EK SFI as line F/O (any fleet)
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EK SFI as line F/O (any fleet)
Hey,
What are your thoughts on joining the training department as an SFI while an active line F/O with EK? I'm curious about all the fleets but mostly the A380 fleet. I know a few guys have done it in the past and recently... good choice or not such a good choice?
Please no bashing or degrading comments but constructive and helpful thoughts, comments and/or concerns that we can all possibly benefit from.
Thanks!
Will
What are your thoughts on joining the training department as an SFI while an active line F/O with EK? I'm curious about all the fleets but mostly the A380 fleet. I know a few guys have done it in the past and recently... good choice or not such a good choice?
Please no bashing or degrading comments but constructive and helpful thoughts, comments and/or concerns that we can all possibly benefit from.
Thanks!
Will
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Go for it,great choice BUT on the type you operate.
You will learn a lot in the back seat by watching others work and interreact and when you upgrade,your TRI ticket will be ever so closer.
You will learn a lot in the back seat by watching others work and interreact and when you upgrade,your TRI ticket will be ever so closer.
Last edited by de facto; 15th Aug 2012 at 02:48.
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Make sure you have the right hours for your upgrade before you start. A few guys were disadvantaged when the numbers changed as the company only allows 500hours of SFI time to count towards your time to upgrade.
If theabove is not a problem, it is an wonderful way to learn about the aircraft and the company's way of thinking, and will stand you in good stead not only for your own upgrade, but also for dealing with events on the line.
If theabove is not a problem, it is an wonderful way to learn about the aircraft and the company's way of thinking, and will stand you in good stead not only for your own upgrade, but also for dealing with events on the line.
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and when you upgrade,your TRI ticket will be ever so closer.
Your idea is great, you will bring in experience to the SFI seat, and your candidates, especially FOs, will appreciate such experience.
But stay away from the other advice, please!
Once on the left seat a reasonable pilot should allow some 3 years before he goes the TRI/E route. You need some experience to be able to teach something, at least to teach something other than the poorly written cr@p in our books ..... That I can read myself, but what I want from an instructor is more, way more than that!
No respect for the lack of it, that''s for sure.
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Originally Posted by glofish
Oh no, please not one more "from rookie to coach in 9 months" rocket scientist.
Your idea is great, you will bring in experience to the SFI seat, and your candidates, especially FOs, will appreciate such experience.
But stay away from the other advice, please!
Once on the left seat a reasonable pilot should allow some 3 years before he goes the TRI/E route. You need some experience to be able to teach something, at least to teach something other than the poorly written cr@p in our books ..... That I can read myself, but what I want from an instructor is more, way more than that!
No respect for the lack of it, that''s for sure.
Your idea is great, you will bring in experience to the SFI seat, and your candidates, especially FOs, will appreciate such experience.
But stay away from the other advice, please!
Once on the left seat a reasonable pilot should allow some 3 years before he goes the TRI/E route. You need some experience to be able to teach something, at least to teach something other than the poorly written cr@p in our books ..... That I can read myself, but what I want from an instructor is more, way more than that!
No respect for the lack of it, that''s for sure.
With you on that one as well glofish.
The don
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My 2 fils:
Don't do it. You'll be in the left seat soon enough. Use the time now to watch all the good and bad guys already there. Go to all the nasty places in the middle of the night (not that you do many on the A380) and make sure you've covered as much of the network as you can. You'll learn a lot more from that for when you upgrade and you'll probably be thankful for it...
Don't do it. You'll be in the left seat soon enough. Use the time now to watch all the good and bad guys already there. Go to all the nasty places in the middle of the night (not that you do many on the A380) and make sure you've covered as much of the network as you can. You'll learn a lot more from that for when you upgrade and you'll probably be thankful for it...
Last edited by Kittty125; 22nd Aug 2012 at 04:54. Reason: poor engrish
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Many airlines employ FO's as SFI....particularly if they have background in instruction, being an effective communicator is more useful than endless hours boring holes in the sky, while I'm not dismissing line and life experiences as a positive contribution, ability to instruct in any kind of aircraft is also highly important, and many airlines have discovered FO's keen to learn, and found many line capts can't be bothered...
