Pass Your Next Airline Assessment
Passing an airline assessment is no easy feat, and yet it is a matter of the heart for every pilot to be allowed to perform his or her dream job. Often, passing an airline assessment is 50% luck and 50% preparation. To make the most of the 50% preparation, we have prepared a checklist for passing airline assessments – as part of our pool of valuable experience. Take your chance now!
Most airline assessments start with an online application that you must complete before you are invited to the Pilot Assessment. Check out our Pilot Assessment Application Checklist for important instructions.
During the application process, most airlines require a resume and motivation letter. We provide a free guide for this as well. In addition, we recommend that you only add essential and relevant attachments to your application, such as your medical, university degree, licenses, identification documents.
Documents: High quality & standardized
Don’t take photos of your documents – even though Microsoft Lens (Android, iOS) is a great way to photo-scan documents and receipts, and camera quality has improved steadily in recent years. Use a real scanner that allows you to create high-quality images of your documents. This way you’ll make sure that the documents are clear and without distortion. It is common for your interviewers to have hard copies of your documents. Believe us: Your photographed desk or floor does not make a good impression. Therefore, scan your documents properly!
Gather information about assessment
The best possible preparation is essential so that – regardless of the outcome of the pilot assessment – you can say: “I have done everything in my power to live my dream as a pilot.” Therefore, gather all the information you can about the upcoming pilot assessment. Ask friends and colleagues about their experiences with the same or similar assessments. Talk to him or her and share your experiences. Ask any questions that will help you get ahead when you have the chance. Also consider your personal strengths and weaknesses. Public sources, such as relevant forums (PPRuNe, Pilotenboard), are also valuable knowledge bases. There are certainly many other forums and ways to get up-to-date information. For example, we at Easyflight Training offer valuable insights and feedback collections from assessments. We ourselves have created an anonymous comment function that you can use to share on our app (with compatible app-products).
However, you don’t have to rely solely on third-hand information. Airlines often offer a lot of information to help you prepare for their assessments – often handouts, but also Computer-Based Trainings (CBTs). Note, however, that CBTs are usually static, so that you learn the individual questions and solutions rather than the task diagrams. For this purpose, we offer, for example, dynamic tests, with which you learn to practice tests independently of concrete tasks.
Inform yourself about the airline
Find out about all aspects of the airline – your potential future employer. Fleet, route network, employees, procedures, expansion plans, career stages, other specifics. What do you think are the core values of our airline? Why do you want to work for specifically this airline? In addition to positive aspects and success stories, also consider critical reporting in order to be prepared for all eventualities.
Psychometric tests
We can only repeat: Practice and preparation are key to success in the pilot selection process. Each airline uses slightly different aptitude tests that test your skills in, among other things, multitasking and concentration. But how do you decide on the right software for preparation? This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff: Some software contains only static questions, where you only memorize the questions after several test runs and do not train the methodology of the tests. Therefore, our tests at Pilot Assessment App are dynamic where possible. This should be an essential feature for choosing a software, especially for more complex psychometric tests. Regardless of the software you use, you should not underestimate these tests and allow at least 1-2 months of preparation time. The learning curve isn’t particularly steep at first, but the more you learn, the closer you get to take-off.
Community
Also check out the community as well as our partners. In particular, we recommend a video by Captain Joe, who shares 10 airline assessment hacks from his own years of experience.