How to Prepare for the Jetconnect Pilot Interview: Process, Questions & Tips
If you've got a Jetconnect pilot interview coming up, congratulations — but don't make the mistake of treating this like any other Qantas Group application. Jetconnect has its own identity, its own operation, and its own assessment process. Walking in with generic Qantas knowledge and hoping it covers the gap is how good candidates get filtered out.
I'm Sean. I'm a current B787 pilot and the founder of My Flight Deck Prep. I've sat eight airline interviews as a candidate — all successful, including the Jetconnect interview. I've also been on the other side of the interview table, making hiring decisions in professional roles outside aviation. I know what assessors look for, what makes them lean forward, and what makes them quietly write someone off.
This article walks you through the Jetconnect pilot interview process end to end — the stages, what they're assessing, the questions candidates consistently report, and practical tips for assessment day. No fluff, no generic advice. Just what actually matters when you're sitting in front of a Jetconnect panel.
What is Jetconnect?
Jetconnect is Qantas's Auckland-based operation flying Boeing 737-800s on Trans-Tasman routes between New Zealand and Australia. It was established in 2002 and employs over 650 crew across New Zealand — pilots, cabin crew, and support staff. The head office is in Auckland, with crew bases in Auckland and Wellington.
Here's what catches candidates out: Jetconnect pilots fly Qantas routes, wear Qantas uniforms, operate Qantas-branded aircraft, and deliver the Qantas customer experience — but they're employed by Jetconnect Limited, a separate New Zealand entity. In November 2018, Jetconnect transferred its aircraft to Qantas and ceased operating as a standalone airline, but it continues to employ the pilots and cabin crew who operate these Trans-Tasman services on behalf of Qantas.
The operation connects New Zealand to the Qantas International network. Jetconnect pilots fly from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown to Australian east-coast destinations — Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. It's short-haul international jet flying: multi-sector days, Trans-Tasman crossings, and the unique demands of operating between New Zealand and Australian airspace.
Training is delivered by Qantas Flight Training — one of the most respected aviation training organisations in the world. Pilots receive a fully funded B737 type rating at no cost, provided they remain employed within the Qantas Group for three years. First Officers receive full base pay from day one.
If you want to live in New Zealand and fly jets for the Qantas Group, this is your path. But you need to understand what makes Jetconnect distinct — and that starts with the interview.
The Jetconnect Pilot Interview Process
Jetconnect follows the standard Qantas Group assessment format, but with a distinctly New Zealand flavour. The full process typically takes several months from application to offer. Here's what to expect at each stage.
Stage 1: Online Application & Screening
You'll apply through the Qantas Group careers portal. The application includes your personal information, up to 10 years of work experience, training history, resume, and cover letter. Jetconnect reviews your licence, total hours, type ratings, medical validity, and ICAO English level against minimum requirements.
Minimum requirements:
Australian ATPL(A) or CPL(A) — CPL holders must have passes in all CASA or NZ CAA ATPL subjects
CASA Multi-Engine Aeroplane Instrument Rating with 2D and 3D Instrument Approach endorsements
Current MEA Instrument Proficiency Check
Level 6 English Language Proficiency on your CASA licence
Current CASA Class 1 Medical
Eligibility for both ASIC (Australia) and AvSec (NZ) security clearances
Valid passport with at least 12 months' validity
The right to live and work in New Zealand without restriction or sponsorship — non-NZ/Australian passport holders require a New Zealand Permanent Resident Visa
Hour requirements:
1,500 hours total aeronautical experience
500 hours powered fixed-wing multi-engine or single-engine turbine
250 hours command of a powered fixed-wing aeroplane, OR 250 hours command (up to 180 hours may be ICUS) plus 500 hours as co-pilot on a transport category aeroplane
Jetconnect is actively recruiting both type-rated and non-type-rated First Officers. Your application must match your logbook exactly — discrepancies are flagged immediately.
Stage 2: Psychometric & Personality Testing
Before the assessment day, you'll complete two online psychometric assessments — one measuring personality, the other measuring motivation. These are straightforward: you'll rate statements on a five-point scale from "very demotivating" to "very motivating."
