Airline pilot interview questions: the full list, by type

Short answer: Airline pilot interviews usually mix four kinds of question: "tell me about a time" (TMAAT) stories, about-you questions ("Why do you want to fly for us?"), technical questions (aerodynamics, weather, regulations, your current airplane's systems) and scenario questions ("An engine fire warning goes off just after V1"). No airline publishes its question list, so below are 80+ practice questions by type, written by us, with what panels usually listen for.

Last checked November 1, 2026.

What airlines actually publish about the interview

Most airlines say little about the interview itself. What they do publish, on their own careers pages:

Where an airline publishes nothing, each airline guide on this site says so.

1. Tell me about a time (behavioral)

These carry the most weight at most airlines. Answer in about 90 seconds: a short setup, what you did, the result and the lesson. Full method and a worked example: Tell me about a time: pilot questions.

• Tell me about a time you disagreed with a captain.
• Tell me about a mistake you made in the airplane.
• Tell me about a time you worked with a difficult crew member.
• Tell me about a time you had to make a decision without all the information you wanted.
• Tell me about a time you saw someone not follow a procedure.
• Tell me about a time you diverted, or seriously thought about it.
• Tell me about a time you were task-saturated in the airplane.
• Tell me about a time you failed. A checkride, a training event, anything.
• Tell me about a time good CRM made the difference on a flight.
• Tell me about a time you felt pressure to depart on time when something wasn't right.
• Tell me about a time you had to say no to someone senior to you.
• Tell me about a time you went above and beyond for a passenger or customer.
• Tell me about a time you noticed a safety issue and reported it.
• Tell me about a time you or a crew member was too tired to fly safely.
• Tell me about a time you did the right thing when no one would have known otherwise.

Panels usually listen for: your own actions in "I", safety and procedure ahead of ego, use of the crew and outside resources, and a lesson you still use.

Example answer, written by us. It is not a real applicant's story. "Tell me about a time you saw someone not follow a procedure."

"On a turn in Boise, a new ramp agent started loading bags before the engines were fully spooled down. I said to the captain, 'I'll go have a word,' and told him calmly that we wait for the beacon to go off, then showed him where to stand. I mentioned it to his lead after the turn so it was part of his training, not a write-up. Now I watch the ramp on every arrival until the beacon is off."

Short setup, what you did and said, the result and a habit. More examples on the TMAAT page.

2. About you

• Walk me through your flying career so far. (how to answer)
• Why do you want to fly for us? (how to answer)
• What do you know about us?
• Why do you want to be a pilot? (how to answer)
• Where do you see yourself in ten years?
• Why are you leaving your current job?
• What's your greatest weakness as a pilot?
• What makes a good captain?
• Why should we hire you over the other pilots we're seeing today?
• Is there anything in your record we should talk about? A failure, a gap, an incident? (how to answer)
• Do you have any questions for us? (what to ask)

Panels usually listen for: reasons that only fit this airline, a career story where each move has a reason, and honesty about anything in your record.

3. Technical

Technical depth varies a lot by airline and by your background. Most panels stay close to what a line pilot uses every day. Full list with model answers: Pilot technical interview questions.

• Pick the aircraft you fly now and walk me through its electrical system.
• What happens to a swept-wing jet as it goes past its critical Mach number?
• What is coffin corner?
• When do you need an alternate under Part 91 IFR, and what minimums apply to it?
• When can you descend below DA or MDA on an instrument approach?
• What does a microburst do to an airplane on approach, and what do you do about it?
• You get a TCAS resolution advisory. What do you do?
• What's a stabilized approach, and when do you go around?
• In a TAF, what do TEMPO, BECMG and PROB30 mean?
• Talk me through hydroplaning.
• What do you need to fly in RVSM airspace?
• Explain indicated, calibrated, equivalent and true airspeed.

Panels usually listen for: correct facts, plain words, a link to how you'd fly it, and an honest "I'd check the QRH" when you're unsure.

4. Scenario ("what would you do")

These test priorities and CRM more than knowledge. More: Pilot scenario interview questions.

• You're the pilot flying. An engine fire warning goes off just after V1. Talk me through it.
• You're the first officer on a late-night leg. The captain is clearly exhausted and has made a few small mistakes. What do you do?
• On the morning of a trip you smell alcohol on your captain. What do you do?
• The captain is flying an approach. At 500 feet you're fast and high, and they keep going. What do you do?
• Destination weather drops below minimums and fuel is getting tight. Walk me through your thinking.
• Before departure, the captain wants to go with a deferred item you're not sure is legal. What do you do?
• A passenger refuses to follow crew instructions and gets aggressive. The lead flight attendant calls you. What now?

Panels usually listen for: aviate, navigate, communicate, the checklist and QRH said out loud, the whole crew brought in, and a clear decision.

Airline-specific questions

Each airline adds its own flavor, usually around its values. Southwest, for example, publishes its values, so practice a story for each. See the airline guides:

• US passenger: Delta, United, American, Southwest, Alaska, JetBlue
• Cargo: FedEx, UPS
• Canada: Air Canada, WestJet, Porter, Canada overview
• Regionals and pathways: SkyWest, regional airlines, cadet programs, military to airline

How competitive is it?

According to FAPA's pilot hiring history, the major US airlines hired 4,834 pilots in 2024 and 4,509 in 2025. Each applicant usually gets one shot per airline for a while, so the interview matters. How long an airline makes you wait before reapplying is rarely published.

Practice this on Fourstripe. Pick your airline and a captain runs the interview out loud: TMAAT, about-you, technical and scenario questions, with real follow-ups. You get a scored report on every answer. 7-day trial, then from $149 a week. Start a practice interview