Etihad Airways Pilot Interview & Assessment Prep
A stage-by-stage, founder-reviewed guide to Etihad Airways pilot selection in Abu Dhabi - covering the COMPASS aptitude test, ATPL technical exam, interview, simulator assessment and entry requirements, compiled from official Etihad sources plus first-hand candidate and prep-vendor reports.
The selection process, stage by stage
Etihad runs parallel streams (Direct Entry FO, Direct Entry Captain, and a UAE-national cadet scheme). The flow below reflects the current Direct Entry pilot process.
- ✈Online application is submitted through the Etihad careers portal (careers.etihad.com), which runs on the Eightfold AI recruiting platform.
- ✈CV upload accepts .docx or .pdf up to 10MB; supporting docs (ATPL, hours breakdown, medical, last logbook pages) are attached separately.candidate-reported
- ✈Stage 1 is a pre-recorded video interview covering a self-introduction, an HR/competency question and a technical question.candidate-reported
- ✈Stage 2 is an online COMPASS aptitude test completed remotely before any in-person invite.candidate-reported
- ✈Final stage is an in-person assessment held in Abu Dhabi, or at European recruitment roadshows in cities such as London Gatwick, Milan, Madrid, Rome, Warsaw and Budapest.candidate-reported
- ✈The in-person day bundles an ATPL/technical written test, a group exercise, HR and fleet/technical interviews, an aviation English check, the simulator assessment and a GCAA medical.candidate-reported
- ✈Etihad recruited around 400 pilots in 2025 and continues active hiring to support its Journey 2030 fleet-growth plan.candidate-reported
Requirements and eligibility
Confirm exact minimums against the live job posting you are applying to - they vary by fleet and by FO vs Captain.
- ✈All pilots need an unrestricted (or valid frozen) ATPL recognised/convertible by the UAE GCAA, plus a Class 1 medical and strong written and spoken English.
- ✈A320 First Officer (reported): ~1,500h on multi-crew glass-cockpit MPA with ~500h on type, OR ~1,500h total with ~1,000h on A320-family aircraft.candidate-reported
- ✈Direct Entry Captain (reported): roughly 5,500h+ total for narrowbody A320 command, scaling higher (~6,000-7,000h total with 3,000h+ PIC on jets >50t) for widebody command.candidate-reported
- ✈Direct Entry Captains are placed on A350, B777 and B787; Direct Entry First Officers without a current type rating typically go to the A320 family or B787 per operational need.candidate-reported
- ✈Age caps are reported in the recruitment market (commonly cited as FO up to ~50 and widebody captain up to ~59) - verify the limit on the specific vacancy.candidate-reported
- ✈A professional studio headshot (35x45mm, white background, business attire) on the CV is a frequently reported Gulf-carrier screening expectation.candidate-reported
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COMPASS online aptitude test
Etihad uses the COMPASS (Computerised Pilot Aptitude Screening System) battery. It tests psychomotor coordination, memory, spatial orientation and multitasking - prep vendors mirror these exact modules.
- ✈Aircraft/instrument orientation: interpret a compass heading, artificial horizon attitude and a climb/descend/level indicator, then orient quickly in 3D.candidate-reported
- ✈Slalom (motor control): fly an aircraft through a vertical slalom of gates, testing hand-eye coordination.candidate-reported
- ✈Short-term memory: recall and 'chunk' sequences of information presented briefly.candidate-reported
- ✈Task manager / multitasking: monitor and respond to several concurrent tasks (a control/coordination task plus monitoring), often described as flight-director coordination.candidate-reported
- ✈Mental arithmetic and basic maths under time pressure feature in the COMPASS numeracy element.candidate-reported
- ✈Mechanical reasoning, science and FMS-style modules also appear in vendor prep packs aligned to the Etihad battery.candidate-reported
ATPL technical test and interview
Type-rated candidates get a more aircraft-specific technical exam; non-type-rated candidates face generic ATPL theory. Interviews mix HR/competency with fleet and technical knowledge.
