MCC Diary

[Callsign Kilo]

Having just completed an MCC in the last 2 weeks I was considering posting a short diary of events on pprune. The reason being is that I don't think there is a lot of information out there on what it actually entails and it is often met with a common misconception that it is 'just another tick in the box.' I certainly believed this before I did an MCC, however I went away from it with a totally different opinion.

If people are interested, I'm happy to share my experiences. I don't want it treated as an 'advertisement' for the course provider, even though it was an excellent course. I'm just hoping to list the kind of scenarios that you can expect to experience, hopefully letting people in on what they may face and how to prepare. Any takers?

[PIELORD]

I would be interested in hearing about your experience:ok:.

[mlee]

Yea sounds good!

[Rob's Dad]

Yes, please - doing mine in August and forewarned is forearmed

[n90bar]

I would love to hear about it aswell!!!!!

[MrHorgy]

Indeed contributions welcome. I'm planning one in September/October and wouldn't mind knowing what to expect. What type did you do it on? Did you read up on the type before hand?

I'm tempted by jetlinx on the 757 and i've got the FS addon, what are the merits of a bit of unofficial CBT? What did they throw at you? etc etc..

Horgy

[dwshimoda]

Horgy,

I did the 757 with Jetlinx & found it to be a fantastic course. I also used FS2004 with the 75 add-on and also a 757-200 dvd from Flightstore about an airtours flight.

Both these things made me feel much more at home in the sim, although they in no way prepare you for the real thing. However, you spend a lot less time looking for switches, etc because of your prep. Jetlinx run the course like a virtual airline, so you are expected to learn their SOP's which makes it a lot more realistic.

One word of caution though - the MCC is a non technical course - it's about working together to fly an aircraft, not how well you know the 757. You may swat up on everything there is to know about the 757, but if you can't work with another pilot to fly it, there's no point.

If you want more info on Jetlinx, PM me.

DW.

[Callsign Kilo]

Right, well I had better start
I sat my MCC course in mid June over a period of 9 days. 3 days were dedicated to groundschool and 5 to a full-motion flight simulator. Now for those of you who now think I can’t add, one day was spent visiting the London ATC Centre at West Drayton. I must say it was a fantastic experience and one that I would recommend to anyone given the opportunity.

As I said before, I don’t want this diary to be perceived as a ‘plug’ for the organisation who I conducted my training with. So I’ll get this bit out of the way. If anyone wants to know more about these guys, feel free to PM me.
Anyway my MCC training was conducted at a well known airfield in the South of England who use a Saab 340 Turboprop simulator as the training platform. One thing that I will say about them is that they are a very professional outfit. You get that ‘feel’ for the place when you walk through the doors. So I immediately felt happy about my choice of course provider before the course actually began. Piece of mind assured and plug over! :p

DAY 1…..Groundschool

Groundschool…….yuk……the word often sends shivers down my spine. Having spent hours upon hours listening to poorly delivered ATPL lectures using crap notes in poorly ventilated rooms, I know. Glad to say that my experiences on the MCC were refreshingly different. Again, naming no names, our MCC GS instructor was of a unique ilk…..HE COULD INSTRUCT. Well, not so much instructing here, more listening, taking information in and discussing. However it was clear that our lecturer had two important assets – he knew how to talk to an audience and he was interesting. One thing that I was especially happy about was that he possessed years of experience operating on both military and commercial multi-crew aircraft. He could therefore relate to every incident that we would discuss. CRM itself was, as you’d expect, a specialist subject of his, so the knowledge level was unparalleled. Piece of mind again assured.

Anyway, I digress. Should be telling you all about day one. Well we started at 0900 and finished close to 1700. Sessions lasted between 45 minutes to one hour, with 15 minutes break for coffee, visit to the wee boys room etc. I, for one, thought that this teaching system employed on my MCC course was a very good one. Some people often like to ‘press on’ with what may be thought of as being the less exciting stuff in order to get it out of the way. I’m glad we didn’t, especially as after an hour my concentration span really suffers. I also felt that the 15 minute break allowed you to think about what you had just discussed and indeed discuss it further. So that was all good in my book. Day 1 itself concerned the ‘HUMAN ELEMENT.’ Without going into broad details, as anyone either studying for the ATPL Human Performance Factors exam or indeed who is going on an MCC course, will come across these. One thing that I will mention is the SHELL Model. I was aware of this before the course began, but really hadn’t given it much thought in relation to CRM. Well, it’s at the centre of CRM and any MCC course. We spent a lot of time talking about it, and I’m glad we did. Pretty much every CRM related incident or accident can be related to the breakdown of this model. We discussed personal experiences and shared opinions on previous incidents where people have learned the importance of good SHELL interaction, especially the ‘Liveware – Liveware’ element. So some advice, if any, is don’t underestimate it’s importance. It seems to be at the foundation of all good CRM practices – this too me was demonstrated in the sim at a later stage. So keep it in mind and understand it’s interfaces.

