I had an ASA interview on 12/21/99. Here is a synopsis of what went on for the website. Thanks for providing this resource, it is really the best
source of up to date interview info that there is.

ASA Interview; Atlanta, GA 12/21/99
The first hour or so was with a Brasilia captain talking about the company,
contract, pay, equipment, domiciles, bidding, non-rev travel, etc, etc.
Then we went in and did a urinalysis. I did the one on one interview with
Captain Fred Lambert, who is a really nice guy. He puts you at ease. We
went in and there was just general chit chat about what kind of training I
had done, my background, students, etc. He asked if I had ever had a student
that I just couldn't work with, or just couldn't perform. Basically, what
they are looking for is personality and thought process. They want to make
sure you aren't a moron and that you aren't going to drive a captain nuts
for three days on a trip. He pulled out some Jep plates and asked me some
things on those.

1. There is an approach into Mobile, AL where the holding fix is depicted,
but no holding pattern. They tell you to fly the missed, hold at the
intersection and give you an EFC of 45 minutes. Approach is busy dealing
with a Beech 18 with no alternators and very little battery power. Weather
is below mins, so approach is slammed trying to save this guy's life and you
don't query them (this actually happened to Captain Lambert at ASA). Where
do you hold? I said on the radial at the fix, standard right turns. He
said that was fine and that's what they did, not really a wrong or right
answer, just making sure you don't do something stupid like come around for
another approach.

2. There is an airport in NC (Ashville?) where no instrument approaches are
authorized to runway 15 and no landings at night to runway 15. Weather is
marginal, winds slightly favor 15 and that's where the captain says he is
going to land. Lots of terrain around the approach end, what are you going
to do? I said that I would review the Jeps with the captain, ask him some
questions and try and give him some good alternatives (are we within
tailwind landing specs for the other runway?, etc.) to get his thought
processes going and make him realize that this may not be a good idea.
Whatever I would do I said that I would not get argumentative or physically
take control of the aircraft unless we were about to get hurt or scare the
hell out of the passengers, in which case I absolutely would. That seemed
to make him happy. What they don't want you to do is get confrontational or
in a wrestling match over the controls unless it's necessary to save the
aircraft.

3. In Mississippi there is an airport where the runway is north-south
orientation. About 4 miles to the west, there is another airport with a N-S
orientation. And, you guessed it, slightly to the east there is another
airport of N-S orientation. Long story short, they landed an EMB-120 at the
wrong airport. What can you do to make sure your captain doesn't land at
the wrong airport? It's VFR, the Captain has called runway in sight and
been cleared to land. I said to back yourself up with all available
navigation equipment (localizer, RMI, DME, etc, etc.) You could also query
approach to which airport that you are lined up with. Bottom line, always
back yourself up electronically.

That was pretty much the jist of the one on one. Very nice people, very
relaxed atmosphere. I asked some questions about training classes,
aircraft, etc. Again, great people there.

My sim ride was at Flightsafety in an EMB-120 and was done with an ASA
instructor from Dallas. Another real nice guy. They are not expecting you
to know the Brasilia or systems, etc. They want to see BAI, aircraft
control and IFR procedures. They are making sure that you are trainable.
We did a quick brief of where everything is on the sim and then into the
box. It was runway heading to 5000, maintain 180 kias on the level off, a
couple of turns, then a descending turn to 4000 (constant speed 180 kias).
Then direct to a VOR with holding instructions. Started the hold, got
established outbound, he asked a couple of questions regarding holds, then
gave me a 200 kias descending turn to 2000 feet. During this he failed an
engine. It was hard to tell because the power setting was so low at the
time. Use your procedures. Condition levers full forward, and SLOWLY bring
in power. Of course the whole time you are levelling off and holding
heading/altitude. Verify with the throttle, then feather. In the Brasilia,
to feather you have to bring the condition lever all the way back and then
lift it up over a gate to get it to feather. Make sure to do this or it
won't go into feather. 10 foot props have a lot of drag! After I got
stabilized on a single engine, he froze the sim and gave me the engine back.
A descent at 150 kias to a heading, then vectors onto a localizer. He
configures the a/c for you. A word of caution, when putting flaps in- count
to 4 then push forward or it will balloon up like a rocket. Gear down at
glideslope intercept, maintain 120 kias from there on in. Fly the approach
to mins and land. Real straight forward. The sim is a handful. Lots of
trim on all axis is needed, but mainly rudder and elevator.

