Ground School

[realityman]

Pool training has been seriously watered down here at NJA (pun sort of intended ). Most unfortunate. I guess doing a little bit is better than nothing though.

Still, when I started here, we had to jump in the pool fully clothed. The instructor would toss the raft and let it inflate, but we still got to see how it worked. We has to right it, get everyone onboard, as well as pulling someone in who was incapacitated. In addition, we did life survival drills in the water. Learned how to inflate our pants to be improvised flotation devices (I can already hear all the jokes coming from you characters, but it was good training!), as did drills where we had to learn how to float as a group to minimize fatigue and use body heat to keep us warm in the water (no, it didn't involve a group pee for heat, you bunch of funny fellows!).

Anyway, we made fun of it at the time, but looking back it was very good training, and we had a lot of fun too as well as having the nice opportunity to get out of the classroom for a while.

Really a shame what it's become. And a true shame if it's canceled all together. Last March we still did it. I'll be sorry to see it go. True, it wasn't like when I first started here, but as I said, something is better than nothing.

 

[skyismyoffice]

At FLOPs 2 days of 135, 2 days of airplane ground, 2 days of sim training, 1 day of 135 checkride all at Simuflite.

 

[HSDriver]

That thing will sink like a rock if you don't get it right.

Not true. They float even if not separated from the survival kit or inflated. It may float away from the plane as you watch in horror, but they don't sink.

 

[fischman]

Not true. They float even if not separated from the survival kit or inflated. It may float away from the plane as you watch in horror, but they don't sink.

Really?!? Those things weigh 65 lbs! I had no idea they would float. Are you sure about that?

If it does float away, is the correct procedure to yell "WILLLLSON!!!"

 

[AvroJockey]

Really?!? Those things weigh 65 lbs! I had no idea they would float. Are you sure about that?

I'm 220 and the last time I check my fat a$$ floats!

 

[fischman]

I'm 220 and the last time I check my fat a$$ floats!

Touche`

 

[o2bflyn]

Really?!? Those things weigh 65 lbs! I had no idea they would float. Are you sure about that?

If it does float away, is the correct procedure to yell "WILLLLSON!!!"

lol.....I like the procedure.

I am pretty sure that if they are not inflated, these things have the boyancy of a cement filled Buick.

 

[PUNISHER]

Ours is 6 days of GS from 8am to 5pm on your week off followed by a 90 question written. Plus 3 days of sim also on your week off. Pay is $57 a day which amounts to $6.33 an hour.
uke:

 

[o2bflyn]

I'm 220 and the last time I check my fat a$$ floats!

Yeah, but you got a lot of hot air trapped in that fat a$$.

 

[ksu_aviator]

lol.....I like the procedure.

I am pretty sure that if they are not inflated, these things have the boyancy of a cement filled Buick.

They float. Many rafts are designed to be used by aircraft AND boats. They are designed to be thrown overboard at a moments notice and inflated by someone in the water with a vest on. They even have hand pumps to be used to inflate the raft if the quick inflate method doesn't work. Now, who's airplane is going to float for an hour while you pump air into your 9 man raft??

Just because they float, doesn't mean you can pile 9 people onto them. They have just enough bouyancy to stay on top of the water.