Finding Work Overseas - incl Multiple Airline Recruitment Processes Part Two
We hope you found last week’s article useful if you are in the planning stages of finding your first paid employment post CPL or looking to move on from that first job.
Everyday, on all sorts of media, we are seeing jobs being advertised overseas for pilots with low hours. Even though the idea of leaving all that is familiar behind you as you get on a plane to start a new life overseas, remember that adventures are good for the soul and nothing needs to be permanent. You can return whenever you want, but with a lot more hours under your belt. Who knows, you may find a life overseas much better than you could find here - it all depends on attitude and determination.
But we do acknowledge there is no place like home.
Today, we continue to examine the recruitment processes of overseas airlines and note how different they are. We are also pleased to hear from our old friend, A380 Captain Morris Tull, on why he decided to seek work overseas. Over to you, Morris!
My early career and why I chose to be an Expat pilot 3 times.
I got my taste of aviation at age 5 and decided I want to be a pilot and I began the plans to get there.
In my teens, I wrote to NAC, the domestic airline before Air NZ, and asked for their guidance, they replied with a list of recommendations and school subjects and the process, so I thought great, I just have to follow this plan exactly and everything will work out.
As you become an adult and through your working career, you gain life experience, your interests may change, world events happen outside your control and sometimes the universe conspires against you but if you maintain your determination to be a pilot, you should be able to get there, it may just not be in accordance with the child’s dream plan.
Captain Morris Tull
World history shows that there have been major events occurring every 7-10 years that will affect your life and probably career like wars, fuel crisis’s, human rights changes, political meltdowns, worldwide disease or viruses, economic depressions or booms, terrorist attacks, airline bankruptcies, and you can expect more of the same in the future. It is how you adapt and pivot to these challenges that matter, and your plan may take you through another career to flying or take you to another country for flying. Every older pilot can tell you a list of the major events that happened through their career that had an effect.
I started to learn to fly around the time the European Union was forming and economic rules like no guaranteed sheep or butter prices or farm subsidies were allowed, this caused a massive crisis for the NZ farmers and they stopped spending money on Top-dressor planes and so there was a lot of out of work commercial Ag pilots and I was encouraged to find another career, at least for a while. Instead of going to Commercial Pilot training, I pivoted and went to Aircraft Engineering training. I did keep progressing my flying career though.
There was the fuel crisis in the 80’s, Government subsidised airlines were banned and sold to private investors; airlines went into efficiency mode, and slowed down their hiring. I requested a transfer to Wellington engineering for my first adventure away from home. I kept preparing for the rebound in flying.
I got enough flying hours to satisfy the insurance companies to fly twins and I left engineering and went scenic and charter flying. Building hours, progressing forward.
There was hope when I was offered a First officer job at Mount Cook, then the course was delayed a few times and I was wondering what’s up? It was the time of Union busting, the ‘89 Australian pilot dispute, similar antics in Air NZ, the scrapping of the F27 fleet and also the takeover of Mount Cook, Air Nelson and Eagle being merged into Air NZ and more pilots were out of work.
I had met some pilots who flew in the Pacific and in New Guinea and they had some amazing stories and I decided I would love to have a slice of that flying and now was the time. An omen arrived in the company mail the next day, an airline magazine with the latest contacts and information of all the pacific island airlines, so I got on the phone and got a job in Vanuatu within 40 minutes! I was flying Twin Otters, Islanders and a Bandierante. I expected to do a year there and get into Air New Zealand. I loved my time in Vanuatu. There were a lot of interesting people and stories there, dynamic expat people, we made great friends there. Warm weather, sailing, fishing, diving and water skiing, it was a great life.
This is why fuel prices went up…. (thanks to Captain Bob Henderson for the photo!)
Gulf War 1 started, fuel prices went up, the airlines went into efficiency mode again, no hiring for many years and the average hours per pilot per year went up a lot, needing less pilots. I ended up doing 5 years in Vanuatu.
I did eventually land my dream job at Air New Zealand, however the 90’s was the time of Human Rights changes around the world, where you can’t ask questions about age, sex or your religion and then it followed that you can’t discriminate against old age; whereby the Pilot retirement age went up from 55 to effectively 70 at Air NZ, I saw 15 years of my career promotions evaporate. I made the most to get variety in my career there flying the B737 and B767 and also a period of leave without pay to go fly B767’s for Air Pacific and have another adventure, I loved it.
