Robert Stogsdill’s Flyblog

Its been a few days since I have updated, and a ton has happened.

I arrived in Dallas Fort Worth in the afternoon last Tuesday for my simulator interview the next day. After I arrived I called the hotel to find out where to meet to be picked up for transportation back to the hotel. 20 minutes later the Baymont Inn van arrived, 2 gentlemen where in the van already. I stepped in and heard one say “CRJ.” I instantly knew both guys where there for the same reason as I was, American Eagle interview. I asked both to confirm that they had just interviewed. They told me that they had, and that it was pretty easy and relaxing. They said that out of the 17 people interviewed, only 3 had been let go. I told them that I had already done the tech and HR interview, and they couldn’t believe that I was coming all the way to Dallas to fly on a simulator for 15 minutes. They tell me a little about the sim, and its tendency’s. “Pitch sensitive” is the common phrase when describing the simulator. A few minutes later we arrive at the American Eagle training center and the van fills up even more. The guys we had just picked up had done their simulator evaluation in the full motion Saab 340 sim. I was jealous. In a nut shell they said the sim was “awesome.” And that you really think your flying.

We arrived at the hotel, I check in. The guys who had just been picked up had been selected, and passed the interview process. All that was left for them was the medical test the next day. They checked in on American Eagles dime, and where clearly pleased.

The next day I wake up to catch the 630am bus to the American Eagle headquarters. I hop into the van along with other applicants. We are all silent, wearing suits, and nervous. I was glad that I had completed the other portions of the interview. My nerves where calm as I realized all I had to do was go out and do what I do every day, just fly. As we begin to talk in the van I let the other guys know that I had done the tech and HR and that they had nothing to worry about, and that the HR people are extremely nice and the whole thing is relaxed. I know that if I was in their shoes, this is what I would want to hear.

We drive past American headquarters 1 and pull into the Headquarters 2. The buildings look huge, I cant believe that there is this much that goes on with an airline. After working out of a hanger with Colgan, this is amazing. This is also NOT the location where training happens, that is a completely separate location.

We walk into the doors and query the security as to where we go. He points us toward the lobby/waiting room. We all sit down. The seats slowly fill up. I count just under 20 applicants. Ashley and Rainne, the HR / Tech people show up and hand out temporary badges to all the applicants. Rainne tells us to follow him. We all stand up and follow him through a door in the corner. As we walk through we realize we are in a huge office. There must be at least 40 cubicles. People are running around, doing whatever it is that they do. Rainne lets us know that we are in the back corner, and that these people are working hard, although he doesnt know exactly what it is that they all do, we shouldnt bother them. He then leads us back to the corner of the huge office space, and then brings us into the conference room. We sit down and he begins his speech. It was much of the same information given during the job fair in LaGuardia. He then pops a tape into the television hanging from the wall, presses play, and leaves the room. After the video ends Rainne enters again and says that because we where such a large group, half of the class would be sent to the Saab 340 sim for their simulator interview at about 2pm, and the rest of us would have to do our simulator portion in the Baron Frasca. I really wanted the Saab. He then called a few names, none to include my own, and announced that those where the people who would be going to the Saab 340 sim. I was jealous again. Rainne said that he was going to brief the guys staying in the headquarters on what would be asked of them on the sim ride. The Saab guys where told to go grab a coffee. Rainne then took 30 minutes and walked us through the sim ride. They give you every single piece of information needed. The only time you are expected to think on your own during the whole ride is when given the hold. After the brief the other guys came back in, along with Ashley the HR lady. Ashley then told us that the interviews would start and that everyone would begin to fill out background paperwork. Ashley left, and every 15 minutes a random person from American eagle would stick their head into the room and call a name. I sat studying my sim profile, I felt very luck that this was the only thing I had to worry about. About an hour later Ashley sticks her head in and calls my name. She hands me 5 forms, and a piece of paper with the name of the previous employees from the past 5 years listed which I had given on my application. She explained how to fill out the paperwork and sent me on my way. I personally dont like talking on cell phones in a quiet room. I decided to find a quiet hall away from American office workers and began calling old employers, looking for phone numbers and fax numbers. About 30 minutes later I had all the information I was able to get. I walked back into the conference room, which seemed to be less occupied compared to when I had left. A short while later Bill sticks his head into the conference room and calls my name, its time for my simulator interview. He walks me back toward the room with the sim. He asks questions along the way about how much simulator time I had. I explained that at ATP we did about 45 hours of simulator in the exact same FTD. He opened the door leading to the Simulator and I was relieved to see that it was in fact the exact same type I had previously flown in. He puts me into the sim and talks me over the same things which Rainne had gone over. Im not going to go into detail about the sim ride, but it was pretty relaxing and not stressful. The part that most people worry about is the hold, all I can say is, take your time. Bill will freeze the sim, give you a clipboard with a blank sheet and then give you the hold instructions. You have a good minute to figure out the hold. Dont stress, just remember what you have been taught. After the simulator interview Bill gave me a $5 coupon for the American Airlines cafeteria. Again I was impressed with how big the cafeteria was. I bought a hamburger and sat down in the huge lunch room.

