Learn how to use proper english before you try to enter the big boy club!!

 

Wingman-my husband had the SAME issue with the "unemployment references." Luckily, his unemployment time took place while he was in flight school. He used the school's office secretary and his flight instructor as professional references.

 

Really big thumbs up!

 

My husband got an email last week saying that his application was scheduled to be reviewed, and then today he received an email stating that he was invited to interview. It gave a number to call to set up travel, etc.

 

Shouldn't you be busying yourself looking for a second job to support him in case he gets hired?

j/k


But not really

 

Ha! I've been supporting us for the past four years while he's been in flight school and working as a flight instructor. I'm used to the crummy pay-definitely not with him for the money!

 

Twenty years ago when I went through initial training, it followed basically the same format - in terms of simulator training. It's always been about approaches, approaches, and more approaches, V1 cuts, abnormal and emergency procedures - with some steep turns and approaches to stalls mixed in. The the sim training has ALWAYS been very fast paced and I learned early on that if I wanted to succeed, I had to know all of the procedures and Memory items COLD. As one instructor said to me once, if you can be asleep and half drunk, and I wake you up asking for a procedure or memory item, you need to be able to spout it off right then and there. If you can't, you aren't prepared enough. The way I have always done this (and still do), is by going over the procedures in my hotel room (or anywhere quiet) sitting in a chair with my eyes closed. Over and over again. And again. So many times, that I live, breath, and dream procedures. It works every time - and I've been through countless long and short term programs over the years, in everything from the 19 seat Jetstream to the Saab 340, The ATR, and the Embraer RJ. I tend to be a loner during training, simply because I don't want any distractions at all.

I can't overstate this enough. You have time in your hotel room. Take a seat in a chair, close your eyes, and chair fly the procedures over and over, verbally making every call required (by both pilots, btw, that way it flows better). Move your hands and feet as if you were actually in the plane. Know your checklists (I don't mean memorize them, I mean be familiar with them). All of this works. It may not be fun, but it is required of you in order to be successful in training.

As for getting comfortable in the simulator, take the opportunity to hand fly it as much as possible during climbout, level off, etc. The more hands on stick time you get, the better you'll feel about it. By the way, the airplane is significantly easier to fly than the simulator, so if you can get a handle on the sim, the airplane will be cake.

Try to maintain a good attitude. The learning curve is STEEP and intense. No doubt about it. Always has been, btw. Try not to have an "I'm smarter than you" attitude, even if only known to yourself.

Then, when you get to IOE, be prepared to be somewhat overwhelmed again, at least for a while, as you get comfortable with the pace and workload of airline line flying. I was a Line Check Airman for a few years and worked almost exclusively with the new men and women coming straight out of their checkrides.

 

Thank you so much for the wonderful advice, it is very much appreciated. It just feels like there is an overall lack of direction from the training department. Also there seem to be some sim instructors out there who think it is acceptable to yell at you in the sim and that there is nothing wrong with this technique. I was fortunate and had great instructors throughout the process, but others were not as lucky. I was just looking for some feedback from others on here that have been through recently to see how their experience was. I didn't mean to come off as a smart ass I just got sucked in by the chopping lettuce flame. This forum is all over the place - some people are helpful and some are just trolls. Thanks again for your input and i intend to put it to use!

 

Have you advise your concern about the "lack" of direction from the training dept. to A.H? You are clearly new to the game son. Keep making waves during your probation period...

 

Well, the training department has always been fast paced with seemingly TOO much info to absorb in too short a time. Most people get through it fine, although almost all feel like they are drowning in the deep end of the pool while a blast from a fire hose of information is being continually shot at them. I remember quite clearly hearing the fire hose analogy when I was a new guy so long ago. In that regard, nothing's changed. This is true of just about all airline training, by the way. Now is the time to become accustomed to it.

There IS direction and a process to it. It just feels rushed - and it is. No doubt about it. There's lot of information to be taught and absorbed, an oral exam to pass, a couple of weeks of sim training and a sim check to be accomplished, followed by weeks of IOE afterward. It all feels like a blur, but when done, most people feel as if they've learned a lot in that time, and feel a sense of relief that it's all over - for the next twelve months anyway.

Instructors yelling in the sim is just not acceptable - ever! Debriefs should be filled out. That's what they are there for.

Have fun on the line.