We recently caught up with First Officer, Dr John Kenning and discovered more about his flying career and his journey of turning his dream of being a pilot into a reality. He also shares advice on how to tackle the airline interview process.
How long have you been a pilot? Tell us a little bit about your career so far.
I started flying at age 13 with the Air Training Corps where I flew at an airfield close to home, before moving on to gliders.
While still at University, I started PPL flying along with my hospital job. I pursued the two careers parallelly – instructing part-time while working full-time in the NHS.
After completing training for a frozen ATPL in Spain, I was lucky enough to be offered a flying opportunity with Flybe on the Dash 8 Q400. I moved to the Embraer jet (beautiful aircraft) before finally moving to a large holiday airline on the Boeing 737.
Did you always want to be a pilot?
I wanted to be a pilot right from the start (well that, and a tractor driver!) My first flight with 9AEF at RAF Finningley marked the start of my career and simply confirmed what I had always wanted to do!
I had the goal from an early age, and while my initial career took me in different (and interesting) directions, I never took my eyes off the final prize.
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What was the process of turning that dream into a reality?
It was a long road for me. I came from a solid working-class background, and it’s safe to say that there was no spare money! The only way to do it was to fund the training myself. I came within a whisker of a scholarship and passed all the RAF aptitude tests – but no offer was forthcoming.
So, I had to find the money, and the only way to do that was to build a career parallel to flying.
The difficult and uncomfortable truth of flight training is that it is expensive and there is no way around that.
The difference between those who make it and those who don’t is often the ability to keep writing the cheques even when you don’t really know where the money is coming from!
Where did you find the information you needed to take the first steps toward training to be a pilot?
When I first started flying, the internet was a very new thing. So most of my information came from aviation publications. But, places like PPRuNe (Professional Pilots Rumour Network) were a good place to discuss different options.
It is important to bear in mind that many people who offer advice on “the airlines” have never actually worked there. Having been on both sides, it is possible to look back and see that all the advice given was not always based on facts.
How easy or difficult was it to find the information you needed about how to become a pilot?
Finding information is relatively easy. There is a wealth of information on the internet, and there are always plenty of people around the flying club/training environment who can offer advice.
However, it is important to look at all the information critically. Training providers always have their agenda (that being money), and each trainee will potentially bring large pots of cash.
Advice often proffered with the best intentions is not always based on reality, especially from people who haven’t worked in the airline industry. You have to gather all that information and make an informed decision.
Some of the best information I was given came from friends ahead of me in their training.
They had already found the cheapest providers and worked out who was giving value – and who wasn’t!
After gaining your ATPL, how long did it take you to secure employment?
I was lucky to gain employment within a few months of completing all required elements – and most of my friends were equally lucky. It depends on the current environment; I hit the industry just as the recent boom started.
Where did you find your previous/current jobs?
I watched a flight deck DVD from an online company and decided I really liked Flybe. So, I actively searched their vacancies while also viewing other opportunities. I made quite a few phone calls and filled out several applications.
My current employer turned me down at first. So I popped that on the back burner, gained experience, and then tried again successfully.
What’s the hardest part about finding a pilot job?
There is a range of issues when looking for pilot jobs - finding vacancies for “low-hour pilots”, or those who do not have an appropriate type rating for the aircraft.
Assuming you can find vacancies, you have to look for a suitable location. As a family man, my choice was limited as I didn’t wish to uproot my entire family.
What’s the most difficult part of a pilot interview? What has been the most interesting/unexpected question you’ve been asked during an interview?
Nerves. I absolutely wrecked my first airline interview (with British Airways) because it was such a big moment for me.
I was so nervous that they actually asked me “Do you really want to be a pilot?” It was all I had ever wanted, and the moment was just too big for a young 21-year-old.
I have since realized that the best way to treat interviews is to view them as a friendly conversation between interested parties, and in this case, pilots.
I can honestly say that my experiences have been very positive. You have to prepare for the “tell me about a time when” type questions, and the inevitable “on final approach, low fuel, with sudden flap failure – what do you do?” type questions.
Otherwise, it is just a relaxed and friendly conversation. I can’t say I’ve been asked anything odd, though I’ve heard plenty of apocryphal stories!
What advice would you give to any pilots about to take an interview?
Prepare and relax. Know the company, where they are going, and where they have come from. Understand their business model with the good bits and the bad.
Appreciate the risks to the business, and be able to articulate that. Be open, friendly, and positive. When asked about negative points (such as “What was the worst bit of your previous job”), try to turn them into positives.
But mainly – relax. Good preparation will help this, and a friendly, open, demeanor will carry the day.
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How do you tackle aptitude tests?
For me, I think this is the worst bit. Some people spend lots of money on preparation software but I never did. Most aptitude tests will give you some practice before the actual test so you have an opportunity to become familiar with it.
It may seem silly, but I would add, subtract, and multiply car number plates for weeks before the test to gain fluency in simple maths. And play computer games!
Do you have any tips or techniques to pass on that helped you when learning and retaining technical information?
Different learning styles require different approaches. Having spent many years in education, I have refined my way of studying (I do short 20-minute bursts with a 30-minute break). It often looks as if I’m not working at all!
Mnemonics, rhymes, association with known objects – whatever works, it's an individual preference. Understanding what is important and what isn’t is tricky at first. I have come across people who complete whole courses without taking a single note, and others who write reams of paper.
The industry is notoriously volatile and job security isn’t always a given. How do you manage this?
Flybe, unfortunately, was always sitting on the edge and never felt safe in the long term. The people there were amazing and didn’t deserve the sad outcome they had to endure.
I arrived in the industry with a clear idea of its volatility and still never gave up my NHS career. I have continued to keep up my skills and knowledge. I do some shifts in the background where time allows, giving me a solid second option should it all go wrong.
It is vitally important to have a plan B if you work in the airline industry. Most people you meet will have been made redundant at some stage during their career, and some many times over.
You have to keep your finger on the pulse, and be prepared to act wherever you can (I paid a large bond move companies – it turned out to be money very well spent).
That being said, it can also just be about being lucky – some people have simply been the victims of bad timing, despite their best efforts. If I had stayed at my previous airline longer, I would have been caught up in its demise. It’s a fine balance.
