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ATP trains students to be proficient multi-engine instrument pilots. The simulator is valuable training tool. Don't under-estimate the importance (especially during IFR training) of putting the plane on "pause" and explaining what just happened or is going to happen.
EXAMPLE: I put my students in the sim, gave them a clearance out of Los Angeles to Riverside (a complex departure right out of the plates. After take-off, tower (ake me) handed them off, and Socal Approach (me again) didn't respond to anymore radio calls. They realized enroute, that they were not prepared for the lost-comm procedure, and didn't immediately know what to do. About the time they got into real trouble, I paused the sim, explained the situation, and gave them two minutes to (re-)brief the DP. Much more careful this time, and I think they learned a good lesson.
When an ATP student passed their Instrument checkride, they get some CRM training, an internal XC checkride, and then they are release to dispatch for their "real" cross country flights. The student I refered to in my example, was based in Riverside. He flew up to Seattle and back, and then Jacksonville, FL and back. Dealt with all kinds of airspace, weather, and terrain. Most ATP pilots finish the program with a big stack of plates and enroute charts...not just one enroute, and 5 over-used approaches into the same two airports.
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Thanks, for the extra insight about the sim training guys - I guess at first when I noticed that I was just thinking they were trying to screw ya out of some flight time! But your right, I can see how the sim time would be very valuable, being able to learn in a low pressure situation always helps.
and the sim is pretty sweet-
http://www.allatps.com/news/2003-04-07_FTD.html - Is JAX the only location with this sim?
So ATP teaches good CRM procedures? Do they go into detail, or is the CRM training just brief?
Thanks guys-