Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Moving on

Being a new hire at an airline is hard enough as one has to learn about specific airline operations and a new airplane. There is a clear divide amongst the group. I have a good idea about those who will succeed and those who will have a career day.

In my cockpit trainer session are two new hires. One is older, former military...call him Jeff. The other is young, former CFI...call him Bryan. Before I go further understand I am a former CFI and went from a Seminole to a RJ.

The military guy I think will do well as he arrives early, takes a short lunch to come back and study and stays late to study. The young guy arrives on time, takes a full lunch and leaves to head to the hotel to "hang out" with other new hires who are on another aircraft at the end of the day.

During our sessions Jeff has the normal new hire learning issues, but I can tell is "getting" it. I was in the trainer room early (I ate a quick lunch) and we went through flows together. Bryan showed up 2 minutes late.

Bryan struggled the entire session. Just as he did yesterday. It's just not clicking. It's not from lack of intelligence as it takes quite a bit to be a pilot. I think it's from lack of studying and preparation. Jeff said he and Bryan live on the same floor, but can never get Bryan to sit down and study much.

This is not to see that I'm Chuck Yeager. I'm having a few problems of my own.

The flight profiles on this plane are different from my last. They are similar, but some of the call outs are very different. For example I used to say after rotation, "Positive rate, gear up, climb mode." Now I need to say, "Positive rate, gear up, select speed." Same result, but different verbage.

That and some of the profiles are just plane odd to me. I'm learning them right along with them.

A week till my oral. I still have about 2 flows and lots of profiles to review.

All of the pilots in the class who, like me, are tranisitioning between planes are at a slight disadvantage as we don't get hotel rooms. Since we live in the area we sleep at home. Home has distractions. Kids, dogs, lawn mowing, spouses...etc. The new hires have a hotel room...and that's it. Life can get in the way of studying. Thankfully my wife is very accommodating at takes care of my daughter while I study 2-3 hours a night.

Oh, a "career day" means bowing out of the airline BEFORE you have a bust on your record.

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