I'm back. Things I learned in training. - Page 4

#31

blastboy , 07-16-2007 06:51 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by EnNuages

Has psa gotten back with you yet? I emailed them my resume as well.
Thanks

No, not yet. I'm not holding my cards betting on them though. I'm going to go and get my CFI while I'm waiting and get a job teaching back in Orange County. But if they call, I'll be on it like white on rice. Let me know when they give you a call!

#32

GetErDun , 07-16-2007 06:58 PM

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Quote:
the C-5 guy is in the Air Force Reserve

Dover AFB 512th?

#33

texaspilot76 , 07-17-2007 08:22 AM

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I think he is based at that base in Dayton, Ohio where the museum is located.

#34

Rook , 07-18-2007 08:30 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by texaspilot76

I think he is based at that base in Dayton, Ohio where the museum is located.

That base is Wright-Patterson. Good trip report txpilot. Good luck to you.

#35

Shootinstr8 , 07-18-2007 09:05 AM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by texaspilot76

Hello everyone. After a few week absence I am back to the forums. I am finishing my sim training at PSA today, and I would like to share some of my experiences.
First, PSA seems to be a great place to work so far. Everyone is seems to be cool and most folks are pretty happy being here. I think alot of it has to do with PSA being owned by mainline. All of the instructors will bend over backward to help you get through the program if you have a positive attitude. Also, the training pay is better than alot of regionals. You get guaranteed monthly minimum plus 24/7 per diem (tax free) which will equate to nearly $1000 a month alone. First year pay is $22.44 an hour. The scale on airlinepilotcentral is not accurate. Essentially, you will make more in training than when you are on reserve. In addition, all your hotel is paid and you get a room to yourself.
Second, I have learned that flight time is not an accurate measure of skill. Since new hire flight time seems to be the biggest argument here on the forums, I would like to comment on my observations. This training is tough, just like any new hire training at any airline would be. It is unlike anything that you learn while flying GA. Someone that has 1500 hours instructing would have no advantage over someone with 500 hours. As a matter of fact, a kid (20 years old) that went through training with my class had 300 hours and I think 25 multi. He was the sharpest guy in the class! He aced his training. Not many people washed out, but one of the higher time (1500 hours) guys was an idiot and didnt even make it through ground training. So, 2000 hours in a Cessna or Piper will not do much to prepare you for this job. There are many other factors.
Last, like I stated before, my overall experience has been great. I don't have much to complain about, however I will share the lows with you. First, the ground training is in Dayton. Dayton is a poophole. Dirty, ghetto, nothing to do. Most of the guys I saw there are punks. I have never seen more K-Fed wannabees in my life. The girls are not very attractive. Getting through being in Dayton was the hardest part. The only fun thing I did there was visit the Air Force museum. We stayed at the Dayton Airport Hotel. The hotel restaurant there, Wilbur's, was convienent, but that is all I can say for it. If you eat there, be prepared to run to the john. In addition, the hotel charged you for a fridge and for internet.
Other than that, the only other low was here in Charlotte, where the sim training is held. The hotel we are at here is very nice. Super luxury compared to the Dayton Hotel. However, there is nothing close by to get food. There is one restaurant about a mile away, but thats it. The hotel van will not take you anywhere to eat. They are very stingy with rides. But the stay here in Charlotte has been quite nice overall.
I would recommend PSA to anyone seeking a first officer position. Pay is not the worst, you will be flying a jet, and upgrades are looking to come down to around 2 years. Upgrade mins are ATP mins. I would encourage anyone interested to apply. They are hiring like crazy.

Texas
Shoot me a good email address...I have some questions
[email protected]

Thanks

#36

Deez340 , 07-18-2007 12:47 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by de727ups

So, do you think the 300 hour guy, cause he was "sharpest in the class" and "didn't have time to develop bad habits", will make a better RJ F/O than the C-5 guy will?

Revisit that question during IOE.

