Ryanair Tail Strike at Dublin Sept 11
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A surprisingly high percentage of Ryanair incidents seem to have involved the LHS being occupied by a trainer.
Whether this is due to the high number of trainers in the company, essential due to the fact that all new F/O's are Cadets and therefore higher than normal amounts of training are taking place in this company,excacerbated by the wildfire of expansion too , OR that very many LTC's are actually not "that" experienced, and are perhaps "encouraged" to bite off more than they can reasonably chew, whilst most of the old farts can't be bothered with the hassle for the meagre extra dosh on offer. . . well that certainly opens up an interesting line of discussion.
Would have to say, many of those who end up as trainers are not always the best qualified in the company, and don't always end up there for the best reasons.
Whether this is due to the high number of trainers in the company, essential due to the fact that all new F/O's are Cadets and therefore higher than normal amounts of training are taking place in this company,excacerbated by the wildfire of expansion too , OR that very many LTC's are actually not "that" experienced, and are perhaps "encouraged" to bite off more than they can reasonably chew, whilst most of the old farts can't be bothered with the hassle for the meagre extra dosh on offer. . . well that certainly opens up an interesting line of discussion.
Would have to say, many of those who end up as trainers are not always the best qualified in the company, and don't always end up there for the best reasons.
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You have hit the nail on the head, in RYR it is possible (and it would seem quite common) for someone to move from F/O (senior) to Line Training Capt within 2 years.
I then have the "pleasure" of them on the jumpseat conducting my annual line check, giving me (a 15,000 hour Capt) the "benefit" of their vast experience !
RYR are just looking for people to be SOP "police" and to train another generation of SOP robots IMHO, and there is no shortage of young eager twenty something year old Capt's on an ego trip willing to do it .........
I then have the "pleasure" of them on the jumpseat conducting my annual line check, giving me (a 15,000 hour Capt) the "benefit" of their vast experience !
RYR are just looking for people to be SOP "police" and to train another generation of SOP robots IMHO, and there is no shortage of young eager twenty something year old Capt's on an ego trip willing to do it .........
Are you really trying to say that any LTC who gives YOU a line check must have more than 15,000 hours? If so, that is a fantastic theory.
A line check should simply be to ensure that the flight is conducted in a safe and professional manner and within and in accordance with the company SOPs. How many hours the LTC has in his or her logbook is irrelevant.
If you feel that you have been unfairly treated then have no hesitation in contacting your Chief Pilot.
A line check should simply be to ensure that the flight is conducted in a safe and professional manner and within and in accordance with the company SOPs. How many hours the LTC has in his or her logbook is irrelevant.
If you feel that you have been unfairly treated then have no hesitation in contacting your Chief Pilot.
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From JW411
Not at all !!!, my point was simply that in RYR, everything follows an accelerated process, i.e. time to command and promoted to trainer just a short period after that. In many companies, F/O's spend 6 or 7 years in the left seat before command, let alone a training position. Spoke to a Capt recently who admitted in 6 years in the company (his first flying job), he had never had a diversion (wish I had that kind of luck !)
Your second paragraph kind of proves my point - they just need people to police the SOP's, experience doesn't seem to matter .........
And JW411, don't forget, LTC's are there not just to conduct checks, they are training the future Captains of tomorrow too, by passing on their "wealth" of experience ......
Are you really trying to say that any LTC who gives YOU a line check must have more than 15,000 hours? If so, that is a fantastic theory.
Your second paragraph kind of proves my point - they just need people to police the SOP's, experience doesn't seem to matter .........
And JW411, don't forget, LTC's are there not just to conduct checks, they are training the future Captains of tomorrow too, by passing on their "wealth" of experience ......
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Not a problem to make up a LT with 5000 hours and a TRE with say 8000 as a JAR25 minimum (my opinion). But it's not their hours that should be governing. Their background, knowledge and enthusiasm are essential ingredients too. Someone said, they are simply SOP police and I would agree that 50% of the LTs are purely this. They have very little extra knowledge to impart beyond SOP.
To grow this particular airline, management have had to create a very strict set of teaching Do's and Dont's, they have limited quality applicants and millions of small bases with a limited gene pool. The 3500 cadet to captain applicant are good candidates to teach SOP so they're better than a direct entry guy from that point of view but that's where the problems begin. Instead of taking the high time, multi airline guy, that they barely know, they'd rather the other type. This is where my previous post comes in to play. All the agencies need to address this problem not just the airline. The brain drain is alive and well in many airlines. Good guys can't be bothered to train in an environment that doesn't allow you to think, punishes you for incorrect paperwork, doesn't accept that sometimes delays are caused due to training, attend 2 or 3 training meeting per year at your own expense, have your efforts scorned by all and sundry from within and outside the airline. In a nutshell you're on a hiding to nothing, apart from an extra £9000.
