R2F's American Eagle Training Updates

[Bigey]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Major hurdle passed today.....the oral.

After studying my butt off for three days, it was more or less a "What? That was it?" That being said, I probably woulda been over my head if I HADN'T studied so much. To start things off, the guy said "I'm going to ask you things you probably don't know on purpose because I need to know you know where to go to find the information." Basically, they want to know that you know where to look up all that info you "used to know" when you were in training once you get on the line and forget it.

Performance problem wasn't too bad. Gave me an airport, a temperature, and had me compute zero fuel weight, t/o weight, stab trim setting, V1, Vr, V2, t/o thrust, climb thrust and cruise thrust. Then hit me with "Okay, rain showers pop up right before you take off." So, he had me re-figure V1, Vr and V2 (which really was only re-figuring V1). Followed by "We have to abort at 95 kts. How long do we have to weight before taking off again? What if the BTMS is inop?" Then that was it for performance.

Next was memory items and limitations. If quoted vebatim, they tend to give up pretty quickly.

Then he pulled up a slide show of walkaround items and I got the standard "What is this?" "What are we looking for?" questions with an occasionaly systems question thrown in.

For the systems stuff, it was either worked in with limitations, touched on in the walkaround, and I got about 4 or 5 straight up systems question.

That is it. Total took maybe 1 hour and 15 minutes, and the guy actually pulled off doing two orals at once. One guy computed the performace problem while the other guy was getting questioned, and then we switched.

Now that all of that is out of the way, it's on to the sims on Sat. 10 sim sessions, then my checkride, then LOFT.

Sweet kell!! Congrats on that!!

Both of you, KEEP POSTING! I love hearing about this!!!

[Aero_Engineer]

Seriously guys, this is so much fun to read. Please keep them coming.

[Windchill]

This is great to read about to guys who not that long ago were pursuing the private cert. and beyond ... and are now posting about their training experiences at regional airlines.

Congrats on persevering ... enjoy the experiences and keep 'em coming!

[ready2fly]

First and foremost = MAJOR congrats to Kellwolf!! Way to go, bro! Gettin' past that oral was a huge step in my journey too!!!

Day 27
Recovery from unusual attitudes was the phrase of the day. Fun stuff - EXACTLY like it was during PPL/IR training. Put your head down, wait for the signal - look up and recover. One was from an inverted configuration. FUN!!!

After that, we basically worked on cleaning up some of the single-engine work. ILS, VOR, DME Arc approaches.....missed approach profiles. That kind of thing.

The flying is really the easy part. It's these damned profiles - remembering what to call for and when to call for it. What checklists to ask for and when to ask for them. I'm getting there, but it's not been real easy.

Tomorrow, however, is Stage Check time, then a day off, then it's checkride day. So, I HAVE to have it by tomorrow...so....back to the profiles.

Going Missed
Set Thrust
Flaps 8

Positive Rate
Gear Up
Set Missed Approach Altitude

Climb Mode
Heading(NAV) Mode
Autopilot on

Etc., etc., etc......Amen!

More tomorrow.

R2F

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by ready2fly

First and foremost = MAJOR congrats to Kellwolf!! Way to go, bro! Gettin' past that oral was a huge step in my journey too!!!

Thanks, dude. HUGE load off my shoulders.

Going Missed
Set Thrust
Flaps 8

Positive Rate
Gear Up
Set Missed Approach Altitude

Climb Mode
Heading(NAV) Mode
Autopilot on

Looks like AE and PCL differ quite a bit on the profiles. Here's our GA:

TOGA switch
"Go Around, Go Around Thrust, Flaps 8/20 (we have both types)"
Positive Rate, "Gear up" (Missed Approach altitude was set at DH/MDA on the approach)
200 AGL - Speed mode (CLB mode, same thing)
400 AGL - HDG/NAV mode
600 AGL AP on

Okay, so not so different now that I type it out. Good luck on that last sim.

[CFIse]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Looks like AE and PCL differ quite a bit on the profiles. Here's our GA:

You know what will be REALLY interesting - what they do on the line. In fact our class had instructors teaching different things, fairly significant different things, and when I lost my sim. partner and ended up flying with somebody else our first missed approach was nothing but fun. She expected me to do some things, I expected her to do other things, about all we had in common were the callouts, but the rest was a crap shoot.

On the line, if it's going to be an IMC approach I always make sure the 2 of us are on the same page when we brief the approach so I know what the priority is (raw needles or the FMS) and who is doing what (PF or PNF sets course, selects frequencies etc.).

Oh yeh - you're probably having the PNF set speeds and altitudes in the FCP on the approach - first day on the line called "bug 200" and the captain looks at me like I'm insane "it's on auto-pilot, bug your own 200" he says....

Ah, such fun. That's what IOE is for......

[WestIndian425]

Man, am I enjoying this!! Congratulations to you three (Kellwolf, R2F, and CrashNburn). I'm learning so much from you guys, and this is helping me prepare for when it's my turn.

Neil

[ready2fly]

Originally Posted by WestIndian425

Man, am I enjoying this!! Congratulations to you three (Kellwolf, R2F, and CrashNburn). I'm learning so much from you guys, and this is helping me prepare for when it's my turn.

Neil

No problem, Neil. Any time. And judging by your avtar, you're at ATP = lot's of multi. Good training, etc. "Your turn" may be here sooner than you think.

In the mean time, if there are any questions you might have specific to American Eagle jobs, please feel free to drop me a PM and I'll answer what I can.