20 minutes later I head back to the conference room, I walk in and grab my paperwork and bring it back to Ashley. She looks it over and takes it away. I was pleased to finish it quickly. Dorothy then walks over to me and asks if I am Robert Stogsdill, I say yes and she tells me that its my turn for the fingerprinting.

We walk into the office and begin fingerprinting. I found this to be the hardest part of the interview process. I even joked with her about it. My fingers would just not scan right! I fingerprinted my pinky almost 30 times and every time it came back as unreadable. She decided to send them to the FBI that way anyway as it was hopeless. She then sent me back to the conference room.

As I walked into the conference room I couldnt help but notice how bare it was. Only about 9 people where still waiting. Rainne sticks his head into the room and calls a name. The person stands up and Rainne tells the person that he needs to bring his bags with him. The applicant looks scared. He walks out the door and shuts it behind him. We all wonder what that means. Are they going home? Did they pass? 20 Minutes later the same thing happens, Rainne sticks his head into the door and calls a new, the applicant stands up and is then told to bring his bags. This time however the applicant doesnt close the door and all we hear is Rainne say “At this time we are not going to continue the interview process.” The room stays fairly silent. We are all nervous at this point for anyones name to be called along with “bring your bags with you.” 2pm rolls around and the Saab guys are not told anything. 3pm rolls around and Ashley walks into the room. She announces that all of us in the room where all successful and would be kept for the medical the next day. Becuase there where so few applicants left, the Saab guys would no longer fly on the Saab, but would be flying the Frasca just like I had. This was kind of strange as 4 of the 7 of the applicants still left over still had not completed their Sim interview. This leads me to believe that the HR and Tech is make or break during the process, and the simulator portion is just to make sure you really can fly an aircraft.

The 3 of us who had completed our sim interview go back to the hotel. We are all excited that we had made it.

The next day seems like deja vu, only now I am in business casual and the guys wearing suits are just like we where the day before. Nervous, scared and anxious. We arrive at the headquarters for our medical test. We find out that we are an hour early, but who cares, this is the easy part. We are brought into the medical office, which is a full size clinic, complete with dentist office and just about everything except an emergency room it seems. We fill out the paperwork, I finish first. I then complete my urine test and then my audiogram. The nurse then hands me a letter of conditional offer. You couldnt slap the smile off of my face if you wanted to. I then walk back to Ashleys desk and hand in my temporary badge and they explain to me that a Captains board meets on Friday and that Ill have to get the thumbs up from them before anything else, but that I had complete the interview process.

Tiffany, another HR lady hands me a piece of paper with my flight info. I then head back Dallas Fort Worth for my flight home….

Posted by v1valarob / Airline Interview(s)