The content isn't difficult, but the consistency check is. The assessments are designed to catch contradictions — if you rate "I prefer working independently" as very motivating but also rate "I enjoy collaborating in a team" as very motivating, the system flags it. Be yourself, be honest, and be consistent. Trying to game a personality test by guessing what the airline wants to hear is the fastest way to get filtered.
Stage 3: Aptitude Testing (SHL)
The aptitude component uses SHL testing — numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and spatial awareness. This is the same battery used across the Qantas Group. The content isn't difficult individually, but the time pressure catches candidates out. You're doing three things at once under a ticking clock.
Practise with SHL-style tests online before your assessment. Free resources are available on the SHL website, and paid preparation packages exist specifically for Qantas Group pilot assessments. The numerical component involves interpreting data tables and graphs under time pressure — if you haven't done mental arithmetic since flight school, brush up.
Stage 4: Assessment Day — Group Exercise
The in-person assessment day typically brings a small group of candidates together. The group exercise is often a "Mayday" or survival prioritisation scenario — you're given a situation (typically an aircraft emergency or survival scenario) and asked to work as a group to prioritise actions or resources.
Assessors observe from the sidelines. They're evaluating communication, teamwork, leadership, and how you influence without dominating. The candidates who do well here contribute early, listen actively, build on others' ideas, and invite quieter candidates into the discussion. The candidates who fail are either completely passive or aggressively dominant — both are red flags.
This isn't about getting the "right" answer. It's about showing you can work effectively in a multi-crew environment where different personalities and communication styles need to come together to solve a problem.
Stage 5: Panel Interview
The make-or-break stage. A panel interview with Jetconnect management pilots and Qantas Group HR. The interview typically runs 30–45 minutes and combines behavioural competency questions with a handful of technical knowledge questions.
You'll get approximately three to four "tell me about a time" behavioural questions drawn from the Qantas Group competency framework, and a further 3-4 technical or IFR questions. You'll also be asked what you know about Jetconnect and why you want to work there specifically.
The panel has been known to alternate between behavioural and technical — sometimes switching without warning. This tests cognitive task-switching under pressure, exactly what happens in a real cockpit when you're managing a non-normal situation while communicating with ATC.
Stage 7: Simulator Assessment
Conducted on a Boeing 737 Level D simulator. The profile typically includes a visual departure, medium and steep turns, last minute level offs and an ILS to minima with a missed approach and subsequent landing. The scoring is weighted toward CRM and communication — not just raw flying ability.
Brief everything. Communicate throughout. If you make a mistake, call it, correct it, and move on. Silence in the sim is the fastest way to fail. A candidate who maintains parameters within tolerance and talks through every decision will beat a silent candidate who flies perfectly. They're assessing whether you'll be safe and effective in a Jetconnect cockpit, not just whether you can hand-fly a raw data ILS to perfection.
Jetconnect Interview Questions
Here are the questions candidates consistently report being asked at the Jetconnect panel interview. Please note these are not official questions and can change at any time. The behavioural questions come from the shared Qantas Group competency framework. I'll give you each question and how to approach it — the full model answers and structured frameworks are in the coaching resources.
1. Questions around Safety. When have you had to maintain or uphold it? Tell us about a time you had to make a decision with safety at the forefront of your decision etc.
This isn't about reporting a problem — it's about proactively making something safer. Did you suggest a briefing change? Identify a hazard on a route? Improve a checklist or SOP at your previous operation? The assessors want to see that safety isn't just something you comply with, but something you actively contribute to. Use STAR format and focus on the initiative you took, not just the outcome.
2. Challenges Qantas or the aviation industry faces itself. What can be done to mitigate those?
This is a knowledge and awareness question, not a behavioural one. They want to see you understand the industry beyond your own cockpit. Current candidates have discussed the global pilot shortage, sustainability and emissions reduction, airspace congestion, supply chain pressures, and the integration of new technology aswell as project sunrise. The critical part is the second half — what is the industry doing about it? Mention SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), Qantas's emissions reduction targets, fleet modernisation, or training pipeline investment. For Jetconnect specifically, think about what sustainability means for a Trans-Tasman 737 operation — fuel efficiency, single-engine taxi, continuous descent approaches. Vague answers like "safety is always a challenge" show you haven't thought about it.
