Showed up about 0820 for 0830 interview, receptionist very friendly. A little after 0830 John S. called us in for the written on the computer. The test was not that bad, just study the ATP written material, Part 121 regs were hit hard, and a couple of mechanical aptitude questions(levers and fulcrums, pulleys). Then John S. came back in to let us know we had passed, and he then became visibly friendlier and more relaxed. He told us about the company, pay, hours, and working conditions. He was honest and upfront about things. First year is not the best, but they know lots of people will leave right away. Second year things get much better(vacation, personal days, pay). He then left us to fill out HR type paperwork. John B. then came in to take us to the sim. John B. was extremely nice and relaxed, no need to be nervous at all. He gives you a good brief of what to do and what he is looking for, completely non-threatening, he does not put any pressure on you or try to make you mess up. I did the sim prep the day before with Bob Safbom, if you can do it, it is worth every penny. Bob was a really nice guy, with lots of insight to the company, and his prep session was harder then the actual sim evaluation. The biggest thing they were looking for are your procedures and are you trainable. After the sim evals were broke for lunch then the HR part with both Johns. A little more pressure here, but nothing mean, they want to get a feel for the person and also make sure they can handle some different situations. It would be worth your time to review the Jepp plates legend, I did not and had to sweat there, their questions were not the usual stuff you use, or at least not the stuff I look at when shooting the approach. At the end of interview was offered the captain position and sent for the pee test a couple blocks away. Overall an extremely positive and enjoyable day, and if the line pilots and agents are the same as the Johns, it will be a great place to work.

The interview began at 8AM. It started with filling out the paperwork...background info, education, previous employment, etc. They make you fill out a form for each flying job you've held, so have all that info ready with 3 references you've known for 10 years. Next a small ATP written test, about 30 questions, none with figures, pretty easy. The Chief Pilot comes in and talks to you about the company, what they do, what their future plans are, and how their pay and upgrade scales work. At this company, you can actually upgrade ahead of more senior pilots if you perform better in training or if you are able to obtain your ATP sooner and they have a need for captains. It's a pretty valuable opportunity if you have high time and just happen to get stuck low on the seniority list (they go by last 4 of your social). Next you are taken to the sim ride. The sim is pretty sensitive and hard to control, but the ride is not bad. Started with a departure, turn to headings, climb to 6000. Track outbound on a radial from BLD VOR, steep turns, then return to the VOR for a hold. They really prefer a teardrop entry over a parallel entry if it's close, that way you avoid getting blown past the holding fix if there is wind. Next was direct from the VOR to the ILS at LAS, follow it down to minimums, and that's about it. It's pretty simple, but the other VOR head is all the way in front of the FO's seat, so it's easier just to use DME to identify the fixes instead of cross radials. There is a guy available to give you a practice sim ride the day before the interview. I wasn't able to go to this, but it would have helped a lot and would be well worth the money just to get familiar with the feel of this sim. Next was the technical interview with the chief pilot and dir. of training. They were very polite and likeable guys. Study your instrument procedures and your Jepp plates and you should be fine. They asked me to ready a metar and a TAF. Had me brief the ILS at Ft. Lauderdale and gave me a scenario if I was over the VOR at 5000, how would I shoot the approach. Basically track outbound, know what altitude you must be at and what DME you can begin your descent at, execute a procedure turn (teardrop is preferred). Continue down the glide slope...what would you do if you lose the glide slope? Answer: Go missed and request vectors for another approach because you are already below the segment altitude for a LOC only approach. They asked what my descent rate should be on the glide slope...approx 600fpm, What is happening if I begin to get high on the glide slope with a constant pitch and descent rate...answer: there's a headwind, how to correct for it...pitch down. How do you calculate a VDP? They also asked me why I wanted to work there, and why I'm leaving my current job. They just want to see that you're an honest person and really want to be there. I have been on-line for a while now and am really liking it. The chance for upgrade is fast, I know some captains who were low on seniority but were able to get their ATP before other pilots and got upgraded in as little as 3 months, others it took 10 months...it depends on need and if you have an ATP yet; get it as soon as possible, plus you are home every night. The pay per hour is lower than the regionals ($13.50/hr.) but you get more flight time...about 5-8 hours a day with very little reserve duty. I average over $2000 a month in pay, and I have a 4 on 3 off schedule. It did take me a while to get online (3 months) because they had some training problems, but I think those have been solved. It was 3 months of paid vacation because they guarantee a minimum of $1200 a month. If you're willing to work hard and don't get caught up in the scheduling problems, this is a good place for you. We do fly instruments quite a bit in the winter, but IMC weather just isn't very common out here during the summer months.