Well, that was Day 1 pretty much. I will continue with Day 2 for all those still awake! :ok:

[MrHorgy]

Keep it coming! :ok:

Horgy

[Callsign Kilo]

DAY 2….Groundschool

Situational Awareness. I can remember that breaking down a few times during the IR! Well, it’s about slightly more than wondering where the hell you are in a hold! This was immediately brought when we watched a video on the now infamous incident involving the American Airlines 757 that crashed into high terrain at Cali in South America. It is a shocking incident demonstrating non-existent CRM, poor Situational Awareness and a complete breakdown of the SHELL model. One thing I learned about flying is that you need to be ahead of the game. Thinking about what’s ahead and as our lecturer said, ‘NEVER FLY SOMEWHERE THAT YOU’RE BRAIN HASN’T BEEN BEFORE.’ In a multi-crew aircraft there is another person that must be kept in this ‘loop.’ You must work together effectively at all times. Well, this didn’t happen at Cali and a lot of people died as a result. Very thought provoking stuff.

With Situational Awareness in mind, the rest of the day was devoted to Event Management, Communications and Decision Making in the context of a Muli-Crew. One thing that I would say is that this all makes total sense when you speak about it in a classroom. You wonder why previous events like Cali, Tenerife or the L1011 that crashed into the Florida Everglades were ever allowed to happen? However it is easy to see why, especially when you get into a real life muli-crew operating environmet, as I did in the MCC. With all our previous experience as single crew pilots, we effectively live and die by our own decisions. In a multi-crew situation, especially when you are ‘up against it,’ it is very easy to revert into ‘single pilot’ mode. You then immediately take the second person out of the equation. This is a big No No when it comes to multi-crew flying and CRM and is how disasters happen. It’s something that I really took away with me when the course had came to an end.

[smith]

Can you tell me is it 8/9 days straight, or do you break up for the week-end?

[p1_aviator]

Hi guys,

This might help or might not for those of you planing to do your MCC.
I did mine at EAAC (European Aviation Air Charter) in Bournemouth. It was a 8 day course, Wednesday to friday doing ground school, then a break for the weekend, followed by 5 days in the sim. You do it with one other person, and the allocated 4 hours a day are split 2 hours as pilot flying and 2 hours as pilot monitoring.
The sim i was on was a Tristar L1011 however, they were just installing a B737-200 i think, which they said they will also be using once it is up and running.
The instruction is good, and the bonus of EAAC is that they own the sims, so once your 4 hours is over, as long as the sim is not booked out to anyone else, they turn the motion off and you can continue for free.
After having completed the MCC, i feel that it really doesn't matter what aircraft you do the MCC in, however, i would say doing it in a full motion heavy jet sim will help you when it comes to the sim check.
This is only my opinion, i havn't experianced any other MCC providers, so can't really compare, but i am happy having done mine with EAAC. If anyone would like more info, please feel free to contact me.

[Callsign Kilo]

First to answer Smith, the course was held over 9 continuous days. However this largely depends on scheduling and sim availability so I’m told.

DAY 3…..Final Day of Groundschool

One thing that I forgot to include in my last entry was that we were able to get a first look at the sim during day 2. We met our sim instructor who was able to give us a brief view of what we’d be using. The expression ‘small boys let loose in a sweet store’ is something that I’d compare the initial experience to. It all looked and felt extremely realistic. Ever switch, every button, identical to the real aircraft. Even though the Saab is only a 34 seat turboprop, you really felt it was quite a step up from the light pistons that you had flown during the IR. I immediately couldn’t wait to get my hands on it!

Anyway, last day of groundschool. This was my favourite day to be honest. Not because it was the final day or anything, but largely because we dealt with the more practical related issues of multi-crew flying. The importance of SOPs, Checklists, Standard Calls and Briefings were all discussed. However prior to talking about any of that, we watched a video about the United DC10 that crashed at Sioux City after a total loss of hydraulics. Although it ended with fatalities after the aircraft was totally destroyed, the incident was an example of effective CRM. It demonstrated good leadership skills and levels of communication where all crew members were kept in the loop and involved in the decision making process. It also demonstrated a fantastic level of flying ability where the aircraft was flown using the asymmetric effect provided by the engines.

