FIRST Captain Upgrade Chills!!!
 

hey there people , I am on the Airbus Fleet, Have flown the A320 famlily and A330 Fleet , i have just reconverted back onto the A320 Fleet for my FIRST Captain Upgrade..and was wondering if any "BUS DRIVERS" could help me out with tips /study material that could help me prepair for my Captan Upgrade.

Guess your at Kingfisher?

Just don`t do all those things you used to criticize in the Captains you used to fly with.
You will see that you are better than all together.

So, weren't you paying attention during your time as First Officer/Co-Pilot/prettyboy trying to impress the girls with a pilots uniform?

Tips:

Remember all the stuff the good line captains taught you
while you were a FO - airmanship for one

Keep in mind your personal limits and do not exceed them


Study material:

In a nutshell - EVERYTHING!

well i was paying attention , but since its my first upgrade to the left seat the little nervousness is always there!! hence wanted advice from other bus drivers......:)

Um, I notice you keep saying its your first upgrade to the left seat. Your implying that you have a possibility of bumming out on the first try.

You dont sound very confident, but lets know if you have to go do it all again a second or third time!

Just remember... after your upgrade, you'll have your first choice in crew meals, hotel rooms, and cabin crew.

Good luck and enjoy the moment:ok:.

how many attempts did it take u!! if u are a captain that is .....just wondering ...im not under confident but yes trying not to be over confident and screw it up...

I am halfway through my upgrade to Captain on the A320 (1st command) and I would say concentrate mainly on aircraft limitations, memory items along with FCOM3 approach procedures. After that fill in your 'spare' time trying to brush up your technical knowledge and start thinking through 'what if' scenarios. Pay close attentions to day to day problems on the line during your remaining time as an FO in particular to how minor pax / loading / MEL problems are handled by the Captain. Remember the first thing you should be asking when a problem arises is 'Who else can take this problem off my hands, do I really need to be the one dealing with it?'.

I agree with you, it is a very nervous time during your training, don't take anything for granted, just head down and work hard for a couple of months and your will be right.:ok:

Good Luck

Rule 1 for command AH: tinplate your tail in any situation
then pass the problem to someone else. Your learnin lad! :ok:

after your upgrade, you'll have your first choice in crew meals, hotel rooms, and cabin crew...

mmmm... crew meals lol...hotel rooms omg ..cabin crew ...:ugh:

ohh well... few extra $$$ though

The biggest change that comes with the four stripes is a whole new kind of thinking. Everybody looks at you for solutions, be it fuel, missing pax, weather, MEL etc.

You can be a 10 hour FO, who knows all the procedures and systems, but it still does not make you a good commander (many of these know it all guys will really annoy you as many think that as they know everything, they are ready for command). I would suggest to focus on decision making, how it works. Eg. think about a simple failure (not like an engine fire, that is an easy one to solve:-) like ND2 fault or SEC3 fault after departure. Being a captain starts after you are finished with the ECAM. Everybody turns to you what to do next, return, continue or divert...

What I was told is that if you can change your thinking, you are halfway through an update. When you sit on the left seat alone, there will be noone to turn to for decisions. CRM is a good think, but it will be you who decides.

Good luck.

Upgrade
 

Know your company fuel policy inside out, upside down and every which way. (Know when to continue to destination, when to leave/stay in the hold, when to divert, minimum fuel requirements should be as familiar as your home phone number.) Be able to check the load sheet (manual and also computer generated) and the the tech log with your eyes closed (metaphorically speaking). Know how to work out the flight time limitations from the impossible graphs and tables that your company will provide and get it right every time. Know the difference between company and regulatory FTL.

Act like a captain from day one, but never forget what it's ilke to be the F/O. Remember in twenty years time you'll still be learning the job. The buck stops with you-discuss and delegate when necessary-but remember it's your decision making process in the end.

Knock 'em dead. It's the best job inthe world.

See http://www.airline-command dot ******** dot com
Where ** is blog spot (all one word)
Select the index and work through the information.

I got to make a comment here, so that members of the public that inadvertently click in on this site don't get the impression that this is the prevailant skill level of the crew that fly them today.

First of all, In my opinion, the captain is not "made" at an upgrade course.

The captain candidate begins his or her preparation from the beginning of their flight training (commanding Cessnas and Pipers). And of course continue that preparation during the time being a F/O.

If the F/O didn't think of "what if" scenarios, or paid attention to how the captain handled various situations (fuel calculations, pax, MEL, weather etc.) during their whole career as a F/O, then it's because the airline that hired said F/O has insufficient screening methods (again for the inadvertant public - avoid these airlines like the plauge).

Likewise should the F/O of course know the limitations, systems and procedures as well, or preferably better than the average captain - since he perhaps forgot some / replaced other of it with experience/feel (that the young F/O doesn't have yet). If the F/O thinks that this is not important until he is in an upgrade course, something somewhere along the way (beginning?) went terribly wrong with that F/Os attitude.

A F/O, should feel equally responsible for every flight as the captains. E.g. never leave ground with out cross checking fuel calculations and check and approve the actions incase of something being MEL'ed (question/learning if disagreement), just to name a few examples. The F/O should challenge the captain in any situation where something is not done to their liking and demand to be educated (or a new course of action to be taken if no arguments can be given). When the captain doesn't make a decision or leaves this to the F/O this should be seen as a chance to improve and practice decision making. The F/O should take charge and make decisions (where appropriate) as his experience grows (don't wait for the captain to tell you how to fly the difficult approach, tell him how you will fly it (and suck up the advice given if you miss out on something). When you improve you will generely notice that the captain will let you run the game (freeing up capacity for him to deal with whatever, or just relaxing) and when you tell him what you will do he will just replay, "ok, great or fine". When flights consistantly go along those lines, and you no longer have to seek advice from the captain (except the odd situation), you are about ready yourself.

If the F/O was just along for the ride during his career and let the captain make all the decisions, he is:
a) Not suitable for a command upgrade (ever!)
b) Not suitable as a F/O

In short. This is a craftsmanship and being a F/O is an apprenticeship to become a captain.

That is the way it SHOULD be at least...:{
For sure there a bad apples that slipped through the net (learn what kind of captain that you will not be). And there are lousy F/Os who slipped in and eventually get an upgrade due to unions and seniority list etc. :yuk: And there are just plain and simple crappy outfits.

All speaking in general. As for the original poster I have no clue what advice to give. I actually don't even understand the question asked. If you are ready your ready. If not, no book or study material will help.

Previous post is the best post I've read on pprune. Don't think anyone could say it better.

I will second that.

After over 40 years in the business I wholeheartedly endorse it to. Great post.

Get on top of the airplane, then get in front of the airplane.

Seeing a new, or future, Captain candidate unable to make decisions is a quick way to fail the upgrade. Pretend you're one of the Captains you admire the most and do what you think he'd do. Don't overthink it, just get it done.