Pilot Interview: How Airline Interviews Work and How to Prepare
Your airline interview prep in one place: the HR interview, the technical interview and the sim briefing explained, with the competencies airlines assess, 48 example questions in six categories and a checklist for the weeks before your pilot interview.
In many airline and academy selections the interview comes after the online tests, and it often shares a day with a group exercise. The pattern below is common. Each airline card further down shows what that airline confirms.
STEP 01
Before the day
The invite and your documents. Some airlines add a recorded video interview first, such as the HireVue stage at Emirates.
VIDEO OR NONE
STEP 02
HR or competency
A panel or a single interviewer asks about your motivation and past behaviour. Expect follow-up questions on every example you give.
PANEL OR ONE-TO-ONE
STEP 03
Technical
Theory questions at the level of your licence or training stage. Ryanair, for example, holds an HR interview and a technical interview on the same assessment day.
THEORY AND OPERATIONS
STEP 04
Sim briefing
A briefing, then a sim session. This stage is mainly for direct entry and type-rated pilots.
EXPERIENCED PILOTS
02 · Competencies
What Airlines Assess, and How to Answer with STAR
Competency questions look for evidence of how you behave, not what you know. Prepare two or three real examples for each competency below, so you can pick the one that fits the question on the day.
06Application of proceduresKnows and follows the rules, and why they exist
07KnowledgeTheory and operational understanding
08Self-awarenessOwns mistakes and learns from them
Answer structure
STAR, With a Worked Example
Tell us about a time you disagreed with an instructor.
SSituationSet the scene in one or two sentences.ExampleDuring a cross-country lesson, the weather at our destination was dropping below our planned minima, and my instructor wanted to press on and see.
TTaskWhat was your responsibility?ExampleAs the student flying the leg, I was responsible for the plan and for making the case for the safer option.
AActionWhat did you do, in the first person?ExampleI shared the latest report, explained that it was below our minima and proposed the alternate with a briefed route.
RResultThe outcome, and what you learned.ExampleMy instructor agreed to divert. I now set a personal decision point in every briefing.
Keep the Situation and Task short. Spend most of your time on the Action, in the first person, and close with a Result that shows what you learned.
Our own example questions, written by the PilotinQ team for practice. They are not leaked or real questions from any airline.
Why this job, why this airline and why now. The panel checks that your motivation is specific and will last.
01
Why do you want to fly for this airline and not another one?
How to approach itShow specific knowledge of the airline: its network, fleet, bases and the route into its flight deck. Connect two or three of those facts to what you want from your career. General praise for the brand does not answer the question.
Walk us through your route so far. What would you do differently?
How to approach itA short, clear timeline from school to today, with ownership of every choice. Name one thing you would change and show what you have done with that lesson since.
STAR hintTreat the second half as a mini STAR: the situation, the choice you made, what you did afterwards and the result.
Self-awareness
03
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
How to approach itRealistic steps: first officer, senior first officer and the route to command, plus what you want to add along the way, such as training others or a safety role. Commitment to the company counts for more than a fixed date for your command.
How you work with others: briefing, speaking up, handling disagreement and building a shared plan.
01
Tell us about a time you disagreed with a colleague or instructor. What did you do?
How to approach itYou raised the concern with facts, listened to the other view and agreed a way forward. The panel looks for respect for the other person and a clear outcome, with no blame.
STAR hintSpend most of the answer on the Action: what you said, how you said it and how you checked you had been understood.
CommunicationLeadership and teamwork
02
Describe a situation where you had to rely on someone else to succeed.
How to approach itShow how you built a shared picture: a briefing, agreed roles, cross-checking and how you checked the other person understood the plan.
STAR hintMake the Task about the shared goal and the Result about what the team achieved together.
Leadership and teamworkCommunication
03
Give an example of when you spoke up about something that did not look right.
How to approach itAssertiveness at the right level: a clear statement of what you saw, why it mattered and what you proposed, followed by a check that it was dealt with.
STAR hintBe precise in the Action: quote the words you used to raise it.
CommunicationSituation awareness
How you decide with limited time or information, and how you review a decision afterwards.
01
Tell us about a decision you made with incomplete information.
How to approach itA structured approach: gather what you can, generate options, decide, then review. Name the risks you weighed and how you kept the decision open to new information.
STAR hintIn the Action, show the options you considered, not only the one you chose.
Problem solving and decision making
02
When did you change your plan halfway through? What triggered it?
How to approach itYou noticed the change early, re-assessed and told everyone involved about the new plan.
STAR hintMake the trigger explicit in the Situation, so the panel sees what you noticed and when.
Situation awarenessProblem solving and decision making
03
You are the first officer. On the approach the weather drops below minima and the captain wants to continue. What do you do?
