forgotten what all of the tests consisted of.
In the 'putting the dot in the box' are you able to turn the joystick through 180 degrees bearing in mind the controls are reversed...........??
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Does it get you top marks for thinking outside the box?! 
On a serious note though, i guess they probably would frown upon you doing it. BUT if they don't say anything about.................
On a serious note though, i guess they probably would frown upon you doing it. BUT if they don't say anything about.................
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Re the dot in the box. I found that looking at the dot and thinking "fly to the dot" made it very much easier.
For anyone using the cockpitweb software (and if you are not, you should be!), beware that the presentation of the graphics at BA is a bit different and more up to date, this can be a bit off putting if you are not expecting it. Also the "arcade flight sim" test is not included, but there are plenty of mentions of this above.
BTW, for anyone banging their heads on the radar test, FWIW I found simply reversing the instructions the easiest way and mentally plotting this on the screen (they were very strict about not using fingers on the day). Hence "10 North" becomes "10 South" and "5 North East" becomes "5 South West". It's really as easy as that. On the day, you get to see if you were right or wrong (on this test and several others also).
Another tip, already mentioned by localiser but worth repeating, is on the subtraction test, try adding the second number to the answer rather than performing the subtraction. This is faster for most people. E.g. If the question is "920 - 118 = 802" then add 118 to 802 and see if this matches the first number.
Good luck,
KT
For anyone using the cockpitweb software (and if you are not, you should be!), beware that the presentation of the graphics at BA is a bit different and more up to date, this can be a bit off putting if you are not expecting it. Also the "arcade flight sim" test is not included, but there are plenty of mentions of this above.
BTW, for anyone banging their heads on the radar test, FWIW I found simply reversing the instructions the easiest way and mentally plotting this on the screen (they were very strict about not using fingers on the day). Hence "10 North" becomes "10 South" and "5 North East" becomes "5 South West". It's really as easy as that. On the day, you get to see if you were right or wrong (on this test and several others also).
Another tip, already mentioned by localiser but worth repeating, is on the subtraction test, try adding the second number to the answer rather than performing the subtraction. This is faster for most people. E.g. If the question is "920 - 118 = 802" then add 118 to 802 and see if this matches the first number.
Good luck,
KT