Astraeus cadets - out of the closet!
Join Date: May 2000
Location: SV Marie Celeste
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It has been a lot of hard work but great fun all the same. I really enjoyed the fixbase sim, going trough all the faults and seeing it all work.
Coming from a cloth and tube taildragger the 737 seems a fantastic bit of kit. The hard part about getting ahead of the a/c is that there is so much redundancy and self testing going on. By the time you realize that something has gone wrong some system or another has already kicked in and tried to sort the problem out, so you have to get several steps ahead. Cramming all those systems and how they interact with each other in two weeks it seems at times that you cannot absorb anymore. Every night I get home and go to bed exhausted only to wake up with a grin in the morning ready to go again. Studying some of the systems all I could think was ' wow, does it really do that?, brilliant!'
They say the sim part is the hardest we will let you know, bring it on!
Cal
Coming from a cloth and tube taildragger the 737 seems a fantastic bit of kit. The hard part about getting ahead of the a/c is that there is so much redundancy and self testing going on. By the time you realize that something has gone wrong some system or another has already kicked in and tried to sort the problem out, so you have to get several steps ahead. Cramming all those systems and how they interact with each other in two weeks it seems at times that you cannot absorb anymore. Every night I get home and go to bed exhausted only to wake up with a grin in the morning ready to go again. Studying some of the systems all I could think was ' wow, does it really do that?, brilliant!'
They say the sim part is the hardest we will let you know, bring it on!
Cal
Join Date: Sep 2001
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Many people will have a clear memory of all the studying that went into passing the JARS. Well the type rating is the same and different. The same because at first it looks impossible to absorb all that info. Different because it turns into a joy every moment you remember - this is actually going to get you into an aircraft! Best moment? Passing the exam!
Worst moment? Being sick as a parrot today after an arm full of jabs!
Tomorrow's reality is yesterdays dream. Anything is possible...
Worst moment? Being sick as a parrot today after an arm full of jabs!
Tomorrow's reality is yesterdays dream. Anything is possible...
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Hi FlyGirly24
Late post but....Congratulations!!
Glad to hear one of my fellow SFT students got a paid flying job. I hope it all works well for you. Guess there was no assymetric hold at Exeter on the sim check?! Passed my IRT finally... on the 5 November, last SFT student to pass.
Have fun up there
Skysailor
PS Got any copies of pics from Alderney? Got an excellent one of Sim05 looking sheepish with the laden duty-free trolley...
Late post but....Congratulations!!
Glad to hear one of my fellow SFT students got a paid flying job. I hope it all works well for you. Guess there was no assymetric hold at Exeter on the sim check?! Passed my IRT finally... on the 5 November, last SFT student to pass.
Have fun up there
Skysailor
PS Got any copies of pics from Alderney? Got an excellent one of Sim05 looking sheepish with the laden duty-free trolley...
PPRuNe Knight in Shining Armour
Join Date: Feb 2000
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Congrats to all of you, I look forward to hearing your training anecdotes at the summer bash (I'm cultivating a suitable shade of facial green, I should have got it down by then!!) 
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Hiya Skysailor,
Cheers for the message, luckily no asym holds at Exeter for the sim check - thank heavens. I take it that's what you had to endure on your IRT? Weren't those examiners lovely?!
Got some great pics from Alderney, send me an email address I can forward them to and I'll get them scanned in for you.
Hopefully chat to you soon.
Cheers for the message, luckily no asym holds at Exeter for the sim check - thank heavens. I take it that's what you had to endure on your IRT? Weren't those examiners lovely?!
Got some great pics from Alderney, send me an email address I can forward them to and I'll get them scanned in for you.
Hopefully chat to you soon.
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Well three days of sim. training and a break for a few days. All the theory and ground schooling being put into practice. Each sim. detail lasts 4 hours. 2 hours as pilot flying and 2 as pilot non-flying. We have a tight syllabus to follow and although intense it is exciting and fascinating at the same time. The 737 is a smart aircraft that can leave you way behind if you don't keep up. On the other hand it's great getting into the swing of things and working with your crew mate as a team. We have been running through general flying characteristics, stalls, engine failiures, windsheer recoveries and RTO's to name but a few; as well as all the basic IR stuff you thought you'd never need!
More updates to follow as they happens hot of the press!!
More updates to follow as they happens hot of the press!!