How to approach itState the facts and the limit clearly, propose a go-around or diversion and escalate as your company procedures require. The panel looks for graded assertiveness and respect for procedures.
STAR hintThis is a situational question: walk through your steps in order rather than telling a past story.
CommunicationApplication of proceduresLeadership and teamwork
How you set direction, support people and take responsibility, in the left seat and the right.
01
Tell us about a time you led a team.
How to approach itHow you set the goal, shared out the work, supported people and kept an eye on progress. The example can come from a job, sport, volunteering or study.
STAR hintMake the Result measurable where you can: a deadline met, a score, a number of people helped.
Leadership and teamwork
02
How would you lead as a captain, and how would you support a captain as a first officer?
How to approach itShow that you understand both roles: setting the tone and inviting input as captain, monitoring, supporting and speaking up as first officer.
Tell us about a time you had to give someone difficult feedback.
How to approach itIn private, specific, about behaviour, with a suggestion for next time and a follow-up.
STAR hintQuote what you said in the Action, so the panel hears your tone.
CommunicationLeadership and teamwork
How you handle workload, stress and your own errors. Honesty and learning count most here.
01
Describe a time you were overloaded. How did you prioritise?
How to approach itWorkload management: what you delegated, delayed or dropped, and why that order.
STAR hintShow the priority order in the Action and say who you told about it.
Workload management
02
Tell us about a mistake you made and what you learned from it.
How to approach itA real mistake, owned, with what you did straight after and what you have changed for good.
STAR hintSpend at least a third of the answer on the learning and where you have used it since.
Self-awareness
03
Just before departure you notice an error in your own flight planning. What do you do?
How to approach itSay so straight away, correct it together with the crew and report it if procedures require it. The panel looks for honesty and a reporting mindset.
STAR hintThis is a situational question: walk through your steps in order.
Application of proceduresCommunicationSelf-awareness
Theory at the level of your training stage. Explain the principle, then what it means in the aircraft.
01
What happens to the stall speed in a turn, and why?
How to approach itIn a level turn the load factor rises with bank angle (load factor = 1 / cos bank). The stall speed rises with the square root of the load factor, so at 60 degrees of bank, where the load factor is 2, it is about 1.41 times the wings-level value.
Explain the difference between IAS, CAS, TAS and ground speed.
How to approach itIAS is what the airspeed indicator shows. CAS corrects IAS for instrument and position error. TAS is the speed through the air mass; it is higher than CAS when the air is less dense than at sea level, so it rises with altitude. Ground speed is TAS corrected for wind. Say when each one matters: handling, performance, navigation and fuel.
What would you expect on take-off if the temperature is far above ISA?
How to approach itLower air density means a higher density altitude, less engine thrust and a higher true airspeed for the same indicated speed. The take-off run gets longer and climb performance falls.
Technical questions follow your training stage: ATPL theory, maths and physics for cadets, type knowledge and operations for experienced pilots. Each topic links to the answer in our knowledge base.
What each airline confirms about its interview stages, in its own words. Every card links to the airline guide and a practice plan.
BA
British Airways
Direct entry pilots
Stage 4 of 6: Interview
The British Airways pilot application journey includes an interview, where you and British Airways get to know each other and you show you have what it takes to become a British Airways pilot.
Interview: The moment where we can get to know each other, and for you to demonstrate you have what it takes to become a British Airways pilot.
Stage 3 of 4: Stage 2: In-depth psychometric testing, group exercise and multitasking assessment
Stage 4 of 4: Stage 3: Full assessment day at Waterside
Candidates who get through the in-depth psychometric tests spend half a day at Waterside, the British Airways head office, on a group exercise and a multitasking assessment, and the flight school also runs an online interview with you. The final stage is a full assessment day at Waterside that focuses on you as an individual.
Successful candidates will complete a range of more in-depth psychometric testing. Those that pass will be invited to our head office, Waterside, for a group exercise and multitasking assessment lasting half a day.
Stage 4 of 6: Panel interview and MMPI-2 at Delta Headquarters
Stage 5 of 6: Virtual interview with a psychologist
Candidates need to complete an online assessment, a panel interview and final evaluations successfully. Delta invites successful candidates to its headquarters for the panel interview. Candidates who succeed in that face-to-face interview also have a virtual interview with one of Delta's psychologists.
Competitive candidates must pass an online assessment, a panel interview and final evaluations to receive a Conditional Job Offer.
Stage 4 of 6: Motivational assessment (one-way video interview)
Stage 5 of 6: In-person assessment day
Cadet candidates record a one-way interview or meet Jet2 on MS Teams to talk about themselves and their motivation, then attend an in-person assessment day with Jet2 pilots, training providers and the recruitment team.
