Selection process · tests · interview · simulator check
Norwegian pilot assessment
Updated October 2026 · SET STANDARD
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Notify meNorwegian hired experienced B737 first officers and partner-school graduates through mid-2026, but its FO ad closed on 31 August and a Copenhagen redundancy process in October 2026 points to a selective, seasonal hiring winter.
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Norwegian Air Shuttle is a Nordic low-cost airline listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, flying about 95 Boeing 737-800s and 737 MAX 8s on short-haul routes across Scandinavia and Europe. Since January 2024 it also owns the regional airline Widerøe, giving a group of around 145 aircraft and 27.3 million passengers in 2025. Norwegian grew from a small Fokker 50 operator into a global low-cost long-haul pioneer, then nearly collapsed and rebuilt as a disciplined short-haul airline.
Key facts
| Fleet | About 95 Boeing 737-800 & 737 MAX 8 (36 MAX at end Q2 2026); Widerøe adds 50 Dash 8 / E190-E2 |
|---|---|
| Orders | 80 Boeing 737 MAX 8 direct order (78 outstanding at end Q2 2026, deliveries to 2031) |
| Bases | OSL, BGO, CPH, ARN, HEL, RIX, ALC, AGP, LPA; seasonal BCN and PMI |
| Pilots | About 1,300 (690 in Norway) at end 2024; Copenhagen about 230 |
| Hiring 2026 | Non-rated & type-rated FO ads (Gardermoen, closed 31 Aug 2026); partner-school graduates; no DEC |
| Entry routes | Experienced FO (1,500 h, 500 h multi-crew), type-rated FO, partner-school graduates |
Entry routes and requirements
Experienced First Officer B737 (non-type-rated)
Experienced multi-crew pilots without a B737 rating
- EASA ATPL, or CPL with ATPL theory; multi-engine IR valid at course start
- 1,500 h total (800 h for military pilots), incl. 500 h multi-crew multi-engine
- AUPRT and MCC unless you hold or held an EASA multi-pilot type rating
- EASA Class 1 medical; ELP Level 5 or higher (Level 4 not accepted)
First Officer B737 (type-rated)
B737-rated pilots
- EASA ATPL, or CPL with ATPL theory
- B737 rating on an EASA licence and about 500 h on type
- Multi-engine IR valid at course start
- Class 1, ELP 5+, EU/EEA right to work, 157 cm minimum height
Partner-school graduate route
Graduates of OSM Aviation Academy (NO/SE), Center Air Pilot Academy (DK), Lund University TFHS (SE) and FTEJerez (ES)
- Completion of the partner's integrated course (about 20 months)
- Selection by Norwegian assessors (on campus or in Oslo)
Captain / DEC
Experienced B737 captains
- No public DEC campaign in 2025-2026
- Last published minima (2023, secondary): 4,000 h total, 500 h PIC on B737, 2,000 h on multi-engine jets over 30 t
Group: Widerøe Dash 8 First Officer
Pilots targeting the group's regional airline (separate recruitment)
- Widerøe runs its own process; OSM Airline Ready graduates get a dedicated recruitment link
The selection process, step by step
- Online application (Pilot Talent Pool)online at careers.norwegian.com
Licence, hours and eligibility checked; skills and motivation screened; qualifying candidates invited to an Assessment Day.
- Assessment Dayin person (Oslo/Gardermoen area) or on campus at partner schools
Company presentation, group exercise, 2:1 interview and simulator sessions flown as both Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring.
- Result and background checksnotification, then checks
Outcome given soon after. Offers depend on operational need and training capacity; successful candidates may be placed in a pilot holding pool.
Aptitude and psychometric tests
- No online test stage in the 2026 ads
- Older processes (2016-2018) reported personality and cognitive tests; prep sites mention Cut-e/Aon, unconfirmed
Group exercise
Yes, on the Assessment Day.
The interview
2:1 interview (two assessors, typically a pilot and a People/HR representative, reported)
- motivation
- teamwork
- competencies
- company fit
- values
Typical questions to prepare
- Why Norwegian?
- Why not Ryanair or easyJet?
- What do you know about the Norwegian group?
- Tell us about the recovery after 2020.
- Which of our values means most to you?
- Tell us about a time you disagreed with a captain.
The simulator assessment
| Device | Boeing 737 full flight simulator (reported; Norwegian does not publish the device, and CAE Oslo at Gardermoen operates two B737NG FFS). Partner-school campus assessments may use the school's own devices. |
|---|---|
| Where | Oslo/Gardermoen area for the standard Assessment Day (reported); on campus at partner schools for graduate events |
| Typical profile | Flown as both Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring |
Language and after selection
ELP Level 5 or higher; Level 4 not sufficient.
B737 type rating (secondary: 6-8 weeks) and line training; permanent contract under the collective agreement for the base.
Common reasons candidates fail
- Weak or passive performance as PM in the simulator
- Over-controlling the 737 and poor trim discipline in raw-data flying
- Dominating, or disappearing in, the group exercise
- Generic motivation with no knowledge of the post-2021 Norwegian, Widerøe or the 2026 news
- Talking about the old long-haul era as if it still exists
Get the complete Norwegian Assessment Guide
155 pages: company history and culture, every stage of the selection, model interview answers, technical refresher, Boeing 737 systems and simulator assessment preparation. Updated for 2026.
Look inside the guideStatus: 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
- 155
- 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 and where was Norwegian founded?
22 January 1993 in Norway, starting with Fokker 50s from Bergen.
Where is Norwegian's headquarters?
Fornebu, Bærum, just outside Oslo.
Who is the Group CEO?
Geir Karlsen (CEO since 2021).
Who is the CEO of Widerøe?
Tore Jenssen.
Who is Norwegian's COO?
Henrik Fjeld.
How big is the Norwegian fleet in 2026?
About 95 Boeing 737s (737-800 and 737 MAX 8), 36 of them MAX 8s at end Q2 2026.
Preparation guides
Other airline assessments
Main sources
https://www.aviationcv.com/job/experienced-first-officer-b737ng-72785
https://pilotsglobal.com/job/B737-MAX-first-officer-norwegian-NO-eCwzstgnwq
https://media.uk.norwegian.com/pressreleases/norwegian-enters-collaboration-with-pilot-schools-in-norway-denmark-sweden-and-spain-3360653
https://www.ftejerez.com/news/ftejerez-partners-with-norwegian-to-secure-future-pilot-workforce/
https://afm.aero/spains-ftejerez-hosts-norwegians-pilot-recruitment-team-for-on-campus-graduate-assessment-in-june-2026
SET STANDARD is an independent training publisher, not affiliated with Norwegian. Information compiled from public sources and candidate reports; always confirm with the airline’s official careers page.