pilotmec:

Checkride scheduled for 8 FEB.

Good luck hope it goes great

How did it go?

Checkride
 

Passed my ASI RW checkride. Slated for a 18 March start date. Can't wait to begin. :)

Congrats! What office? Let us know if we can help.

ASIs

Are the FSDOs flexible in assigning these "training string" dates?

I have some leave scheduled for a week in the summer and a week in the fall. Beyond that... Im free for whatever they want to put on me.

Who schedules these things and are they flexible with their start dates ?

My advice would be to immediately put in your leave request as soon as possible after starting work. Article 89 discusses training and leave. Generally you won't get assigned "string" training until you have been with the agency for at least 3 months. You might also discuss with the hiring official prior to accepting an tentative offer. If you are Ops they will definitely work with you. I can't say the same for AW.

Generally no, your first year is probationary and strings are not scheduled as needed for individuals. What you might be able to do is swap strings with someone, but the office hired you to get a qualified inspector, which requires going to strings, and delaying that will look bad in that first year and people have been let go for not completing their training within a reasonable amount of time. Strings is really the only time that this is the case, most of the time everything else is flexible and you aren't as locked in, but strings is just that, a string of courses that occur in succession. It doesn't happen continuously through the year, maybe a couple times a year. The only ones I've known of that got "restarted" were due to military deployments. Most managers I've encountered are great at giving people their right to their leave, but again, strings usually takes precedence in the first year. Doesn't hurt to ask though.

A true leader/supervisor/manager values their employees and understands that work/life balance is important. They should give you 30 days advanced notice of long-term training assignments per the contract. Good managers will give you more than one string training “start date” option. If you have a need for time off and have not accrued enough “paid” leave time, you could also put in for LWOP or exercise FMLA.

Does anyone have any tips or gouge on the flight check portion of the process ?

For the air carrier route, they seem to still be using the 737 in OKC/Denver

Was it low stress ? Who performs the checks ?