mtsu_av8er
Well-Known Member
Well, as everybody knows, I’ve been down in Orlando for the last two weeks for training at Flight Express. I figured I’d go ahead and give everybody the gouge now that the training is over.
Training begins on a Monday morning at 0900, and you show up wearing a white shirt and solid, dark tie. This is the only day that you have to wear this attire. The rules thereafter are shirts with collars, clean, neat, jeans are ok – but not with rips, holes, etc.
The first couple of hours are consumed with massive amounts of paperwork. Believe me, there is a lot. Several breakdowns of flight time (for FAA files, insurance company, etc), aircraft flown, previous employers, background checks, more background check, etc, etc. It really does take about 3 hours just for the paperwork. While you’re writing your life away, you’ll also take a photo for your company badge – which will be issued after you’ve passed your checkride. Also a logbook review.
Once the paperwork is done, you’ll break for lunch. One hour. There are plenty of places to go nearby, so there’s no problem getting chow.
After lunch, Mr. Austin Collins – The Manager of Training – introduces himself and the training program. They’re not shy about the fact that it’s an incredibly difficult program. It’s almost as if they want to scare you away from the company. At the same time, there are no surprises. In the beginning, I thought that perhaps they were exaggerating the diffuculty of the training, but it’s pretty tough. To quote them nearly word for word: If, on day one, you aren’t able to pass both an instrument and commercial checkride, in a high performance, complex, single engine aircraft, in extremely busy airspace, then you really don’t have any business there. There is ABSOULUTELY no real flight training while you’re here. The flight training will consist of at least 6 hours of instruction in the aircraft, followed by a checkride. You’re, in effect, getting checked out in the C-210. If you’re thinking about coming here, be prepared for that.
I digress . . .
Mr. Collins issues everyone a copy of the Federal Transportation regs as they relate to HAZMAT and the like, an Emergency Response Guide, a copy of the OPS SPECS, and a copy of the POH for the Cessna 210L. Training guide? You’re responsible for bringing that with you. If you go to Austin Collins’ personal website, you can download and print everything else that you will need for training. Don’t be “that guy” that doesn’t have it.
On day one, you’ll be taught the training requirements of Part 135, find out how FLX fits into the regs, and which regs apply to FLX. You’re also given a training schedule, telling you what will be taught on each day. You’ll watch a couple of films, too. Then, on day one, you’ll take a written test on basic instrument and commercial material. It’s pretty thorough, 60 questions, and you need at least 70% to pass. Some folks whip a$*, and others are humbled.
For the rest of the week, there are classes on Icing, Part 135 flight planning, rest and duty limits, maintenance requirements (No MELs – YEAH!!!), company procedures, and de-icing/anti-icing equipment. There are also classes on HAZMAT, ATC communication, and some quick C-210 differences training (for all of the weird things that we have out on the line).
There’s a written test daily on the material from the previous day. 70% to pass each. There is quite a bit to study on each day. Some of the most challenging subjects are the rest time requirements and part 135 flight planning. Tough stuff!! On Friday morning, there’s a final exam, a 60 question test covering EVERYTHING that was covered, and some things that aren’t. Everything in the POH is fair game, as is the OPS SPECS and basic IFR/Commercial knowledge. If you fail the written, you can pack your bags.
Flight training begins on Sunday or Monday. There are only two instructors, and some folks end up waiting to fly. Written test scores determine base selection, and even that can be over-ridden by the needs of the company. In my class, they absolutely had to fill a Kansas City run, and a Cincy run. I didn’t bid for either one of them, as I got to choose my base. However, 2 out of the 4 people in my class washed out in the flight training, so I ended up having to go to Kansas City to fill that run. Welcome to Aviation – you bust your butt, and you get shafted!! J
The flight training consists of three flights, and your checkride. By the time you jump into the aircraft, you’d better know EVERY SINGLE FLOW from the Flight Training Handbook. I can’t imagine trying to learn the flows as you go, AND keep up with the airplane. If you’re flown the 210, you’ll know that it’s not a slow airplane by any means. No autopilot in our fleet, no GPS, just two VORs, an ADF and a handful with DME. It’s hardcore instrument flying.
First flight is all airwork. Slow flight, stalls, steep turns, emergency procedures, and a lot of trying to keep up with the aircraft. You can bet on an instrument approach at the end.
