Originally Posted by
Captain Tony
GLA training is the most intense thing I've ever done... and this was almost 15 years ago. While most airlines approach training as a collaborative effort, GLA treats it like military boot camp. While most talk you through the systems and performance, GLA says "You better study". While most slowly work you up in the sim, focusing on company procedures, GLA throws you in day one with ADF partial panel and single engine approaches. They have always had a policy that instrument skills are paramount because of the archaic flying they do, and lack of autopilots/flight directors. And I would dare say pilots who make it through that program have instrument skills that are the best of the best. Of 12 people who begun training with me 3 of us made it online. None of them had less than 1000 hours. I can't imagine <500 hr wonders making it through that unless they plan to start spoon feeding it.
There's nothing impressive about a training department that takes pride in how 'hard' their training is. Training for any airline can be enjoyable or difficult based on the quality of the training department. A high washout rate means the training sucks, not the pilot.
Why people think GLA training is 'cool' or 'badass' is perplexing. It sucks. Plain and simple.