Selection process · tests · interview · simulator check

GOL pilot assessment

Updated October 2026 · SET STANDARD

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GOL is back in growth after Chapter 11, recruiting Brazilian 500-hour copilots for its 737 fleet and building its own A330neo long-haul operation, but its pilot jobs are effectively closed to non-Brazilian (EASA) pilots by law.

Recruits Brazilian copilots in periodic Gupy windows (last: Jan-May 2026) and hired A330 captains (Mar-Apr 2026); no route for foreign pilots (Oct 2026)

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GOL Linhas Aéreas is Brazil's low-cost pioneer and one of the country's three big airlines. Launched in January 2001 with a Southwest-style model (one aircraft type, high utilisation, simple product), it grew into a nationwide Boeing 737 operator with hubs at Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia. After a turbulent Chapter 11 restructuring (January 2024 - June 2025) GOL is now controlled by Abra Group, alongside Avianca and Wamos Air. 2026 marks its biggest change in 25 years: first long-haul flights (Rio-New York and Lisbon-Rio) on Wamos A330-200s, its own A330-900neo fleet and an Abra order for Embraer E195-E2s.

Key facts

Fleet	c. 145 Boeing 737: 12 B737-700, c. 65 B737-800, c. 59 B737 MAX 8, 9 B737-800BCF freighters; plus 1 own A330-900neo (PS-WGH, Oct 2026) and Wamos A330-200s on ACMI
Orders	44 B737 MAX 8 + 30 MAX 10 (none before 2029); 5 A330-900neo ex-Azul via Avolon; Abra 20 E195-E2 firm (allocation not disclosed)
Bases	Hubs GRU, CGH, GIG, BSB; focus cities SDU, CNF, SSA, FOR, BEL, MAO, POA; long-haul from GIG
Pilots	Not published (company c. 13,900 staff); 116 upgrades to captain and c. 30 copilots hired per month in late 2025
Hiring 2026	Copilots (B737, 500 h) Jan-May 2026 at GRU; A330 captains Mar-Apr 2026 at GIG; Brazilians only
Entry routes	DE copilot (non-type-rated accepted), DE A330 captain, internal 737 upgrade; no cadet academy

Entry routes and requirements

Copiloto (First Officer) B737 - direct entry, non-type-rated accepted

Brazilian commercial pilots with 500 h who have passed the ANAC ATPL (PLA) theory

Brazilian national (born or naturalised): paid flight-crew functions on aircraft of a Brazilian operator are reserved to Brazilians by the Código Brasileiro de Aeronáutica (Lei 7.565/1986, art. 156 §1)
ANAC Commercial Pilot Licence (PCA) with valid IFR rating
Multi-engine land rating (MLTE), current or expired
Minimum 500 h fixed-wing, verifiable in the ANAC electronic logbook (CIV Eletrônica)

Comandante A330 (Captain) - long-haul launch, 2026

Experienced wide-body commanders for GOL's own A330 operation

Brazilian passport valid for more than 6 months (Brazilian nationality)
ANAC PLA (ATPL) with A330 type rating (CHT) and valid CMA
At least 5 years in the role and on the aircraft; wide-body and long-haul experience
ICAO English Level 4 or higher; Portuguese

Internal upgrade to Captain (B737)

GOL copilots by seniority

Seniority and company selection
ANAC PLA with B737 type rating
Technical and behavioural tests, simulator, about 100 h supervised line flying and ANAC check

Cadet / ab-initio programme - none published

Candidates without licences

No GOL-sponsored cadet scheme found in 2025-26

The selection process, step by step

Online application (Gupy)online
Profile on golcarreiras.gupy.io with licence, CMA, CIV hours, ICAO English level, PLA theory result and passport/visa. The careers system screens hard requirements automatically.
People & Culture assessment (online / psychological)online and/or in person
Behavioural and psychological evaluation run by GOL's 'Gente e Cultura' area: personality inventory and attention/reasoning tests are reported, sometimes with a short HR conversation. Its position in the sequence has varied (step 2 in 2025, step 4 in 2024).
Theory exam (prova teorica)written/online
ATPL-level knowledge test; reported themes are B737-oriented aircraft general knowledge, performance, meteorology, navigation, ANAC regulations (RBAC 61/121/117) and aviation English.
Simulator assessmentin person, B737 FFS/FTD in the Sao Paulo area (reported)
Paired B737 session: departure, raw-data handling, holding or radial work, non-precision or ILS approach and a non-normal, flying as PF and PM. Non-type-rated candidates are judged on basic instrument flying and CRM rather than B737 SOP detail.
Technical document review and technical interviewin person / video
Document check (licences, CIV, CMA, ANAC records) and an interview with operations/fleet management covering experience, technical knowledge and motivation.
Standby, offer and hiringemail/phone
Approved candidates go to a standby pool ('banco') until a ground-school class opens, then receive the offer letter and are hired (CLT employment).

