1. There is/was a scenario where you would get all the way thru training, take your final line check and not pass… and then get terminated.. with few other options since you've already resigned your previous airline, just for failing a check ride?
2. You get reported by your local KAL FO for not following SOP's to the "T" such as not turning on the landing lights in the exact proper by-the-book sequence, thus causing troubles and a visit to the chief's office?
3. FO's who essentially put up a brick wall between them and you (left seater) for the entire 14 hour flight to wherever because you're taking his position?
4. A Korean aviation Fed who fails expats quite routinely and due to this, they get fired from KAL?
5. Astronaut physicals in which they always look for a way to fail you on your medical?
I find it hard to believe some guys wrote this stuff over the years but it has always remained in my head about KAL and to be honest, made me steer clear.
Here are some answers to the questions as I saw it:
1. Yes. The problem was cultural. Not necessarily theirs, but ours. When a pilot finishes his sim. training, he/she is assumed to know just about everything (I know..but..). Once into line training, the candidate is supposed to assume control (especially if you're already type rated and have held a command prior to come to KAL)and know the whole operation. If you ask a question of your national check pilot early in your training, he will see it as that you don't know anything and mark that down on the training record. That one remark may have been on day 1 of line training. You may be assigned to a couple of different LCPs during your line training. The later LCPs would never utter a positive comment on your training form due to the 'loss of face' of the first LCP you were with. Especially true if the first LCP was quite senior in status. As a result, you go through to the last check ride and find you didn't pass because of the first remark, several weeks ago.
Lesson? Don't ask questions.
2. Yes. KAL has had a terrible safety reputation. After the Guam crash, there was a concerted effort to change the safety culture and get CRM and SOPs into the mainstream. It really worked well. The company began to hire you guys and gals from the aviation university in Seoul. As a result, the culture did change and the problem was that the Expat pilots, who had come from various other airlines, didn't embrace the culture in a positive way. Not their fault. They were doing what was taught of them.
3. The Brick Wall. Yes. I had that experience. Once! I was working with an ex-air force pilot. He was a bit of a trouble maker. I had a very good relationship with the Chief Pilot. I took the step of hauling his ass up to him. It worked and I had no further problems. Maybe I was lucky. The brick wall is there but I've been away for a while and don't know how it exists now.
4. There was a CAA inspector like that when I was there. Had no clue on what he was doing. I was on a check to SFO and he came along. During our layover there was a labor strike by the pilots in Korea. My LCP called me up and asked what we should do as he wasn't part of the union. I told him he essentially was in command.....we left. The 'Fed' didn't want to go. We left him in SFO. I'm not sure if he ever made it back.
5. Medicals: That used to be the case...gawd...show up at 06:00 and go through the testing...and it took all morning. There was a reason my blood pressure went off the clock! I don't believe that is the case any more...maybe for the initial medical however; I think they've relaxed things. It was quite an experience each 6 months. It took about 2 years to actually figure things out.
I hope it helps!
Still a good gig.