Hey guys I'm currently in the process of narrowing down my regional choices. PSA is top of my list at the moment but I'm curious about the ground/sim training quality once you get hired. Since this will be my first 121 job initial training is very important to me.

I've spoken to a PSA captain on the jumpseat before who say that PSA was great but the training was disappointing. Is that accurate? Are the instructors experienced and coherent? Did you feel prepared for your checkride? Any information about training is appreciated.

Thanks

 

The training is not the best there is. The instructors are a mixture of ****ed off "retired" comair pilots, guys who either got dui's or got medically dq'd, and some people who failed, never made it to the line and are now in the training dept before getting their second shot. In my opinion it seemed like they are trying to make it easy to pass, but the result is that most people just dial down their efforts to whatever is barely passable anyway, so they end up being a little half baked by the time they get to the actual sims, or to ioe. That being said, it is what you make of it, and you can come away just fine if you put some work into it. It doesn't matter how good the class is, your systems knowledge is going to be proportional to how much time you spent reading the reference manual. Also, once you get to the actual full motion sims the instruction gets much better and more relevant than the classroom stuff and procedures instruction. Those guys are usually there for a resume item it seems like, so they usually have their **** together, but most you can tell don't actually want to instruct. I don't blame them though.

Tbh I wouldn't worry that much about it. You'll learn more on the line than in the classroom regardless of where you do your training. Don't pick a company because of the training classes, that's crazy. You'll be in training for 3 months, you'll be on the line for 5 years.


To answer your question though, yes I did feel ready for the check ride. If you put even a small amount of effort and preparation into it, it is super easy. Flying the crj in 121 ops is easier than the twin I used to instruct in by far. If you show up with the limitations and the flows memorized, training is like a vacation. Albeit one where your stuck in a crappy hotel in Dayton Ohio

 

Don't pick an airline based off their training program. They want you to pass here; they wont spoon feed you everything but if you need extra help (IPT or sim sessions) you'll get it. Some instructors are better than others and its luck of the draw who you'll get.

 

All regional training programs are based on one idea: take a 500-1,000 hour CFI (think pre ATP rule) and turn him into an RJ FO for the least amount possible. If you look at them through that lens a lot of things make more sense.

Regarding PSA, there is a lot of truth in what Rotorwashed wrote. Like he said though, it's also true that you'll be ready for your checkride if you put in the effort, and learning doesn't stop once you've passed your ride.

 

I was a cop before I came here. If I can pass training, anyone can. Out of the 30 ppl in my class, only 1 person said they didn't like their sim instructor. The only hard part about training is being in Dayton for 5 weeks. (Sorry ppl from Dayton)

 

Rotorwashed nailed it with that explanation. All the sim instructors I had were good. Yes, it could be better but you should feel prepared for the sim ride.

Let's just say having people who failed at training teach and evaluate IPT's is not the smartest thing in my opinion. All I had to do was mention my IPT instructor when I was in Sims and it would start a five minute rant from the Sim instructor on how they were teaching wrong procedures and screwing up training.

 

Thanks a lot of all the input guys. This is really helpful. Just out of curiosity, how hard is it to get into the training department after flying the line?

 

Let's just say those who fail their checkrides "flow" to the training department. There are still line pilots who can make it into the ground instruction portion, but it seems failures have priority.

 

I worked in a CPT for the UH-60 prior to my starting RTP. I can tell you every line IP in any field will cry about the "clowns" at the Procedural Trainer. The reason generally falls into 2 categories.

1 The CPT instructor "knows" everything, and is unwilling to learn a new technique from the flight line.

2 The flight line instructors are prima donna's that don't bother ever talking to the CPT instructors, or when they do they become accusatory.

So if you are on either side the best fix is a good talk with the standards from the other side while drinking a beer.

 

The training department is a resource(instructors, IPTs, extra sessions, tutoring on weekends, maintenance hangar visits etc etc) use it or not. Some of you on here gripe about every single thing that does not meet your expectation. The guys and gals in the training department (CVG, DAY and CLT) are always there for the new hires that come through. Doesn’t matter how they were hired on as instructors. Yes like any organization there are issues regarding communication that’s it but from my experience there have been drastic changes in the past year in making sure small hiccups in misunderstandings are clarified.

My recommendation to you is not to make your choice on rumors and misjudgment from line pilots about training department. Make it about work rules and QOL when your complete your training good luck in making up your mind.