My other dream was to make enough money to buy my own P51 Mustang at some time and my career at the time was not going to achieve that, it seemed like the guys with the cool toys were expat pilots or businessman so I had better try that route.
Fortunately, my wife liked the expat pilot lifestyle we had previously had and she was up for going overseas again to get ahead, see different parts of the world and by searching and joining a rapidly expanding airline, it was a way to get ahead and catch up the years lost by previous events, I evaluated the leading locations, Hong Kong and the Middle East, and chose Dubai working for Emirates. It certainly worked and I was promoted to widebody aircraft Captain on the Airbus A330/340 within 4 years and then onto the mighty A380 when we got them. We have had a great life here, it is a modern city with everything you can want, and has been a great base to explore the other side of the world, it has been a great adventure. I have made more money, spent more money as it is an expensive location but have had a great career by taking some chances and making things happen.
We plan to return to NZ on retirement with the plan to travel when it is a bit cold in Canterbury.
Adventure and making life happen is the theme I would say my life has taken. The early adventures gave me a taste for more adventure, bolder moves and new destinations, then it becomes addictive to keep trying new adventures. I have no regrets for leaving my dream job, as I found other awesome jobs and I encourage you to also think outside the box and consider an Expat life.
Wishing you the best of Luck, Life and Adventure.
Thanks Morris, good life lessons there! And now back to the recruiting practices of airlines overseas…
Berlin
Berlin and The Boss
To prepare for the assessment at this B777 freighter operator I arrived a day early and practiced for two hours in the B737 simulator I was going to have to demonstrate my flying skills on. That was a good thing as flying a ‘steam-driven’ yoke aircraft again was challenging after nearly two decades of Airbus fly-by-wire sidestick. As previously mentioned, my last two years handling a King Air flying helped a lot.
The next day was a long day of 'German' computer-based testing. Some tests were quite similar to the ones in Hamburg, but many were different. The ATPL questions seemed more difficult, and there was lots more psychology testing. For a general knowledge quiz, I chose the English version, which meant I was supposed to know who the first British PM was after the second world war (hint: Not Churchill). I knew it, but that is not general knowledge for a European I'd say.
After exhausting ourselves on about 8 hours of testing with a few breaks and a minimal group exercise, there was an 'informal' dinner with management – the first one held post-COVID. I think I spoke up enough to be noticed and not too much came across as overbearing.
The following morning I had the first slot with a company captain in the right hand seat as a very passive PM and an examiner operating the simulator. The session involved taking off, turns and steep turns, an NDB approach, a go-around and engine failure and a return – all raw data hand flown and manual thrust. It went well.
A different beast
Just before my interview, I got the surprising news that the next candidate, who had flown his last B777 flight only weeks earlier at my former employer, had failed the simulator session. A B737 is a very different animal from a B777 and perhaps he should have gone through the trouble and expense of having a practice session. Arguably, the operator should use a B777 simulator which after all is the aircraft the job is all about.
I then had a rather interesting panel interview experience, all of about 15 minutes. Other than repeating my flying history for the third time in German (once before the tests, once during dinner when we were all asked to do so) there was only one other question, whether I had applied to other companies. I gave the truthful answer which resulted in me rattling off a rather long list…
I was given feedback on my test results, this time I had a slight dip in mental math, but otherwise, my results were average apparently. I was told what salary I could expect if hired and that a result should follow in about two weeks, and that was it! No competency or scenario questions at all. Clearly, this recruitment system firmly believes that the battery of tests paints a complete picture of the candidate.
Being hopeful as I had ‘passed all the hurdles’, I was disappointed to be told a month later by email that, while they had a 'positive impression of me, I did not fit the recruitment profile'. Admitting to applying to many other companies, while perfectly logical in the post COVID scramble to ‘get back on the jet horse’ probably did not leave them with a great impression in terms of commitment to the job on offer. Also, the boss, who I got the impression makes all the hiring decisions at the end of the day, seemed confused as to where I came from or belonged, even asking during the interview what my nationality was. In retrospect, perhaps it was not surprising that they did not see me ‘fitting in’.
Berlin Mach 2
A week later, I made my way back to Berlin for the German A330 operator simulator assessment. Again, I went a day early to practice for two hours in an A320 simulator as I knew it was going to be a challenging exercise. Giving yourself the best possible chance of getting a job by renting simulators is expensive and not everybody can afford it. That is not morally right: For example, one of the candidates who passed the Hamburg test day with me failed the simulator simply because he could not afford to rent a simulator after being unemployed and not flying over COVID for so long. He would likely have been an excellent employee if only he had been able to practice and pass the assessment.