- ✈Written technical exam covers aircraft systems, procedures and charts; reported as roughly a 50/50 split of generic ATPL theory and aircraft-specific systems for type-rated applicants.candidate-reported
- ✈ATPL subject areas tested include aerodynamics, aircraft systems, engines, meteorology, navigation, performance & planning and human performance.candidate-reported
- ✈A group exercise assesses CRM, communication and teamwork.candidate-reported
- ✈HR/competency interview uses STAR-style questions on motivation, adaptability to Abu Dhabi/Gulf life and handling stress.candidate-reported
- ✈Reported example themes: 'Why Etihad and why Abu Dhabi?', what you know about the fleet (B787, A350, B777), and a time you managed a difficult crew or stressful situation.candidate-reported
- ✈Expect to describe your technique for flying a raw-data ILS to minimums and to discuss systems on your current type.candidate-reported
- ✈An aviation English assessment confirms ICAO Level 4+ proficiency.candidate-reported
Simulator assessment
A handling and procedures check, typically on A320 or B787 depending on the fleet stream. Assessors grade raw flying, SOP discipline and crew coordination - briefing matters as much as stick-and-rudder.
- ✈Sim profile is run in the A320 or B787 depending on the stream you are assessed for.candidate-reported
- ✈Candidates fly both Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring roles across the session.candidate-reported
- ✈Manoeuvres reported include general handling, steep turns and a raw-data (no flight director) ILS, often with a go-around at minimums.candidate-reported
- ✈Scenarios introduce failures and abnormals to test workload management and decision-making.candidate-reported
- ✈Graded on instrument scan, accuracy, SOP adherence, situational awareness, CRM and calm under pressure - not perfection.candidate-reported
- ✈A thorough self-brief and clear PM callouts are reported to weigh heavily in the assessor's view.candidate-reported
GCAA medical and the cadet programme
The in-person process includes a full GCAA medical, and Etihad also runs a sponsored cadet scheme for UAE nationals.
- ✈The assessment includes a full GCAA-standard medical; candidates report an extensive, fasting-required day (~07:30 to evening) with detailed eye testing for colour vision and acuity.candidate-reported
- ✈National Cadet Pilot Programme is open to UAE nationals aged 18-29 with a high-school diploma or higher (official).
- ✈Cadet entry requires a minimum IELTS 5.5; male applicants must have completed or be exempt from UAE National Service (official).
- ✈Cadet selection adds English, Maths, Physics and numeracy tests plus psychometric evaluation, interviews and a GCAA medical (official).
- ✈The cadet course runs ~two years, based at the Etihad training academy in Abu Dhabi with a six-month secondment to FTE Jerez in Spain (official).
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- Official - careers.etihad.com pilots/cadet pages and the Etihad Cadet Pilot Programme 2025 brochure (etihad.com): cadet eligibility, two-year course structure, FTE Jerez secondment, application portal.
- Official - Etihad / Abu Dhabi Media Office press release on the 2025 UAE National Cadet Pilot Programme relaunch: age range, IELTS, National Service, assessment subjects.
- First-hand - PPRuNe 'Etihad interview process 2025' thread: stage order, simulator/medical day details, technical-test split (candidate-reported).
- Prep-vendor - PilotAptitudeTest.com Etihad assessment page: COMPASS module names (orientation, slalom, memory, task manager, FMS), ATPL subject coverage, video-interview themes.
- Prep-vendor - PilotAssessments.com Etihad page: nine-stage assessment list including COMPASS, ATPL technical test, group exercise, interviews, English, medical, simulator.
- Prep-vendor / market data - airmappr.com and readyfortakeoffbook.com: hours minimums, fleet placement, age caps, roadshow cities, 2025 hiring volume (cross-checked, treat as reported).
- First-hand / aggregated - Glassdoor Etihad pilot interview entries and Aviation Insider Etihad sim-prep guide: simulator manoeuvres (steep turns, raw-data ILS, go-around) and interview themes (reported).
Items marked “candidate-reported” come from pilot forums and prep sources, not from British Airways. BA does not publish its question bank or test content. Always verify against the live BA careers pages.