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Join Date: Mar 1999
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Astraeus Cadets - out of Branecrank
I'm happy to inform you that all of us passed the License Skills Test this weekend - another hurdle gone and base training on it's way.
It's been tough going these past few weeks, the course is intensive and the sim flying demanding but I have to say it's also been great fun. I'm gonna have some beer and a few days off now.
Cheers
It's been tough going these past few weeks, the course is intensive and the sim flying demanding but I have to say it's also been great fun. I'm gonna have some beer and a few days off now.
Cheers
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Onya guys and gals.
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Well I'm not posting the message I thought I might. It was very tough but there is no sense of relief it's over because I loved every second of being in the sim. Each four hour detail whizzed by and although frustrating when you knew there was an exercise you could have done better, every minute you learn something new about the aircraft which is a thrill in itself. We all got through our final proficiency checks and renewing our instrument ratings and have our base training scheduled for Thursday (all dependent on weather and aircraft availability of course).
Well there's the update and no doubt we'll keep you posted.
Hey Brenton, - just for you! Decided against pulling faces at you just before your exam, thought it might be a tad harsh and didn't think I ought to mess with yours and PJ's concentration.
and have our base training scheduled for Thursday (all dependent on weather and aircraft availability of course).Well there's the update and no doubt we'll keep you posted.
Hey Brenton,
- just for you! Decided against pulling faces at you just before your exam, thought it might be a tad harsh and didn't think I ought to mess with yours and PJ's concentration.
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Join Date: Dec 1999
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pjdj777,
congrats on the LST.
Got your message the other day, i am hoop jumping for air2000 now. I am simming this week before flying my jmc secondment with them.
Will call you.
Well done.
congrats on the LST.
Got your message the other day, i am hoop jumping for air2000 now. I am simming this week before flying my jmc secondment with them.
Will call you.
Well done.
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Join Date: Mar 1999
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WWW - let's just say if the wx is good enough we'll be playing at my home ground
From some of the emails, well a few really, that I've received it seems that some people out there don't know about the Astraeus cadets and what the scheme is so here are the basics:
at the start of the year Astraeus and Pprune got together to give five wannabes the chance of six months exprience with an airline, qualifying criteria was a frozen ATPL (CAA/JAA), current instrument rating and no previous multi crew experience. Five of us were selected from about 180 applicants and we started training at BA Cranebank on 08.04.02.
The course with BA works this way - 12 days ground school (inc 10 fixed base sim sessions), three prog tests and a final exam on the 737-436 followed by 300/500 differences and an exam.
After a break of a week or so we went into the full motion sim, 8 sessions the last of which was the LST. During those 8 sessions you see a helluva load of failures, it's very intensive and tiring but all good fun.
The LST itself was 4 hours, 2 as Pilot Flying and two as Pilot Not Flying, and mine included engine failures, engine failure after take off, single engine ILS, go around and NDB, flight director failure, system A hydraulic failure (manual gear extension), rapid decompression and emergency decent, raw data ILS, Captain incapacitation, rejected take off and evacuation.
We've just finished differences for the -700, and will hopefully be base training tomorrow and then SEPs next week.
It's all go, I'm off to bed, night night.
From some of the emails, well a few really, that I've received it seems that some people out there don't know about the Astraeus cadets and what the scheme is so here are the basics:
at the start of the year Astraeus and Pprune got together to give five wannabes the chance of six months exprience with an airline, qualifying criteria was a frozen ATPL (CAA/JAA), current instrument rating and no previous multi crew experience. Five of us were selected from about 180 applicants and we started training at BA Cranebank on 08.04.02.
The course with BA works this way - 12 days ground school (inc 10 fixed base sim sessions), three prog tests and a final exam on the 737-436 followed by 300/500 differences and an exam.
After a break of a week or so we went into the full motion sim, 8 sessions the last of which was the LST. During those 8 sessions you see a helluva load of failures, it's very intensive and tiring but all good fun.
The LST itself was 4 hours, 2 as Pilot Flying and two as Pilot Not Flying, and mine included engine failures, engine failure after take off, single engine ILS, go around and NDB, flight director failure, system A hydraulic failure (manual gear extension), rapid decompression and emergency decent, raw data ILS, Captain incapacitation, rejected take off and evacuation.
We've just finished differences for the -700, and will hopefully be base training tomorrow and then SEPs next week.
It's all go, I'm off to bed, night night.