Second flight is traffic pattern work. Go-arounds, aborted takeoffs, and short field landings. No-flap takeoffs & landings, and LAHSO.
Third flight is all instrument work. You’ll do holds, multiple approaches, partial panel, missed approaches, circling approaches, Back-course approaches – if the company can do it, you’ll do it.
Then the checkride. Just like any checkride, just harder. The hardest checkride I’ve ever taken – harder even then my CFI or Instrument checkrides. It was kind of like a CFI chckride (you have to vocalize all of the flows) combined with a CFI-I checkride. And long. And it was hot. And, wouldn’t you know it – the airvent in my airplane had just been repaired, but wouldn’t blow any air on me! By the time I landed at the end, I was being blinded by sweat!!!
All in all, it’s a great challenge. You feel like you can do anything by the end, and you’re pretty nervous about the fact that the company will expect you to be able to do anything!! This is going to be a fun ride!!! J
Some demographics from my class:*
There were four candidates in my class. One was about 23, a product of ERAU. He was married, and was a Flight Instructor at an Air Force flying club in Ohio. He’d been through a 135 training class before. His test score was the highest, and he ultimately passed with no problems.
One was a 30 year-old (turned 31 during training) product of MTSU. Single, former military, and was the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor at a Part 141 flight school in Tennessee. His test score was the second highest in the class. He ultimately passed with no problem.
One was a guy of about 22 years old. Freelanced, owned his own airplane, Kind of worked for himself. He also went to China for a couple of months to work for a flight school over there (said school has been discussed in the forums). He didn’t like the fact that he didn’t get to fly much in China, and quit. Got hired by FLX. Test scores were good on some days, bad on others. He was frustrated by the pace that the instructor expected him to perform in the airplane. He washed out on the first flight.
The fourth Candidate was a retired school teacher from Ohio. He was 54 years old, and a product of Airline Training Academy. He Did some part-time instruction up in Ohio, a little here and a little there. He had 1700 hours and 20 multi. Made it to the third flight, and fell apart pretty badly with the instrument work. He had trouble multi-tasking in congested airspace. He’s going back to instructing.
Again, folks – know your stuff before you come to a place like this, don’t take anything personally, and be prepared to stay up late to study!!!
*I’m in no way implying that any of these demographics had ANYTHING to do with the success or failure of any candidate.
Training begins on a Monday morning at 0900, and you show up wearing a white shirt and solid, dark tie. This is the only day that you have to wear this attire. The rules thereafter are shirts with collars, clean, neat, jeans are ok – but not with rips, holes, etc.
The first couple of hours are consumed with massive amounts of paperwork. Believe me, there is a lot. Several breakdowns of flight time (for FAA files, insurance company, etc), aircraft flown, previous employers, background checks, more background check, etc, etc. It really does take about 3 hours just for the paperwork. While you’re writing your life away, you’ll also take a photo for your company badge – which will be issued after you’ve passed your checkride. Also a logbook review.
Once the paperwork is done, you’ll break for lunch. One hour. There are plenty of places to go nearby, so there’s no problem getting chow.
After lunch, Mr. Austin Collins – The Manager of Training – introduces himself and the training program. They’re not shy about the fact that it’s an incredibly difficult program. It’s almost as if they want to scare you away from the company. At the same time, there are no surprises. In the beginning, I thought that perhaps they were exaggerating the diffuculty of the training, but it’s pretty tough. To quote them nearly word for word: If, on day one, you aren’t able to pass both an instrument and commercial checkride, in a high performance, complex, single engine aircraft, in extremely busy airspace, then you really don’t have any business there. There is ABSOULUTELY no real flight training while you’re here. The flight training will consist of at least 6 hours of instruction in the aircraft, followed by a checkride. You’re, in effect, getting checked out in the C-210. If you’re thinking about coming here, be prepared for that.
I digress . . .
Mr. Collins issues everyone a copy of the Federal Transportation regs as they relate to HAZMAT and the like, an Emergency Response Guide, a copy of the OPS SPECS, and a copy of the POH for the Cessna 210L. Training guide? You’re responsible for bringing that with you. If you go to Austin Collins’ personal website, you can download and print everything else that you will need for training. Don’t be “that guy” that doesn’t have it.
On day one, you’ll be taught the training requirements of Part 135, find out how FLX fits into the regs, and which regs apply to FLX. You’re also given a training schedule, telling you what will be taught on each day. You’ll watch a couple of films, too. Then, on day one, you’ll take a written test on basic instrument and commercial material. It’s pretty thorough, 60 questions, and you need at least 70% to pass. Some folks whip a$*, and others are humbled.
