Surviving Training
 

Does anybody have any advice for surviving ASA new hire classes? I just started basic indoc yesterday.:confused:

If indoc is giving you trouble...maybe you are in the wrong place.

STUDY.

Stay ahead. Get all the homework done asap with your classmates. We all pooled our resources and got it done within the first few days. That way we had much more free time to actually study the stuff. I found that training was bunch of easy hurdles, stay ahead and its no problem. Get a bit behind and it will pile up FAST and bring you down.

You do have to stay ahead, study every day don't go down to the bar and if you do drink water there is time to party later. Don't forget to eat right and exercise.

If you have time to exercise Your not studying enough.I work out a lot and couldnt find a spare minute to in training.....

Don't forget to relax. Go out at least one night a week (Friday works quite nicely).

Read this article:
http://aviation.crosswindlanding.com...ingthegame.htm

All the new hires should work together as a team. Lean on each other and help each other out. IT'S NOT AN INDIVIDUAL EFFORT. Those people that work together are much more likely to succeed than those that think they can do it alone.

During indoc learn your required immediate action items and limitations. Get these down cold - they are teasted to 100%. Get up to proficiency on your systems, these are tested to 80% and for First Officers a mistake can be debriefed.

Then start chair flying your cockpit poster beginning with your Cockpit Check, Before Start flow, Start, Taxi Engine Start, Before Takeoff, Take Off to the line, below and chair fly the rest of the flight thinking about profiles, making your call outs, Descent and Approach, Landing Check, After Landing and Shut Down. As your "flights" start to get boring start to throw in an emergency or abnormal to deal with.

These ASA training is actually easier than other airlines I have flown for because it is well organized and the Instructors have experienced training pilots who are new to 121 operations. There is a lot more spoon feeding at ASA than at other airlines that basically tell you "there are the books, come back ready for your test."

It is a lot to learn. If you need help - ask for it. Your best source of help will be your sim buddy since both of you benefit from studying together.

The number 1 rule is to keep a good attitude. If you make a mistake, say you learned and try it again. Either way, smile, nod you head and move on.

Excellent article by the way - but you - go study! (or have a beer with your classmates while talking systems) You don't have time to be on this web board. All the MTSU guys that came before you did a good job, you will do great also.

That's probably OK in groundschool, which is just a big cram session but when you get to sim your mental performance under all that stress will depend on balanced living. Diet and sleep are important, but if you're used to exercising a lot you better do some of that too. Take some time to relax a little each day during sim.

Oh please. I guess some people are 'slower' than others...

If you put in QUALITY study time, you will have plenty of time to relax and unwind. If you dont blow off some steam once in awhile you are just asking for a meltdown.

Mens sana in corpore sano. You should be never be too busy to exercise.

I am slow I guess thats why I was the first one out of training and off IOE.... damn I am slow

At every airline I've worked for that was determined by seniority or luck-of-the-draw with scheduling, not by your godlike intellect and piloting abilities :rolleyes:

Isnt that the damn truth Rick... I will say that is the ONE thing I miss about military flying.... Good things happened to you because you were GOOD at what you did....not because you had been there the longest.

All I am saying is that I am not slow, maybe some people can fit working out into their schedule....I could not.

I made time to workout almost every day. It helped me stay more focused when I did study. I looked at all the material in the beginning and was very discouraged because it was so much. However, after going through everything and staying slightly ahead it wasn't bad at all. Looking back now that I understand everything it all seems easy. I think people get a little wide-eyed going in and pysch themselves out because there is a lot of information. Just stick with the schedule of training (it obviously works and gets people through) keep a good attitude, take some time away from the material and you will do fine.

An hour or two away from it each day will do you a world of good. Use one day on the weekend to get ahead, and the other to relax and you'll do fine, and not go crazy.

When I was in UPT our days were anywhere from 10-12 hours in the flight room. Usually had a sim or flight every or nearly everyday sometimes you would get one of each or two flights. Plus academics thrown in at the beginning. then Study for an hour or two when you get home... off to bed to make another 3am show time for stand up EP's..... Friday nights ... O'club... Saturday with the wife ...sunday ..STUDY.... and start all over again for another week...ugh... 50 weeks of that.. GREAT :)

bottom line..take some time for yourself....or you will explode.

STAY AWAKE AND PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS. Take notes. Put in good quality time studying, ask the questions you have even if they seem silly (somebody else will likely be wondering the same thing). If you feel you are falling behind, seek help early and often. Make some time for yourself though, and I'd highly suggest at least an hour of exercise (core, cardio, weights, etc) every other day.

If you decide to make a drinking game with your classmates out of limitations, rest requirements and Exemption 3585, that'd be fine too.

Yea....what boiler said. All work and NO play makes for DULL training.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I'm not a psychologist but I think the consensus is that learning goes the best with regular study breaks rather than unbroken studying, regular but not lengthy exercise, regular meals and sleep, group learning as well as individual study, and believe it or not some slack-time, because the brain reorganizes itself during daydreaming as long as it is not daydreaming during class and study.

As a graduate of a rather tough engineering school I had my share of all nighters, but I never thought it was a very good study technique. I felt regularity in everything was the best approach. I would study 6 days a week like clockwork, with the other day being devoted to doing something completely different. I would also fool around and have some fun every single day. You've got to have an "out" if you are not getting the point in something.

Techniques like these also apply to the office. I get as much done as anybody, even though I can be caught reading posts on APC and goofing off. I have noticed that the better workers take frequent breaks, do something else and are willing to goof off a little. We are not machines.

I also leave work after about 10 hours each day like clockwork. If it ain't done by 5:30 pm and ten straight hours of toil it doesn't need to be done today. I have colleagues who heroically stay late every day, and I honestly do not think they get any more done... in fact they look more piled up than anything else. Some of the most effective societies are very regular and organized, such as the Japanese.