The competency and proficiency needed on the line [Archive]

Shrimp2511

28th Apr 2012, 12:01

hi guys,
Im slightly new to this forum and have a burning thought (worry) that needs to be aired.

First off, I'm currently in groundschool, CTC. I have around 65 hrs single engine before starting the course. Groundschool was but does not seem a major worry to me now ive settled in and completed first exams, neither is the flight training. I'm looking far ahead, perhaps unnecessarily to the end result.. The 'learning on the line' phase.

I have the grades necessary and i passed the selection, also selected on an mpl with monarch and maybe, hopefully all the following training. (seem currenty suited to classroom based learning) However, will passing all the tests really make me a competent airline pilot? The abilities of management, attention to detail and ironing out those who would be error prone have never been tested in any exams ive ever sat. Now i'm not saying this is me, there are high chances i'm speculating far too much and i'm going to be fine.. But everyone training will make errors right? Just what kind of expectations are captains and training capts looking for? By this time I would have put the entire cost of the course down, which everyone knows is a hell of a lot, hence my concern about this point. Do not want to mess up my dream here.

Thanks for having me :)

Bealzebub

29th Apr 2012, 00:32

Firstly, well done!

You have got yourself on to a programme that is in all probability going to be one of the best springboards around for an aspiring airline pilot. This programme should smoothly progress through an excellent training course and on to a top notch apprenticeship, and then hopefully on to a career employment contract. Although the programme itself is new, it is an evolution of a long established and tried and tested route for ab-initio cadet pilot recruitment, utilising training and airline organisations both with excellent reputations and standing.

There are three phases to your training over the next 12 months or so. Firstly the phase you are currently embarked on is the initial (basic) or introductory portion. This is the groundschool comprising the ATPL examinations and the introduction to flight and simulator based training. In about six to eight months time you will start the transition to the intermediate phase of training. This comprises the advanced elements of flight training including instrument rating and final licence issue. Then comes the subject of your question, advanced flight, simulator, and ground training. This includes the transition to line based operations.

What you will find is that each phase flows into the next. As the course progresses, you will find that your knowledge, ability and confidence also increases to meet the next set of challenges. One of the main aspects of this form of integrated training, is that everything is geared up to the end result. From the very start, the learning environment will, as best as possible, replicate the same learning environment to be found at the airline. This philosophy permeates into everything from the standards of dress expected, through the use of checklists, to the operations briefing rooms, the classroom teaching methodology, the ramp and flightline procedures, etc. etc. This is essentialy why it is almost always a relatively smooth transistion from intermediate training into the airline based advanced phase, for most of the candidates.

Be under no illusion, that it involves an enormous amount of effort and determination from the candidate. The process shouldn't normally allow a weak candidate to progress to advanced training without those weaknesses being rectified or addressed. So it is unlikely you would find yourself in such a position. There is no doubt that it is a very steep hill to climb, from PPL to airline first officer in barely 18 months. To succeed requires a lot of work and effort in order to make the required progression. Part of the selection process was to test for the character, maturity, learning improvement markers, that would have been evident in that process. Those same things will be monitored throughout your training. When you mention such things as "abilities of management, attention to detail and ironing out those who would be error prone." They fall within those markers, so without you necessarily being aware, they are indeed being tested, and will continue to be.

It is perfectly normal to be apprehensive and have bouts of lack of confidence, particularly when you look at how steep a path lies ahead of you. As you progress, the effort you put in, so as to extract as much positive result from the training, will move you up the path quickly. You will have good resources, not only from your trainers, but also from the group of friends and peers that you are training with. Quite a few of those people will probably become lifelong friends and colleagues. They are not only a good source of support, but also a competitive spur to achieve a very high personal and collective standard. Although the goal at the moment, is that A321 that lies at the edge of the visible horizon, it is in fact a path that will never end for as long as you maintain this career.

Making errors or mistakes is a natural part of the learning curve. It is about your ability to learn from those errors (and the errors of others,) and build what you learn into your own management model. Eliminating as many errors as possible is all part of the learning process, and again it is a process that will never end. CRM, and recognising other peoples abilities and weaknesses is an integral part of the skill set. When you join the airline, the training Captains and line Captains will be looking for a well rounded, competent, and well trained individual, who fits in seamlessly to a team of people. That is what you will be. As with everything else, it is an evolutionary process, and you will change and get better with time and experience.

Everybody involved in the process will want you to succeed. You will have high moments and low moments. Confidence wobbles are perfectly normal. To succeed you will need to apply consistent and sustained levels of effort. You will need to listen, ask, and learn. You will need to remain competitive but also be a good team member. That means being supportive and not being afraid to ask for support when required.

I think this is the best advice I can give you. I have seen a lot of people successfully come through these programmes (this one is new but essentially similar in expectation,) and they are very good pilots who absorb information like dry sponges. They are all good team players who display ability, punctuality, flexibility, self disipline and a strong work ethic. As a Captain (or manager) those are many of the qualities you would consider essential to a strong team.

To have got to this point, a number of people are convinced that you already display sufficient of those qualities to achieve the task that lies ahead of you. That should help assuage any doubts you are feeling at the moment. There is a lot of work ahead..........Enjoy it!