For those of you active blue guys/gals can you give us newbies some insight on our upcoming initial training in sunny Orlando. What are the accommodations, ground and sim training like. I plan on driving down in order to have a vehicle to scout the area. Any info is appreciated. Thanks

 

Its good to have a car, so it's good you are driving. I think they put new hires at the Residence Inn. First day is a Hoo Ra session, Don't get too excited until you've actually flown for the airline. Be prepared to study on your own as all of the class room training is done via Computer Based Training. Pretty Much Self Study and then a systems validation, Procedures Validation, Sim then Maneuvers Validation.

Pay is $2500/ Mo until you pass your checkride.

Good Luck

 

Can anyone tell what the work schedule is like. Are weekends off? Wondering how often I'll be able to come home.

 

You can count on at least 1 4 day break after indoc and initial ground school. After that you begin aircraft specific training with some random 2-3 day breaks. Some guys went home every week. It goes quick is the good news unless sims get backed up..

 

Your impression on the difficulty of training will depend on your background. I found it to be the most relaxed, gentlemanly-paced, and spoon-fed flying training I've ever had. Not that there aren't going to be challenges. Getting out of the military checklist mindset was one of the biggest of those for me.

Definitely some problems with the course here and there - and some odd choices on subjects to spend limited classroom time on - but most of the instructors are good and the gouge is out there.

Don't count on weekends off - especially as the training tempo has increased - but as was said above, some are getting extended breaks after indoc, available for bid at the same time as your initial assignment bid. And since we got into CASS quickly and got our IDs the 2nd or 3rd day, I was able to get home for short breaks between a few of the phases. As said above, good break between indoc and ground school. Then luck of the draw between the phases. As far as times, again with the training ramping up you could get banker's hours or the midnight shift, and very possibly both in the same week.

I was on my feet and had no problems, though there were a few times I wish I had wheels. There's an el-cheapo place on the airport as well as about a mile North from the hotel to rent, but I was able either to bum a ride or borrow a car for the errands I needed to do.

Plus, if you're at the Residence Inn, they'll do your shopping for you - drop off your list at the front desk on your way to school and they'll buy it at the Publix, stock your fridge, freezer, and pantry and add it to your bill with no upcharge.

 

Yeah, you MIGHT get the first weekend off. After that, who knows. Although I think we even had classes during the weekend our first week. Can't remember. I do remember being in a couple of indoc classes on a Sat, though.

If the sims get backed up, depending on where you are, it's a blessing and a curse. Worked well for me last year since I wound up being home for Xmas and New Years.

 

Be careful with assumptions though...we had NO weekends or extra days off worth anything other than letting the brain recover. Over Thanksgiving I had only two days off. I also got the mandatory two days off after training before IOE. No delay as I had expected. YMMV.

 

Is there any provision to opt out of the hotel for some kind of credit for pay? I plan on sleeping in my car most nights to try and save money... Just kidding, but would plan on staying with my parents either way and would only keep the room for any study sessions or an awful sim time.

 

You can opt out of the hotel, but you won't see any more $$$. I live in Orlando, but I liked having the room sometimes for study sessions that went late or a place to crash before an early morning/after a late night sim.

 

Did you hold mco on the taco rocket yet? If any one askes it sucks down here... Horrible trips... Bad bad base. No one likes it here. Yuck. Boston is way way better... I can't hold it though, I'm stuck here.