Six applicants showed up for the interview in Minneapolis. The day started promptly at 7:30am when one of the recruiters took us to a conference room. There he game us a 45 minute presentation about the company; including pay, benefits, training schedule, and what we could expect of the interview process. A lady from the Human Resource department then came in and gave two tests. The first was a 50 question IQ test which became progressively harder. We had 12 minutes to complete as much of the test as possible. Next we had a 25 question multiple choice test that covered part 91 and IFR areas. Some sample questions included:
-Max airspeed under Bravo airspace? Max airspeed under 10,000 feet?
-Cloud requirements in Delta airspace?
-On the 040 radial tracking to the station, given clearance to Hold south of the station, 180 Radial, EFC How would enter the hold?
-What is the final approach fix when flying an ILS approach?

You must score at least 80% to move on to the interviews.

Next they took us all back to the cafeteria. They took two of us at a time to be fingerprinted with the scanner machine. They had two teams interviewing so they got through the six of us pretty quick. Interviews lasted about 30 minutes and they were more concerned about getting to know you as a person. It is conducted by a Human Resource person and an experienced line pilot. Some of the questions they asked me were:

-Why do you want to work for Mesaba?
-Tell me about a time you were scared in an aircraft?
-Tell me about a mistake you made in an aircraft and how did you correct it?
-Captain is not using checklist, what do you do?
-Captain is tired and feels sick but still decides to fly, what would you do?
-You are pilot flying and you need to brief the captain on the approach, give a sample briefing?
-You are a flight instructor teaching a new instrument student how to brief an approach, how would you teach them to brief it?
-What are you going to do to prepare for class?
-Do you have any questions for us?

They did not ask any questions about the airline or about the last twin you have flown, but be prepared just in case. I passed the interview and they had me fill out a few more forms, then gave me the approach plate and another sheet of paper that explained the sim evaluation. You will have 20-30 minutes to review the approach before going into the sim.

The sim took place on a desktop instrument panel with no screen. There was a yoke but no rudder pedals. The cockpit resembled that of a piper arrow and was a single engine, except it flew at slightly higher airspeeds than an arrow (140kt cruise). You takeoff at 120kts, climb to 2,500 MSL, then he will give you headings to turn to as well as climbs and descents. You will do a steep turn at 45o bank in one direction then roll out on your heading. He then has you tune in the VOR and determine your radial and distance from it, then find your position on a chart. Don’t let this distract you from flying the airplane because the sim is very touchy and you cannot feel the control feedback. I was southeast of the VOR on a heading of 360o and he asked what heading I would turn to to intercept the 080o radial and track outbound. He then repositioned me and vectored me to the ILS and I flew it down to the DH. I then went missed and he gave me an amended missed procedure back to the NDB/Compass locator outer marker and told me to hold southwest on the localizer, the asked how I would enter the hold. I told him it would be teardrop, then he turned off the sim. They then sent us to a clinic to be drug tested then back to the airport.

For the oral they used a VOR approach into Eau Clair, Wis.
For the sim they used the ILS 6 approach to Islip, NY

Overall the interview was very relaxed and everyone is really nice. Do make sure to where a dark suit and tie. They really want you to look the part. Also get a good breakfast and try to bring food if you can. There are slim pickings there and it is a long day.
Day started at 7:20 am with a brief overview of the airline and what it is like to work their. After that we took a quick view of the dispatch and scheduling part of the airport. After that it was time for the first round of testing.

There where two test the first was an SAT type 50 question test basic math and logic. You only have about 12 minutes so just keep going and get as much as you can done.

After that it was time for the FAR/AIM test. Basic multiple-choice type test.

What is the max speed below 10,000ft? Below class B airspace?
Basic hold entry questions.
IF you see the approach lights on an ILS what can you do?
What is decision height?
IF atc says, "cleared for approach" what approach should you do?
Then some questions for JEPP approach plates.

We where then taken out to the cafeteria and given our interview schedule. You will probably wait awhile so bring a book or something to keep you busy.

