How type-specific are airline sim assessments?
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How type-specific are airline sim assessments?
Say you had a sim assessment coming up for your first airline job, and the airline uses the B737 but the only sim you can book for practice in time for the assessment is an A320. Would such a practice session still provide value, or would it be largely irrelevant and/or have the potential to confuse?
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Most airlines use the 737 as a base as it is a conventional aeroplane to fly, just a bigger, faster and harder to slow down Seneca so therefore familiar to students (plus there are a LOT of them). I’ve flown both the 320 and the 737; both marvellous machines, and both are just jets at the end of the day BUT the key to flying the Boeing - trimming (irrelevant other than OEI or in direct law on the airbus) and pitch/power datums are not well served, in my opinion anyway, by time in an airbus sim. The CRM and briefing type stuff yes absolutely, but not the stick and rudder stuff.
Last edited by Speed_Trim_Fail; 14th Aug 2023 at 17:42.
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Absolutely use the correct type if you can. Not a necessity but a bit of muscle memory and type exposure goes a long way towards releasing capacity on the day that can then be applied to the non flying skills which generally make up 75% of the assessment.
This particularly applies to the BA assessment. If you haven't had prior experience of the 747 pitch/power, trim and inertia you're in for a surprise!
There's a company in the Midlands has a 320, 737 and 747. I'll DM you.
This particularly applies to the BA assessment. If you haven't had prior experience of the 747 pitch/power, trim and inertia you're in for a surprise!
There's a company in the Midlands has a 320, 737 and 747. I'll DM you.
+1
The assessors will or should take account of your flying type experience.
They are looking for basic competence, ability to fly and navigate raw data, situational awareness, speed of learning, piloting knowledge, cockpit management, and such things rather than can you gracefully fly whatever type the Sim is.
Having said that there is a difference in handling technique between conventional yoke aircraft and side-stick Airbus FBW. So, if you are going from one to the other it would be worth at least an hour in a private Sim to familiarise yourself and practice the different handling technique they require.
The assessors will or should take account of your flying type experience.
They are looking for basic competence, ability to fly and navigate raw data, situational awareness, speed of learning, piloting knowledge, cockpit management, and such things rather than can you gracefully fly whatever type the Sim is.
Having said that there is a difference in handling technique between conventional yoke aircraft and side-stick Airbus FBW. So, if you are going from one to the other it would be worth at least an hour in a private Sim to familiarise yourself and practice the different handling technique they require.
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+2
If you have an assessment coming up, practice in a sim of the same type (or similar, eg FBW Airbus or pitch/power Boeing) would be very useful. However, I sat in a 747 sim next to someone with around 500hrs TT (all Airbus) who had never touched a Boeing, and still managed to get through - even though they were clearly swimming uphill…
As said above, any decent assessor will take into account experience level and previous types flown, and will be looking for teamwork / CRM / pilot competencies as least as much as handling ability. They will be asking themselves:
1). Is this person safe?
2). Can they get through a type rating course in minimum time?
3). Do I want to sit next to them for 8 hours?
If you have an assessment coming up, practice in a sim of the same type (or similar, eg FBW Airbus or pitch/power Boeing) would be very useful. However, I sat in a 747 sim next to someone with around 500hrs TT (all Airbus) who had never touched a Boeing, and still managed to get through - even though they were clearly swimming uphill…
As said above, any decent assessor will take into account experience level and previous types flown, and will be looking for teamwork / CRM / pilot competencies as least as much as handling ability. They will be asking themselves:
1). Is this person safe?
2). Can they get through a type rating course in minimum time?
3). Do I want to sit next to them for 8 hours?