To grow this particular airline, management have had to create a very strict set of teaching Do's and Dont's, they have limited quality applicants and millions of small bases with a limited gene pool. The 3500 cadet to captain applicant are good candidates to teach SOP so they're better than a direct entry guy from that point of view but that's where the problems begin. Instead of taking the high time, multi airline guy, that they barely know, they'd rather the other type. This is where my previous post comes in to play. All the agencies need to address this problem not just the airline. The brain drain is alive and well in many airlines. Good guys can't be bothered to train in an environment that doesn't allow you to think, punishes you for incorrect paperwork, doesn't accept that sometimes delays are caused due to training, attend 2 or 3 training meeting per year at your own expense, have your efforts scorned by all and sundry from within and outside the airline. In a nutshell you're on a hiding to nothing, apart from an extra £9000.
Aldente:
As a retired TRI/TRE I know very well what the duties of an LTC are but you were talking about your annual line check.
"I then have the "pleasure" of them on the jumpseat conducting my annual line check"....
As a retired TRI/TRE I know very well what the duties of an LTC are but you were talking about your annual line check.
"I then have the "pleasure" of them on the jumpseat conducting my annual line check"....
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MichaelKnight
I work with that pilot and can tell you that he is a first rate guy who has worked damned hard to become a TRE. He is an enthusiastic and very able instructor who has a vast amount of knowledge to pass on to cadets; his technical knowledge is astonishing and his commitment to instructing is beyond reproach.
Never confuse experience with ability: someone with 15000 hours may well have the same hour repeated 15000 times!
Perhaps someone with such a vast experience could explain to me why the military allow pilots with way less than 3000 hours, never mind 15000, to be flying and weapons instructors? If hours are so important why does the RAF have creamed off QFIs?
I work with that pilot and can tell you that he is a first rate guy who has worked damned hard to become a TRE. He is an enthusiastic and very able instructor who has a vast amount of knowledge to pass on to cadets; his technical knowledge is astonishing and his commitment to instructing is beyond reproach.
Never confuse experience with ability: someone with 15000 hours may well have the same hour repeated 15000 times!
Perhaps someone with such a vast experience could explain to me why the military allow pilots with way less than 3000 hours, never mind 15000, to be flying and weapons instructors? If hours are so important why does the RAF have creamed off QFIs?
Dare I say it, as someone who was in a fair position to help start WW3 with less than 1000 hours, and was a QFI with less than 2000 hours total... The RAF's selection and subsequent training process.
I quite agree; I was made a squadron training captain on 4-engined aircraft by Mrs Windsor's representatives with just over 2,000 hours in my logbook.
It would be fair to say that I was a "guided volunteer" at the time.
I had a long career as a trainer and I always followed the advice that I was given right at the beginning. Whatever you do, you must always be scrupulously fair.
It would be fair to say that I was a "guided volunteer" at the time.
I had a long career as a trainer and I always followed the advice that I was given right at the beginning. Whatever you do, you must always be scrupulously fair.
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The 'ability not hours' philosophy is even more stupid than the 'hours not ability' philosophy.
All other things being equal, such as ability, the higher hours pilot has a huge advantage over the lower hours guy. That does not presume though that the guys with higher hours is automatically better in any situation because that patently is not the case.
What is certain though is that the low hours guy with low ability, who presumes to be superior to his seniors, is a disaster waiting to happen. You will see (and definitely hear) him in every airline, though usually not for long.
All other things being equal, such as ability, the higher hours pilot has a huge advantage over the lower hours guy. That does not presume though that the guys with higher hours is automatically better in any situation because that patently is not the case.
What is certain though is that the low hours guy with low ability, who presumes to be superior to his seniors, is a disaster waiting to happen. You will see (and definitely hear) him in every airline, though usually not for long.
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That does not presume though that the guys with higher hours is automatically better in any situation because that patently is not the case.
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Quote:
That does not presume though that the guys with higher hours is automatically better in any situation because that patently is not the case.
Hence ability not hours.
That does not presume though that the guys with higher hours is automatically better in any situation because that patently is not the case.
Hence ability not hours.
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Can't see how ability beats experience. Even if the guy is the smoothest operator he is going to be lost when problems arise that he has had no past experience to use to deal with them or fall back on.
Sounds like newbie talk.
Sounds like newbie talk.