1) You'll also hear this phrased as "hanging onto the tail." A lot of guys (not all) moving to the regionals are jumping from somthing like a Seminole to a Regional Jet, a much faster airplane. Things can happen very fast at times, and they may not be used to it. So you get overwhelmed, and the airplane just leaves you behind while you hold on to the tail as much as you can.

2) Initial Operating Experiences - When you pass your sim checkride, you don't get thrown onto the line. You'll fly with a check airman (training capt) for 25-40 hours flying normal flights. Once done with IOE, you'll be thrown out to the wolves.

Hope that helps

 

Okay, time for my follow up.

As I said earlier in this post, I was pretty keyed up a couple weeks ago about my upcoming IOE. Everything I did leading up to the experience (i.e. finding the crewroom early, etc...) was a good idea.

I got a phone call from captain on Day 1 and he was going to be late. He asked me if I was comfortable going to the gate and getting the Power Initialization done. So, I did. I got access to the ramp and met our FA (very nice) and I told her it was my first day. She showed me where to put my bag so the rampies would load it on. It was clear that I brought too much stuff with me. I had my rollaboard, my laptop bag, my food duffel bag, and my flight case. Besides having to take my "squeaky" shoes off to pass through security, I had all that crap to lug with me. Don't do that....CRJ200 drivers at MSP leave all their lunch in the crewroom and you eat it when you have a moment to spare in base. Don't lug it with you...it's just too much...less is more. Newbies...pack less, trust me.

Let's see...I started the APU and proceeded to cook the cabin up to 98F. Passengers thought I was going to bake something. Captain showed up laughing, but he got me working right away on other stuff while he made the corrections. All the rumors about "hanging on the tail" are TRUE. During SIM they teach you to fly all different types of instrument approaches and crazy situations that you'll probably never see in a lifetime. In the real world, 98% of the approaches you'll fly are VISUAL. They don't teach you that stuff in training. Hand flying the -200 is a challenge during some operations, you just gotta absorb the techniques, trust your profiles, and stay ahead. I also did stumbled and bumbled my way through a few passenger briefs...I told them I would turn off the seatbelt sign and then never did. I swear a few of them must've been confused as to whether they should stay seated or bail out. On my second day, we got a "flap fail" message and I landed the -200 with zero flaps at 170kts. The fire trucks followed us down the runway per the captain's request. The whole time, he's thinking of all the bad things that could happen and I'm thinking, "Great, this is just like the SIM. I'm invincible." 170kts is dangerously close to the 182MPH limitation on the wheels. But, I put that biotch down and the passengers were none the wiser. I took a lot of pride in that landing....and my captain credited it to me in the crewroom later on...and it was only my 2nd day.

It felt corny the first time I got to sit in the flight deck doorway and "take my bows" as the passengers disembarked, but I'm warming up to it now.

My instructor was fair, but firm during the trip. Every captain is different, some are more firm than others. But, once the parking brake is released you should have a professional attitude and awareness at least until you get to cruise and again all the way up to parking at the gate. There is a lot at stake and you can't get too relaxed. Mistakes happen when you let you're guard down. Always think about what you can be doing to stay ahead. The IOE instructor is looking to make sure you know your flows and callouts. Their primary job is to get you prepared enough to the point where they can put a "green" captain with you. Once you demonstrate that kind of proficiency, you're good to go. The operational stuff you'll get over time. Don't get hung up on mistakes. It's entirely normal to be taught something once and it takes you 4 flights to finally implement the lesson at the proper time. I thought my instructor was going to figure out a way to do a cart wheel in the cockpit once I called for the "descent check" and "approach check" at the proper time(s) and in the way he wanted hear it. Several times on the trip, he's like, "Yes! I love it when learning happens." Ugh. I felt like an idiot at first...like, how the heck did this guy get hired, right? But, everybody has first days. By the end of my first 4-day, the same instructor was complimenting me on the "incredible transformation" that occurred within those 4 days. That's a credit to me, but I can't forget that it's also a credit to the fine instructors at Mesaba.

I just came back from my 2nd trip and it was much more easy going. One, I had a 9-day opportunity to just sit and "decompress" all the stuff I learned on my 4-day IOE and it made all the difference in the world. I'm no longer making those dumb mistakes I did before and I have a greater understanding of my environment. Make no mistake, I learn something new during every flight and that's the attitude a new FO has to be open to having in order to be successful.

Specifically for the -200 Mesaba guys awaiting IOE....I have this advice:

1. Go over your "crew brief" and your "final brief". The first time I tried going through it, it was sloppy. On the line, they treat it differently then they teach you in SIM. It's like a flow (it's easy), but it will take practice.
2. Go over your Visual approach profiles and learn how to brief it. A good brief can be completed in under 15 seconds. Don't brief it like an ILS. If you have a Fed on board, brief it like the ILS briefing. Otherwise, don't bother.
3. Don't refer to your FA as "flight attendant" in your PA announcements. They have a name, use it. It's just a courtesy and remember that just because the door is closed, there are people back there.
4. As I stated earlier, leave your lunch pack in the crewroom refrigerators.
5. Invest in shoes that don't "squeak" going through security. My sketchers are really comfortable, but it's such a pain to take them on/off every day. In the time it took me to go through security, my captain had passed me...passed security...picked up some Starbuck's coffee...and was waiting for me at the end. Ugh.
6. Swallow that pride...you're not as good as you think you are.

