Fly Damnit

MAS Interview session

August 19th, 2006 | by Dusk |

MAS (Malaysia Airlines System) interview process is the 3rd stage of a 4 stage cadet selection process. After completing the Psychomotor and Psychometric test, they will want to interview u themselves. This is actually to test your confidence and to see weather you are really interested in flying or not. Because, there is no better way to do that. Of course u could ‘act’ at the interview, but that’s up to u.

For the interview, wear a tie. This is because everyone there wears a tie, belt, and black shoes. They will ask u “why don’t u wear a tie” if ure unlucky. Don’t let them find a reason to not take u in the airlines.

When u enter the room, there will be 3 – 4 people sitting behind a long table. Before u enter the room, knock and green them appropriately. Don’t sit until they ask u to or else they will say “who asked u to sit?” or “who gave u permission to sit?”. So, ask permission before sitting.

This is to startle u to make ur confidence drop. Then they will shoot u with questions and pressure u. So, keep calm and answer everything confidently. If u don’t know, just say u don’t know. They don’t want u to ‘try’ to give the wrong answer. Or just answer confidently. Haha.

So im gonna give some example of the interview questions. These are questions collected from most of the cadets. If you are really interested in aviation u must know a little bit of aerodynamics.

So what do they ask during a MAS interview?

Bernoulli’s Principle

Bernoulli’s Principle states that as the speed of a moving fluid increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases.

Like what u leant in physics. So the wing is an aerofoil. Air moves faster above than below (because it has to travel further). So, as the principle suggest, a low pressure area is created above the wing. This ‘pulls the plane up’ creating a lift. If the lift is greater then the drag, the plane will lift off the ground.

Another component affecting the plane is the drag. Which is countered by the trust of the plane. U guys should know this already. Next they might as you about..

These pictures is not by me. I dont remember where are they from. I googled them.

The Fleet status

B747-400 (Passenger)		17
B747-200 (Freighter)		6
B777-200		17
A330-200		5
A330-300		11
B737-400		39
F50		10
DHC6 Twin Otter		5
Total number of aircraft = 110

These are taken directly from the Malaysia Airlines site http://www.malaysiaairlines.com

Then u have to know this names..

Board of Directors

Idris Jala
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Appointed on December 1, 2005

Dato’ Dr. Mohd. Munir Bin Abdul Majid
Chairman
Appointed on August 1, 2004

Dato’ Captain Mohd Nawawi Awang
Senior General Manager Flight Operations

Capt Mohd Azharuddin Osman
General Manager Flight Operations (Ops & Dev)
Capt Kamarudin Kamilin
Chief Pilot (Training & Standards)

Situations

Finally learn the MAS history. Some people got asked a little bit on this. http://hq.malaysiaairlines.com/mh/eng/about_us/about_us.asp

Owh, I just remembered. If they ask u “If u don’t get pass this interview, will u join _____(enter nemesis airlines name here)_____ ?”
The answer for this is “Yes”
“I will join any airlines because my dream is to fly and I want to make a carrier from what I like to do the most. I’ve always imagined myself flying…” continue with your own stuff.

Another interesting part of this interview is they will give u a situation. They will put u in some kind of complex situation where u will be given a few choices. None of the choices will seem right to u but u have to find the ‘best’ way out.

For example, u just joined the airlines and now u have to fly with this very senior captain with 30 years of experience. Its dark outside with clouds scowling around u. He is descending to where he claims is an airport, but u know there is a mountain up ahead. If he keeps descending at this rate, he, I mean, both of u and 200 passangers will hit the mountain for sure. What will u do?

So what’s ur answer? Talk politely to the captain? “NO! I know what im doing!” He shouts at u back.”

The interviewers will shout at u back. “How can u question his experience? He is a senior captain!”

You will be “Um..I will..”

“7000ft!” Another captain making things difficult for you.

“I will..”

“5000!” he counts mercilessly.

“I will grab the controls from him and knock him out!” you came out with ur ‘best’ solution.

“3000! You hit a mountain.”

Now u realized u should have tried to reason with him. U must understand a senior captain doesn’t take advices form younger people because everybody has got some ego in them. So u have to try a different approach. You cant go, “Captain! You are wrong! Im right!” Imagine a 10 year old speaks to u like that. Teaching u to do ur job. The thing u have been doing forever.

So try, “Captain, are u sure there is an airport there?”
If he insist to continue, say “Where is this 4000ft mountain suppose to be?”
Act modest, make him tell u where is it. This way he will realize and attempt to cover his pride. Hehe.
“Owh I was planning to go around the mountain. I wasn’t trying to go straight at it.”
Case solved. But u might get another situation.

Sometimes, in other situation u have to be assertive. I don’t know what will they throw at you. Anyway, I think I might’ve given abit too much info. So u might just cheat on the interview which will cancel the whole purpose of the interview. But u must be really interested in flying to have found this page. Haha. So its not too bad. In the end, it all comes down to u on how u present urself to them. Good luck for those who is going to this interview.

This interview is from my own experience, some of the cadets, some who is already flying, and my dad who used to conduct the interview.

Owh, i forgot to mention something. If they ask u where did u get all the interview info.. say u got it from http://www.malaysiaairlines.com . Haha.

I made a copy of this post at the fourm. The link is http://forum.flydamnit.com/index.php?topic=98