flydubai Pilot Interview Questions 2026

I Would Complete the Brief Myself — If the captain's approach brief is incomplete on a flight to Damascus, I would fill in the gaps: "Captain, I'd like to add a few items — the minima for the approach are [X], the missed approach procedure is [Y], and the threats I see are [Z]." A poorly briefed approach is a known precursor to accidents. As PM, I have a professional obligation to ensure I have the information I need to monitor the approach effectively. If the captain resists, I would be direct: "I need this information to do my job as monitoring pilot."

The PM's role in briefing quality — active, not passive — the approach brief is a PF responsibility, but the PM is expected to actively ensure its completeness. The PM's role is not to sit silently and accept whatever brief is given. If the captain has omitted the missed approach procedure, the PM should prompt: 'Captain, could you also cover the missed approach?' If the DA/MDA was not stated, ask: 'What is our decision altitude today?' These are professional questions, not challenges to authority. flydubai's CRM framework explicitly expects PMs to be active participants in approach briefing, and the airline's competency-based interview evaluates this expectation directly.

Why Damascus specifically is challenging — Damascus (OSDI) is a politically and operationally complex destination on flydubai's network. The airport has specific approach procedures that may differ from standard European patterns: potential for restricted airspace segments near the approach path, a security environment that requires heightened awareness, ATC services that may be less standardised than at DXB, and infrastructure that may not match the reliability of major hub airports. An incomplete brief for Damascus specifically — rather than for a straightforward GCC shuttle — represents a higher risk because the operational environment has fewer safety margins to absorb crew errors. flydubai resumed flights to Damascus in 2025 as part of its network expansion, making this a current and realistic operational scenario.

Structured escalation — assertive but professional — if your initial prompts do not result in a complete brief, escalate: 'Captain, I am not comfortable descending until we have covered the approach brief, go-around plan, and threat assessment. Can we complete the brief before top of descent?' This is assertive but respectful. If the captain dismisses the concern, use the CRM graduated assertion model: state the concern factually, reference the SOP requirement for a complete approach brief, and if necessary, state that you are not comfortable proceeding without the brief. flydubai's just culture policy supports crew members who assert safety concerns, and the airline's GCAA-compliant procedures require a complete approach briefing before descent.

After the situation — debrief and reporting — if the approach completes without incident, a professional debrief with the captain is appropriate: 'I noticed the approach brief was shorter than usual — is there a reason, or would you like me to prompt on specific items going forward?' Frame it as collaborative, not critical. If the incomplete brief contributed to any approach instability or safety concern, file a safety report through flydubai's reporting system. The airline's flight data monitoring programme tracks approach stability metrics, and briefing quality is a contributing factor that the safety team analyses. flydubai's 126,604 annual flights depend on consistent approach briefing quality across 1,200+ pilots — your intervention as PM contributes to that consistency.

flydubai Operational Context — the airline's diverse route network means approach complexity varies enormously: a straightforward ILS to DXB 30L in CAVOK conditions is fundamentally different from a non-precision approach to a Central Asian airport in marginal weather. The approach briefing must scale to match the operational demand. flydubai's training programme at the Flight Training Centre emphasises that thorough briefings on every sector — not just difficult ones — build the habit that ensures quality when it matters most. The simulator assessment at CAE Dubai evaluates briefing quality as part of the overall CRM assessment, and an incomplete brief during the assessment would be noted as a negative indicator.

Power sources — generation and distribution — the B737 electrical system has two independent AC generation channels. Each engine drives an Integrated Drive Generator (IDG) that produces 115V/400Hz three-phase AC power at a constant frequency regardless of engine RPM. Engine 1 IDG feeds AC Bus 1; Engine 2 IDG feeds AC Bus 2. The APU generator can power both AC buses (typically used on the ground or as backup in flight). An external power receptacle allows ground power connection. The Bus Tie Breaker (BTB) connects the two AC buses but is normally open during dual-engine operations to maintain independence. flydubai's fleet includes both the NG 737-800 and MAX 8/9 variants — the electrical architecture is fundamentally similar, though the MAX features updated monitoring and some revised bus configurations.

