First 121 Job

[plunger]

Well, after 2 years of instructing (part time the last 6 months) I finally recieved a job offer on my first interview. I've been reading these stories of guys washing out of training and it's made me a little nervous. Especially since I've only been flying part time the last 6 months. Any tips or advice on being successful in training? I will be flying a CRJ. I would really like to excel in training and not just get through it. I have good study habits but have never flown jets or glass so a little worried about the sim portion. Can't afford to go get sim time. I've been reading the "Turbine Pilots Flight Manual" to get up to speed.

 

[Sawmill]

Congrats! Just about everyone now hired at the regionals has no glass/jet time so dont sweat it...it is actually fun. What worked for me was to study everything I could get my hands on prior to training...others will disagree, but it worked for me. While in training, focus on only that. The CRJ is not too difficult to learn system wise and as far as the sim, you will get used to it by the 2nd session probably. And remember, its just learning stalls, approaches, TO and landings, turns about a point (just kidding), no flap landings, and emergencies...sound familiar? (Oh, and callouts and flows, but those are memorization)

 

[taxicabdriver]

Know your profiles and callouts cold prior to going to the sim and you'll do fine, they know you have never flown anything like that and don't expect perfection. Study your callouts and profiles with something distracting like the tv on in the background so that you can get them out with fire bells and other noises trying to distract you in the sim. Good Luck!

 

[G2T]

Just remember:

1. If you push fwd, the houses will get bigger
2. If you pull back, the houses get smaller
3. If you pull back too far and don't fix it, the houses will get bigger again.

Good Luck!

 

[CoolSidePillow]

the RJ's are built for low time low experience guys to come and fill a seat. The airlines that use them would never stay in business if the planes were difficult to learn or operate and hire people with little time and 0 experience. It isnt so much the systems. All aircraft have the same basic systems... powerplant, avionics, flight controls, hydraulics, electrical, fuel, landing gear, emergency equipment, pneumatic, etc... the principles stay the same.. so . understand the principles and the rest falls into place. program fms, turn on autopilot, select song from ipod, look at dismal pay and credit reports until it is time to let flight director take you to runway and trailing link gear to grease a landing. it is a lot harder to be introduced to flying from nothing than to transition to an RJ. people who wash out... well.... the world needs ditch diggers too. the hardest part about 121... is the life of 121... is working within the system... and dealing with the operation... and being productive at it

 

[lanilila]

All you have to do is to bring a good attitude with you, give it your all and to never give up. Alot of people have went from CFI or part time CFI to Jet, it wont be any problem, a airplane is a airplane. Good luck

 

[Gofish]

Stay away from the bar the night before your checking events!

Enjoy.

 

[flyinhigh6165]

Do what Taxicabdriver said. CALLOUTS, PROFILES, MEMORY ITEMS, LIMITATIONS and FLOWS. Know these cold and a good idea is to make index cards. I wouldnt recommend studying any outside sources...just study what the company gives you. Break it up and study what you need to know first. Maybe get used to the glass pfd....even using flight simulator will get you used to a sky pointer and altitude and speed tapes. Study in groups too..seems to help out especially if you have questions. Maybe someone wrote something down or understands something you didnt and vice versa. Most instructor pilots will help you with any trouble or questions you have during training if you ask them but dont wait until it is too late. Dont worry about the first sim....usually everybody gets their a$$ kicked then things start to improve from then on. Good luck!

 

[rtmcfi]

Turn around, walk away, and don't ever look back.

 

[EMB170Pilot]

Congrats. Night before your ride, go to a strip joint and let off a little steam!

You'll be perfection in the sim the next day!



TRUST ME!

 

[AZ Typed]

the RJ's are built for low time low experience guys to come and fill a seat.

I'm nearly positive it wasn't built with low-time pilots in mind. It has all the same systems and philosophy as any jet on the market from RJ to 747-400.

The comments about callouts, profiles, memory items are right on. Toss some good attitude in there and you're all set.

By far, as mentioned above, the hardest part of 121 is the lifestyle. It plain sucks anymore.

You'll have the time of your life in your first 121 gig. Sit back and soak it up - enjoy it. It's like high school (meant in a good way) you'll have experiences and meet people that will stick with you for life. Take lots of pictures and have fun!!!

