Quote:
Originally Posted by The Dominican
Isn't that what OJT is for, ground school for unfamiliar airports, route checks?
Little experience is one thing but an experienced pilot doesn't really need to have flown to all theaters of the world to become captain.
Unless there is a void in training?
Sorry I just don't really agree with the concept that flying to all corners is a prerequisite, it really all depends on how a person prepares ahead of the flight, the information and training the company provides and your Route Training Captain.
There is no "ground school for unfamiliar airports", no route checks, no such thing as a "Route Training Captain". There are "Station Guides", but they are the result of feedback from the crews.
Atlas does not have a stable route structure. It is more like a charter operation or a fractional in that you operate to and from what the customer wants -- and that can change on short notice. More than once I have gone into an airport that was not only new to Atlas, but that had never seen a 747 before. The big issue then being that had I known ahead of time I would have ironed my pants and worn a fresh shirt for the locals who show up to see the airplane.
There are a lot of routine "same old thing/different day" days at Atlas; but there are also a fair number "bring your A game" days. And it is not just Atlas, it is ACMI in general. Some guys thrive on it, some guys hate it.