crashmbern
Well-Known Member
hey stan, are you going to take the saab first???
Kellwolf's Upgrade Updates
- Thread starter kellwolf
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ready2fly
Well-Known Member
Dunno. Probably. Maybe. Not sure yet.
I know captain pay is much better on the EMB and CRJ. Depends on what is available at the time.
I could probably hold a line faster on the Saab = building more TPIC faster.
You?
WestIndian425
Well-Known Member
I remember when Stan and Steve were giving their initial training updates and not too long after (a few months I think), I gave mine. Maybe this is a precursor of what's to happen. 
By the way, congrats, Kell! (and I hope you get yours sooner than you think, Stan)
By the way, congrats, Kell! (and I hope you get yours sooner than you think, Stan)
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
It's all CAs (well, CAs, the ACP from MSP and one guy from the FAA). Right now it seems like it's a huge review with more in-depth analysis. If I had done all this as a new hire, my head would have exploded. I was doing good to get things to add up on the w&b sheet. Start taking into account screwed up releases (that I couldn't even read back then), and I woulda glazed over in 10 minutes. Next week we start getting into systems, etc, so that'll probably more of the same: review with in depth analysis. I don't see an FO until I do Cat II training after my checkride.
Friday started out with, you guessed it, more performance. We went into climb charts, step climbs, when to transition to mach and fuel planning problems. Then we went over cruise issues like long range cruise (when to use it and why), hold speeds and hold charts (and another fuel problem...holding a GQE VOR with 6000 lbs of fuel, MEM wx goes down, alternate is LIT. How long can we hold?). Talked about "green line" on the ASI and what it does for us and the stall buffet margin charts (why and where we would use them). Talked about landing and special engine out considerations as part of go-arounds.
Little break then we talked about brake temps and the BTMS section. What do we do when it's inop? What are our limits both when it's operative and inop? What do we do on a rejected t/o? Performance section ended with more line situation problems that was more or less an overview of all the performance we did during the week.
After lunch we talked about mountain flying, MORAs, driftdown charts, driftdown procedures, mountain wave turbulence and focused on Helena, MT since that's the airport used in the sim for our mountain checkout.
The week ended with a summary of some of the high points in our ops specs, like alternate filings, CAT II, exemption 3585, etc. After that, everyone else left for the weekend, my sim partner and I ran through profiles until we were cross-eyed. So, I'm studying up on memory items and limitations but taking the rest of the weekend off.
crashmbern
Well-Known Member
i'd probably pass on the saab. but would take the ATR. It all depends on how things are moving when it happens. Hopefully sooner than later.
ready2fly
Well-Known Member
Makes sense I guess. You know the ATR.
I'd love to stay in the CRJ, but that's probably a pipe dream. I do know it's been going "junior" lately, but even if awarded, I'd be on reserve longer than I was as an FO. Not sure if I'm ready to go through that again.
Either way...best of luck to the both of us. It's getting closer week by week.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Back into the swing of things today, and we're doing all systems now. Went over electrical, fire protection, fuel and engine systems today. First half of the day was an overview, and the second half was sitting in the GFS trainers simulating failures, running QRHs, looking at MELs and checking the neat schematics the trainers toss up on the side screen so we can see what valves are doing what and how things flow through.
The fuel system still gets me in some places (all those darn ejector pumps and check valves, ya know), but I've got a pretty good handle on electrical, fire protection and engine systems. Tomorrow is hydraulic, pressurization, air conditioning and ice and rain protection. Day after that is show up at the airplane, pop the doors, do the emergency training and the written test. Day off, then security/CRM.
As of right now, my oral is on Sunday and my checkride is on May 8th. The guy I pulled for my checkride is known to be kind of a ball buster, so I'm sorta nervous on that one. Best thing to do, I guess, is study as much as I can, know the flows, limitations, and memory items down cold, and try not to do anything stupid.
The fuel system still gets me in some places (all those darn ejector pumps and check valves, ya know), but I've got a pretty good handle on electrical, fire protection and engine systems. Tomorrow is hydraulic, pressurization, air conditioning and ice and rain protection. Day after that is show up at the airplane, pop the doors, do the emergency training and the written test. Day off, then security/CRM.
As of right now, my oral is on Sunday and my checkride is on May 8th. The guy I pulled for my checkride is known to be kind of a ball buster, so I'm sorta nervous on that one. Best thing to do, I guess, is study as much as I can, know the flows, limitations, and memory items down cold, and try not to do anything stupid.
Bumblebee
Commodore
Very nice job Steve! I have enjoyed reading your posts.
