AIRLINE INTERVIEW GUIDES · RIYADH AIR
Riyadh Air Pilot Interview Questions & Guide (2026)
The questions candidates report being asked, what Riyadh Air is really assessing, and a fully worked model answer, from a pilot who went 8 for 8 in airline interviews.
Written by Sean Deeney, Boeing 787 pilot · Updated November 2026
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The Riyadh Air Interview Guide
- 5 model answers, including "Why Riyadh Air?"
- 2 follow-up probes per answer, and how to handle them
- Reported technical questions, answered
- Riyadh Air's F.R.E.S.H. values, and how to show them without reciting them
Flown for 5 different airlines. 2 command upgrades. Former sales team leader who interviewed candidates himself.
The Riyadh Air pilot interview process
Based on recent candidate reports. Riyadh Air is still building its pilot group, so stages and timings can change between intakes.
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1
Application and screeningOnline application through Riyadh Air careers, with your hours, type and licence checked against the minimums.
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2
Recorded video interview"Why Riyadh Air?", around five ATPL-level knowledge questions, then "Describe yourself."
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3
Competency interview"Tell me about a time" questions, an incident you've handled, and questions on your current type.
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4
Further assessmentCandidates who progress are invited to further assessment. Details vary by intake, so check your invitation carefully.
Riyadh Air pilot interview questions
Each question is labelled so you know where it comes from. Questions change between intakes, so prepare the structure, not a script.
MOTIVATION
COMPETENCY: "TELL ME ABOUT A TIME"
TECHNICAL (ATPL LEVEL)
Sources: recent candidate reports on pilot forums and prep sites. Not provided by or affiliated with Riyadh Air.
What Riyadh Air is really testing
Riyadh Air describes its values as F.R.E.S.H. Panels hear "I align with your values" all day. The candidates who stand out show these values through their stories, without naming them.
Paraphrased from Riyadh Air's About Us page.
"Tell me about a time you had an unplanned event on the flight deck."
What they're really testing: whether you stay calm, prioritise in the right order, and make a sound decision once you've bought yourself time.
MY ANSWER · FROM THE 8 FOR 8 GUIDE
"In 2009, I was flying a Britten-Norman Trislander for Great Barrier Airlines, single pilot, with 10 passengers, departing Claris for Auckland.
Passing about 400 feet, I heard abnormal engine noises and saw the right-hand throttle had pulled itself halfway back. With high terrain around the island, I pushed the throttles forward, and as I did, the right engine failed catastrophically. The propeller came off, struck the fuselage and tore a door off.
My first priority was to fly the aircraft. Rather than continue towards the high ground, I turned out over the ocean, worked through the memory items, secured the engine and got the aircraft stable.
With the aircraft under control, I had time to decide. I returned to Claris, the nearest suitable runway with good weather, transmitted a PAN, and arranged for medical staff to meet us. I chose a flapless approach because I didn't know what other damage the propeller had done, and I didn't want to risk an asymmetric flap problem.
We landed safely. I asked the passengers to stay seated until I opened the doors myself, so no one would be hit by a loose panel from the damaged side. Nobody was seriously injured, and the local MP later wrote to me commending how it was handled.
What I took from it: anything can happen on any day. Since then, before every take-off, I brief myself on where I'm going and what my plan is if something goes wrong."
Why it works
Your event doesn't have to be this dramatic. A diversion, a weather change or a passenger issue works just as well. What matters is the structure.
FREE RIYADH AIR GUIDE
Get the other four model answers, plus "Why Riyadh Air?"
Each answer comes with the follow-up questions panels ask, and how to handle them.
Technical questions: a worked example
The recorded video stage includes ATPL-level knowledge questions. Here's one, answered the way a panel wants to hear it: short, structured and accurate.
Why do jet aircraft have swept wings?
Sweep reduces the component of airflow across the wing chord, which raises the critical Mach number and delays the drag rise from compressibility, so the aircraft can cruise efficiently at higher speeds.
The trade-offs: less lift at low speed, so more high-lift devices are needed; a tendency for the tips to stall first, which can cause pitch-up; and a greater tendency to Dutch roll, which is why yaw dampers are fitted.
The free guide covers jet streams and forward versus aft CG too. For questions on your current type, know your own aircraft's systems and limitations well.
WHAT PILOTS SAY
From pilots I've helped
Thanks for your support throughout this process for me. I found the course you presented was a lot of help for myself just to get in the right frame of mind and to steer me in the right direction. I'm now moving into the active hold pool.
I had a great experience speaking with Sean. He was very approachable and took the time to answer all my questions honestly and in detail, which gave me a much clearer picture. I'd definitely recommend him to other pilots looking for guidance with their next career move.
WHO WROTE THIS
Sean Deeney, Boeing 787 pilot
I've sat eight airline interviews and received eight job offers, from regional turboprops to long-haul widebody. Before flying professionally, I led sales teams and interviewed candidates myself, so I've seen the process from both sides of the table.
Every answer on this page is one I'd take into an interview today. The structure is what you can borrow; the story has to be yours.
See how airline-specific coaching works →Riyadh Air pilot interview FAQ
What questions are asked in the Riyadh Air pilot interview?
Candidates report a recorded video stage covering "Why Riyadh Air?", ATPL-level knowledge questions and "Describe yourself", followed by competency questions about real events on the flight deck, such as an unplanned event or a disagreement in the cockpit.
How should I answer "Why Riyadh Air?"
Pick two or three reasons that are genuinely true for you, such as joining an airline from the start, moving to a new long-haul fleet, or a guest-focused brand. Back each one with a real moment from your career, and let Riyadh Air's values show through your story rather than reciting them.
What are Riyadh Air's values?
Riyadh Air describes its values as F.R.E.S.H.: bold innovation, precision and care, an empowered team that owns and solves problems, consistently high standards, and Hafawa, meaning warm, genuine hospitality.
What technical questions does Riyadh Air ask?
Candidates report ATPL-level questions such as jet streams, forward versus aft centre of gravity and swept wings, plus questions on the aircraft type they currently fly.
Walk into your Riyadh Air interview prepared
Five model answers, the follow-up questions, and the technical answers, in one free guide.
SEND ME THE FREE GUIDEMy Flight Deck Prep is independent and not affiliated with Riyadh Air. Interview details are based on candidate reports and may change.