Looking for JALways/WASINC info

[motojet]

I seem to remember a while back that there was a thread on aeroservices. Don't remember if it was this forum or another. A lot of people had bad things to say about the quality of the sims. I don't know myself, I just remember reading that somewhere.
I have an interview as well in March. If you have an interview, WASINC can reserve you some SIM time in the sim at DEN, the contact number is in one of the emails you recieved.
Hope that helps.

 

[Capt1124]

Does anybody have detailed information on the physical?

 

[Bigbeerbelly]

Japanese Medical

I went through the medical exam for a different Japanese contract job, but can not see how it would be any different at JALways. Testing was done in Tokyo, but sometimes at the Mayo Clinic in the US. There is really no way you can prepare for this medical exam except: excercise for several months before hand, do not go jogging for five days before (blood in urine), drink lots and lots of water and only water the days before, do not take any multivitamins the week before, make sure you have a BMI less than 27, and fast for 14 hours prior. The medical does not check your health, it checks to see that you fall within the accepted parameters of the JCAB. These were written by and for Japanese, not that they are looking to disqualify you, they want you to pass, but you must fit within their parameters. For example, (just an example not sure if it is correct) BMI between 21 and 27, not in that range and you are not going to pass. We all know 20 or 28 is healthy too, but you must be inside the parameters. So, that being said their are about 25 medical tests that you have to take and each must be within limits. I can't remember all of the tests but it took about 4 hours. They included eye exams (peripheral, depth perception, color blind, visual, glocoma), blood tests (3 vials), EKG, ECG, EEG, balance test ( stare at a blank wall and stand on a computer platform then close your eyes, the computer goes wild as your balance muscles keep you from falling over), stress test (running on a tread mill with lots of probes on your body), grip test, lung capacity test, etc. Again, the way I passed this test is that I did not try to be superman. I knew I had to fit in the boundaries and did not try to scale off the chart for example on the lung capacity test - they said blow 100% I blew 85%. Several of the tests try to get you to hyperventilate (breathe in and out very fast several times) I only let myself mildly hyperventilate - shallower breaths. This medical just checks that you are a normal Japanese, not overall health. There are marathon runners who failed because too low pulse and people who passed that found out they have cancer. Most Gai-jings (us) have to retake one or two tests at a later date because the results were a little outside the norm. For me it was the peripherial eye exam. No one told me to keep staring at that orange dot, so I never got a good reading. By the way no one speaks very good english at the testing site they give you english directions to read though. Also the nurses are very cute, it helps to try to be friendly so they can help you pass. They will not cheat, but for example on the depth perception test you have to look at a tiny window across the room with three parallel lines in them. The middle line moves back and forth. When the lines are equal depth you click your clicker. However, it was tough and I was just clicking randomly. I had no clue what I was being tested on, the directions were not good. So the nurse took me to the machine and disassembled it so I could see how the thing works inside. After that, it was easy. Don't know how someone could pass without help from the nurses.

Good luck,

BBB

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Sounds like the scene from The Right Stuff.....

Sign me up!

 

[Resocha]

The medical does not check your health, it checks to see that you fall within the accepted parameters of the JCAB.

This is entirely true. You can actually be in too good of shape, but if you are outside the parameters, you "fail."

The only difference between BBB's experience and the JALways medical is that the JALways medical is entirely conducted at the Mayo Clinic, and the staff are all American and speak good English, unless you have to go to Tokyo for a follow-up. If you go to Tokyo for the follow-up medical, then BBB is right, the girls are cute, but their English is not so cute, so it is mildly challenging to understand what they want you to do. Like BBB says, be polite, and it will be easier.

 

[Resocha]

Sounds like the scene from The Right Stuff.....

Sign me up!

Yes, but in this case it's The Wrong Stuff.

 

[coogebeachhotel]

Did the Air Force guys all look "scared"-Shepard

 

[Take A]

TOKYO - The chief executive of troubled Japan Airlines Corp. will step down, the nation's biggest carrier said Wednesday, amid growing financial woes and a spate of embarrassing safety lapses.

Toshiyuki Shinmachi, who has been under pressure from board members to resign, will step down and become chairman upon shareholders approval at a meeting in June, Japan Airlines said in a statement.

His replacement will be Haruka Nishimatsu, 58, senior vice president in charge of finance and purchasing, it said.

Pressure had been growing against Shinmachi recently, and dozens of management level employees at the airline had signed petitions demanding his resignation. But Shinmachi, 63, had repeatedly refused to quit.

The airline has been sinking deeper into trouble, unable to wipe out safety problems despite repeated problems to clean up its act. Japanese travelers have been switching by the droves to rival carrier All Nippon Airways.

Nishimatsu said he felt a deep responsibility in taking helm at the battered airline.

"The JAL Group is now in a crisis that endangers its very survival," he said on a nationally televised press conference.

For the fiscal year ending March 31, Japan Airlines is forecasting a 47 billion yen ($405 million) loss on 2.195 trillion yen ($18.9 billion) sales. Last month, JAL said it lost 11 billion yen ($94.7 million) loss in the October-December quarter.

JAL's image has been badly tarnished by a series of safety problems since early 2005, eroding passenger numbers and driving it deeper into the red. Soaring oil prices have also taken their toll.

Recent incidents have included a Tokyo-Taipei flight operated by a JAL affiliate that took off with a faulty latch in December, and a domestic JAL aircraft that flew with the reverse thruster on an engine still locked.

Hiroshi Maeda, honorary professor of aeronautics at Kyoto University, said Japan Airlines had lost its past glory as it failed to keep up with intensifying competition, including the threat from ANA.

"They used to have such pride," he said. "They must revitalize their corporate culture or the troubles won't go away."

Japan Airlines shares, which have fluctuated wildly during the past year, rose 4.8 percent to finish at 326 yen ($2.80) in Tokyo as news spread about the planned management change, reported in Wednesday newspapers and by Kyodo News agency.

A graduate of the prestigious University of Tokyo with a degree in economics, Nishimatsu joined Japan Airlines in 1972, and has mainly worked in the finance operations and investor relations. He will also replace Shinmachi as president, according to the airline.

Nishimatsu is seen as a "centrist" who has not sided in the dispute between Shinmachi and the board members demanding his resignation, Kyodo reported.

Nishimatsu faces a major challenge leading the turnaround effort because of deep divisions within its ranks, Credit Suisse First Boston analyst Osuke Itazaki said.

"It's not clear if he has the power to manage the entire company," he said

 

[(o) (o)]

Really? Where were they going to go? I guess Mesa is hiring. Or maybe they all had connections at UPS or FedEx, or maybe they all had 737 types, or maybe they all would have been simultaneously recalled.

Ok, in all serious now, that's unlikely. Sure, the training is nuts, but I saw it as a 7-month paid vacation in Tokyo (I guess it's shorter now). It all comes down to attitude and perspective. Where else in the world can you upgrade to 747 captain in less than 3 years? It's a great opportunity, whether one chooses to remain here or not.

Upgrade to captain in 3 years? I thought at the 3-year mark, your contract expires and you go looking for another job, no?

 

[dojetdriver]

Upgrade to captain in 3 years? I thought at the 3-year mark, your contract expires and you go looking for another job, no?

From the guys I know that went there, the contract is similar to the way JetBlue does it. It's a way to manage labor numbers. At the end of the contract term if you want to leave, leave. At the end of three years, if they are downsizing or getting rid of a fleet type, like the DC-10's they shedded, it's sorry guys, no more planes for you to fly, bye bye. At the end of tree years if everything is status quo, nobody sweats it, they automatically renew.