Best of luck to all.

 

I don't fly for Mesaba, but I'd probably add one more point to you list. This might sound silly to some of you, but practice your PA announcements. At least think about what you are going to say for different situations. I've heard some really bad ones lately while deadheading (not on XJ).

 

Word. Us "new guys" make it so difficult on ourselves and I had a captain that kind of shed some light on the subject for me in a way that I didn't think of for myself...

Simple, just treat the brief as if you were talking plain English to your mom. Don't say, "the winds are 290 @ 15kts". Instead say, "the winds are out of of the NW at 15". Does your mother know what the heck Celsius is? Nobody does...so, do the conversion to Fahrenheit.

What started working for me was to make out a quick 5-point outline, something like this:

1) "Welcome aboard flight <XYZ> with service to <insert destination here>."
2) "We are currently <X> miles from <destination> putting our arrival time at about <X> minutes from now."
3) Weather expected at destination (ATIS)
4) Smooth? Seatbelt sign 'off', "As always, we do ask that while you're seated that you keep your seat belts securely fastened." <--Easy to screw that one up (for me) and remember to actually turn the switch off if you say you're going to do it.
5) "Once again, welcome aboard and we hope you enjoy the remainder of the flight. Thank you."

If I find myself getting tongue-tied....I stop keying the mike and start over. But the first time you do it....if you don't "F" it up, I'd be surprised.

 

Its not just "new" F/O's. I've flown with some pretty senior CAs that can't talk on the PA. Most CAs go way into much detail. People don't care at what altitude you are flying or which runway we'll be landing or what the winds will be at the airport. Just say "Party Cloudy and 70F".

 

I don't think I can agree with that. I have talked to a lot of people that are interested in aviation and like to know every detail about the flight. Including the route, any points of interest (on a clear day of course), alt, and runway we will use. Why not give them lots of details? Its not hurting anybody to give extra information.

 

I am enjoying your post, and this thread. Very informative. I am starting class with AE on Monday. I am taking in as much as I can.

On my 2nd day flying a Shorts 360, and on my 2nd takeoff, I had to abort take-off for a fire warning light at V1. (I flew a Duchess prior) I was so gung-ho right out of the simulator training I was waiting for a V1 cut, engine fire, hydraulic failure, electrical failure. I had to call tower we are aborting and I could not hear anything the tower was saying over the prop beta angle. He came on 3 times from what I could hear was asking if we needed assistance and I think 2 of the 3 I responded with "Standby please". It must have been his protocol to call for firetrucks since I didnt answer his question. We were sitting on a highspeed exit with firetrucks around us. I am thinking "gosh, if this is only the 2nd flight out of General Aviation, I must be in for the ride of my life". My gung-ho-ness wore off after a week, just so use to everything breaking in the sim. Just thought it was interesting how you had a serious situation on "your" second day as well. Why cant fate allow us newbees to get comfortable in the plane before throwing problems at us

My first few approaches into Louisville ahead of a bunch of FAST brown planes. I ended up craping my pants because I am doing a high-speed ILS approach trying not to get ATC to give us, "approach clearance cancelled turn left 90°, climb and maintain 4000". We never did a high-speed ILS profile in training....

For the 1st 3-weeks I had a way of just 1 day every week I left the flaps down at shutdown. OOPS. I felt so stupid. Good thing Law Enforcement didnt meet us at the plane. I must have gotten so upset at myself the first thing I did before I read off the shut down check was to look at the flap handle and the flap indicator. First time I did it I thought, "DUR its just like a Cessna, just turn the electrical master on and raise the flaps"...RIIIIGHT! Thanks for your stories.

 

Great thread. My first was a pre-dawn launch Waterloo (ALO) to O'hare (ORD) in the mighty Beech 1900. Weather was CAT I mins in ORD and, as always, busy. We're getting vectored around peddling as fast as we can (248 kias). Controller says, "Lakes, got a hole for you, fly heading XXX to join the localizer maintain XXXX 'til established, best forward airspeed, cleared ILS 4R (I think). We were 15 miles from the marker and the heading to join was perfect. I kept wanting to pull the power back but everytime I did the CA reminded me that this airplane could, in fact, do 248 to the marker. We intercept the glide slope and configure and slow coming down the slide. At minimums I hear "Lights in sight, continue" then "Runway in sight, go visual." We saw just enough for me to get it down. After we turned off we got the standard ORD taxi clearance, which my CA had already briefed to reply with "Roger, Lakes Air XXX" since he knew I wouldn't be able to read it back.

The thing I remember most is sitting there dumbfounded looking at all of the big iron taxiing every which way. I was so dumbfounded the CA had to remind me a few times that I still had to do an After-Landing flow.

Nervous? A little. Scared? Never. Anxious and excited would be the best description. That was one of the best feelings I've ever had, and I still get it every once and a while now in the MadDog.

Good Luck!

 

I am glad that this thread was started! I received my phone call yesterday for IOE. I start on Monday the 17th and my first flight will be DAY-PHL (in the CRJ-200).

 

And a nice short runway to meet you in St. Lucia..... not to hijack the thread but my first 135 leg was from BQN (Aguadilla) to St. Lucia.... the captain that was flying with me never lets me forget my first "real" landing there.... caribbean flying was a blast..... hijack ended.