HR Questions Flashcards
Tell me about yourself.
I’m from Southern California originally, and moved to Phoenix 9 years ago to pursue a career in aviation. I decided to stay after meeting my wife there. While in school I completed concurrent degrees and worked 2-3 jobs to support myself. I’m a hardworking analytical and creative professional in aviation and the field of web design. I pride myself on being a professional who is committed to personal development and safety.
Do you have kids?
Not yet but my wife and I look forward to having children in the near future.
Are you married?
Yes, I’ve been married for almost 2 years.
What hobbies and interests do you have?
I really enjoy the field of design and do freelance projects for clients with my wife. I also love DIY projects and home improvement. To be honest I am also a bit of a video gaming nerd when I have free time.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Planning out new home projects, exploring new places, and spending time with my wife and dog Cooper.
What is your greatest achievement in aviation?
Receiving my Gold Seal while teaching students was a great personal accomplishment. All of my students were international, from India and China. I was given a student whom had been with multiple instructors and really struggled with approach clearance readbacks.
I hatched a plan to overcome this obstacle. We went and did 13 practice approaches in one flight. I wrote down the time and frequency of each call my student made and tasked him to listen to his readbacks, write down what he said and what he should have said. He made such a drastic improvement on the next flight that filled him with joy and inspiration to pass his instrument checkride on the first attempt.
How I came to where I am now in my flying career?
I always had a fascination for aviation, but was steered away by a collegiate recruiter when I was young. He indicated that before I become a pilot I needed to be 100% certain it was what I wanted as the financial and time investment was significant. Years later a friend took my flying in a 152, and I knew during the takeoff roll that I was willing to do whatever it takes to become a pilot.
I worked 2-3 jobs to support myself though school with assistance from my parents to secure flight training loans. After graduation and securing my ratings I was a flight instructor for about a year when I got the opportunity to go to Compass Airlines.
Compass was truly a great place to work until we were set to lose over 50% of our scheduled flying. I looked for opportunities and discovered a 135 operator that would give me a quick upgrade, PHX base, and offer amazing quality of life with day trips. Unfortunately the pandemic hit and my upgrade training was rescinded just 5 days prior.
My goal was always to come back to Part 121 flying and I now find myself here with an amazing opportunity at Frontier Airlines.
Describe the kind of pilot you are in one minute.
I strive to be a professional, safe, and responsible pilot who operates with integrity. I’m always looking to better myself and be someone others look forward to flying with.
Tell me about the hardest time you had in your aviation Career.
My father eventually succumbed to very serious health issues during my time at Compass. I was in constant communication with our base chief pilot who was very accommodating to me any helped me in any way he could. The company and his hospitality is something that I will never forget.
What was your biggest struggle or disappointment in aviation?
Honestly being on the cusp of upgrade before the pandemic was a very challenging time. My wife and I had made plans to have our wedding and purchase a new home, so not upgrading threw a wrench in the spokes. Luckily I had my other profession to fall back on and my wife carried us through by having a stable job at GoDaddy. When all was said and done things worked out great for us.
Why do you have low time?
I always had aspirations of flying the biggest jet to the coolest places, but I discovered early in my career that I truly appreciate quality of life.
You were at (X company) for 8 years. Why did you leave?
I’ve decided that quality of life and stability are the most important things to me in aviation. While I’ve vastly enjoyed my time with JSX, I truly believe that Frontier offers me amazing benefits in comparison to any other airline out there.
What brought you here today?
I’ve had my application into Frontier for nearly 4 years. I was emphatic about the Compass Frontier flow agreement when it was announced and always had my eye on Frontier.
Poised for significant growth which translates to great seniority, new equipment, PHX base, and high percentage of day trips, I don’t think there would be any better place for me to have a thriving and stable career, especially looking at the current economical environment.
What do you do to mentor future aviators?
I love talking to people who are interested in aviation. Over the years many acquaintances have asked my to talk to their friend, niece, nephew about aviation and what it entails. I’ve consulted a handful of people who are now pursuing their ratings and I love giving them tips and strategies to succeed in this field.
Have you had Any FAA or military Discipline actions?
No.
Have I ever failed a check ride?
Yes I have.
In May of 2016 I failed my Commercial Multi-Engine oral exam for special emphasis. I was not able to explain reasoning behind spin recovery techniques. such as why we go power idle, ailerons neutral, rudder opposite and elevator forward. Through this I was able to better understand the aerodynamics of spins and recoveries. I eventually applied these learnings to my role as a spin instructor to ensure each and every student understood why we recover the way that we do in a spin.
In May of 2017 I failed my Initial Flight Instructor checkride for steep turns. I was not able to adequately provide verbal instructions while performing the maneuver which lead to an altitude deviation. We moved on to landings next and my shortfield landing was very rough as I was still fixated on my previous error.
I learned that it’s okay to not feel the need to over-explain maneuvers while simultaneously flying them and also the value of compartmentalizing things emotionally to focus on the task at hand.
What do you know about Frontier?
Frontier was originally formed via a merger in 1950 and operated until 1986 when it was acquired by People Express.
