USMCmech
Well-Known Member
What exactly is AQP? How is it different than "standard" 121 training? Why is it better?
I just got through 121 training in an AQP program and it was probably the most stressful, confusing, disorganized mess of a program I've ever been through. Despite having prior 121 experience I was hopelessly lost through the entire process. Somehow I muddled through but I was hanging on by my fingernails for the entire process. I'm dead serious when I say that Mesa's training program was MUCH better (at least when I went though it).
The study materials were both incomplete and inaccurate. I had to dig through the manuals to build my own profiles in a format that I could actually decipher. The indoc class left me completely lost. I needed (still do) a basic class on how to look up stuff in the company manuals. We got exactly one day of training on how to program the FMS, which was completely inadequate. Contrasting with my experiences at the very well organized FSI or CAE programs, this was very fustrating.
The hands on instruction started with "it's all in the manual, just study it yourself" and then there was no standardization across the instructors. Most of the real training seemed to be happening at the hotel as the preceding class passed down tribal knowledge to the next. There was no application of how lessons applied to operations on the line.
I'm glad to be done with my new type rating and excited to be instructing in the sims again, but I'm also very burnt out after this whole process. I'm sure that being a busy single dad studying on my own didn't help at all. I've also learned that I'm well into the "old dogs learning new tricks" age bracket and had trouble keeping up with my 21 year old sim partner.
I just got through 121 training in an AQP program and it was probably the most stressful, confusing, disorganized mess of a program I've ever been through. Despite having prior 121 experience I was hopelessly lost through the entire process. Somehow I muddled through but I was hanging on by my fingernails for the entire process. I'm dead serious when I say that Mesa's training program was MUCH better (at least when I went though it).
The study materials were both incomplete and inaccurate. I had to dig through the manuals to build my own profiles in a format that I could actually decipher. The indoc class left me completely lost. I needed (still do) a basic class on how to look up stuff in the company manuals. We got exactly one day of training on how to program the FMS, which was completely inadequate. Contrasting with my experiences at the very well organized FSI or CAE programs, this was very fustrating.
The hands on instruction started with "it's all in the manual, just study it yourself" and then there was no standardization across the instructors. Most of the real training seemed to be happening at the hotel as the preceding class passed down tribal knowledge to the next. There was no application of how lessons applied to operations on the line.
I'm glad to be done with my new type rating and excited to be instructing in the sims again, but I'm also very burnt out after this whole process. I'm sure that being a busy single dad studying on my own didn't help at all. I've also learned that I'm well into the "old dogs learning new tricks" age bracket and had trouble keeping up with my 21 year old sim partner.