Question on line-training

[Nicholas49]

I have a question on line-training. I wondered whether it applies to captains as well as first officers?

If so, how does this work in practice? Where the F/O is undergoing line training, I guess you can still have a two-man crew with a line training captain in the left-hand seat? But if the commander is being 'examined' do you have a three-man crew with an F/O in the RHS and then a line training captain observing the commander's conduct from the jumpseat?

In this scenario, would the captain introduce the LTC to passengers or would this just confuse them? Finally, would the LTC give feedback to the commander in private (i.e. ask the F/O to leave the flight deck to allow them to discuss in private so as not to undermine his authority)?

Many thanks!
Nick

[Rainboe]

A qualified copilot will fly in the jump seat initially whilst a new copilot is undergoing early training and the Training Captain sits in the left seat. Once the pilot under training shows competence, the supernumery copilot is not required anymore and can be released.

When a new Captain is under training, either newly promoted or new on the type, the Training Captain sits in the right hand seat, and a qualified copilot in the supernumery seat until the new pilot is competent, whereupon the supernumery can be released and the training completed with the Training Captain acting as copilot.

The duty of the supernumery is tedious and boring with no chance of handling at all. It can be a significant part of a copilot's working life. The other injustice is when the Captain is being route-checked. It used to mean sometimes I was undergoing about 6 route checks a year when I didn't need them. Not nice when you could be grounded as a result of something going wrong on any of them.

[Nicholas49]

Rainboe, thank you for the reply.

I understand the training captain's role when you have a new F/O or a recently promoted captain. What I was driving at was whether even an experienced captain is assessed on the line as well as in the simulator? This may be what you call a route-check.

If experienced captains are line-checked, does the trainer observe from the jumpseat? Or is it that once you're a 'qualified' captain you're left to your own devices?

[Wing_Bound_Vortex]

Generally they'll observe from the jump seat, or possibly with a lack of Fo's the trainer doing the check will end up in the right hand seat.

WBV

[MarkerInbound]

Having the check airman part of the operating crew puts pressure on the check airman to pass the Captain. If he fails the PIC, how does the aircraft operate the next leg? Much better to give the checkride from the jumpseat. Then if needed the check airman can be part of the operating crew.

[Rainboe]

I don't think it's always allowed to do the checking from the RHS. Usually always, official route checks are conducted from the 3rd seat so a normal proper operation is assessed. Whether new or experienced, the simulator and route checking arrangements are identical.

[parabellum]

When a new Captain is under training, either newly promoted or new on the type, the Training Captain sits in the right hand seat, and a qualified copilot in the supernumerary seat until the new pilot is competent, whereupon the supernumerary can be released and the training completed with the Training Captain acting as copilot.

Not always the case. New Captain,about fourteen sectors with the TC in the RHS, cover FO on the jump seat for the first five to ten sectors, Captain under training then passes an intermediate line check, at this point the TC moves to the Jump seat and a regular FO moves to the RHS, six to eight more sectors and the captain under training does a final line check with the chief trainer or his deputy.

Captain re qualifying on a new type etc. A number of supervised sectors and a final line check, cover FO for the first few, TC on the jump seat for the rest.

No two companies are likely to be the same.