Record a one-way interview or meet us on MS Teams to tell us about yourself and your passion for a pilot career
Stage 5 of 6: Interview with the Admissions Board (TC) and KLM Acceptance Committee (COVA)
In the competency stage you have an interview with a psychologist, an individual exercise and a cooperation exercise. The last step of the selection is an interview with the KLM Flight Academy admissions board and the KLM acceptance committee (COVA).
You have an interview with a psychologist, and in addition an individual exercise with an AMC actor/psychologist and a cooperation exercise
The assessment takes one day at a Ryanair SIM centre in Europe and combines a sim assessment with an HR interview and a technical interview.
The assessment itself takes place in one day at one of our SIM centres across Europe and includes a SIM Assessment, HR Interview and Technical Interview.
After the first screening, cadet candidates record a short video interview through HireVue. A successful video interview leads to a psychometric assessment, and after that comes an online one-on-one interview.
If you pass the first round of screenings, we’ll invite you to complete a short video interview through HireVue, our video interview platform.
Stage one is remote: a short HireVue video interview, psychometric and abstract reasoning tests and a live digital panel interview.
Stage one is held remotely and consists of a short HireVue video interview, psychometrics testing, abstract reasoning testing, and a live digital panel interview.
The non-technical assessment runs virtually or at an easyJet SIM centre. You meet the easyJet team, take part in a group exercise and have a competency-based interview.
Assessment will take place either virtually, or at one of our SIM Centres. You'll meet the easyJet team, take part in a group exercise, learn about life at easyJet and there'll also be a competency-based interview.
The recruitment process includes a virtual interview and an in-person assessment centre, alongside psychometric and online assessments and a technical sim evaluation.
Our recruitment process is structured in stages and includes a virtual interview, psychometric and online assessments, an in-person assessment centre, and a technical Sim evaluation.
Stage 3 of 4: Lufthansa Group assessment centre (second selection step)
In the Lufthansa Group assessment centre, interviews and group exercises give insight into your social skills and personality, alongside a test of your psychomotor skills.
Our goal here is to gain insights into your social skills and personality traits by conducting interviews and group exercises as well as to test your psychomotoric skills, among other things.
Transavia's admissions committee gets to know you in a competency-based interview. A simulator grading tests your flying aptitude, there is a group assignment and the selection closes with an evaluation interview.
In a competency-based interview with the Transavia admissions committee, we get to know you.
A simulator grading tests your flying aptitude and trainability. There is also a group assignment, and we close the selection process with an evaluation interview.
After the online aptitude and psychological tests, the group exercise and the personal interview take place in person in Budapest.
Online stages (remotely) Stage 1: Pilot aptitude test Stage 2: Psychological assessment test In-person stages (personally in Budapest): Stage 3: Group exercise Stage 4: Personal interview
The cadet recruitment process includes interviews, alongside an online application, a computer assessment test and a medical check-up.
Applicants will undergo various stages during the recruitment process including (but not limited to) online application, computer assessment test, interviews, and medical check-up.
Many pilot interviews have a competency part, where the panel asks about your motivation and past behaviour, and a technical part, where it tests theory at the level of your training stage. Ryanair, for example, combines an HR interview and a technical interview with a sim assessment on one assessment day.
What questions are asked in an airline pilot interview?
Expect questions on motivation, teamwork and CRM, decision making, leadership, how you handle pressure and mistakes, and technical knowledge. The example questions on this page cover all six categories, each with an approach and a STAR hint.
What is the difference between the HR and the technical interview?
The HR or competency interview looks at motivation and behaviour, usually through examples from your past. The technical interview tests theory and operational knowledge at the level of your licence or training stage.
How do I answer competency questions?
Use the STAR structure: situation, task, action and result. Keep the situation short and spend most of your time on what you did and what you learned. Prepare two or three real examples per competency.
Do cadets get a technical interview?
Cadet selections often test maths, physics and English in a separate written or computer test rather than in the interview itself. Prepare school level maths and physics and the basics of flight, and check the airline guide for the stages that airline confirms.
Is the pilot interview online or in person?
Both formats are in use. Jet2 offers its pilot interview in Leeds or as a virtual interview, United Aviate Academy interviews via MS Teams, and the Wizz Air Pilot Academy holds its personal interview in person in Budapest. The airline cards on this page show the format each airline confirms.
How should I prepare for an airline interview?
Read the airline guide and its confirmed stages, write STAR examples for each competency, practise your answers out loud and revise the technical topics for your stage. The checklist on this page sets this out week by week.
Can I practise for the pilot interview on PilotinQ?
Yes. Use the example questions on this page to build and rehearse your answers, and practise the online tests that come before the interview with the selection practice plans.
Practice · before your interview
Prepare for the Online Tests First
In many selections the online tests come before the interview. Practise numerical, verbal, spatial, memory and multitasking tests in the style of pilot selections, with 31 interactive practice tests in 9 skills.