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it makes sense in Airlines where FO's wait 20 years for their upgrade and have lots of experience, in EK where FO's join without or little experience it just shows the desperation of the company
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Thanks everyone for the input!
GoreTex: If you don't mind me asking I'm curious how long, in your opinion, an F/O would need to be in the company to have enough experience to go for an SFI position? I ask as many of the F/O's at EK while (in some people's opinion) possibly short of EK specific experience bring loads of previous experience, many also from the left seat and/or other training roles.
Cheers,
Will
GoreTex: If you don't mind me asking I'm curious how long, in your opinion, an F/O would need to be in the company to have enough experience to go for an SFI position? I ask as many of the F/O's at EK while (in some people's opinion) possibly short of EK specific experience bring loads of previous experience, many also from the left seat and/or other training roles.
Cheers,
Will
Last edited by Will Rogers; 28th Aug 2012 at 07:30. Reason: Spelling, clarification
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Thanks OnceBitten 
I think maybe I wasn't clear in my previous post.
I also know and believe that there are many VERY well qualified F/O's at EK. That's why I was asking when others may see that as true as well. I didn't understand the statement that "in EK where FO's join without or little experience" as most of us joined with a lot of hours on all sorts of aircraft types and operations. Thus I was curious when an F/O at EK would be considered "experienced" if you believe the above quote to be true...
Now, it's early in the morning for me so I may be a bit slow at the moment
but could you please elaborate on "jumping any queues"? I'm not aware of any queue jumping by becoming an SFI? Do you mean the TRI queue later on if one were to accept that? And for the record I also agree with Glofishs' post in regards to that transition as far as that some experience in the seat is required before taking on that role.
Thanks again!
I think maybe I wasn't clear in my previous post.
I also know and believe that there are many VERY well qualified F/O's at EK. That's why I was asking when others may see that as true as well. I didn't understand the statement that "in EK where FO's join without or little experience" as most of us joined with a lot of hours on all sorts of aircraft types and operations. Thus I was curious when an F/O at EK would be considered "experienced" if you believe the above quote to be true...
Now, it's early in the morning for me so I may be a bit slow at the moment
but could you please elaborate on "jumping any queues"? I'm not aware of any queue jumping by becoming an SFI? Do you mean the TRI queue later on if one were to accept that? And for the record I also agree with Glofishs' post in regards to that transition as far as that some experience in the seat is required before taking on that role.Thanks again!
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If you don't mind me asking I'm curious how long, in your opinion, an F/O would need to be in the company to have enough experience to go for an SFI position
For any higher job in any company I would suggest to wait 3 years. It's the time you need to have gone to most places and suffered from all offices to be able to transmit what any trainee, or i.e. FO, expects and is entitled to expect from a 'trainer'.
No matter how many hours you had, whereabout you came from, how much of an astronaut you consider yourself, every company and environment is different, special and needs adaptation.
Last edited by glofish; 29th Aug 2012 at 05:43.
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if you have the requirements to become a captain plus some 2-3 years of EK experience in the left hand seat then you should become a trainer, most of our trainers dont qualify yet.
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Thanks guys!
Glofish: I've never considered myself an astronaut and I agree with what you've said 100% (apart from the spot on 
).
GoreTex: So if I understand you correctly then there should be no F/O's working as SFI's as none of us F/O's will have "2-3 years of EK experience in the left hand seat". I do agree that once you move on to the TRI side and fly the aircraft in training there is a great benefit in having operated in the left seat for a a couple of years before taking on that role. Having said that I don't agree that F/O's can't be SFI's.
Thanks again for the input though. Interesting to hear (or read) what people think
Glofish: I've never considered myself an astronaut
and I agree with what you've said 100% (apart from the spot on ).GoreTex: So if I understand you correctly then there should be no F/O's working as SFI's as none of us F/O's will have "2-3 years of EK experience in the left hand seat". I do agree that once you move on to the TRI side and fly the aircraft in training there is a great benefit in having operated in the left seat for a a couple of years before taking on that role. Having said that I don't agree that F/O's can't be SFI's.
Thanks again for the input though. Interesting to hear (or read) what people think