I’d like to welcome everyone to my pilot blog. This is the first entry. I wanted to start a journal documenting my journey down the road to becoming a Boeing 757 pilot. A little background about myself. I’m originally from Missouri. Graduated from Kansas State University with a BS in Business Administration. My flying career began back in 1999. I obtained my CFI/CFII/MEI. Instructed for 8 months before getting on with American Eagle flying the SF3 (Saab 340B+). After being furloughed, recalled, displaced to the ATR 72/42 and then furloughed again, I decided to bypass the regional career. After working a Charter position flying Barons and Navajos, I was offered a position as SIC in a Citation 500. I just recently interviewed with a Charter company (no names please) that flys B757 and DC10s. I met one of the Captains of the 757 through a friend who is an A&P at the local airport. It turns out that pilot referrals are taken very seriously since their reputation is on the line. I also met another outstanding pilot with the company on jetcareers.forum that assisted me in getting an interview one day prior to the company posting pilot vacancys! This blog entry will detail that interview.

First, let me start by saying that I did over 2 weeks of research into the background of this company. All indicators point to what I was looking for … stability/diversification. I received an email from B757 Standards Captain inviting me to an interview. The B757 Fleet Manager was out on vacation. Of course, I responded back that I accepted his invitation. My current position is flying right seat in a Cessna Citation 500. The company I fly for only pays me on a daily basis and won’t pay for a type-rating. Now, with flying down significantly, I find out that they are purchasing a light twin to further reduce the amount of flying performed by the Citation. Also, this jet is a 1972 model, and it is showing it’s age. Last year the Citation was down 4 MONTHS with a broken wing-spar. NO INCOME FOR 4 MONTHS!!! Needless to say, the writing is on the wall. Combined with a denial in my request for a small raise to bring me up to industry standards and requiring me to sign an SIC Training contract each year for the past 3 years ($8,000), time to move on. We’ll see if they decide to pursue the training contract or not. Hopefully, something can be worked out.

Anyways, the interview was scheduled for Friday, June 22nd, 2007 (yesterday) starting at 9:15am. I had read on earlier forums that they open their doors 8:00am, so I planned on arriving at 8:30am.

Since I live in Missouri and the interview was in Tulsa, Ok I decided to make the drive down on Thursday morning, spend the day in the hotel doing some final studying and get a good nights rest.

The drive down went really well … 5 hours non-stop. The hotel was the Radisson by the Tulsa airport. I showed up at 1:30pm and had to wait a bit for a room to open up. This particular Radisson is a bit aged and the rooms were very small. But, since the company was flipping the bill, I wasn’t in the position to complain. The hotel had those “Sleep Number” beds. I wasn’t real impressed. Also, the wireless internet wouldn’t work, so I had to go down to their business center to access the internet. Before going to the hotel, I wanted to find the interview location first, so it would be one less thing to worry about in the morning. Only a couple of miles from the hotel. After checking into my room, I got out my turkey and wheat bread I packed from home. Since the income had been reduced to a trickle in the past couple months, some sacrifices had to be made. It actually wasn’t too bad!

