CTC ATP scheme: failed AQC

[wingedwilliam]

Hi everyone,

I recently failed the AQC, which is the last stage of the ATP scheme selection.

I know that it is not so uncommon to fail the AQC, and I'd like to have some feedback from those poor guys who, like me, were not particularly at ease with the 737-700 sim at Nursling: was the AQC of any help in your job search or sim rides, did you contact CTC to get some more feedback on your performance...

Thanks in advance for your replies !

WW

[Pilot Pete]

wingedwilliam

Sory to hear of your unsuccessful AQC. A few words which may help if I may?

Contacting CTC for feedback is a good idea. You have nothing to lose as you have not been successful with them. They can only say 'no' and you will be no worse off. If they do offer feedback then consider it a bonus.

As part of the role of being an airline pilot it is becoming a requirement that you can make a good attempt at 'debriefing' your own performance, recognising your own mistakes and weaknesses and being open and honest about them. I am not for one minute suggesting that you should write them here on an open forum, but you mention that you were 'not at ease' with the sim. Ask yourself what it was that you weren't at ease with. Were you ill prepared for the course? Was it a steeper learning curve than you expected it to be? Was the pace of the course too fast for you? Were you up to speed with all the standard calls and profiles before each session? Was your handling the problem? The list is endless. Be totally honest with yourself and write down what you think the problems were. You would probably find that your list would be remarkably similar to the instructor's. In modern training circles this is called 'Facilitation' and it is getting bigger and bigger. The key is to recognise your own mistakes which means you are part-way to rectifying them and this is a better way of doing it rather than have an instructor just point out everything you did wrong.

Try and take some positives from the experience too. For instance, if you find that you were not prepared for the course then use this as the spur to ensure that the next time you are fully prepared. Your question about the AQC being useful in job search and sim rides is really one question; Is a fail at CTC AQC any use to an individual? I would have thought the last thing you would want to tell a potential employer is that you had failed a golden opportunity at getting onto a jet course with a job at the end of it due to your performance on the AQC, but there again it may help to better prepare you for that next chance and if used as mentioned above, the bad experience will help someone with the right attitude to improve their simulator flying for next time too!

So I think it comes down to how you now approach the new hurdles placed in front of you. Character and some self-critique will help you rise above your failure and make sure it doesn't happen again.

I wish you luck, which of course comes to those who seek it out through hard work.

PP

[TRon]

Wise words, as always, from Pilot Pete.

I cannot comment, but I know the failure rate was about 15% and believe me what you are put through there from a purely handling point of view is above and beyond even a type rating LST, but then that is what is being tested.

You have got 35 hours of manual jet handling hours. The sim is not a bad representation of the actual aircraft, but then it is never operated in the way that you had to manage so take some credit from that.

Best of luck for the future, I hope it goes well for you.

[HandspringGuy]

Just out of curiosity, if you fail the AQC (which is an MCC + Type rating), do you get an MCC rating? It seems impossible to fail an MCC and the AQC 'fail' seems to be from the Type Rating part.

[BitMoreRightRudder]

HandspringGuy

The AQC and Type Rating are seperate courses - the AQC is essentially a two week MCC followed by a JOC in week three. The MCC is supposedly awarded after finishing week two so a failure overall does not mean no MCC certificate.

WW

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. The AQC is a tough course and you did bloody well to get that far. Give the guys at CTC a ring they are usually very good at providing feedback.

Good Luck