Cape Air interview, Aug. 4, 2011

I had my Cape Air interview yesterday morning.

It was a very simple, straight forward interview.

We started with a presentation on the history of the company, pay, benefits, schedules, etc. We could ask questions about anything we were curious about. During this part, all applicants were in the same conference room.

There were four applicants in addition to myself. One came from a flight instructing background in Florida, another had run her own flight school in Southern California for several years, another had worked at a FedEx feeder flying Caravans for a long time before getting laid off during the recession, and the fourth primarily flew as SIC on a PC-12 for a Part 91 corporate operation. I have no idea about any of their flight times.

After the company presentation, two of the training captains, in addition to the recruiter, interviewed us privately one-on-one.

I can't remember all my questions, but they were along the lines of:

Tell about your background and why you've come to Cape Air.
Tell about a time when you were able to give customer service above what would normally be expected.
Tell about a time when you disagreed with a company policy and how you handled it.
Tell about a time when you made things right with an upset customer.
Tell about a time when you needed to make decisions critical to the safety of a flight.
What qualities do you think make a good captain?
Any checkride failures? If so, what happened?
How does a turbocharger work?
What are the initial memory items for engine failure in a light piston twin?

Those were the only two technical questions during the entire interview. Also, there was no simulator evaluation.

The atmosphere was very professional, yet casual. All of us applicants wore suits, but as soon as I got in to the one on one interview, the training captain told me to make myself comfortable, take off the jacket and tie if I wanted, etc. He was wearing his line pilot uniform without tie or epaulettes. Seemed like a cool guy that genuinely liked working for the company.

Let me know if you have any other questions about the process.

Also, does anyone know how long it's been taking them to give the final word to applicants? I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best!

Nice write-up. Did you get hired?

A fedex feeder pilot was laid off?!? thats amazing... most of them are actually hiring right now!

/hijack

thanks for the write up, JRH! And good luck! I hear nothing but great things about C-air from current pilots flying in the caribbean.

Hey all, I got a call today and have an interview Nov 10th...anyone else?? I'll post a gouge afterwards. And JRH, thanks for the gouge post, I'm sure it will help!!

I had one last week. Very laid back experience. Here's hoping they call.

Out of curiosity, did you get a sense that someone with less hours than the other applicants you described would be able to apply? I currently have barely over 350, and no multi. i'm working on my initial CFI and plan to get the multi soon after that. Their minimums list 1000TT with 25 multi for an FO position, but are those competitive at all? Obviously, I'd wait till I had at least the minimums to apply.

I live in the Boston area, and wouldn't mind staying for a while, so given familiarity with New England's airspace Cape Air has always been my top choice to start. Although I assume if I ever do get lucky enough to work for them I think i'd end up in St. Louis to start most likely.

I think I've heard elsewhere that they're shying away from hiring FOs these days as some of them have just stuck around long enough to get the multi to be competitive somewhere else. I'm sure someone with more recent info can chime in.

Yeah, they'll always be hiring FO's since they're required sometimes. The turnover is high, and living on FO pay can be tough in some areas, but the guys that do well bust their butts and get to ATP minimums asap.

They would probably take a look at you with less than 1000 hours (think 800-900), especially if you're somewhat local. Another option would be to get a get a job a BOS working the ramp or as a CSR, build time on the side, and get your foot in the door from the inside. It happens.

I just recently interviewed with Cape Air . I really enjoyed the experience and would say that previous interview experiences are spot on. There were no surprises. I was asked about types of ice I've encountered, how a turbocharger works, and what to do in the event of an engine failure in a light twin engine on takeoff. Other questions were related to my aviation background and how I've handled difficult situations, either in the airplane or between a coworker and a customer. I was also asked what makes a good captain as well as what I could contribute to Cape Air. I was offered a position about a week later and am very much looking forward to the experience!

Congratulations on the job offer. What are your times at? I am starting to fill out an application for Cape Air.

Thanks, I appreciate it! I have about 1165 total with 210 multi.

Congrads again man!

Thank you sir, I appreciate it!

One question, with your times as close as they are for PIC requirements....do they have CA slots readily available once you meet mins, or could you potentially be waiting it out for a while on FO pay?

I've flirted with Cape Air a few times over the years and talking to them was always a positive experience. They recently called me and due to some personal situations right now I asked them if I could call them back (if they're still hiring) in the near future. Seems like a good operation with good people, but if I were to stay there for three or four years and pick up a lot of time is it possible to jump directly into sometime as big as a 737 or an A-320? Or do most of they're guys still end up at the regionals? Either way the contacts that I have there and the friendliness they exude when I talk to them really make me want to work there... but I'm balancing all that with career progression as well.

Thanks!

I'm not entirely sure just yet, but it sounds like I'll be put through PIC training as soon as I meet the time requirements. I will start in a month and a half, so I might even have the time I need by then.

After seeing how the operation works and having had the chance to get to know several employees there, I knew I wanted to work there. Everyone seems pretty happy there!

I've been based in the STL region, flying the line for several weeks now and am very happy I decided to come here. No operation is perfect, but this place has FAR more good than bad, IMO. You all are welcome to PM me with any questions regarding line operations if you want. I can't speak for hiring or training departments, but I can tell you what my day to day life is like.

Talk to JC user "dasleben." I believe he went straight to the right seat of a 757 from flying 402s at 9K (Cape Air).

The thing you'll find at 9K is an odd mix in the pilot group. Since we operate as a Part 135 commuter, the age 65 rule does not apply and there are some retired airline pilots who came here because they can no longer do the heavy jet thing due to their age, but want to keep flying.

There are also a surprising number of career pilots here...the top 25% of our seniority list (44 of 230) have been with the company for ten years or more. Usually those guys have good pay, awesome schedules, are home every night, and see no reason to move on. They also have unbelievable job security. Depending on your personal life and future goals, it's hard to put a price on those characteristics.

The bottom half of the seniority list (about 120 or so) have been with the company for two years or less. So there is this big gap between pilots coming just to get their time and get out, versus those who intend to stick around long term. You'll rapidly advance through the ranks your first two years here, then hit a brick wall as far as seniority goes.

I've only been here for a few months, but from what I've seen, very, very few pilots have any interest in going to a regional jet job. They might not know what they want to do next, but it sure as heck doesn't involve sitting in the cockpit of an RJ ;-) That's certainly the spot I'm in.

It's just the type of personality 9K attracts. We don't generally chase after the stereotypical airline dream. I know several pilots who came here from flying the bush in Alaska, one guy with 6000 hours of time flying pipeline patrol/skydiving, etc.

I think a fair number of pilots leave here to fly for charter or corporate gigs--but that might be more a function of their personality than qualifications.

One thing is certain...flying at 9K will never *hurt* your career. It checks a lot of boxes like multi, PIC, 135, IFR, airline time, etc. You'll become friends with a lot of people who can probably help you in the future. You might be surprised where it will lead.

Good luck if you decide you want to come here!