Originally Posted by
FODhopper
I've heard the same complaint about sim instructors and I don't have any further insight into that other than I agree the next wave of instructors has been much fresher and better.
As for people going elsewhere and doing well...some of that is on AWAC...a lot is on the standards at other airlines...passing our classroom is about learning the material...at other places it is much closer to teaching the test...who would you rather fly with?
Not to say we want to be Lord of the Flies...that is not fun...and to that end...recently (last six months) we have gone away from the numbers game...having to memorize obtuse and arcane numbers when lights trip off rather than understanding basic operation and you will learn more along the way.
Having taught the "new way" a couple of times...I think it has gone much better...classroom pass rates are up much higher, even though our classroom fail rate has always been low (once in a while)..but I think also because of the "new way", it's likely the pass rate in orals will improve.
One of the hard parts is for the instructors to downshift from what was "need to know" before to what it is now...and believe that it will be okay.
Unfortunately on my check ride, the examiner asked all questions from the "old way". I had to know all of the useless numbers and facts I was specifically told I didn't have to memorize. There needs to be clearer and more specific communication between the training department and the examiners. I did have an examiner who has been doing the same check ride for the past 10 years.