As far as the ball buster guy . . . I felt as I was going through upgrade that I wasn't studying for the systems final, the sim, the oral or the check-ride. What I was (and continue) studying for is the potential emergency. If I know anything about you from reading your excellent sensibilities on this forum, is that you are working in the same fashion. The ball buster won't be able to bust yours because your building them out of steel.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I'm pretty much just gearing up to go in there as prepared as possible. If I bust....I bust. I'm not planning on that, though.
Today was more systems. Covered the hydraulics (how many systems, what powers what, what happens when we lose one (or two), emergency situations, etc), landing gear (manual extension), brakes, anti-skid, air conditioning, pneumatics, pressurization and ice and rain protection. Went into a lot of failures, looked at a lot of MELs (I had no clue we could defer an anti-ice blow out plug, but there it was) and read through a lot of QRH procedures. Nessa brought me lunch, so I got to steal a little extra time with her. I'm the only MEM guy in my class, so everyone else was kinda grumbling that I got to eat lunch with my wife and they had to go to McDonald's or something.
After lunch, we hopped back in the GFS to check those failures from earlier and look at schematics on them. During the first break, we managed to get hooked up on a cel phone with the company conference call about the merger. Needless to say, that break was more than the planned 5-10 minutes. After the call was over, we talked about it for a bit, ran through the last system and called it quits for the day.
Tomorrow, we meet at the airport to do the door popping and emergency training on the plane. The company ASAP guy is coming in to talk to us, and we're getting some last minute stuff knocked out. Then it's the written test, and the ground school part is over.
Friday is CRM and security training, and then I'm done going to the Corporate Education Center. Everything else will be at Flight Safety.
Today was more systems. Covered the hydraulics (how many systems, what powers what, what happens when we lose one (or two), emergency situations, etc), landing gear (manual extension), brakes, anti-skid, air conditioning, pneumatics, pressurization and ice and rain protection. Went into a lot of failures, looked at a lot of MELs (I had no clue we could defer an anti-ice blow out plug, but there it was) and read through a lot of QRH procedures. Nessa brought me lunch, so I got to steal a little extra time with her. I'm the only MEM guy in my class, so everyone else was kinda grumbling that I got to eat lunch with my wife and they had to go to McDonald's or something.
After lunch, we hopped back in the GFS to check those failures from earlier and look at schematics on them. During the first break, we managed to get hooked up on a cel phone with the company conference call about the merger. Needless to say, that break was more than the planned 5-10 minutes. After the call was over, we talked about it for a bit, ran through the last system and called it quits for the day.
Tomorrow, we meet at the airport to do the door popping and emergency training on the plane. The company ASAP guy is coming in to talk to us, and we're getting some last minute stuff knocked out. Then it's the written test, and the ground school part is over.
Friday is CRM and security training, and then I'm done going to the Corporate Education Center. Everything else will be at Flight Safety.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Today was the last day of the "ground school" portion. We met at the airport instead of the classroom so we could pop all the doors, go over the panels and remember what it looks like inside of an actual airplane. Only two of us had MEM SIDA badges, so I wound up trying to find a ramper so we could get ground power on one of the planes. Heh, looking for a ramper to put power on a plane. Sorta like being back flying the line.
Anyway, after popping panels and opening doors, we went back over to the classroom. We went through some severe weather stuff and did the general emergency training. Most of this is so we can check the box and consider the upgrade class as our recurrent training for the year as well.
The company's rep for the ASAP/FOQA program came in and talked to us. Some rumors have been floating around about guys getting the axe due to FOQA, and he pretty much put those to rest. Kinda hard to fire someone when you don't know who was flying the plane, what the flight number was or the date it flew. ALPA is the gatekeeper for that info, and you'd have to pry it from their cold, dead hands. So, lots of questions about that asked and answered, plus examples of how FOQA and ASAP have helped alleviate some problems we'd been having (like guys trying to take off at flaps 0 or landing with the TRs not armed).
Then we took the written test. Since we were working through lunch in order to get finished on time/a little early, the company sprung for lunch again. Wasn't on the plan, but when they found out we were gonna be working during lunch and just ordering pizza, they stepped up to the plate and bought our lunch for us. Unexpected surprise. Written test wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either. Everyone passed it, so that box is checked in the training folder.
Tomorrow I've got the day off, then we have CRM and security training on Fri. Probably take some time to scour the FOM tomorrow and start getting ready for my oral on Sunday.
Anyway, after popping panels and opening doors, we went back over to the classroom. We went through some severe weather stuff and did the general emergency training. Most of this is so we can check the box and consider the upgrade class as our recurrent training for the year as well.