AC power flow and bus tie logic — Engine 1 IDG → Generator Breaker 1 → AC Bus 1. Engine 2 IDG → Generator Breaker 2 → AC Bus 2. If one IDG fails, the BTB automatically closes to allow the remaining IDG to power both buses. If both IDGs fail, the APU generator (if running) powers both buses. If the APU is unavailable, the AC standby bus receives power from a static inverter powered by the battery bus, providing limited AC power for essential instruments. This cascading redundancy ensures that critical flight instruments and communications remain available even in multiple-failure scenarios — a design philosophy that supports operations across flydubai's diverse 140-destination network where diversion options may be limited.

DC power and batteries — DC power is derived from AC through Transformer Rectifier Units (TRUs). TRU 1 converts AC Bus 1 power to 28V DC for DC Bus 1; TRU 2 does the same for DC Bus 2. The Battery Bus is powered by the main battery (24V nickel-cadmium) and provides emergency power for essential instruments, standby compass, and fire protection. The hot battery bus is powered directly from the battery with no switching — it provides power to the clock, flight data recorder, and fire detection at all times. On the MAX, the battery capacity and monitoring are enhanced compared to the NG, reflecting lessons from industry-wide lithium battery incidents on other types.

Electrical failure scenarios and crew response — single IDG failure: the BTB closes automatically, remaining IDG powers both buses — no immediate action required beyond monitoring load. Dual IDG failure: if APU available, start APU and connect APU generator; if APU unavailable, battery power provides approximately 30 minutes of limited essential services (standby instruments, one VHF radio, limited flight director). The emergency electrical configuration on the B737 is sparse — it supports a controlled descent and approach but not extended cruise. Load shedding is critical: the crew should shed non-essential loads (galley, some lighting, non-essential avionics) to extend battery endurance.

EICAS indications and practical management — key electrical EICAS messages include: IDG DISCONNECT (IDG has failed or been manually disconnected — cannot be reconnected in flight), GEN OFF BUS (generator breaker has opened), TRANSFER BUS OFF (transfer bus has lost power — affects some flight instruments and autoflight), and BUS OFF messages for specific buses. The crew's priority sequence is: identify the failure, verify by cross-checking bus voltage on the electrical system page, attempt to restore power (close generator breakers, activate APU if needed), and assess the operational impact. At flydubai, electrical system failures are trained during recurrent simulator sessions at the airline's Flight Training Centre — the assessors at CAE Dubai may include electrical failure scenarios in the selection profile to evaluate systems knowledge and crew coordination under degraded electrical conditions.

flydubai Operational Context — the airline's B737 fleet of 97 aircraft (26 NG + 68 MAX 8 + 3 MAX 9) means pilots transition between NG and MAX variants, and understanding the electrical system differences between them is operationally important. The MAX features an updated electrical load management system and revised EICAS messaging format compared to the NG. During hot-and-high operations at DXB and Gulf outstations (where ambient temperatures exceed 45°C), electrical system loads increase due to air conditioning demands and pack operation — understanding the relationship between electrical generation capacity and cooling requirements is practically relevant for flydubai's summer operations.

Set up the context clearly using STAR — describe the specific operation: route, aircraft type, weather conditions, crew composition. Make it concrete and operational, not abstract. For example: 'On a night flight from [origin] to [destination] in moderate turbulence with a crew member I had not flown with before...' The specificity establishes credibility immediately. flydubai interviewers — typically an HR representative and a captain — will follow up with probing questions if your story feels generic, so choose an example that you can discuss in detail.

Describe what made the teamwork effective — good CRM is not the absence of problems; it is the ability to manage them collaboratively. The best examples include a moment where something did not go as planned and the crew's coordination turned a potential issue into a positive outcome. Perhaps your co-pilot caught a missed checklist item, or you and the captain collaboratively managed a diversion decision, or the cabin crew's timely communication about a passenger issue allowed the flight deck to prepare effectively. The key is showing that the teamwork was active, not passive — it involved communication, shared mental model, and mutual monitoring.