Ah, fingers crossed for decent weather then.
I'll be using their zone that day... will be sure to keep an extra good lookout for errant Boeings
I'd love to be able to go do some Boeing touch and go's now - on your base check you are a little overwhelmed to enjoy the experience!
Its definitely up their with first solo in your career - enjoy.
WWW
I'll be using their zone that day... will be sure to keep an extra good lookout for errant Boeings
I'd love to be able to go do some Boeing touch and go's now - on your base check you are a little overwhelmed to enjoy the experience!
Its definitely up their with first solo in your career - enjoy.
WWW
PPRuNe Knight in Shining Armour
Join Date: Feb 2000
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Congrats to you all, another step closer.
I shall try to get into a tall building and listen out for you on a hand radio for your base training, and the call sign?
I shall try to get into a tall building and listen out for you on a hand radio for your base training, and the call sign?
Join Date: May 2000
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Hello all, here comes another update:
We did our base training last Thursday at Cardiff airport. The weather was quite blustery with the occasional shower in the morning. We had a moderate crosswind that made things more interesting, especially with the bit of turbulence generated by the cliff on short final.
I have often wondered what would I feel sitting at the controls of a big jet for the first time. Now I know the answer; initially I did not have much time to reflect as I was concentrating pretty hard not to screw up, after a couple of circuits though I began to relax a bit and started to really enjoy myself. I have to agree that it was a sensation very similar to your first solo... apprehension, concentration, elation, big grin...
Mario, our training captain, offered a very effective mix of encouragement and toughness. "181kts is too fast and 179 kts is too slow" I remember him saying at one point followed by "excellent that looks good" and then "you are a bit high, sort it out".
The hardest part was judging when to roll out on finals to get lined up exactly and how much drift to apply for the xwind. The more surprising part how the aircraft just goes where you point it, almost like a dart. The flare was quite similar to the sim and the hardest part is to resist the temptation to try to hold it off the deck, if you do you will be floating past the middle point of the runway in no time.
Well it was a superb day that made the last few years of sweat, hard work and endless offerings to the insatiable gods of Wannaland worthwhile. The best of all is that I get to do this for a living now. Brilliant!
Cal
We did our base training last Thursday at Cardiff airport. The weather was quite blustery with the occasional shower in the morning. We had a moderate crosswind that made things more interesting, especially with the bit of turbulence generated by the cliff on short final.
I have often wondered what would I feel sitting at the controls of a big jet for the first time. Now I know the answer; initially I did not have much time to reflect as I was concentrating pretty hard not to screw up, after a couple of circuits though I began to relax a bit and started to really enjoy myself. I have to agree that it was a sensation very similar to your first solo... apprehension, concentration, elation, big grin...
Mario, our training captain, offered a very effective mix of encouragement and toughness. "181kts is too fast and 179 kts is too slow" I remember him saying at one point followed by "excellent that looks good" and then "you are a bit high, sort it out".
The hardest part was judging when to roll out on finals to get lined up exactly and how much drift to apply for the xwind. The more surprising part how the aircraft just goes where you point it, almost like a dart. The flare was quite similar to the sim and the hardest part is to resist the temptation to try to hold it off the deck, if you do you will be floating past the middle point of the runway in no time.
Well it was a superb day that made the last few years of sweat, hard work and endless offerings to the insatiable gods of Wannaland worthwhile. The best of all is that I get to do this for a living now. Brilliant!
Cal
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Thanks Lil'KiwiPaddy,
We have a week of SEP's....Survival and Emerg. training before they let us lose on the line...nevertheless the elation of completing the base training is tremendous. I am still walking around with the smile on my face. The 737 is a truly remarkable airplane to fly and really does "fly the numbers" as we have been taught all along. Despite the challenging conditions at Cardiff everyone did extremely well and my gratitude goes out to Mario for suburb instruction......(at least I now know how the coffee machine works!).
Well done to the rest of the gang!
We have a week of SEP's....Survival and Emerg. training before they let us lose on the line...nevertheless the elation of completing the base training is tremendous. I am still walking around with the smile on my face. The 737 is a truly remarkable airplane to fly and really does "fly the numbers" as we have been taught all along. Despite the challenging conditions at Cardiff everyone did extremely well and my gratitude goes out to Mario for suburb instruction......(at least I now know how the coffee machine works!).
Well done to the rest of the gang!
