HSLD

Great thread!

The only think I'd add is remember that you're not burning gas, you're burning electrons when you fly the sim - configure EARLY and slow down so that you are nice and stable. On the line this would be draggin' it through the pattern, although in the sim I don't want anything rushed.

Use the autopilot whenever you can. On the line hand fly as much as needed to maintain proficiency, but in the sim your being checked on standards and procedures - let the airplane do as much of the flying so that you can do most of the thinking. The V1 cut for example is a handflown manuver up to minimum autopilot engage altitude when I'm getting the check, unload yourself and let the automation do it's job.

As everyone else has mentioned - know your profiles cold. Know what's required to fly those profiles - aircraft equipment, ground equipment, and pilot requirements (wx, currency, etc.). Add in the pitch and power settings for the sim and everything should be more relaxed for you.

Ottopilot

I agree. Some instructors suck, that's why they are instructors and not line pilots. Go to his boss and complain. If you get enough pilots complaining about bad instructors; they will remove them. Go to your union. They have professional standards and training comittees. Use them. I've complained about instructors and I know of one who was removed from the training department. I'd even walk out of an oral or sim session with a bad instructor. Of course, if you are new and on probation, that could change things. It's tough to put your job on the line over some idiot. My new hire instructor at Continental Express was a complete idiot, but I put up with him. Now I don't/won't.

About the sim stuff; it gets easier over time. You learn to "fly" the box and get through it. Don't beat yourself up over this. Pilots fly airplanes, and no sim is an airplane.

Flyby1206

I remember overcontrolling the sim when I got back in after the first year online. Try to focus on setting a pitch and power setting, trim the sim, no death-grip on the yoke. Also maybe the instructor had a bad day.

mike734

Exactly right. Sounds like the instructor is a jerk. Don't sweat it. It will come around to him eventually. One interesting thing that happens as you get more experienced is that you become just as, or more knowledgeable than you instructors. Pretty soon some instuctor is going to tell you to do something a certain way but you are going to have a strong opinion that it should be done differently. If you know what you're talking about, stick to your guns. Here is an example of what I mean:

A few years ago we had a sim situation of a cargo fire indication that would not go away. The ariport we just departed has now gone to Cat III mins or below. There are no other options in the immediate area. Most guys decide to make an autoland at the local departure ariport. (so far so good). On final something fails in the airplane to make a autoland unavailable. It's still working though. About this time the FA says the floor is hot. What do you do?

Most guys proceed with the autoland and see how it goes. They will hand fly below mins if necessary. Oh no! Not correct according to the instructor. He wants you to go around and fix the problem before trying again.

Well I can tell you that he got an ear full from most of the pilots. I don't think he is still instructing.

Also great advice. Slow down. It is your checkride. If the guys wants you to fly 180 to the marker for trafic following you and you are feeling rushed just slow down. Do you guys have an ILS profile that is 180 to the marker? I didn't think so. As long as you fly the book proceedures you won't bust. Now the instructor may get upset but that is HIS problem. It is your checkride. If he starts yelling just call the ride off. Tell him/her you want a different instructor. He has no right to badger you or throw unrealistic curves at you. That being said you still might want to play his game to avoid the problems associated with calling off your own check ride.

One last thing. Sometimes we skate through thousands of hours without really getting good at a proceedure. That weakness can show up years later and bite you in the butt. V1 cuts for example.

I had a FO in the sim one time who was weak at V1 cuts. He made it but it was ugly. We happend to have a great instructor that day so he stopped the checkride and said, "Lets do some V1 cuts for a while." We did about 10 in a row. By the end the FO was nailing them perfectly. All he needed was a little more time. We are so used to "expensive" sim time and time pressures that sometimes we don't get enough training. That FO has probably never had a problem with V1 cuts again.

