Job Assessment sim tests
Interesting article in latest AVWEB "Columns" pages. The author discusses the conduct of the typical simulator check ride for type rated pilots seeking jobs. You know the form- 10 pilots are each given a 40 minute check ride to see if they are the Right Stuff for the particular airline seeking instant captains on type.
Mostly it is just a radar vectored ILS, a circuit, a V1 cut and continue for one engine inop ILS and that's about it - swap seats and repeat excercise. Radar vectors makes it a pushover. Usually full use of automatics is permitted with perhaps a disconnect of the auto throttle if you are unlucky. FD in use the whole time.
The AVWEB article questions whether or not this is a true test of the pilot's flying skills as it only demonstrates use of automatics and not of basic stick and rudder skills.
Is it a more accurate evaluation of the pilot's skill to have to demonstrate competence at strong crosswind landings, raw data non-automatics ILS, jet upset recovery skills, manual reversion skills and short field wet runway operations?
Ever since glass cockpits were first introduced, surveys over the years indicate that accent on automatics has inevitably led to a gradual degrading of basic stick and rudder skills.
If you were the assessing team in the simulator, how would you assess someone who is type rated and you have 40 minutes available to see how he performs. Automatics or basic handling skills first?