VIP Flight Attendants: what is a test flight?
You probably heard about test flights in Private Aviation and wondering what exactly is?
Let me explain: in Private Aviation the recruitment process for VIP flight attendants is develop itself into two or three steps.
These are taking place between the candidate and the recruitment management.
Often, this includes also the participation of the existing team of the jet where the candidate is suppose to work.
Only when the position is intended to be on board the jet which belongs to an owner, the recruitment process includes also the so called test flight.
The owner of the jet is the main customer. He owns the jet and the crew flying on that aircraft is his or her private crew team.
It is natural to ask for his opinion and permission when it comes to add a new team member of his/her crew.
In order to do this, the aircraft management company leads the selection process entirely and then organises one test flight for each successful candidate to let the owner choose between them.
How does it work?
The test flight is usually a brief trip, a day flight or with one overnight maximum. On board are present both the tested flight attendant and the current one, working together.
The senior flight attendant stays in the galley, meanwhile the new one is in the cabin with the owner.
This allows bot the candidate and the customer to interact, talk and get to know each other.
If the outcome of the test flight is positive, the aircraft management company will proceed to propose the contract of employment to the candidate.
If the owner is, for some reasons, not happy, then the employer can propose to the candidate another position on another jet or reject him/her.
Remember that the test flight is the last part of the recruitment process for a vacancy on a jet involved in owner’s operations only.
Charter-operations aircafts do not include this step.
There is nothing specific you can do to prepare yourself in advance for a test flight.
Just be confident of your skills, be yourself and enjoy this remarkable opportunity!