Beagle Capt

After over ten years of PCs, I've noticed some things never change. A check airman's demeanor coming out of a so-so oral is a definite sign of trouble. If they perceive a lack of preparation for the big event, or have to work at getting the answers from you, their virtue of patience is wearing thin. Maybe your oral wasn't as smooth as you thought (or your check airman is wound real tight). Retraining for some events during the PC, followed by immediate and hopefully successful demonstration of a maneuver is quite common (especially for stall demos and v1 cuts.) Lack of clear adherance to published profiles is a worse sin than simple rust or sloppiness (I've probably seen it all).
I am fortunate to only be a line check airman and only visit the rocking closet twice a year. I always leave the sim resolving to prepare more thoroughly next time.......................
(I also still wear a tie to all checking events out of respect for the event and check airman, couldn't hurt.)

SaltyDog

As a line pilot and instructor, some of us are poor instructors and possibly even worse on the line.<ng> I would go to another instructor that has a good rep or that you know. Talk to them first and get a sense of what they recommend. In one example, I asked Capt's to make the complaint to the powers that be and not fresh F/O's in first year (on probation). Often, we don't want instructors who are bad hanging around either. We can complain about a particular instructor, but often the response is: "The line pilots aren't complaining"
w/r/t the sim, good info on the differences regarding power settings, etc. knowing little used emergency procedures cold, etc. Don't worry about this event, if you passed, you passed. Not professional to make comments that are not constructive. We all make errrors and learn from these and others.
Congratulations, you made it past a poor instructor. That is talent <g>

Laxrox43

...I might sound like a broken record...but I'm going to say it anyway...

Now that you have completed your first PC, you have the tools to pass every training event for the rest of your aviation career:

1.) Chair fly every maneuver.
2.) Finger fly every profile.
3.) Be able to verbally explain each detail. (Some people may laugh, or think it's overkill, but hey!...the Blue Angels do this before every practice session, and before every demo. they fly)

Honestly, it doesn't take very long to do these drills. Two weeks prior to my first PC, I sat in front of my paper trainer for about an hour every night, and I feel that it showed - no "Train to Proficiencies" on my PC.

Great job on the oral, keep up the studying, and good luck next year!

StillLearning

Don't sweat the simulator, you're just being checked on your basic scan (steep turn), on aircraft recovery (stalls, windshear and unusual attitudes) and on keeping those passengers or boxes safe aboard your aircraft should something go wrong mechanically.


I could be speaking out of my outflow valve, but I believe a V1 cut takeoff is just like a normal takeoff except some additional directional control effort, calling for the appropriate checklist(s) and an emergency declaration.

The one engine inoperative approach can be described similarly.

Professional pilots fly by the book every flight or brief the pilot not flying if a non-standard procedure (i.e.: we'll delay configuring to perform a fuel-saving decelerating approach or) will be used.



QRH boxed items (memory items):

Review often and know them cold.

Limitations, realistic ones, not "the use of the FMS with service letter 1234-abcd-5678 between southern latitudes between 88 and 89 degrees is prohibited" when you fly a regional jet in and out of KORD every flight:

Review often and know them cold.

bryris

Thanks much for the tips. My gut says to leave the instructor alone about it.

The whole thing just reeks of unprofessionalism. As I think about it more, I think of other comments that were said (the seatfill was another instructor and had his own comments).

I would rather be told that I unsatted, professionally, and receive a debrief with constructive criticisms, come back for 2 more sessions and take another stab at it than to endure the demeaning remarks that I received. I have pretty thick skin, but I still felt pretty crappy when I walked out.

The company I work for is known for its unprofessionalism. I've heard these types of stories from other line pilots, its not new thing with me.

Either way, for family reasons, and considering I am going to be furloughed in 4 months anyway, I am likely going to pull out of commercial aviation as a career. Its been a dream of mine since I was young, but the box is checked now. I did it! But, the thought of enduring another 35 years of this industry to pursue this as a career gives me nausea.

I'll just go buy me a Cessna 172 or something similar and fly for fun without all the associated BS. If I could snag a few students on the side in a freelance type of situation, that'd be enough to keep me satisfied with aviation.

saab2000

Try to learn from what happened. Get off probation. Do a better job next time. I have also had marginal sims. Tried to correct the problems next time around. I can't add to what everyone else said. They all offered great advice.

Just try to remember what gave you a hard time and do better next time.

BTW, it does get easier after a few times. You'll learn how things go.

Have fun back on line!