Overall, a real good company, people are excited to be working there.
Industry leading contract, with lots of exciting news coming from Delta.
The people at the GO were giddy with the things they have been hearing.
Delta is supposed to announce their strategic plans in the middle/end of
January and I would imagine that it will have lots of good news for ASA and
probably Comair too.

INTERVIEW WITH ASA:

It's my pleasure to share a most memorable experience with the group. I
recently was interviewed and hired by ASA. I was hired to the Left seat of
the Brazilia, but offerred a RJ right seat, or a ATR right seat with a fast
upgrade. Being a retired AF pilot, I chose the hot-rod brazilia.

I faxed my resume to Joe Mimms, as instructed. The info is on ASA's
flight operations web site, www.asaflightoperations.com. I was called the
next day and offerred an immediate interview.
4 days later I was sitting in the ASA building in Atlanta, with 4 other
hopefuls. Mr Fred Lambert gave us all a company overview, and put us all at
ease. One of the Chief pilots walked in and spoke to us for a few minutes.
Everyone there was very pleasant, and made us feel as if we were glad we
came. They made it clear they were happy to see us.
We were then led to a break room on the 7th floor. We waited and one by
one we were led to personal interviews. My interview lasted 15 minutes, and
was done by Mr Lambert alone. Very casual. He asked me no questions, other
than why I was there, instead of at Delta. For me, being retired from the
Air Force at age 39, it's a simple question of quality of life, not
economics. He was very pleased with my answer. He continued more of the
earlier group "selling the company" to me. I was impressed with his candor,
and was able to ask him some tough questions. They are all open to the tough
questions there. All in all, it is not what you expect from a traditional
airline interview, but a word of caution. Wear the suit, ect. One guy did
not wear the right suit, and was never seen again..i.e. he did not get an
offer. So although this is a very easy process, do not let your guard down.
We were then released as a group to go to the drug testing facility, and
then to Flight Safety. We met at Flight Safety, had a briefing, and then a
20 minute sim check in the brazilia. Takeoff, turn to intercept a radial
outbound, engine failure, recover engine to normal, enter a random holding,
then vectors to a normal ILS, 200 and 1/2. Quite a fast and simple profile.
As expected, the examiner does not expect you to know anything about the
airplane. He does things for you, like set radios, navaids, etc..easy.
After the sim is the debrief and oral. About 20 minutes long, it consisted
of questions like "what are the limits of a class D airspace", etc. He also
asked me a few basic aerodynamic questions...very basic. The brazilia
examiner is a great guy..you will find out quickly that there is no need to
be nervous with him.
That was Friday. Monday afternoon I was called with an offer, 2 weeks
until class start. I was first offerred an RJ, but asked for a Brazilia. At
that point they told me if I wantd a Brazilia, they'd give me a left seat. I
happily accepted. If you have over 3000 and 2000 multi, you too can go
straight to the captains seat . That is their upgrade insurance mins.
They are advertising hiring 30 a month, but likely 50 is more realistic. I
spent yesterday in orientation at ASA, and got more answers. They are
hurting for pilots, worse than other companies. They pay well, F.O.'s will
make about 21K the first year, and Captains just over 40K. F.O. second year
breaks 30K. Not bad for a regional.
Since Delta purchased ASA, a lot has happened with benefits. We get travel
priveledges for us and our families on ASA and on Delta. That alone is worth
it's weight in gold. The medical and dental is good, and the schedules are
nice compared to what most of us have endured in the past.
I know this is sounding like a company pitch, but bottom line. As of
yesterday, I'm an ASA employee. I'm extremely happy already, after just one
day of orientation. I have seen it all. No regional, and I mean no regional
can compete with this. Not even close. As for the new pay scale, we now have
even ACA beat. So do your homework, and decide to go for it. Fax in the
resume, and I promise you will not be sorry.