hey everyone I have two gouges here for ya.
1. the ATP, ATP test prep delivers what it promises. A little pricey but for me it fit my schedule perfectly and I do not reqret it. You will get there at 8 and they will sit you in front of a computer with a 518 question test bank and you will go at them alone until 6 at night when you take the test. They also had a gouge for us that give you hints like if they are all weights then it is always the middle number (just an example, dont try it). I scored a 91 and had not even cracked an ATP prep book at all.
Negatives, dont actually expect to really learn much because all it does is teach you to pass the test in one day which it does, but you will really not learn much.
Colgan,
Got there at 9am and went to the break room for a few and talked to a Colgan CA and FA that were there, both good people who enjoy what they do. About 15 minues later they were ready for us and we went to the classroom. 10 minutes of paperwork, 10 minutes of Colgan history, 10 minutes of sim profile. After that we were all given the written which was 50 questions. Written had an enroute chart and an approach plate and an airport info page. It was weather heavy, Jepp chart and plate heavy and had some questions about visual illusions (flight into fog, narrow runway) There were a few tricky ones but overall not a big deal.
During your written you may or may not finish at one time because you are pulled out as you needed to do the sim or the HR. You have 45 minutes to do the written and need a 70 but it is not timed because of the situation, it will not take more than 45 minutes anyway.
I finished the written and got pulled out for the HR with Mr Colgan and an FO and was asked. Why Colgan, What was the hardest training you have ever done, Which twin do you want to talk about. I picked the Seminole because it is my most recent twin but also mentioned I could talk about the duchess because I have a bit of time in that as wel. He asked what is different about the engines in the Seminole over the duchess, I said nothing, he said what is different about the gear in the seminole over the duches, I said nothing and that was more or less it. I went into detail about the engines and the gear though since there was really nothing to talk about with them. I asked one question and that was the end of the HR. They seemed happy when asked about my hardest training I had and I mentioned Water survival instructor (
http://www.marines.cc/content/view/50/2/) and bootcamp and he seemed confident I guess that I would pass training.
Then the Sim,
I went in with a group of three and he asked who would go first and I said I would (mistake) I got in the seat and took off from HPN 16 and flew runway heading to 800 feet then a turn to 320. I leveled of at 3000 and was given direct carmel VOR. On the way there I was told to hold on the 030 radial left turns and I told him the entry and briefed it (initial heading, time, then turn to what, and then what etc) He was ok with that and was told to go direct to the LOM using the ADF (if you havent used an adf before dont sweat it, it is on a rotating card that is like a backup directional gyro so you just turn to the heading the arrow is pointing to, idiot proof) Once you get closer you will turn to 340 (downwind) and then get vectored for the LOC. Once you are vectored you are cleared for the approach and you just track it (you are about 12 miles from FAF on intercept) and fly it to mins and we didnt land if you were curious.
The sim is sensitive as you all know and it took me flying through my alt of 3000 by a bit to get it back down and set up and get the feel of it, some may not have that problem but I did. As for the ILS, I chased it around a bit but not too bad, small corrections were key. I didnt feel I did well in the sim at all.
I got back to the room and had a slice of pizza (thanks Colgan!) and was fingerprinted and sent to the urinalysis. When I got back there was no one there and Mr. Colgan and his assistant pulled me into a back room and told me I did great on the sim (I think they were trying to make me feel good) and they told me I would be a great fit and offered me a job. They are going to call me and let me know which airframe I will get. I want the SAAB but there is a possibilty of the Q, they are going to figure that out.
It was a great experience and I had a great time, everyone I met was great and It was the only company I wanted to work for and applied to so it worked out well.
I have lots of more information on the interview including specifics and profiles and power settings but there is no need to post them here since they are all on aviationinterviews.com.
oh yea times...1015/176
and if any of my students are reading this...dont worry, im still instructing until late Oct