Aptitude and psychometric tests

personality inventory and psychological tests (reported)
attention, concentration and reasoning tests (reported)
ATPL/B737 theory exam
paired B737 simulator check
technical and HR interviews

Gupy (application and screening platform) · GOL 'Gente e Cultura' in-house psychological and behavioural assessment · GOL flight operations (theory exam, simulator, technical interview)

Group exercise

No group dynamic is listed in GOL's published pilot selection stages for 2024-26; some candidates report a group activity within the People & Culture day in earlier years (reported, not confirmed).

The interview

Technical interview with fleet/operations management, plus People & Culture (HR/psychology) contact; conducted mainly in Portuguese, with English checks

motivation for GOL and the Brazilian domestic network
experience, CIV record and training history
safety culture and CRM examples
availability for base (GRU/GIG) and long-term commitment

Typical questions to prepare

Why GOL?
What do you know about GOL's history?
Who owns GOL and what is Abra Group?
What fleet does GOL operate?
How does the long-haul operation work?
Who is GOL's CEO?

The simulator assessment

Device	Boeing 737 NG / MAX 8 full-flight simulator or FTD (reported)
Where	Sao Paulo area training centre (GOL has historically used CAE Sao Paulo; not stated officially)
Typical profile	Paired session, each candidate as PF and PM: departure/SID, manual raw-data handling, holding or radial interception, approach (ILS/NPA) and a non-normal such as an engine failure; profile given on the day (reported).

Language and after selection

Portuguese is the working language; ICAO English Level 4 or higher is mandatory (Brazilian ANAC proficiency). International (A330/long-haul) roles require English and Portuguese.

Ground school at GOL's Congonhas training centre (classrooms, B737 cabin mock-ups), B737 type rating in full-flight simulators (partner centre in Sao Paulo), ANAC check, then line training. Base mainly GRU or GIG.

Common reasons candidates fail

Hours in the application not matching the CIV Eletronica record
Weak ICAO English, especially in technical explanations
Inconsistent answers in the psychological inventory
Poor raw-data handling and trimming in the 737 sim
Silent or passive PM role, no cross-check

Get the complete GOL Assessment Guide

180 pages: company history and culture, every stage of the selection, model interview answers, technical refresher, Boeing 737-800 · 737 MAX systems and simulator assessment preparation. Updated for 2026.

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Status: Preview · current to October 2026 · not on sale yet · join the waiting list

About this guide

Format: PDF (bookmarked, iPad-optimised)
Language: English
Edition: Ed 2026 · Revision 1.0
Current to: October 2026
Pages: 180
Status: Preview · not on sale yet
Licence: Personal, single user · see licence terms
Updates: Update policy to be announced before sales open
Simulator stage: Covered as reported by candidates and public sources

Independent publication. Facts in this overview are labelled “reported” when they come from candidate reports rather than official sources — see the editorial standards. Notify me about this guide · See it in the catalogue

Practice questions: company knowledge

Interview practice drawn from public sources; the answers are not an FAQ about the guide.

When did GOL operate its first flight?

15 January 2001

Who founded GOL?

Constantino de Oliveira Junior (with his family's Grupo Aurea)

Which airline's assets did GOL buy in 2007?

Varig (VRG), including the Smiles programme

When did GOL file for and exit Chapter 11?

Filed 25 Jan 2024, exited 6 June 2025

Which group controls GOL and which airlines are in it?

Abra Group: Avianca, GOL and Wamos Air

Who is Abra Group's CEO?

Adrian Neuhauser

Preparation guides

Pilot Aptitude Tests: What They Measure and How to Practise Pilot Assessment Guide: How Airline Selection Works and How to Prepare Pilot Group Exercise: How to Show Real Crew Behaviour Pilot Interview Questions: How to Prepare Competency and Technical Answers Pilot Personality Questionnaire: Honesty, Consistency and Crew Fit Pilot Simulator Assessment: What to Expect and How to Prepare Pilot Technical Interview: Key Topics and How to Explain Them

Other airline assessments

Main sources

https://aeroin.net/gol-linhas-aereas-abre-o-primeiro-processo-de-recrutamento-de-pilotos-de-2026/
https://www.voegol.com.br/w/sobre-a-gol/imprensa/gol-inicia-novo-processo-seletivo-para-copilotos
https://exame.com/carreira/gol-abre-vagas-para-copilotos-com-voos-nacionais-e-internacionais-veja-os-requisitos/
https://www.aerosp.org.br/pagina-ver.php?n=11890
https://www.panrotas.com.br/aviacao/empresas/2026/03/pronta-para-expansao-internacional-gol-abre-processo-seletivo-para-comandantes-do-a330_226996.html

SET STANDARD is an independent training publisher, not affiliated with GOL. Information compiled from public sources and candidate reports; always confirm with the airline’s official careers page.