The company's rep for the ASAP/FOQA program came in and talked to us. Some rumors have been floating around about guys getting the axe due to FOQA, and he pretty much put those to rest. Kinda hard to fire someone when you don't know who was flying the plane, what the flight number was or the date it flew. ALPA is the gatekeeper for that info, and you'd have to pry it from their cold, dead hands. So, lots of questions about that asked and answered, plus examples of how FOQA and ASAP have helped alleviate some problems we'd been having (like guys trying to take off at flaps 0 or landing with the TRs not armed).
Then we took the written test. Since we were working through lunch in order to get finished on time/a little early, the company sprung for lunch again. Wasn't on the plan, but when they found out we were gonna be working during lunch and just ordering pizza, they stepped up to the plate and bought our lunch for us. Unexpected surprise. Written test wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either. Everyone passed it, so that box is checked in the training folder.
Tomorrow I've got the day off, then we have CRM and security training on Fri. Probably take some time to scour the FOM tomorrow and start getting ready for my oral on Sunday.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Just a half day today, and I can only really talk about half of that.
Started off with CRM training. Mostly it consisted of video and discussions of United 232 (heh, funny considering the bombshell Doug dropped this week), techniques of threat and error management during flight, setting the tone for the crew as a captain and ended with some video created using our FOQA data from two of our flights. I didn't even know the CRJ COULD descend at idle power from 10K to the flare. There's a CA out there that proved it will, but no thanks. I'll take my stabilized approach anyday.
Seconds half of the day was security training. Went over company security procedures and techniques.
They ordered pizza for everyone in the training center since we has a 100% completion factor in all four hubs yesterday. Performance has been a focus target for us lately, so this was a big deal for management. Too bad our class got out at 12:30 pm and we only got to see 25 empty pizza boxes.....
Started off with CRM training. Mostly it consisted of video and discussions of United 232 (heh, funny considering the bombshell Doug dropped this week), techniques of threat and error management during flight, setting the tone for the crew as a captain and ended with some video created using our FOQA data from two of our flights. I didn't even know the CRJ COULD descend at idle power from 10K to the flare. There's a CA out there that proved it will, but no thanks. I'll take my stabilized approach anyday.
Seconds half of the day was security training. Went over company security procedures and techniques.
They ordered pizza for everyone in the training center since we has a 100% completion factor in all four hubs yesterday. Performance has been a focus target for us lately, so this was a big deal for management. Too bad our class got out at 12:30 pm and we only got to see 25 empty pizza boxes.....
blee256
Well-Known Member
Ha, for 100% completion factor, the yahoos in Management/training/scheduling/new hire F/Os and F/As get free lunch. But the pilots and F/As on the line, ground crews and gate staff get nothing. How typical.
maybe I'll see ya around FSI. Good luck on your oral.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Oral was today. My sim partner went first this morning, and he passed. We had the same guy, so he was sorta telling me how it went and that it was pretty laid back. So we go in, and he asks for my medical, certs, passport, FCC license and logbooks. Wait, what was that last one? Oh crap. I went through the hell of the 8710 (which thanks to the technology of Logbook Pro, that "hell" was a button click) but I forgot my logbooks. So, I call my wife to get her to bring them up to Flight Safety for me.
In the meantime, I got a weight and balance problem to work out. Pretty straight forward. Only difference was there was a jumpseater, but that was it. He took a look at it, said "Looks good. You can throw that away now" and w&b was done. Moved onto the airplane walkaround. Had me name the panels as we went through a powerpoint-esque slide show while asking me limitations, systems and memory items as we went around. After that we went to the overhead panel. Same drill with the limitations, etc. After that we did some FOM stuff. When do we need an alternate? What do we need to accept a LAHSO clearance? What is 3585? Duty limitations. What landings does the CA have to do with a low time FO?
After all was said and done, I passed. I missed three questions, and they were pretty much boneheaded misses. What's the limitation on how many people on the door? How much weight on the door? How long does the passenger O2 last? 4, 1000 lbs and 13 minutes are the answers.
I'm off for a couple of days, then I start CPTs.
In the meantime, I got a weight and balance problem to work out. Pretty straight forward. Only difference was there was a jumpseater, but that was it. He took a look at it, said "Looks good. You can throw that away now" and w&b was done. Moved onto the airplane walkaround. Had me name the panels as we went through a powerpoint-esque slide show while asking me limitations, systems and memory items as we went around. After that we went to the overhead panel. Same drill with the limitations, etc. After that we did some FOM stuff. When do we need an alternate? What do we need to accept a LAHSO clearance? What is 3585? Duty limitations. What landings does the CA have to do with a low time FO?
After all was said and done, I passed. I missed three questions, and they were pretty much boneheaded misses. What's the limitation on how many people on the door? How much weight on the door? How long does the passenger O2 last? 4, 1000 lbs and 13 minutes are the answers.
I'm off for a couple of days, then I start CPTs.
