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Old 11-25-2017, 08:24 PM
  #16484  
DC8DRIVER
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Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: 747
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To build on what the others have just said, the training program is still so short that you have to teach yourself most everything from systems to procedures and international ops. All they do in the training center is provide the computers for the CBT programs and the "books" (via iPad downloads) for the rest. There is very little of what you would consider actual classroom teaching. For instance, international and overwater ops is a one day affair.

The old "learning by drinking from the fire hose" method simply doesn't apply here. It's more like Atlas gives you the fire truck tanker and says: "Drink up!"

The result of this is problems like one that is rumored to have happened to one of our crews recently. During OE training, a new hire is required to make only ONE oceanic crossing to be signed off for line ops. Unfortunately, one on deck crew of two new FO's applied Pacific crossing procedures (which they had had during their OE training) to an Atlantic crossing (which they had never done). The problem is that those are two VERY different procedures. The captain was in the bunk on his rest period and had never interviewed them regarding their OE training experience - after all, they had been signed off for line ops and our line captains are not company flight instructors.

Obviously, all of our captains do inquire about new a crew member's experience and current route knowledge, are all happy to provide answers to new hire questions, and will provide guidance when appropriate. The problem is that the Miami training center relies on the OE trainers to complete the teaching job and the OE trainers rely on the line pilots to complete the job and there is never communication between the last two steps in this chain of errors because that would be an admission that there is an inadequacy in the system.

One day it could create a disastrous incident for some poor Atlas crew.
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