Impressions of ASA's training/standards dept.

[ExHeloGuy]

Just curious what the everyone's impression is of ASA's training and standards department? Good and bad.

 

[EV120]

What is your impression????

 

[ExHeloGuy]

You answer a question with a question. Hmmmm you must be a lawyer, no I see it now you are a scared LCP. Nevermind.

 

[shamrock]

With upgrade around the corner I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but I've never had any trouble with the training dept. Seems to be a good bunch of guys over there.

 

[John Pennekamp]

ASA's training department is top notch. While every department has a few power hungry hardasses, most IPs are here great. They mostly will do whatever you need to get through as long as your attitude is good. But if they sense you have a bad attitude, they'll weed you out very quickly.

The standards department is one of the best in the industry in that ASA pilots fly EXTREMELY standard. You hear jumpseaters say this all the time. You hear the same thing from pilots that go to other airlines.

All in all, I'd say our training department is very good.

Unfortunately, Skywest is trying to destroy it by lowering pay and driving out the best instructors. The company would be perfectly happy to contract it out. ASA has no corporate memory, and they don't realize how screwed up everything got the last time they did that by contracting out Brasilia training.

 

[Allen1]

I went to ASA after I got furloughed and was only there 6 months but thought there training department was very good.

 

[EV120]

Being as I am in the Standards side, I have the utmost respect and trust for the Instructors. I rely on them to provide quality instruction, which in turn makes my job all that much easier.

I have always found all of the instructors to be easy going, with few exceptions that I brought on myself. Everyone here, including Line Captains, want to see everyone succeed.

In fact, if I recommend someone for additional IOE, I wonder if I could have done anything different. However, I would never compomise safety and standards to get someone on-line.

Take it for what it is worth, the only one who can fail you...is you alone.

With re: to me saying I am a scared LCP...that sould be taken with the jest that was intended.

 

[BigPappa]

If you s !_! ck (in training) you will be history! Very unforgiving training department, like it should be.

 

[spudskier]

Just went through initial training not too long ago. Excellent training department. They take the time to make sure you understand everything, are prepared and will go out online a safe and standard pilot.
As long as a good attitude is kept and progress is being made, they'll take the time to help you, smooth out your problem areas, etc... Most of them enjoy their job and want to be there and teach. Was very impressed.

 

[USCtrojan]

If you s !_! ck (in training) you will be history! Very unforgiving training department, like it should be.

That is absolutely untrue. For example, we had a pilot in LAX that had very serious difficulty getting through training. Something like over 80 segments of IOE. Was sent back to ATL (taken offline) for retraining, and is now back flying the Line.

Trojan

 

[EV120]

I agree....the training and standards depts. will do everything possible to get a pilot up to speed and through the training process.

 

[CF34-3B1]

In 8+ years at ASA I never found the training or standards guys to be anything but stellar.

I remember talking to a DOD inspector one time (He did inspections of the 121 carriers that carried DOD personnel) He said the operation at ASA was not well run, but the training department was the best he had seen at any regional.

 

[Palerider957]

I agree....the training and standards depts. will do everything possible to get a pilot up to speed and through the training process.

Agreed.....training when I was at ASA was always first rate.

 

[ASADriver]

I agree that the training department here is top notch. I do question the wisdom of getting some of people thru no matter what. Frankly, some of our newhires aren't ready for this kind of flying. Should we really bend over backwards to get people thru? That isn't aimed at our instructors, I just wonder if it is the best thing to do.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

I agree that the training department here is top notch. I do question the wisdom of getting some of people thru no matter what. Frankly, some of our newhires aren't ready for this kind of flying. Should we really bend over backwards to get people thru? That isn't aimed at our instructors, I just wonder if it is the best thing to do.

I hear where you're coming from, but I've resigned myself to the fact that this is just the way the industry is nowadays.

 

[FmrFreightDog]

I agree that the training department here is top notch. I do question the wisdom of getting some of people thru no matter what. Frankly, some of our newhires aren't ready for this kind of flying. Should we really bend over backwards to get people thru? That isn't aimed at our instructors, I just wonder if it is the best thing to do.

Well, since you and your compadres seem to want us to bend over for a subpar contract, then that is what you will continue to get in the future. On the other hand, if we bring our pay up, bring our quality of life up, and regain our position as an airline to escape to rather than escape from, then perhaps we can once again attract some quality applicants.

It's been said before, but if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

 

[JoeMerchant]

Well, since you and your compadres seem to want us to bend over for a subpar contract, then that is what you will continue to get in the future. On the other hand, if we bring our pay up, bring our quality of life up, and regain our position as an airline to escape to rather than escape from, then perhaps we can once again attract some quality applicants.

It's been said before, but if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

FmrFreightDog,

Even if this contract gets settled tomorrow, we will still be a stepping stone. Aside from our differences, the differences between the two sides aren't enough to make this a "career airline"....

We have created a two-tiered system, or an apprentice/master system, where these jobs have become "stepping stone" jobs to the real jobs. A new contract won't stop that....

We as a union have done ourselves a disservice by condoning this low level of entry.... We should not be accepting of allowing the right seat to become a "learning position".... It should be filled with fully qualified people, not by people still learning.....

 

[John Pennekamp]

I agree that the training department here is top notch. I do question the wisdom of getting some of people thru no matter what. Frankly, some of our newhires aren't ready for this kind of flying. Should we really bend over backwards to get people thru? That isn't aimed at our instructors, I just wonder if it is the best thing to do.

Aren't you an instructor, SD?

 

[CFI2766]

FmrFreightDog,

Even if this contract gets settled tomorrow, we will still be a stepping stone. Aside from our differences, the differences between the two sides aren't enough to make this a "career airline"....

We have created a two-tiered system, or an apprentice/master system, where these jobs have become "stepping stone" jobs to the real jobs. A new contract won't stop that....

We as a union have done ourselves a disservice by condoning this low level of entry.... We should not be accepting of allowing the right seat to become a "learning position".... It should be filled with fully qualified people, not by people still learning.....

It's a stepping stone because the Majors pay better. It is a ROI equation. We could have the best contract in the world to fly as little as we wanted, but would still be a stepping stone because of the economic reality of the 1st and the 15th of the month. This is the ultimate endgame of actions that were initiated in 1978. No union or coalition could alter or change this. The 'We' that you speak of did not create, nor could change, this environment.

And for those that advocate that one should "Vote their career and lobby their hobby", a quick history lesson is in order. Who exactly was in the White House in 1978? How about the last time AA wanted to strike?

I agree strongly with you that BOTH seats of an airliner should be filled with motivated, competent people that want to be there. I disagree strongly that simple hours in a logbook determine eligibility.

 

[CFI2766]

Oh yeah, almost forgot, the training department at ASA is top notch.