Who's door can I beat down.....

[mcjohn]

Thanks for all the helpful info. For a little more detail on my situation I'll paste part of a message I just sent out:

I just retured home from towing banners on the N.J. shore about three weeks ago and have been working a regular day job to make ends meet since my wife lost her job. I haven't set foot in a plane since I left but I plan to start instructing again in Oct. I must get instrument proficient again but have no money to do so. I'm struggling to think of some creative ways to do it.

I went to an Air Cargo Carriers interview recently and busted on the sim. They said they liked me though and to be sure to interview again in 6 months. The stuff they threw at me on the sim was a little too much IMO (considering what was on my resume.) I was definetly non-proficient for hard slam back course approaches and holds. No time given for set up and briefing. All settings and pulling out of approach plates were on the fly. I told the guy that the format was a little rushed and stressful but he said it mimicks well the conditions they face flying in the northern mid west. Oh well. I don't know if I'll interview there again. I lost 400-500 dollars in the endeavor. However, I want to be that guy that can handle anything on the fly in IMC so that's my big challenge now. Flying banners for 3.5 months certainly didn't help prepare me for sim checks.

On another note, I'm not sure if applying to all the regionals right now would be in my best interest (and I only have 12 hrs multi.) I'm looking for that job that will school me well for any environment, build multi time, and get turbine PIC asap of course (I'm under the impression that regionals are the slower option to upgrade.) I'm all about "payin the dues" and have no intention of leaping ahead for a "position" and not being able to hold my own on sims.

Anyway, I have MSFS 2004 and I have a decent scan for BAI. My problem is staying ahead of the settings, procedures, and positional / situational awareness. 2004 doesn't seem to help me very well on those issues. There are no physical switches and it allows you to set everything in advance before you fly. It's not very functional for practicing "on the fly." My idea right now is to solidify how I really want to handle my checklist and procedure protocal. I've been taught so many different techniques along the way of my training that it's up in the air. My first idea is to fly the Baron on 2004 and use Flight Express's checklists and flows that are available on the internet for their pilot's to prep for their 6 month Baron checkouts. Any other ideas?

 

[RefugePilot]

Sounds like you are on the right path. If you cant afford a real plane, get good on a sim. You do not have to have the exact procedures in the sim for the company you are interviewing with, but you should have some good solid procedures or flows, so you look like you know what you are doing. While on the sim, try full flights, from DPs to enroutes and full procedure approaches. Once you get better, have anohter flight instructor give you directions and diversions so you get used to thinking fast.

Its possible on the sim ride you took the evaluator saw you were overwhelmed and behind the plane so turned up the heat so you also knew you were not prepared. If you cant pass a sim ride with basic intstrument procedures, you will have tons of trouble when they put you in a more complex airplane with flows, checklist and engine failures. During your checkride you will be slammed from one approach to the next with failures and tricks thrown in, so you better be good before you even start the training or you wont make it.

You should be in no rush (except to get more hours) as you still need 200 hours before you can interview for PIC 135 positions. Once you get good on the sim you can try Airnet for SIC.