Training and real world are two different animals. There is no substitute for experience. I guess my point is the 300 hour guy is going to be a joke for the first six months. The word babysit comes to mind.

I'm not challenging that 200 hours more in the pattern would make you a better RJ sim driver. I'm challenging that you think it wouldn't make you a better pilot. I think it would.

I couldn't agree more. Frankly the only person who has the right or ability to say that x amount of additional flight time is of no benefit is someone who has the additional time in question (and unless they're talking about taxi time they won't say that). I find i use my GA experience all the time on the line. There are a lot of things that are not covered in flight manuals or in a sim profile.

To be fair i used to say stupid sh*t like "flight time doesn't matter" all the time when i didn't have much. It's only after you have experience that you realize you needed it. I learn something new every trip and it usually doesn't come from the training department.

#37

Fugazi , 07-18-2007 03:01 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by texaspilot76

I think he is based at that base in Dayton, Ohio where the museum is located.

Have you been scheduled any IOE yet?

#38

shanejj , 07-18-2007 03:43 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Fugazi

Have you been scheduled any IOE yet?

So do you also fly at PSA bro?

#39

Fugazi , 07-18-2007 09:01 PM

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No. I just thought the PSA avatar was cute. I mean...C'mon!!

#40

loubetti , 07-18-2007 09:55 PM

Line Holder

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickair7777

The concern with low-time airline pilots has little do with the sim. Nobody (except mesa) is too worried about whether or not a low-timer can pass training. The sim is a big video game that is designed to teach you how to do instrument approaches and engine-out procedures. Since engine failures are exceedingly rare and you can go weeks or months without doing an instrument approach (depending on geography), the sim isn't particularly relevant to real airline flying.

Conducting regional operations in busy airspace or uncontrolled airports is where that 1500 hours of situational awareness and talking on the radio comes in handy...a CFI has an instinctive feel for what those bug-smashers are going to do (and how they're going to screw up). Example: I did a go-around once due to a GA airplane on base to the parallel on a hazy day. We had him on TCAS (TA) but tower assured as that he was turning final. When I heard someone ask "uh tower, what's the localizer freq for 27R?" I realized the guy didn't see his runway and was going through his final. Sure enough, he went blazing through the airspace I had just climbed out of.

Actually in defense of low-timers, SWA has done the same thing to me...twice.

What was that about bug smashers and them screwing up? I take it you never flew one? What, you started in a jet?

Indeed, there is no substitute for experience, I will always agree with that, but never forget that the worst accident in aviation history was not caused by some low time guy, but a high time guy, and a senior pilot for his airline. In fact, when KLM heard about the accident, they called for him to go check it out, without realizing that he was already at the scene!

Can you name that captain without going to Google first? Can you even tell me the name of the airport?

Don't sell all of us who fly "bug smashers" short. At least I can say that I own mine and pay about $150 / hr to fly it. I also have 4-figures in my log book and have read enough accident reports to know that mistakes can be made by anyone, including high time pilots in fancy jets, some of whom have made mistakes that I cannot fathom.

None of us are perfect and, contrary to popular belief, you do not own the skies, so deal with it.

We look out for you folks in the jets too, because after 32 years of flying I learned you folks are not perfect either, especially when you put your heads down to punch stuff into your computers.

Guess what, I don't have "TCAS", but I still get you guys on my "TIS". Know what TIS is? It's not bad either.

Seriously, what a pompous post for you to make. I have no doubt that I fly with some GA pilots who could fly circles around you in some lowly thing like a Cessna 421, while you are punching buttons and saying to the automation "what's it doing now".

Yeah, no doubt you want user fees for GA to bail out your airline again.

I had hoped that the anti-GA attitude was just amongst airline management and certain management at the FAA. How sad to see that it also extends into the airline cockpits.

However, I will assume that your opinion of GA is a sad aberration and not indicative of the majority of airline pilots.