Include a specific moment of genuine coordination — identify one precise moment in the flight where the teamwork made a measurable difference: a callout that prevented an error, a briefing that prepared the crew for an unexpected event, a task redistribution that maintained safe workload levels. At flydubai, where pilots operate with different crew members on most flights across a network spanning 140 destinations in 58 countries, the ability to establish effective crew dynamics quickly is essential. The best teams are not the ones that have flown together for years — they are the ones that use structured communication and clear role definitions to perform well from the first flight together.

What you took from it — close with the learning. Strong CRM answers do not just describe what happened; they show that you reflected on the experience and extracted a principle you now apply consistently. Perhaps the experience reinforced the value of explicit briefing techniques, or demonstrated that investing 60 seconds in a proper crew introduction on a turnaround pays dividends in communication quality throughout the flight. Connect this learning to your general approach to crew coordination and how it would translate to flydubai's operation.

flydubai Operational Context — flydubai's multinational crew environment means you will regularly fly with colleagues from different training backgrounds, cultural norms, and experience levels. The airline's 1,200+ pilot community includes cadets building initial jet hours alongside captains with decades of experience. Effective teamwork in this environment requires more than basic CRM — it requires cultural intelligence, communication adaptability, and genuine respect for diverse professional backgrounds. Your example should demonstrate these qualities, even if the specific situation occurred at a different airline. The Emirates-flydubai codeshare (5M+ joint passengers annually) also means flydubai crew regularly interact with Emirates operations, adding another dimension to the coordination requirement.

EGPWS Modes — The Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System on the B737 provides seven warning modes: Mode 1 (excessive descent rate), Mode 2 (excessive terrain closure rate), Mode 3 (altitude loss after takeoff), Mode 4 (unsafe terrain clearance — gear or flaps not in landing configuration), Mode 5 (below glideslope deviation), Mode 6 (altitude callouts and bank angle), and Mode 7 (windshear warning). The Enhanced component provides a terrain database display and forward-looking terrain alerting (FLTA) that scans ahead of the aircraft.

Most Relevant for flydubai — Modes 1 and 2 (terrain closure) are most critical on routes to high-elevation airports with surrounding mountainous terrain: Kathmandu (4,390 ft, surrounded by Himalayas), Kabul (5,877 ft, complex approach through valleys), Bishkek, Dushanbe, and Tbilisi. Mode 4 alerts are common during visual approaches to these airports where non-standard configurations or early descent may trigger nuisance warnings. Crews must understand the difference between genuine terrain threats and nuisance alerts while defaulting to escape manoeuvre compliance for all hard warnings.

flydubai Operational Context — The terrain database must be current — an outdated database at a mountain airport could fail to provide adequate warning. flydubai's operations manual requires crews to verify database currency during pre-flight. EGPWS inhibiting is prohibited during approach regardless of expected nuisance alerts.

Ownership and Structure — Both flydubai and Emirates are owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), the principal investment arm of the Government of Dubai. Despite common ownership, they operate as separate airlines with distinct AOCs, brands, and business models. flydubai is a low-cost carrier focused on short- and medium-haul point-to-point routes, while Emirates operates a full-service long-haul hub-and-spoke network. Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum oversees both airlines.

Codeshare Operations — The Emirates-flydubai codeshare, launched in 2017, connects both networks at Dubai International (DXB). flydubai feeds Emirates' long-haul routes with regional traffic from destinations Emirates does not serve directly — cities in Central Asia, the Caucasus, East Africa, and secondary European airports. Passengers book a single itinerary with baggage checked through, and loyalty points are shared via Emirates Skywards. The codeshare covers over 200 combined destinations.

flydubai Operational Context — For pilots, the practical impact is higher load factors and schedule density. flydubai operates many back-to-back sectors on codeshare routes with quick turnarounds. Understanding this partnership shows assessors you recognise flydubai is not a standalone LCC but an integrated part of the Dubai aviation ecosystem.