Airline Pilot Interview Questions and Answers

Updated on: July 25, 2017

An interview is the last stage in the airline pilot job hunt process, and this stage decides if all the effort and time that you put into creating and submitting your resume and cover letter to the right person, was worth it after all.

Not taking the interview process seriously means that you are denying yourself a last chance to impress a prospective employer.

When the interview time comes, make sure that you prepare well for it.

You have to prove to a prospective employer that you are an exceptional candidate, and hiring you will be a great idea. Here are some examples of interview questions and answers for an airline pilot position:

 

 

Airline Pilot Interview Questions and Answers

 

What made you decide that you wanted to work as an airline pilot?
Flying aircrafts was a passion that I held since I was a child. This passion led me to explore opportunities, and eventually train as a commercial airline pilot.

In the role of an airline pilot, what have been your main duties in a previous / present role?
As an airline pilot, I have been responsible for performing pre-flight checks of aircraft systems, handling aircraft inspections, mapping routes and checking weather conditions, determining fuel requirements, ensuring that all safety protocols are followed, handling controls to fly aircrafts on assigned routes, and ensuring that any emergent situations are handled in a proactive manner.

Speaking of emergent situations, have you ever found yourself in a quandary? What did you do?
Yes, as a matter of fact, I was once faced with quite a problem while flying. The weather suddenly turned for the worse, and the visibility was almost zero. There was a huge chance of the aircraft running into a problem, risking the lives of all 300 people onboard. But I managed to keep my wits about and fly the plane to safety.

What inherent personal skills do you think one needs to work as an airline pilot?
I believe that critical thinking skills are the most important when you are working as an airline pilot. In addition to this, one has to be able to think and act calmly while under pressure, possess excellent vision and coordination, and be self-motivated.

What role does communication skills play here?
Airline pilots have to be exceptionally good at communicating with people, as they have to be in constant contact with cabin crew members, grounds personnel and engineers.

What are your 5 year plans?
At the moment, I am still trying to get to know everything there is to know about commercial flying. Some years from now, I hope to reach a stage where I will be able to man flying machines that are more complex than what local airlines have to offer.