Show time is 8A.M. A co-worker and I interviewed on the same day, so we stayed at the Fiesta Casino (1 1/2 blocks away from VGT and very reasonably priced) and walked in the door at 7:50A.M.

We were escorted into one of the classrooms where another candidate had been filling out paperwork, and were handed packets of our own to fill out. First order of business is an ATP level exam (30 questions, no figures). As we sat and inked the rest of our paperwork we were hauled away, one at a time, by a company check airman for our simulator rides.

As expected, we each flew the identical approach, as expected, the LAS RWY 25L/R VOR IAP. The flight profile consisted of t/o, rwy hdg until 500' agl, then D-> BLD and climb to 5000'. I was assigned vectors which included two steep turns at altitude (they do this to everyone), one 360 and the other 180 degrees, to check for orientation. I was then instructed to intercept the 080 out of LAS and hold east of HOCKY as published. Finally, I was cleared for the approach [careful here! the inbound hdg is 262 and I got caught inbound on the 260 on account of the hold I'd just executed] which terminated at MDA and time expired [03:38 @ 110kts].

Sim preparation in an ATC simulator is ESSENTIAL. I had the better part of 5 hours of prep in our ATC-710 and some 3 hours prior to that in an ATC-810. This thing still ATE MY LUNCH! The 820 is no different than the 810. It just has a separate set of right-seat instruments. Scenic's machine is A BEAR! You have to use some cohersion to get it to turn and stay ON TOP of the recommended power settings or it'll run away on you. Come unprepared and the machine will be waiting at McCarran for you by the time you catch up with it and the approach.

I had Neil (didn't catch the last name) and Tom O'Dell go through the Tech & H.R. interview with me. I read one METAR [be prepared to explain the remarks] and a TAF. Since I knew what to expect, I breezed right through the METAR and was stopped three lines into the TAF. Then I was asked to brief the ILS RWY 20 IAP into CDC. READ ALL NOTES! Particularly regarding descent below 10,700. They also may ask (I wasn't) why you would show a descent rate lower than that calculated for your speed in the approach plate. The answer lies on your GROUND SPEED!

I was prepared to discuss aircraft systems but, as told previously by numerous new-hires, they never asked a single question on the subject. Other than that, I asked some questions about the company, was explained the pay scale, and then came the handshakes. I received a phone call the next day informing me I had made the team! Overall, everything was very relaxed, professional, and straight forward, no complaints.

I interviewed recently with Scenic Airlines and found the process to be professional and easy going. The people are courteous and you don't feel a lot of pressure from the interviewers. Here is the process: 1. Overview of your application. 2. Complete background check request forms. 3. 30 question written test. (ATP, IFR, Weather, Part 91, Aerodynamics) 4. Simulator Evaluation - Takeoff on Rwy 19 or 25 at Las Vegas, Nevada. No communication or checklist procedures are used. Climb to 5000, then direct LAS VOR. Before you get to the VOR they will ask you to hold on the 260 degree radial (LAS), hold east, left turns (Parallel entry). (This is not shown on the map but is very close to the approach course of 262 degrees.) The approach used is the VOR/DME 25L at LAS. After you do a turn in the hold you will be cleared for the VOR/DME 25L approach directly out of the hold. The heading is 262 degrees and the initial approach altitude is 5800 MSL. The instructor only wants you to use one NAV radio and this makes it easy for you. You really don't have to change any frequencies because everything is off the LAS VOR. You will descend to MDA and land. I did not do a missed approach. (Takeoff, Climb, Cruise, Holding, and Approach speeds are all posted on the simulator.) You can rent the exact simulator and practice the procedure for $60 per hour. Contact: Bob Safbom at 702-648-4541. 5. Examination Board Interview - If, everything went well you will interview with the Chief Pilot and Director of Training. Questions: Where do you see yourself in two years? Tell me about how you would fly this approach? (ILS Cedar City, Utah) Is the weather getting better or worse at this location? METAR Tell us about your flying experience? After you finish your Board Interview you are done and basically leave the building without further contact with the HR people.