Then it was the HR and technical interview. Very relaxed they try to keep you from getting nervous and are really reassuring. HR was mostly what would you do and tell me about a time that type questions.
A time you where scared
A time you made a mistake in an airplane
A time that you made a decision using others advice
What would you do if a captain was not following SOPs?
What would you do if you reported him and you flew with him latter and he knew that you had reported him?

Tech was pretty straight forward

Describe you latest twin electrical system.
What would you do if an alternator failed?
What would you do if the alternator failed and then the other engine failed.
Read me this TAF and NOTAM
Questions on Jep low or high enroute chart, know what the different colors for airports mean
Questions on the approach plates. Where is the FAF on the chart, what is the highest obstacle, what dose the astrix mean next to the radio freq, what is an MEA.
Nothing tricky and if I don't know I told them and then told them what I thought it might be. Overall went pretty good. They then have you step out and they decide if they are going to send you to the sim.

The sim
The sim if you want to call it that is the worst that I have flown yet. It is pretty much an arrow with the instruments in the wrong places. They give you a brief about it and then the ILS 6 to KISP, you only have one VOR and ADF and DME. All the radios are very old style and they and the instruments are kind of all over the place.

You will kind of take of, then climb to an altitude to step turns, use the vor to tell him where you are "SE quadrant 130 redial 11 dme, then intercept a radial and track out bound. Then you are set up just before intercepting the LOC for the ILS you have to keep flying but he stops your ground speed until you are done with your brief. Don't forget to but the LOM in the ADF. You shoot the ILS down to mins be careful as they give you a big intercept angle. Then go missed and hold on the LOC at the LOM. What hole entry, teardrop for me, and then you are done. While not had maneuvers the sim was challenging just due to how old and unorganized the cockpit was.

Then its off to the drug test and home.


Overall a great place from what I saw, descent pay and bennies, lots of hiring right now with no end in sight and they are saying that upgrades will be dropping to just over a year soon

Mesaba was a great expierience,They made youwelcome, was one of 8 applicants, we started in the conference room with a presentation about Mesaba, I was then given a piece of paper with my testing schedule, i had the HR/TE interview first, Typical questions, "Why mesaba,Have you ever been scared in flight, Tell me about a boss you worked well with, etc.etc, the technical side consisted of " tell me about the electrical system in the latest twin you have been flying, describe a constant speed prop, Describe the electrical system". After that i went to the sim which was the most oldest sim i had seen, they do have three level D sims for reals, but this one was older than dirt. I had to climb to 3000 feet and then did steep turns and a turning power off stall, i then was vectored to Islips runway 6 ILS approach, flew down to minimums and was then told to go missed, MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE MISSED APPROACH PROC. It said to climb to 1600 ft and expect radar vectors to the VOR, i have heard from two other applicants that they immediatley turned right towards the VOR. they didn't get hired. I then was told that the VOR was out of service, and i had to hold at the compass locator/NDB. All they want is to know how to enter the hold. After i told them, they turned off the Sim and that was my sim ride. I was then told to take a 25 question written exam, it was all ATP questions, no calculations, no pallets, no W+B,. Study IFR procedures and charts. I then took the Wonderlich mental apptitude test. you will be giving fingerprints and a Drug test. That was it and i got a call three days later telling me that i got the job. hope this was helpfull

6 people in the interview. Started with a PP presentation on the company. Then, everyone got their schedule, and the interview process started. Interview was held by Chief pilot, and an HR rep. Mostly TMAAT. Only tech questions involved explaining a constant speed prop, electrical system, and alternator system of most current aircraft flown. I would say you are best off talking about the most complex aircraft you've flown, instead of describing the Cessna 150 you may have flown last. Logbooks were looked through thoroughly, although no specific questions about the contents. Asked me about checkrides I've failed, and why. Written tests were not bad. Just as described in previous gouges. Sim test involved flying the ILS 6 approach into KISP. This is the kicker. I believe they were using an outdated IAP for the sim. When I got home, I looked at the current IAP, and it wasn't even close to the same approach. The current IAP has a different initial altitude, and missed approach procedure. The IAP I performed involved an initial altitude of 1600 ft. until glide slope intercept, followed by a missed approach procedure of holding at the Deer Park VOR.