Two of us showed up for the assessment, and I chose to go first. A company first officer played the PM role and was instructed to be passive and only do things she was asked to do by me. No AP/FD/ATHR or FPV and even the altitude selector was fixed at 10.000 feet so as to not to give me a reminder of what altitude to acquire and maintain. Take off, steep turns, asked what my position was using needles and distance, enter and maintain a hold using needles, flying raw data ILS, Go-around with engine failure, and a LOC approach and landing single engine.
I was then given a short weather and NOTAM package, and this time the FO was acting as a normal, if not proactive, co-pilot. After assessing and briefing the weather and NOTAMS, we took off, and the landing gear would not go up. This meant we couldn't reach our destination while the weather at our departure station was below the minimum. After due consideration a decision for a diversion airport was made, which had relatively poor, but adequate weather and the exercise was over. Feedback was given straight away, which was positive, and I was through to the last stage at the company HQ.
Several months passed and I was then told that they stopped hiring A330 captains until further notice. While the process was a relatively pleasant experience it took a lot of time and money to travel and stay at three different locations plus rent a simulator all at my own expense. Quite a blow to then be told, sorry no longer hiring. But, never despair, as this operator still came back more than a year later inviting me for the last part of the process, the corporate assessment. Those are group exercises and a chat with management. A lot of water has passed under the bridge and at the time of writing it looks unlikely I’ll go over to complete this the selection.
Incheon
Incheon tail strike
After submitting extensive paperwork to one of the employment agencies used by the operator, I was invited to Incheon flying business class and put up for six nights in a very nice hotel. I only had to pay for the meals myself, quite a difference with the earlier selection processes. A few days prior I had again prepared for the assessment by renting an A380 simulator in Frankfurt for two hours to practice the expected profile.
After an online psychology assessment on the first day, the simulator session took place the next afternoon. The other candidate was an experienced A380 captain and trainer from a middle eastern airline. After a brief 'brief' by the examiner and the observer, a senior local A380 captain, we tossed a coin to decide who would go first as PF, and I was lucky to win.
This assessment was about flying and procedures, with no management or briefings required. There was a visual approach with a maximum crosswind landing, a raw data ILS and then a LOC approach both with landings as well as an engine failure after takeoff, a GWPS and windshear. My crosswind landing was a little firm, but on the center line and de-crabbed. Everything else went well, or at least the non-local examiner told me under his breath after my session, even when he wasn't supposed to. After a break, the other candidate had his go. All went well, except for the engine failure, where his rudder work was rough, and he over rotated which I believe resulted in a tail strike (simulator crash inhibit was likely on so I can’t totally sure). It all went too fast for me to say much or intervene from the right-hand seat, which in this assessment situation I was likely not supposed to do anyway. The examiner had explained there could be a repeat, except if performance was unacceptable. As the engine failure was not repeated the other candidate lived in the hope that he had passed for about three hours until he received an email telling him otherwise. Most likely his handling had been ‘rough’ due to recently flying an A320, which, being much smaller, handles quite differently. What may have contributed to his failure too is that he had only arrived from afar in the morning having had little sleep. It can be tricky to arrange leave or days off while employed, but the lesson is don’t go into an assessment unless at least reasonably well rested.
The following day was a panel interview with HR and three Captains. I was asked for my feedback on the simulator session, a few scenario-based questions (‘What do you do if you get a GPWS in daylight VMC while established on the ILS….continue…but now the FO says 'Go-around…do as he suggests and discuss it later’) and a few technical questions. The short interview seemed to go quite OK. The final day was filled with medical tests with normal and stress EKG, EEG, blood, eyes, etc
Unbelievable paperwork
It took this company three months to come back with the selection result which was positive. I then went into a complicated process of renewing my A380 rating by adding it on an Australian ATPL. This involved eight hours of simulator time, a lengthy exchange with the Australian CAA as well as passing an initial Australian Class 1 medical test. All at very considerable expense. But perhaps worse was fulfilling almost endless documentation requirements such as criminal records, logbook records, no accident records as well as previous employer certifications. A truly administrative nightmare, not helped by my background of working and living in several different countries over the last few decades and requiring paperwork from each one of them to fulfill the country’s work permit requirements. When I finally had everything in order after nearly six months, I ended up turning this employer down.