From this we discussed the qualities of leadership and teamwork and what strengths it had on the flightdeck. One thing that I took from this was the concept of a ‘synergistic cockpit.’ There was an idea that responsibilities were shared on the flightdeck and clear and effective communication is the key to success. I suppose again it demonstrates that failures occur when we revert to taking on too much responsibility and adapting the single pilot mentality. Again the importance of working together was driven home. To show an example of this, our instructor played part of one of those ITVV flightdeck videos. It involved a BAe 146 crew flying from Luton to Rome I think. Not only did it demonstrate effective crew synergy, we were also able to see an example of a particular airline’s SOPs being put into practice. An airline pilot friend of mine once told me that well rehearsed SOPs were vital to any multicrew environment. Well now I can see how, especially when it comes to creating a ‘synergistic crew.’ Through the video, we were also able to discuss the use of checklists and crew briefings. Many of the checklists in muticrew aircraft employ the ‘Challenge – Response,’ or Challenge – Do – Verify’ method. It is where one crew member, usually Pilot Non Flying (PNF), reads out an action from a checklist and the Pilot Flying confirms the action has infact been ‘actioned.’ It seems invaluable when it comes to ensuring that something hasn’t been missed out. The importance of crew briefings were also discussed and the idea of how a clear and fluent brief can set the tone for any flight. Since my MCC course, both arrival and departure briefs are something that I have been practicing. There is a lot of things that you need to get in over a short period of time. I believe it is something that you can develop with your own style when doing. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to give one ‘for real’ in the not too distant future.

Next entry – First day in the sim!

[Chitty's Leader]

Many thanks for your effort in compiling this C.K! It is such a refreshing change to read something dedicated to the latter stages of flight training & will give those wannabe's a very useful insight of what is to come.

I'm looking forward to reading the remainder when it comes round! Good luck with your job hunt now! :ok:

[Callsign Kilo]

DAY 4…..Simulator
First day in the sim today, boy was I excited! We would however be finished by lunchtime as sessions had been booked by Loganair, Adria and Flybe; who all seem to use the simulator extensively. So after meeting up with our sim instructor, in we went, armed with our Jeppesen plates, Checklists and QRH (Quick Reference Handbook). Many of you may be wondering why we jumped straight into the simulator without any briefing or initial instruction on the aircraft systems etc. Well, for one the MCC is not a type rating course. The simulator is only used as a training platform to demonstrate multi-crew practice. Therefore many people are correct in saying that it doesn’t really matter what type of simulator that the MCC is carried out on. However, one thing that the Saab does permit is the use of automation and therefore helps demonstrate how this can be incorporated into good CRM practices. It also provides the experience of a full motion simulator and allows you to feel and appreciate all that extra inertia. Plus for me it proved to be great in removing that initial feeling of ‘jesus, this is a big aircraft, what do all these buttons and switches do?’ It’s a feeling that I would hate to experience for the first time, say for example on a sim assessment for that all important first airline job. Just being able to sit in the simulator for a few hours listening to the instructor tell us what everything does helps put those early fears to bed. It’s just another aeroplane. It may handle slightly differently, however there’s nothing there that hasn’t been seen before!

Today I was PNF and I sat in the left hand seat. ‘All flying will be done on the right hand seat,’ said our instructor. Obviously we all will hopefully be starting out as First Officers, so unless they alter the Captain’s seat position in the next few years, I can see the reason for it. We were parked at Gate 29 at Manchester Airport. The sim door was closed, the drawbridge retracted and the motion switched on. We could hear ATC speak in the background and could clearly see graphically generated aircraft taxi around the airport concourse. Checklist in hand, I was immediately introduced to the ‘flow pattern’ principle that is used to check a cold and dark aircraft awaiting it’s first flight of the day. You check each part of the flightdeck thoroughly, starting with the overhead panel, the main panel and then the central console. It is usually conducted without the aid of a checklist as the ‘flow pattern’ ensure that each instrument, switch or lever is checked. Something that is extremely important as you don’t know what state the aircraft was left in before you got in. The previous occupants of the sim must have had an engine fire as several switches had been pulled, along with the fire extinguisher bottles! Lesson One learned.

With imaginary ground power connected, all electrics checked and functioning, fictitious Manchester ATIS received and our sim instructor acting as cabin crew, ensuring that all pax were onboard and doors were closed, we were ready for start. My sim partner had called for ‘BEFORE START CHECKLIST’ and we awkwardly ran through the items. PF was to call for ‘push & start’ and our instructor, now playing the role of ATC, dually obliged our request. I would now tell the fictitious ramper that we were ready to ‘turn & burn.’ I would carry out the engine start and called for the list. Again we awkwardly ran through it, being prompted on standard call outs as we observed the engine instruments – ‘STARTING NUMBER 2 – Rotation, Oil pressure rising, EGT rising, fuel flow, Stabilized.’ After 2 good starts we were cleared for push. After start checklist completed, checking left and right sides were clear, taxi light on and transponder on ALT, we were ready to roll. As you can only taxi the Saab 340 from the left hand side, I would be taking her to Manchester’s runway 23R. So advancing the power levers, off we rolled. It was a strange sensation taxing using a nose wheel hand tiller. Initially, I think I was a little excessive with our groundspeed as we were racing along at quite a pace. We managed to conduct the ‘Before Take Off Checks’ and I lined it up on the runway, handing over control. And that was it, session over. We had been in the sim for 2.5 hours and it felt like 2.5 minutes! No flying today, much to the annoyance of my sim partner. Loganair would be putting some of their crew through their paces, so we had to go!