3. Questions around sustainability or enhancing your current airline’s financial position or standing.
This question catches candidates off guard because it bridges two areas — sustainability and commercial awareness — that pilots don't always think about. The assessors want pilots who understand that an airline is a business. Your example doesn't need to be aviation-specific. Maybe you identified a fuel-saving technique, suggested a more efficient routing, reduced waste in operations, or proposed a cost-saving measure at a previous employer. The point is showing you think beyond flying the aircraft.
4. Problem solving questions. Identify examples from your career where you’ve had to solve issues or problems.
Classic problem-solving competency. The key word is "specific" — don't generalise. Use STAR format and pick an operational example where the problem had real consequences. Describe the problem clearly, what information you gathered, the options you considered, the decision you made, and the outcome. The assessors are less interested in whether you solved it perfectly and more interested in your process — structured, methodical, and communicative.
5. Leadership questions. Leading a team.. taking the initiative.. coaching another team member to success.
Initiative is about seeing something that needs doing and doing it without being told. This could be operational — stepping up during an abnormal situation, taking charge of a passenger issue, or identifying and fixing a problem before it escalated. It could also be from outside the cockpit — leading a project, mentoring a junior pilot, or improving a process. The assessors want pilots who don't sit back and wait for instructions. Show that you see what needs to happen and you make it happen.
Additional Jetconnect-Specific Questions
Beyond the eight competency questions, candidates consistently report being asked:
"What do you know about Jetconnect?"
This is where generic Qantas knowledge falls apart. Know the specifics: Auckland-based, B737-800, Trans-Tasman routes to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown. Know that Jetconnect employs over 650 crew, that it's been operating since 2002, and that pilots are employed by Jetconnect Limited — a separate New Zealand entity — even though they fly under the Qantas banner. If your answer could apply to any Qantas Group airline, you haven't done enough research.
"Why do you want to work for Jetconnect specifically?"
The panel wants to hear that you've thought about living in New Zealand and what that means. Talk about the Trans-Tasman operation, the lifestyle in Auckland or Wellington, the close-kit team culture, and the opportunity to fly jets for the Qantas Group while based in NZ. Avoid leading with salary or conditions — focus on the operation and the lifestyle. If you're an Australian looking to move across the Tasman, show you've genuinely thought about the relocation, not just the job.
Technical and IFR questions
Expect three to four technical or IFR questions during the panel interview. Based on candidate reports, these cover:
IFR approach procedures and differences between NZ and Australian airspace
EDTO — what it means, why it's relevant to Trans-Tasman operations, and what the requirements are
Holding patterns — entry procedures, timing, tracking
Airspace classification differences between New Zealand and Australia
General instrument flying knowledge
Know the operational environment cold. If you've only flown in Australian airspace, study the NZ differences. If you've only flown in NZ, understand the Australian side. The Trans-Tasman operation means you need to be fluent in both.
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What Jetconnect Assessors Are Looking For
Throughout every stage — the psychometric testing, the group exercise, the technical test, the interview, and the sim — Jetconnect is evaluating a consistent set of competencies. Understanding what they're measuring helps you frame every answer:
Safety mindset — This is non-negotiable. Jetconnect operates under the Qantas safety culture, and every assessment is designed to filter out candidates who treat safety as a checkbox. Questions 1 and 2 of the competency set exist specifically to test this. If you can't demonstrate an active, personal commitment to safety, you won't get through.
Cultural fit — Jetconnect is a New Zealand-based operation with a close-knit team culture. The panel wants pilots who'll thrive living in NZ, working with Kiwi and Australian crew, and being part of a smaller operation within the broader Qantas Group. The "Why Jetconnect?" question is not a formality — it's a filter. Show genuine enthusiasm for the Trans-Tasman operation and life in New Zealand.
Decision-making — Can you make structured, defensible decisions under pressure? Questions 5 and 6 test this directly. The assessors want to see a process: gather information, consider options, decide, communicate, and review. Pilots who make decisions based on ego, inertia, or "that's how we've always done it" don't make it through.
Initiative — Jetconnect wants pilots who contribute, not just comply. Question 7 is designed to identify candidates who see problems and fix them. In a Trans-Tasman operation where you're crossing between two countries' airspace and regulatory frameworks daily, you'll face situations that aren't in the SOP and you'll need to think for yourself.