For the rest of the week, there are classes on Icing, Part 135 flight planning, rest and duty limits, maintenance requirements (No MELs – YEAH!!!), company procedures, and de-icing/anti-icing equipment. There are also classes on HAZMAT, ATC communication, and some quick C-210 differences training (for all of the weird things that we have out on the line).
There’s a written test daily on the material from the previous day. 70% to pass each. There is quite a bit to study on each day. Some of the most challenging subjects are the rest time requirements and part 135 flight planning. Tough stuff!! On Friday morning, there’s a final exam, a 60 question test covering EVERYTHING that was covered, and some things that aren’t. Everything in the POH is fair game, as is the OPS SPECS and basic IFR/Commercial knowledge. If you fail the written, you can pack your bags.
Flight training begins on Sunday or Monday. There are only two instructors, and some folks end up waiting to fly. Written test scores determine base selection, and even that can be over-ridden by the needs of the company. In my class, they absolutely had to fill a Kansas City run, and a Cincy run. I didn’t bid for either one of them, as I got to choose my base. However, 2 out of the 4 people in my class washed out in the flight training, so I ended up having to go to Kansas City to fill that run. Welcome to Aviation – you bust your butt, and you get shafted!! J
The flight training consists of three flights, and your checkride. By the time you jump into the aircraft, you’d better know EVERY SINGLE FLOW from the Flight Training Handbook. I can’t imagine trying to learn the flows as you go, AND keep up with the airplane. If you’re flown the 210, you’ll know that it’s not a slow airplane by any means. No autopilot in our fleet, no GPS, just two VORs, an ADF and a handful with DME. It’s hardcore instrument flying.
First flight is all airwork. Slow flight, stalls, steep turns, emergency procedures, and a lot of trying to keep up with the aircraft. You can bet on an instrument approach at the end.
Second flight is traffic pattern work. Go-arounds, aborted takeoffs, and short field landings. No-flap takeoffs & landings, and LAHSO.
Third flight is all instrument work. You’ll do holds, multiple approaches, partial panel, missed approaches, circling approaches, Back-course approaches – if the company can do it, you’ll do it.
Then the checkride. Just like any checkride, just harder. The hardest checkride I’ve ever taken – harder even then my CFI or Instrument checkrides. It was kind of like a CFI chckride (you have to vocalize all of the flows) combined with a CFI-I checkride. And long. And it was hot. And, wouldn’t you know it – the airvent in my airplane had just been repaired, but wouldn’t blow any air on me! By the time I landed at the end, I was being blinded by sweat!!!
All in all, it’s a great challenge. You feel like you can do anything by the end, and you’re pretty nervous about the fact that the company will expect you to be able to do anything!! This is going to be a fun ride!!! J
Some demographics from my class:*
There were four candidates in my class. One was about 23, a product of ERAU. He was married, and was a Flight Instructor at an Air Force flying club in Ohio. He’d been through a 135 training class before. His test score was the highest, and he ultimately passed with no problems.
One was a 30 year-old (turned 31 during training) product of MTSU. Single, former military, and was the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor at a Part 141 flight school in Tennessee. His test score was the second highest in the class. He ultimately passed with no problem.
One was a guy of about 22 years old. Freelanced, owned his own airplane, Kind of worked for himself. He also went to China for a couple of months to work for a flight school over there (said school has been discussed in the forums). He didn’t like the fact that he didn’t get to fly much in China, and quit. Got hired by FLX. Test scores were good on some days, bad on others. He was frustrated by the pace that the instructor expected him to perform in the airplane. He washed out on the first flight.
The fourth Candidate was a retired school teacher from Ohio. He was 54 years old, and a product of Airline Training Academy. He Did some part-time instruction up in Ohio, a little here and a little there. He had 1700 hours and 20 multi. Made it to the third flight, and fell apart pretty badly with the instrument work. He had trouble multi-tasking in congested airspace. He’s going back to instructing.
Again, folks – know your stuff before you come to a place like this, don’t take anything personally, and be prepared to stay up late to study!!!
*I’m in no way implying that any of these demographics had ANYTHING to do with the success or failure of any candidate.
Oh, I'll definately be back, John!! I'm going to try to get some TDY down here this summer!!