[Callsign Kilo]

DAY 4…..A late sim session


As we were off to West Drayton the following day it was decided that we would wait for Loganair and Adria to finish and then go into the sim once again in the evening. It would be a long day, however it gave us a little time to think about what we would be doing. The training organisation has a room with a number of full size cockpit mock-ups or ‘cardboard bombers’ as they seem to be known. These are fantastic aids and really help in getting comfortable with the location of all the aircraft’s various bells and whistles.

So after a few hours lounging about, drinking lots of coffee and eating too many of the free doughnuts and muffins on offer, we are sitting at Manchester’s Gate 29 once again. This time I am PF. The instructions are to set up for a POL 5R Departure from Runway 23R and then to pick up radar vectors back for an ILS Approach to the same runway. This time my sim partner practices the ‘flow scan’ on the aircraft systems, as I pick up the ATIS and set up the Nav & Com Stacks for our departure. On my MCC, the majority of the flying was done using the autopilot. Using and understanding automation is part and parcel of commercial flying these days, so it is important to integrate this with good CRM. Using the autopilot in the MCC helped to free up some capacity in order to think about the multicrew aspect and what we should be trying to achieve. After we picked up our clearance from ATC (our sim instructor) I was ready to give my first ever departure brief. Well, it wasn’t great to be honest, however I think I covered everything that should be covered. One thing that I was told to have in place before any brief was the ‘5 B’s.’ I learnt this after doing my MCC and I wish I knew it before, as it really helps. The ‘5 B’s’ are Bugs (speed, heading & altitude), Bearings (Nav set-up, HSI CRS etc), Boxes (Frequencies, Autopilot MCP window), Brakes (don’t think there is any autobrake on a Saab though) and then Briefing. Anyway, as I said in a previous entry, practicing your briefs is great advice. If you can get your hands on any ITVV videos, then I’d recommend listening to the briefs given by the crew. I have the Virgin Atlantic 747-400 video and the Captain gives excellent departure and arrival briefings. Listening to these really helps.

We run through the starting procedure again and this time my sim partner taxi’s the aircraft to the hold, lining the aircraft up on the runway. We our cleared for take off, I am handed control of the power levers as my partner keeps her straight on the runway using the tiller. We run through the standard calls as we speed down the runway. I have asked for power to be set as I advance the levers, looking for 90% Torque on the engines. 60 kts is called and I confirm I have control of the rudders. ‘V1,’ both hands on the column now and ‘Rotate’ – we are away! A bit of an over rotation and the gear is selected to ‘up.’ ‘Fly the flight director’ calls our instructor as I try to get a feel for the Saab. Soon we are passing 3 DME form the ‘MCT’ VOR and its time to turn right, continuing with the horizontal profile of the SID. It’s all happening so fast and I am missing some of the calls as we engage the autopilot and climb through the various levels. It’s scrappy, so we try it all again. Having seen it all before, we improve, however our instructor picks up anything we miss out. Although a little jaded from a long day, I am really enjoying this. The Saab really is a pleasant aircraft and extremely well laid out.

As we pass Pole Hill VOR at 5000’ we are vectored right and told to descent to 4000’ for the ILS. Flying at 240 KIAS, we need to slow down. Give yourself as much time as possible, it’s a busy time. We don’t do any arrival briefing as our instructor is keen to run through this with us. We fly the various heading commands given by ATC and set up the ILS for our arrival into Manchester. It all goes by in a flash and our instructor is really starting to help us with the calls. I am concentrating so much on the flying that I revert into ‘single pilot mode.’ NO – don’t do this, you are in a mulit-crew aircraft – your partner isn’t telepathic!! Anyway, the ‘approach mode’ is selected on the autopilot and we lock onto the Localizer. I call for flaps as we slow down, the glideslope is captured and the gear is put down. For flap 20, we fly at VREF + 10 KIAS, which today is 118 knots. ‘No guts, no glory,’ calls our instructor, prompting the Autopilot to be disengaged. I make the call and hand fly the ILS, focusing on the Flight Director and the ASI. ‘Small movements at all times, use the rudder, pitch and power equals performance!’ It all runs through my mind. As we approach the threshold, the EGPWS sounds out 50, 40, 30, 20, 10. We have a X-wind from the left, so I add rudder and opposite aileron and then arrest the descent. A nice landing, I’m happy! More luck than judgment to be honest as others were not so good, however you cannot remove the smile on my face tonight. I am well knackered after today but I already can’t wait for tomorrow! :)