Sustainability and commercial awareness — This is a newer focus, reflected in questions 3 and 4. The Qantas Group publishes detailed sustainability targets for emissions reduction, SAF adoption, and fleet modernisation. They want pilots who understand that the airline industry is under pressure to change, and who can contribute to that change — not just operationally, but in terms of efficiency and cost consciousness.
Leadership potential — Question 8 tests this. Jetconnect invests heavily in training — including a fully funded type rating — and they want a return on that investment through command progression. If you can't demonstrate leadership in any context — aviation or otherwise — the panel will question whether you're a long-term proposition.
IFR proficiency — Jetconnect specifically seeks pilots with strong instrument flying experience. Candidates with high VFR time and limited IFR have been knocked back. The Trans-Tasman operation involves regular IMC, instrument approaches, and EDTO requirements. Your instrument knowledge and procedural fluency need to be sharp.
Tips for the Jetconnect Interview
Based on patterns from successful candidates, here's what separates those who get hired from those who are eliminated:
Prepare STAR stories mapped to the eight competencies. Don't walk in with a general idea of your experiences. Write down at least eight specific stories — one for each competency question — and structure them using STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Label each story with the competency it demonstrates. Some stories will cover multiple competencies, but have enough variety that you're not reusing the same example for three different questions.
Research Jetconnect specifically — not just "Qantas." Know the Trans-Tasman routes, the B737-800 operation, the Auckland and Wellington bases, and what life in New Zealand looks like. Know that Jetconnect is a separate New Zealand entity employing its own crew, not a branch of Qantas mainline. Understand the history — established in 2002, ceased operating as a standalone airline in 2018 but continues to employ pilots and cabin crew for Qantas Trans-Tasman services. Generic Qantas knowledge isn't enough. If you confuse Jetconnect with QantasLink or any other group airline, you're done.
Know the fleet inside out. Jetconnect operates the Boeing 737-800. Know the aircraft: CFM56-7B engines, glass cockpit, winglets, the role it plays in the Trans-Tasman network. Non-type-rated candidates aren't expected to know every system, but you should understand the basics of the type and why it's suited to Trans-Tasman operations. If you're type-rated, expect deeper technical questions.
Brush up on NZ versus Australian airspace. The Trans-Tasman operation means you'll be operating in both New Zealand and Australian airspace regularly. Know the differences: airspace classifications, approach procedures, ATC phraseology, and regulatory frameworks. Candidates who've only operated in one country need to show they understand the other. This comes up in the technical test and the panel interview.
Understand EDTO. Extended Diversion Time Operations is a specific focus for Jetconnect — Trans-Tasman flying over water requires EDTO planning. Know what EDTO means, the different time thresholds, what equipment and operational requirements apply, and why it's relevant to the Trans-Tasman route network. You will almost certainly be asked about this.
Practise the psychometric and aptitude tests. Jetconnect uses SHL aptitude testing — numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and spatial awareness — alongside personality and motivation questionnaires. The content isn't difficult individually, but the time pressure catches candidates out. Practise with SHL-style tests online before your assessment. The personality test is straightforward — be yourself, but be consistent. Contradictory answers across questions flag as dishonest.
The sim is about CRM, not flying. Like most airline simulator assessments, the Jetconnect sim is weighted heavily toward CRM and communication, not just raw flying ability. Brief everything. Communicate throughout. If you make a mistake, call it, correct it, and move on. Silence in the sim is the fastest way to fail. A candidate who talks through everything and flies to tolerance will beat a silent candidate who flies perfectly.
Show genuine enthusiasm for New Zealand. Jetconnect wants pilots who want to be in New Zealand — not pilots using it as a stepping stone to somewhere else. If you're a Kiwi, show your connection to the place. If you're an Australian or from further afield, demonstrate you've thought seriously about the relocation: cost of living, lifestyle, family considerations, career trajectory. "I just want a jet job" is not the answer they're looking for.
Match your logbook exactly. Every page may be checked during document verification. Ensure your numbers match everywhere — application, CV, and logbook. Bring originals of your licence, logbook, medical, and passport, plus copies of everything.
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This article is an independent preparation guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Qantas Airways, Jetconnect, Network Aviation, QantasLink, National Jet Systems, or any Qantas Group entity. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. The interview questions and processes described are based on publicly available information and reports from past candidates. Actual interview content, format, and processes may vary and change over time.