Expert: D. Norkus - 9/19/2005

Question
Hi Dottie,

I have an interview with Pinnacle in a couple days. I looked up the gouges and came up with a bunch of commonly asked questions at the interview. I would sincerely appreciate your assistance and expertise in answering these.

1. How would you deal with a stressful situation?
2. How would you deal with a problem that you have with a co-worker?
3. How would you handle training?
4. What would you do if you lost your medical?
5. What would you do if you noticed your captain making an approach that was below landing minimums?
6. When assigned a speed, how much can you deviate from it according to FAR's?
7. What is your definition of CRM?
8. When can one deviate or break any FAR's?
9. What is the pattern altitude of jet aircraft and what is the maximum speed at 10,000 feet?
10. Why us? ( given the fact that the airline has an all jet fleet)
11. What is the difference between a TAF and an LTAF?
12. Do you think you're ready to handle a turbine aircraft?
13. You are at the flight controls and on take off and after V1 you get a catastrophic engine failure and the Captian tells you to reject the take off and keep it on centerline, would you continue the take off since the engine failure happened after V1 or would you reject.
14. Explain V2
15. What is the minimum descent rate you can descend without notifying ATC
16. What is the clearance limit if you go missed and lose comms
17. Do you have any other interviews?

I appreciate your efforts and will be eagerly awaiting your reply.

Thanks


Answer
Back when I was interviewing I went over stuff like this for weeks to prepare. That was also 4 years ago! Some of this stuff I haven't given a thought to in that amount of time. Many of these personal questions only you can anwser for yourself. The ones that are FAR related are to see how well you know the regs.

1. How would you deal with a stressful situation?
This is one only you can anwser for yourself.


2. How would you deal with a problem that you have with a co-worker?

Talk about how you would address the issue directly with the person. If that didn't work, then you would go to your chief pilot.

3. How would you handle training?
To the best of your ability!

4. What would you do if you lost your medical?
Your career back up plan. What are you interested in and qualified to do? Would you go into the airline training dept (that is what many do) or pursue another field all together?


5. What would you do if you noticed your captain making an approach that was below landing minimums?

You would follow the proceedure laid out in your company flight manual. Bring it to their attention, be sure they acknolwedge and call for the missed approach proceedure. In my flight manual if the PF fails to respond, you must assume they are unresponsive after the second attempt to illicit an anwser and call "My aircraft" and then initiate the missed. Be sure to broadcast this on the frequency as well.

6. When assigned a speed, how much can you deviate from it according to FAR's?

AIM 5-5-9- Speed Adjustments: 3) When complying with speed adjustment assignments, maintains an indicated airspeed within plus or minus 10 knots or 0.02 Mach number of the specified speed.

(Can't find any other reference to provide.)

7. What is your definition of CRM?
"Your" definition....

8. When can one deviate or break any FAR's?
91.3   Responsibility and authority of the pilot in command:
(b) [During] an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.

9. What is the pattern altitude of jet aircraft and what is the maximum speed at 10,000 feet?

I don't fly RJs, but we use 1500ft MSL

91.126
(1) A large or turbine-powered airplane shall, unless otherwise required by the applicable distance from cloud criteria, enter the traffic pattern at an altitude of at least 1,500 feet above the elevation of the airport and maintain at least 1,500 feet until further descent is required for a safe landing;

91.117 Aircraft speed:
(a) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, no person may operate an aircraft below 10,000 feet MSL at an indicated airspeed of more than 250 knots (288 m.p.h.).

10. Why us? (given the fact that the airline has an all jet fleet)
Growth, stability, highly spoken of...whatever you have heard that you consider a benefit

11. What is the difference between a TAF and an LTAF?
I honestly don't know.

12. Do you think you're ready to handle a turbine aircraft?
Yes.

13. You are at the flight controls and on take off and after V1 you get a catastrophic engine failure and the Captian tells you to reject the take off and keep it on centerline, would you continue the take off since the engine failure happened after V1 or would you reject.

After V1 it's no longer safe to stop and the problem is best handled in the air. Note: The NTSB database has many accidents where an abort was attempted and an overrun resulted damaging the aircraft. All aircraft certified under part 25 have the ability to climb with an engine out. A take off and return to landing should be no problem and a far better alternative to an overrun scenario.

 
14. Explain V2
V2 is the lowest speed at which the a/c complies with the handling criteria associated with the climb after T.O. following an engine failure. (FAR 25)

15. What is the minimum descent rate you can descend without notifying ATC

I'd think 500"/min but can't find a referance.

16. What is the clearance limit if you go missed and lose comms
The missed approach procedure must specify an altitude and a clearance limit. One can leave that clearance limit and fly to an IAF to try the approach again, or one can follow the filed route, which would be to the filed alternate.

17. Do you have any other interviews?
It's up to you if you want to share that info if you do.