Selection process · tests · interview · simulator check
Swiftair pilot assessment
Updated October 2026 · SET STANDARD
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Notify meSwiftair, now majority-owned by Antin Infrastructure Partners, keeps recruiting permanent ATR 72/42 First Officers from 350 h (non-rated welcome) and ATR-rated Captains for its Madrid-based night-cargo operation, with jets (737, A321P2F) filled mainly by internal progression.
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Swiftair is a Madrid-based cargo, ACMI and charter airline founded in 1986. Its early years were tied to express parcel flying for SEUR with small turboprops; in 1996 former Spanish Navy Harrier pilot Salvador Moreno, who had joined in 1992, took control and turned it into one of Europe's main outsourced night-freight operators. Over four decades it flew Metroliners, Boeing 727 freighters, MD-83 passenger ACMI and 737 freighters, and built a group with Cygnus Air, West Atlantic, Swiftair Hellas and the inter-island brand Uep!Fly.
Key facts
| Fleet | About 45 on the Swiftair AOC: 4 ATR 42-300F + 1 -300QC, 6 ATR 72-200F, 3 ATR 72-500 (pax), 5 ATR 72-500F, 4 ATR 72-600F, 6 B737-400SF, 3 B737-800BCF, 6 B737-800BDSF, 4-5 A321P2F; 757-200PCF/PF with Cygnus Air |
|---|---|
| Orders | No new-build orders; growth by leased A321P2F conversions (doubled in 2025) |
| Bases | Madrid-Barajas HQ; outstations reported at VIT, BCN, PMI, IBZ, LIS, MRS, CDG, CGN |
| Pilots | Not published; group above 1,350 employees (2024) |
| Hiring 2026 | ATR FO and Captain adverts, permanent, Madrid; no external jet vacancies seen |
| Entry routes | Non-rated or Fast Track ATR FO (350 h); rated ATR FO; DEC ATR (3,000 h); 737 FO (about 500 h CS-25, reported) |
Entry routes and requirements
Non-type-rated First Officer ATR 72/42
Low-hour commercial pilots without an ATR type rating
- Minimum 350 h total time
- EASA CPL(A) with IR and ME (ATPL theory)
- Valid EASA Class 1 medical
- ICAO English level 4 or higher
Type-rated / Fast Track First Officer ATR 72/42
Pilots already holding an ATR 42/72 rating or completing a Fast Track programme
- Same licence, medical, ELP and EU right-to-work requirements as above
- Valid ATR 42/72 type rating or Fast Track status
Direct-entry Captain ATR 72/42
Experienced ATR commanders
- Minimum 3,000 h total time
- EASA ATPL(A)
- Valid ATR 42/72 type rating
- Class 1 medical, ICAO English 4+, EU right to work
First Officer Boeing 737 (-400SF/-800BCF/-800BDSF)
Jet-experienced pilots and internal ATR pilots transitioning
- Reported: about 500 h on CS-25 aeroplanes (PJN, Aug 2025)
- EASA licence, Class 1, ICAO English 4+
- B737 rating preferred for external hires
The selection process, step by step
- Online applicationSwiftair careers page (work offers) or e-mail to Pilot Recruitment & Training; also job boards
CV, licence, Class 1 medical, ELP certificate, passport/right-to-work proof and hours; applications reportedly kept on file for about 6 months.
- Written test day (technical + English)In person, Madrid; cut-off score to progress (reported 2016-2024)
Aeronautical knowledge paper in ATPL style plus an English test covering grammar, reading comprehension and aviation listening (ATC-type audio).
- Simulator assessmentSecond day, crew pairs alternating PF and PM, at Cuatro Vientos (Madrid), reported in simulators of Aerotec
Instrument flying and multi-crew handling: departure, climb, holding or radar vectors, an instrument approach and go-around, possibly an engine failure.
- Personal interviewAfter a short break following the sim, with line management / flight operations and HR (reported)
Motivation, career story, company knowledge ('What do you know about Swiftair?'), why you want to be a pilot, flexibility for night cargo and base changes, record questions (checkride failures).
