Sim Partner Dragging Me Down

I don't know what happened in the last 24 hours, but my partner was like a completely different person today. He was right there on most of his callouts, did the PNF duties as well as I can expect him to and flew as well as I did...maybe even a little better. Suddenly I'm feeling a whole lot better about this whole sim thing. It's actually pretty fun once you start figuring some things out. Anyway, hopefully we both continue to improve and are ready to go come checkride time. Thanks again for the responses.
 
Good deal--24 hours can make a huge difference in this environment; glad it seems like things are starting to click with him and you can both move on to the next phase of training. Everyone's learning curve is different--just because you start out sucking doesn't mean you end up that way.

And I assume this is probably your first jet job, yes? I have news for you--once you get out on in the real world, you'll find out the actual jet is a much different animal than the sim. Granted you won't have engine fires every day, you will be humbled the first time you fly into a place like Kennedy. The first time I stepped into a real jet, a T-1 (BE400), when we were descending on the STAR my brain was still back in the chocks. Keep us updated as you get on the line, because even though the jet is easier to fly than the sim, I think you'll find there's another steep learning curve when you get away from the 'canned' environment you probably see in the sim.

Not to get you thinking too far ahead--you have to take it one step at a time and get past your PC before you'll even be allowed near the jet, so focus on the next priority of getting both of you through the next sim and then onto the next one, one day at a time. Good luck!
 
Copperhed51 said:
I don't know what happened in the last 24 hours, but my partner was like a completely different person today. He was right there on most of his callouts, did the PNF duties as well as I can expect him to and flew as well as I did...maybe even a little better. Suddenly I'm feeling a whole lot better about this whole sim thing. It's actually pretty fun once you start figuring some things out. Anyway, hopefully we both continue to improve and are ready to go come checkride time. Thanks again for the responses.
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I saw a lot of people in sims that would suck until somewhere halfway through their sims, then something suddenly clicked and they took off like a rocket ship, nailing everything I could possibly throw at them.
 
jtrain609 said:
I saw a lot of people in sims that would suck until somewhere halfway through their sims, then something suddenly clicked and they took off like a rocket ship, nailing everything I could possibly throw at them.
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Dang you Jtrain,
I'd wish you'd stop putting my business on a public forum!:sarcasm::)
 
Copperhed51 said:
I don't know what happened in the last 24 hours, but my partner was like a completely different person today. He was right there on most of his callouts, did the PNF duties as well as I can expect him to and flew as well as I did...maybe even a little better. Suddenly I'm feeling a whole lot better about this whole sim thing. It's actually pretty fun once you start figuring some things out. Anyway, hopefully we both continue to improve and are ready to go come checkride time. Thanks again for the responses.
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This is not uncommon at all. He knew the callouts etc. from the sounds of it but he was getting task saturated. The new airplane and automation may have been overwhelming at first but now his tunnel vision is clearing up. People learn at different paces and you'll find this throughout your career. One day everything will just click. In my last training cycle my partner and I were not quite on the same level. He had the callouts flat out but was stugling with landings and handling. I was the other way, I could fly the airplane but was fumbling the callouts (at my company the callouts are a bit much but it is the way they want it). By sim 4 we came together to where my callouts were cleaned up and his handling cleaned up.

Good luck with the rest!
 
I'm glad it worked out. The old "Ahhhhhh, now I get it!" light bulb clicked on inside his head. I'm sure many of us have experienced this with students and in our own training experiences. I don't think that is altogether uncommon, provided the individual is doing his or her best to study and understand the profiles, callouts, flows etc. In the end it usually all comes together.

Best of luck in the rest of your training!
 
Typically, if someone has a couple of poor sim sessions early on...it's not because of poor ability...but rather a lack of simulator flying skills. There is definitely a degree of gamesmanship regarding simulator flying...and sometimes it takes a couple of hours to figure it out.
 
:sitaware:...it comes about in different ways for people. I'm glad your sim partner had his moment.

My last inital sim was on a steam-guage jet. Now, for the previous 9 years, I had glass, my FMS and moving map. Needless to say I had my hands full getting back my "steam skills", and learning new callouts, and a new airplane. Add a weak partner (but really great guy) to the mix, too. Even during the dreaded 3-engine approach, I was busy.

It was kind of a humbling experience after not even thinking twice about a checkride for the last 6 years. At the end of the day, I had to strip my sim session down to the foundation to make it work. I focused on my organization of the cockpit, and assigning tasks (I flew all this in my head prior to sim, even after we'd practice). When I had a "game plan", I could focus on keeping the greasy-side pointed to the dirt, and not get balled up thinking about what I had to do.

Best of luck to you and your sim partner. I'm sure things will go alot smoother for ya'll, making your checkride a breeze.

Only other thing, for me, is to take some time and soak up the knowledge.
 
Just a quick update for anybody who's interested:

Just took my checkride and passed! I can't even explain how relieved i feel. It's just such a weight off my shoulders. I screwed up a couple things but did pretty well overall. Most of my mistakes were just really stupid brain farts and nerves but nothing really unsafe.

As for my sim partner, he started his extra sim session after I got done with my checkride. He's pretty close to being ready so hopefully they'll be able to sign him off and get his checkride done. He's a good guy so hopefully he'll do well.
 
Thanks for the update!! Congrats on making it thru!!
thewave.gif


Now go drink some beer. You've earned it.
 
Copperhed51 said:
Just a quick update for anybody who's interested:

Just took my checkride and passed! I can't even explain how relieved i feel. It's just such a weight off my shoulders. I screwed up a couple things but did pretty well overall. Most of my mistakes were just really stupid brain farts and nerves but nothing really unsafe.

As for my sim partner, he started his extra sim session after I got done with my checkride. He's pretty close to being ready so hopefully they'll be able to sign him off and get his checkride done. He's a good guy so hopefully he'll do well.
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Grats man! And good luck to your sim partner!
 
Another update:

My sim partner took his checkride the day after mine and passed! For some reason they changed up our loft schedules so I didn't get to fly with him during loft today. It was lots of fun not having stuff catch on fire every 5 minutes though.

I don't know what the deal is but our class started with 37 people and so far I think there's been about 18 people that have washed out. I think after today we've had 8 or 9 make it through their checkride. One guy was sent home for failing to disclose something on his app. Oh well, time for me to find a crashpad and get IOE started.

Oh yeah, and by the way....ROCK CHALK!
 
Copperhed51 said:
I'm at the almighty Trans States Airlines slaving away for Who-loss Nickelodeon or whatever his name is.
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Don't forget, "Frank WAS right". I met some of their pilots on the road. Good dudes.

I remember when Huli's place had 1200 pilots!!!
 
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