Pretty much studied until 6pm when I decided to treat myself to a descent meal. I went to the local Denny’s and had Meat Loaf. The menu listed at $6.95, but when I got my bill, it showed $7.99. That only took about 20 minutes to get cleared up. The food was good and filling. If you’ve ever driven around the area close to the Tulsa airport, you know how truelly confusing it can be; and at rush hour, it’s crazy. While dodging crazy drivers going 30 miles per hour over the speed limit, I suddenly see a row of pretty blue and red lights in my rearview mirror. That’s right… busted. I decided to pull over where it would be safe for both myself and the officer. It just happened to be my original parking spot at the hotel. He pulls up behind me and ask me to accompany him to his squad car with my registration, license and insurance. I didn’t have my insurance with because it was in my room along with the other documents I need to show at my interview the following morning. Not a good start. After sitting in his car while he started writing up a speeding citation of 75mph in a 60mph zone, I ask him if he knew ***** *******? He says yes. I then proceed to tell him he’s my cousin!!! He gives me a quick look and states that ***** just got promoted to Captain!!! Needless to say, the citation quickly turned into a friendly warning. That’s I needed to have was my spottless driving record ruined the night before my interview. Well, I was so shaken up from the experience, I couldn’t study the rest of the night and just watched some TV on my Sleep Number. Didn’t sleep very soundly. Got up around 5am to study for an hour. Ate breakfast (bowl of oatmeal) in the hotels resteraunt. Checked out of the hotel at 8:15 and was at the interview location at 8:30am. The facilities aren’t much to look at from the outside. The security gate was permanently open so I just drove right in and parked. Didn’t park in the visitor’s parking so they could be used for true visitors and those with walking issues. Once inside, I was greeted by B*******. She promptly notifies the HR Director M******. Before leaving the lobby, B gives me a clipboard with an employment application to fill out. Since I knew ahead of time what information was needed, it was a simple matter of filling in the blanks. They only needed the past 8 years of employment. My background was very involved since it included being furloughed, recalled, displaced and furloughed again! After waiting a few minutes, M from HR comes and gets me and gives me the nickel tour as we head back to her office. Her office is located in the new building that was added on due to expansion requirements. Once in her office, she asks if you have any questions. I did have about 5 HR related questions that she was more than happy to answer. She then goes over all the HR stuff with you. Brief but thorough. I mentioned that it seemed the company relies heavily on referrals from fellow pilots and that the company website didn’t list any openings for pilots. She said that changed as of today. It seems I just got in prior to the listing. Timing is everything in this business!!! I overheard another lady mentioning later that they had received over 200 electronic emailed resumes that very day, not including all the faxed resumes!!! After my time with HR, we then proceed up to the operations area where I’m placed in a conference room to wait for the Standards Captain. He promptly appears and the interview begins. It really didn’t feel like an interview and more like a conversation with a long lost friend. It’s basically a get acquainted meeting. We go over my diversified background and my current situation. It becomes quite apparent that this company has some very experienced, professional folks. Around 11:00am, we head to lunch at the Macaroni Grill. I had the Eggplant. Outstanding!!! From earlier forums, I had heard that if you were taken to lunch, you have the job. So I was feeling pretty good as we walked into the restaurant. I had forgotten the simulator ride, which we promptly went to once we got back from eating. I wasn’t nervous throughout the day until I sat down to this mock up of a DC9. As far as table top sims, this one was pretty nice. I think the software was Microsoft’s Flight Simulator 2004. After he turned the unit on, he was having a bit of a challenge getting it started. I couldn’t help but think “yes, he won’t work”. But, as you might of guessed, he figured it out. It was the basic ride of taking off on runway heading up to an altitude, turn to a heading to intercept the inbound radial. Expect a hold over the VOR. Explain how the hold will be accomplished. Brief the hold correctly, you’ll get radar vectors for the ILS. Set up for the ILS, fly the approach, break out just above minimums and land. I couldn’t use the rudders because the table that the monitor was on was so low, I couldn’t get my toes up on the rudders/brakes. I did remain on the runway using ailerons. End of flight… what for the comment…..”good job”. Phey!!! Glad that’s over. We then head back to the office and was given an offer. I promptly accept. Asked when class would be and was told they probably wouldn’t know until sometime in July. Will probably be a mid-August class. I was so relieved and thankful the the individual who got me in the door. After accepting the position, we go down the the “drug/fingerprint” lady. At this time, the interviewer hands me off and wishes we good luck and welcome aboard. I then proceed to fill out fingerprinting cards and a background sheet. She then faxes a sheet to a local drug testing facility and gives me directions to get to the facility. I then check out with B at the front desk and proceed to my car where I drive to the drug testing place. Give a urine sample, change out of my very hot suit into my Bermuda shorts and hit the road heading home. Ran into a few thundershowers, but all-in-all don’t remember much of the drive home. My mind was still on cloud nine trying to believe what had just occurred. I’m a very happy camper!!!!