- Offer, documents and trainingRemote / Madrid
Contract offer, background documents, then ATR type rating (if non-rated), operator conversion course and line training.
Aptitude and psychometric tests
- ATPL-style multiple choice, all subjects
- English grammar, reading and ATC listening
- Paired simulator check (PF/PM)
Swiftair in-house written paper (ATPL-style) · Swiftair English test with aviation listening · Simulator session at Cuatro Vientos (Aerotec facilities, reported)
The interview
Personal interview with flight operations / line management and HR, held after the simulator session; relaxed but direct (reported). Remote (Skype) interviews have been used for contract positions.
- What do you know about Swiftair?
- Why did you want to be a pilot?
- Career story and previous jobs
- Night-cargo lifestyle, base mobility and rosters
- Checkride history and honesty
Typical questions to prepare
- What do you know about Swiftair?
- Why did you want to become a pilot?
- Why cargo and not a passenger airline?
- Tell us about yourself.
- How do you cope with night flying and fatigue?
- Would you accept a base outside Madrid, for example Marseille or Paris?
The simulator assessment
| Device | Fixed-base FNPT II MCC-type simulator (Aerotec's Entrol A320-type FNPT II MCC is the likely device); not an ATR or 737 device. Swiftair has not published the exact device. |
|---|---|
| Where | Aerotec facilities, Madrid-Cuatro Vientos aerodrome (reported 2017, 2021 and 2024) |
| Typical profile | Not published; prepare for departure, climb, holding or vectors, ILS or non-precision approach, go-around and possibly an engine failure, flown in pairs |
Language and after selection
ICAO English level 4 or higher (adverts); Spanish is the working language at the Madrid base and is a clear advantage, though adverts do not require it
ATR 42/72 type rating paid by Swiftair for selected non-rated FOs (bond reported 2-3 years), operator conversion and line training from Madrid. Night cargo for integrators (DHL, FedEx, UPS) and postal clients (La Poste, Royal Mail); possible deployment to outstations such as Marseille, Paris-CDG, Vitoria, Barcelona or Lisbon.
Common reasons candidates fail
- Missing the written-test cut-off, especially in performance, mass and balance and meteorology
- Weak English listening: wrong readbacks and missed numbers in the ATC audio
- Losing instrument accuracy in the non-motion simulator (holds, approaches, OEI)
- Poor MCC: silent PM, no briefings, competing with the partner
- Not knowing Swiftair's history, fleet, group or clients
Get the complete Swiftair Assessment Guide
172 pages: company history and culture, every stage of the selection, model interview answers, technical refresher, ATR 42/72 · Boeing 737F · A321P2F 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
- 172
- 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.
In which year was Swiftair founded?
1986, in Madrid
What are Swiftair's IATA and ICAO codes and callsign?
WT / SWT / SWIFT
Who is Swiftair's founder-owner and CEO?
Salvador Moreno (in control since 1996)
What was Salvador Moreno's earlier career?
Spanish Navy Harrier fighter pilot
Which fund became Swiftair's majority shareholder?
Antin Infrastructure Partners (Mid Cap Fund I), deal announced October 2025
Approximately what stake did Antin take?
About 70%, with Moreno keeping a significant minority
Preparation guides
Other airline assessments
Main sources
https://pilotsglobal.com/job/ATR-72-first-officer-swiftair-ES-6O8Utbcbf5
https://pilotsglobal.com/job/ATR-72-captain-swiftair-ES-EpXLtbcbf6
https://pilotassessments.com/jobs/atr-72-42-first-officer-permanent-at-swiftair-s-a/
https://www.aviationcv.com/job/atr-7242-captain-71560
https://bestpilotjobs.com/airlines/swiftair
SET STANDARD is an independent training publisher, not affiliated with Swiftair. Information compiled from public sources and candidate reports; always confirm with the airline’s official careers page.