Talk about a time that you had to solve a problem quickly on the job. What steps did you take to ensure a great result?
This question allows your interviewer the chance to test your overall problem-solving abilities. As you are aware, success as an Aircraft Mechanic involves a great deal of problem solving and your interviewer will be expecting that you are the type of person that can actively solve them when they arise. As you answer this question, focus on your ability to identify the problem, carefully analyze potential solutions, and then take action to fix the situation. Your interviewer will commend any ability that you show to prove that you were meticulous in your thought process and that you were resourceful in the steps that you took.
"I think a great example of this happened a couple of months ago on the job for me. As the head mechanic covering a busy weekend, I found out on short notice that a passenger plane that had just landed needed a very quick turnaround on a mechanical issue, with a scheduled flight being just four hours from the time I was notified. My first step was to confirm with the captain of the crew that no other aircraft was available, and he confirmed there not any available. Knowing that the issue generally took a few hours with two men on the job, I immediately called in for another mechanic to join me. Knowing it was going to take about an hour for help to show up, I began doing as much prep work as I could to ensure we completed the necessary maintenance. I hustled to prepare our tools for the job and pulled all of the relevant manuals. When he showed up, the actual hands-on work took just over an hour and the plane was ready well ahead of schedule to take off to its next destination."