A320 Flightdeck
Small is Beautiful
Shortly after gaining my A320 rating I had been offered a temporary job by a small European ACMI operator. There had been no assessment at all for this position. It was solely based on a recommendation from the owner of the training organization where I had completed my A320 rating and my CV.
The ACMI operator is a somewhat chaotic but extremely friendly and flexible company. I was very grateful that they took me on as A320 captain based on a mere recommendation, the only time I had ever experienced that in my career. I did not want to disappoint the company that put such upfront trust in me. While I did not end up staying very long, which was understood by both parties from the beginning, I tried to provide them with an honest and reliable ‘service’. If I have, then perhaps it shows that hiring somebody merely based on a recommendation from someone you trust is sometimes all you need. Not an approach used by large airlines as they like to cover many more hiring risks, but an interesting one.
A job in the Jungle
While flying for the A320 operator I did an on-line interview with an upcoming African airline for an A330 position. The interview was a panel of four with the head of flight operations and the chief pilot asking most questions. It was quite informal, and my background of flying in eastern Africa helped the conversation flow nicely. The HR representative asked only a few questions, and the company security department staff member present asked none. It was the first time I had ever seen somebody from the company (government?) security department present during an interview, and it was slightly unnerving.
After about six weeks, this operator asked me to take a simulator assessment. Unfortunately, the dates and locations never fitted with my roster/location.
Desert flying
Arabian Sands
Travelling back from an A320 work period I attended the direct entry Airbus Captain selection process at a large airline based in the Gulf. The flight over in business class and the reception at the airport was truly impressive as can be expected from such an airline. The free hotel accommodation was suitable but not over the top.
The first day consisted of a briefing on the company and the conditions offered followed by a knowledge and several other tests. Before being invited I had already completed other tests online. We were told almost immediately if we had passed, and out of 10 candidates one did not. Next, there was a scenario-based interview with recruitment captains followed by an HR competency-based interview. Perhaps because of my two decades at a similar operator, this part of the process seemed very straightforward.
The next evening was the simulator assessment for those who had made it through, which was the majority. The evaluation was very short and seemed to be almost just to prove I could fly a visual circuit and handle a small challenge. It was arguably too short to get a reasonable impression of flying skills and I wonder about the failure rate during flight training at this operator once a candidate starts. While this company can probably bear the expense of a higher failure rate during training, the candidates may have given up a lot to join, not realizing they may fail as their skills haven’t been adequately assessed. Of course, I do not know the training failure rate of this company, so this is mere speculation but an interesting one.
The wait for the positive result was nearly two months. Despite this positive result at the time of writing over a year later this company still has not offered me a position. They likely have a large pool of approved candidates and currently appear to focus on hiring first officers rather than captains.
It’s right under your nose
For unknown reasons, an Airbus widebody operator in the region I tried to get into well before COVID, had never invited me for the selection process in the past. Trying again, I was lucky enough to have somebody already inside the company to make my application float to the top. ‘It’s not what you know, but who you know’, to some extent, but it only got my foot into the selection process door.
The online interview took place in a very relaxed atmosphere with HR and a flight training manager present. The technical questions were relatively straightforward, and the HR ones were partly scenario and partly evidence based. Cultural sensitivity was questioned, as well as how I planned to either commute or base myself at the operator. Post interview there was a small on-line competency assessment.
This operator did not require any simulator assessment, instead, they relied on my flying experience and the long time I had spent at previous employers, proving I must have passed numerous competency checks.
After nearly two months, this operator made me an offer, which I accepted. Sometimes what you seek far away you find almost at your doorstep.
Looking back
Eighty
On the verge of losing count and not having seen all processes to conclusion it seems my success rate was about 80 percent. One unsuccessful outcome I consider entirely my own fault: A lack of preparation for the requirements of the specific operator. The other was most likely because the company did not believe I would be a good fit. I could have done a better job at ‘fitting’ by being a bit less open, which is of course exactly the thing which every employer will ask you not to do. Who knows, if I had been less open I might now be flying somewhere I would indeed not be happy and the company did me a favour by not selecting me.
It was very expensive and interesting to be able to get an overview of all the different selection methods and the various criteria used for what is the same job: Flying a jet aircraft safely from A to B. But, with the assessment methods varying so widely and the results seemingly quite predictable, companies should perhaps look at their methods and ask themselves if they are using the most effective ones.
Hopefully this article will go some way for you to get your start on the aviation career ladder without ever having to go through this many selection processes!