AZT

 

[relief tube]

If you feel like you might be challenged...do two things..1. come as prepared as possible on the bookwork (flows, limitations and memory items, etc.) as this will take that stressor out of the loop and give you more time to focus on flying procedures. and 2. As early as possible (POH in hand), hone in on flying procedures. Learn them, practice them till you can recite them in your sleep and if needed, bring your laptop with even an old Flight sim program that will help make this process easier than you might fear. I was just like you 3 years ago.

Hopefully this isn't for Go-jets or Mesa...and good luck.

 

[Minimaniac]

My suggestions:

1. Do not study anything specific prior to class. Your book on turbine engine theory may be useful, but seriously wait to get to class.

2. Get everything else in life squared away before class. pay your bills, talk with your significant other or family or whoever ahead of time and let them know that it will be a long six weeks, but you need a lot of time to yourself in class, and you need very little of the everyday stress from their lives given to you.

3. Come to class well rested and with a clear mind.

4. Read what the company gives you once they give it to you. Both companies I have flown for have not handed out systems books until after indoc for a very good reason... they want you to focus on the company policy manuals at that time. Don't go asking for more material than they give you.

5. As soon as you get your flows and profles, start memorizing them. Work at it every day. It is okay if it takes you a week to memorize them...you don't have to have it nailed down on the first day!

6. Don't read more than a day ahead (you will have a daily syllabus given to you in indoc and again at the beginning of systems). You are better off learning only a few chapters at a time and knowing them well than trying to read 2.5 weeks worth of material every night.

7. Learn you emergency memory items before the sim. Should take about a week. Learn the regular flows first... in the process you will learn where are the switches you need for the memory items are..

8. Don't stay up too late reading and studying... it is only going to make concentrating in class that much harder the next day, and your job of studying the night more difficult.

9. Eat as well as you can, and take the time to hang out with your class (mealtime is great for this). Your mind needs the rest, and the diversion.

10. Remember that 10,000 regional pilots before you had no jet or glass experience when they started, and they were able to pass. Just go with the flow of things, and listen up for any advice from people who have done your airlines training before.

 

[BoilerUP]

The RJ is the Beech 1900 of this decade. Only difference is its more automated, isn't straight wing, goes 445 instead of 230 in cruise, approaches 25-40 knots faster, and doesnt' slow down NEARLY as well. And the CRJ-200 doesn't land like a 'normal' airplane...but that's easily learned in the first hundred hours or so; don't worry a bunch about that in the sim.

Enjoy training and have a good time with your classmates, but study hard and pay attention in class. Don't be afraid to ask a question because you think it might be stupid - if you are unsure somebody else probably is too. If you have a basic understanding of systems, you should be fine. Any gouge you can get will help, but for the love of Budda don't rely on the gouge for 100% accurate information!

As someone who has spent a few hundred hours in a 121 simulator, the best advice I can give you for sim training is to use the non-flying pilot as much as you are able, don't ever do anything fast (take your time!), know the profiles & callouts cold and be able to fly them with your eyes closed, always always fly the airplane, and use the NFP as much as you are able.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[ASAFOE120]

CONGRATS!!! This is an exciting time for you.

I think what really helped me as a new hire (and transitioning from one airframe to another) was having a great sim partner. We studied together each evening after (sometimes during) supper. Also, studying in a small group really helps alot as well so you can bounce questions off each other. Do not try to go it alone!!!

Good luck

 

[CrownandCoke]

take some time to yourself during training. It's not all about studying 24/7. If that's all you do, you will get burned out. Go see a movie, go out to a bar on a weekend, etc. You can start going over your flows and profiles early on in class (hopefully they give you a poster for your room). Just do like 1/2 hour to an hour of flows and profiles before you go to bed, and you will be set.

This was another thing. Exercise during training. It will keep your mind clear and focused, and you won't gain weight from all the eating out you will do (if you meet a woman)

Good luck to you!!!

 

[plunger]

Thanks for all the great replys! I already feel a lot better. No, it isn't with Mesa or Go-jets. Don't know a lot about 121, but I know enough.

 

[AC560]

people who wash out... well.... the world needs ditch diggers too.

The irony being ditch diggers make more money and have a better QOL.