8 years later Frontier was created by Frederick Brown, his wife Janice, and Bob Schulman who seeked to capitalize on Continental’s draw back of Denver flights.
After filing for bankruptcy in 2008, Frontier was acquired by Republic Airways Holdings who would later merge Frontier with Midwest Airlines.
In 2013, Indigo Partners purchased Frontier with a focus on the ULCC model.
Frontier’s original logo was designed by Saul Bass (AT&T Logo, Girl Scouts, etc) and the current logo incorporates it.
Currently Frontier is poised to grow almost 3 times, with Barry Biffle as CEO, and seeking a merger with Spirit Airlines.
What is their slogan? and What does it mean?
Originally “The Spirit of the West” then, “A whole different animal,” and now, “Low Fares Done Right.”
Low fares done right means Frontier’s mission is to make the flying experience easy, affordable and enjoyable as the airline for everyone.
What percentage of traveling is done by Frontier in the U.S?
3.6%
Who is the CEO.
Barry Biffle.
Who is the president.
Barry Biffle.
Operating margin?
16%
Projected growth.
272 aircraft by 2029.
What was the stock price of Frontier this morning?
$10.50 (7/6/22)
What do you know about our business model?
Cost Per available Seat Mile is very low, around 6¢ and high aircraft utilization. (About 11hours per day with 77.4% load factor)
Why do you want to work at Frontier?
I truly view this opportunity as life changing.
To start the projected growth means increased seniority and a fast upgrade.
PHX base and high percentage of day trips means an excellent quality of life for my family and I.
If you were Barry Biffle (Prez) what would you change about the company?
Expand routes to underserved markets.
If Barry (president) was in the room, what is one thing you would tell him to improve?
Utilize all employees and crew members hidden talents.
What if DL, United or Fed Ex calls while you’re in training?
Any of these airlines would require me to commute. Having done so I have no interest in commuting. Also culture is very important to me and I resonate better with the working groups here as I have a pleasant and can-do attitude. My experience with those mentioned does not seem like a culture-fit to me.
Will you leave in 3 or 6 months for another company?
No, as I said previously quality of life means everything to me, as such starting over elsewhere would afford me less quality of life. There is no reason to go anywhere else when you look at seniority progression, pay, and all the benefits that Frontier offers to someone in my shoes.
What will you bring to F9?
I will bring my integrity, responsibility, and leadership to Frontier.
What 2 values are most important to you and why?
Integrity and great moral character.
Why should we hire you?
If I’m lucky enough to secure a position with Frontier, I will be contributing my perfect safety and attendance record, my perseverance when faced with challenges, and constant advocacy to make the company better in every way possible.
How will you know when you are ready to upgrade to captain?
When I know situational awareness is not compromised because of my comfortability with the aircraft, company procedures, and operating environment.
Tell me a joke.
I thought the dryer was shrinking my clothes. Turns out it was the refrigerator all along.
what do you call a cow with no legs? ground beef.
What do you think makes a successful pilot?
Methodical, with strong technical knowledge and a successful communicator.
If we called your rec. what would he say about you?
They would say I’m very detail oriented with a great sense of humor.
Tell us about a time you went the extra mile at work…
It was recently a child’s first flight ever. I asked the CA if we should make a PA to acknowledge her in flight and he preferred that I do it. So I made a PA at cruise that we had an extra special person on board and told her to come up to the flight deck after landing for a gift. I gave her a pair of wings and we took a picture in the flight deck. The parents were to thankful and I’m sure that Avery will never forget her first flight!
What would you change about yourself
Don’t sweat the small things in life.
Tell me about the worst job you ever had?
During the pandemic I was lucky enough to find a job in the design field. The goal was unfortunately on fast turn around times and not so much on quality. I did my best to create quality work on extremely fast timelines to the point I was working 10-12 hour days all week.
How can an employee help a company’s bottom line?
Share feedback if we see processes that are not streamlined or notice areas for improvement. Save fuel whenever possible.
Who was my favorite president and why?
Ahh I’m sorry, I just don’t feel comfortable answering questions about politics.
When was the last time you told a lie?
Integrity is extremely important to me. This being said, my mom asked me to construct a pergola for her on the 4th of July. It was 104º and I just didn’t really feel up to it so I told her I had plans with my wife on the 4th.
What makes a Good Captain?
A dedicated professional who is decisive, trusts their crew members, and has a sense of humor.
What makes a Great Captain?
Someone with deep technical and flying proficiency who has lots of experience dealing with tricky situations.
What do you have to say about current company?
JSX is an amazing airline with hundreds of dedicated and unique individuals. At this time I am just interested in progressing in my career and making my way back to a Part 121 operator, who I truly believe is Frontier.
Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a coworker?
One of my favorite CAs became a check airmen. We flew together after a recent SOP change and he still used the old SOP instead of the new one. After he criticized my way I brought to his attention that the procedure had changed. He said that he preferred the old method still. We had a long conversation about it after the flight and he eventually came to agree with me that the new SOP should be used to avoid confusion between him and other crew memebers.
