Airline Applicant Simulator Check Ride

It is becoming commonplace for airlines to put prospective candidates through a simulator assessment as part of the last stages of the selection process.

Our Airline Simulator Captain gives you the inside information you need!

The simulator check usually includes

• A pre-sim briefing session
• The simulator check itself, which usually takes about an hour
• The sim de-brief

The session is assessed by a qualified Sim Instructor or Training Captain and the emphasis is very much on handling skills and instruments scans.  You are not expected to be perfect, but you must demonstrate an ability to learn by showing an improvement over the session.

The session may be set up just for you, in which case the instructor will sit in the other seat and act as support crew, or you may be paired with another applicant and the instructor will sit behind you at the instructor panel and assess you both.

As a rough guide (different airlines may structure their sessions differently) the session may include;

• A raw data SID (Standard Instrument Departure)
• General Flying
• An instrument approach
• Flying vectors and landing.

You can expect that all phases will be flown without autopilot, and more than likely will be raw data. You wont be expected to know the SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) calls.

Depending on your experience, the instructor may also include engine failures.

You can “buy time” in a full motion simulator, and many applicants do before their airline assessment.  If you can afford this, you will have a distinct advantage over those candidates who don’t.