There were 5 applicants for the interview last Monday, 17 May 1999. Besides me (ready-to-retire USAF Lt Col), there were two ready-to-retire O-6s (one AF and one Marine), and two younger former-AF guys. One of those was in a non-flying sim instructor job, the other has been flying a commuter turboprop in California since he got out last August. He previously had an interview with United and did not get hired by United. The first thing we did was the Flight Crew Opinion Inventory. It was a psychological survey to see how compatible you would be for Atlas. The main thing is to be consistent. The first part was a series of positive statements, and the second part was a series of negative statements. We filled out the different release forms for records checks and credit checks. Then we watched a video about Atlas, directed at telling you what it is like to work for Atlas. Then Mike Sikorski told us some more things about pay and benefits. He is the one who decides who goes into which airplane (747-200 or -400). He specifically mentioned looking for pilots with glass cockpit experience, and specifically C-17, to go to the -400! Upgrade to Captain is running about one year from date of hire! Then we had our interviews with the panel. The panel consisted of Mike Sikorski, Mike Bryant (Chief Pilot), Jim ____ (a flight engineer, I think), and Eileen McGuire (HR). The interview lasted about twenty minutes and was non-threatening. The main point of the interview seems to be to determine if you are compatible with relatively long crew duty days and long trips, and that you will be likely to be a long-term employee, not just using it for a stepping stone job. As best as I can recall, here were the questions: Briefly, tell us about your flying career. Tell us about the C-17. What are your crew duty day limits? How do you handle a 24-hour crew day? How do you feel about long trips? Tell us about a CRM challenge you experienced. Why do you want to fly for Atlas? What would you do if 6 months from now, USAirways called you? Can you make it to a July 20 training class? After the panel interview, we each had a one-on-one interview with John Turnipseed, the Director of HR. He was very personable and easy to talk to. He wrote down my answers to a one page list of questions: Why Atlas? What was your best job? What was your worst job? How do you feel about long trips? What is your strongest feature? Then he said he would call me by the end of the week. Overall, it was a friendly and non-threatening process. Just be yourself and let them get to know you. They exceeded my expectations for a freight company--tasteful and professional offices and competent and friendly employees. This is a very successful and well-run company. I'm excited about having a job with them, flying brand new 747-400s all over the world, and as a captain in a year or so. Five days later, Mike Sikorsky called me with a class date for 747-400 training!!

I interviewed with Atlas on 4/15/99. The interview was real short and did not include a sim check. There were four of us and we started out at 0830 by taking a personality test designed to see if we were compatible with the type of flying Atlas does. The questions were the kind with three statements and you had to decide which statement you most agree with and which one you least agree with. Basically if you agree that you don't have a life and want to fly 747's world wide you will do well. But... you have got to be yourself.

The interview was a board style interview with three people behind a desk asking questions. It was VERY short. Each person only asked 3 or 4 questions. There were no technical questions. The questions seemed to all be directed at finding out if you were the type of person they would want to fly a 16 day trip with. Others were the typical "tell me about yourself" "tell me about a bad experience you had while flying" "tell me about a time you used CRM, or saw it used" type.

The people there were VERY nice and the interview was very low key. It is conducted at bldg 151, JFK. You have to get there yourself and pay for your motel. The Five Towns motel seems best as they have a 24 hour van and will pick you up and drop you off at the Airport or at Atlas. Don't forget to bring logbooks, passport, and copies of everything. (I had all that but they never asked to see any of it).

After the interview you will either get to see on of the corporate officer for a final gauge of your personality. If he can't see you he will call you after you get home. 10 days to 2 weeks later you should hear one way or the other. Good Luck!

Had my resume walked in, very hard to get a interview if you don't have a recommendation. Air Inc., sent me an application and I filled it out with my $35.00. Called Atlas before Thanksgiving and got ahold of Capt. Bob Silver, he then had me call him at home and said he would look for my resume. I then recieved a call from him in late December and had a phone interview. He then offered me a formal interview in JFK. Interviewed in January and it starts off with a video of the company and then a pshyc. test. Then paperwork and the interview. Chief Pilot, Dir of Training and human resources. Very straight forward with no technical questions except the drunk Captain one. Then we met with John Turnipseed who is in charge of Human Resources, very nice man and a real positive interview. Went home and got called that evening with a job offer for the right seat of the 747-200.

No sim ride, never looked at logbook, etc. Need letter of recomendation or you can forget it. If you get called up to JFK, you have the job unless you say something stupid. Very Very relaxed interview, you don't even have to wear the "interview" suit. They tell you this when they send you the paperwork. Great company and great training. When the union comes on on the 23rd of April life will be that much better. Upgrade time is 14 month from F/O to Capt.