Best of luck in your training and keep us posted.

R2F

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by CFIse

Oh yeh - you're probably having the PNF set speeds and altitudes in the FCP on the approach - first day on the line called "bug 200" and the captain looks at me like I'm insane "it's on auto-pilot, bug your own 200" he says....

Ah, such fun. That's what IOE is for......

Yeah, my sim partner and I had that discussion the other night. So far, we've gotten three different responses from three different instructors. One said PNF always bugs, one says you bug when the AP on, and one said the PNF bugs when you hit APPR or NAV mode on the approach. Guess it's gonna be up to individual crew. All agree that the PF doesn't TOUCH the altitude pre-select bug. That's grounds for getting your fingers amputated.

[ready2fly]

Day 28 (is it???)

Stage Check day = pretty much the checkride profile with a little fine tuning going on.

I walked into the sim feeling good. I had reviewed my profiles, my callouts, etc. Did all my flows pretty well with the exception of forgetting the Fire Test...which I did shortly after I realized I had missed it.

Off the gate in less than 20 minutes. Not too shabby for a newbie. Today's flight plan was to take us from MEM to DFW. The vis was reported as RVR 6, which meant we could go, but needed a t/o alternate. There was none filed on the release, but I caught it....which was part of the "test".

We chose LIT (Little Rock) as our alternate and away we went.

First t/o was normal. No tricks thrown in other than the low vis. Climbed up to 10,000 and did the stalls. This is where it got REAL interesting!!

First stall was in the clean config. That went very well.

Second stall config. was the approach/landing. Got to the red bar, stick shaker, autopilot off, called out and set thrust....and WHAM....plane bucked like a wild bronco!! Up..stick shaker.....stick pusher...WAY down....over and over and over.

NOTHING I did would control the plane. I said to my instructor "What's going on here? What's this thing doing?"

Silence.

Again: "Dude! This isn't normal. I'm not doing this!"

Him: "Man...I've NEVER seen this thing do THIS!....Let me try."

So, we finally got it under control, set it back up, got into the stall config and - WHAM! Same thing..only worse this time.

So, we shut it down, called a tech who came out and discovered that the freakin' computer had double-top-secret reset itself to some wild-assed pitch configuration. He re-set it and we were back in bidness.

Did the approach/landing stall again and it went as planned. Then, right into the departure stall recovery which prompted a "nicely done." I was in a groove.

Vectors for the ILS 36R back at MEM. Shot the approach, runway in sight, down to about 50 ft AGL - "go missed". Did the missed with no troubles, then out to the published missed/hold. After the hold, it was vectors to the VOR/DME for RWY 27 (?..they're all running together). That went well, I was way ahead of the profile.....UNTIL....got to MDA and I FORGOT TO DESCEND until we were about 5 seconds past it.

CRAP....selected 1200 fpm VS and started down. Broke out of the clouds and the threshold was just below us...we were still at 800. Without prompting from The Master (not the same Master from week 1 thank goodness!! ), I called the missed, and we came back around - did it again to a full stop landing. Actually held center line...give or take a couple of feet either side.

Took off, V1, Rotate - ding ding ding....right engine fails. Made all the appropriate callouts...flew the appropriate profile and it was a non-event.

Came back around, shot the GPS to some other runway, went missed, back around for the ILS again....to a full stop.

Repositioned back to the numbers, go to takeoff power, get a Master Warning shortly after 80 knots...called the "Abort, Abort, Abort."... we aborted...and we were done.

Instructor had a just a few fine tuning comments and signed me off for the ride on Saturday.

Now all I have to do is wait.....and review....and pray....and wait.

Ya'll cross your fingers, toes, pray, do a rain dance....that voodoo that you do so well....whatever works....and I'll chat ya'll up on Saturday!

More later
R2F

[Aero_Engineer]

Good luck, I'll definately pray for you. Please let us know of the outcome ASAP. Best wishes.

[ASpilot2be]

Congrats man Best of luck to you.

[CFIse]

Originally Posted by ready2fly

Day 28 (is it???)

Stage Check day = pretty much the checkride profile with a little fine tuning going on.
R2F

No engine failure on the miss? I could handle the V1 cut once I figured out the sim. tricks, but the fail on the miss, now that was a doozy!

You've probably told us, but how many sim. sessions do you get?

[kellwolf]

Stan,

I just wanted to tell you good luck. We're all counting on you.

[bwade210]

Good luck my friend...I am really enjoying this thread and appreciate your very descriptive diary!

[shooter13]

Sitting here with my fingers crossed for you figuring you are doing your ride about now.

Give'em Hell Stan!

[B767]

Originally Posted by ready2fly

Day 28 (is it???)

Instructor had a just a few fine tuning comments and signed me off for the ride on Saturday.

R2F

Pardon my ignorance, but does this mean a checkride in the sim or the actual aircraft?

[Alchemy]

Checkrides are done in the sim. We've only had to write off one jet at my company, and that was from practicing V1 cuts in the real airplane....doesn't always work so well.

Steve, Stan, sounds like you guys are doing great! Keep up the good work.

[BobDDuck]

Originally Posted by Alchemy

Checkrides are done in the sim. We've only had to write off one jet at my company, and that was from practicing V1 cuts in the real airplane....doesn't always work so well.

Hmm.. Common theme. The only fatal accident we've ever had over here was a V1 cut in a Jball in actual while doing training.


Stan, hope the ride was as easy as the oral. Good luck/(early) congradulations.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by BobDDuck

<snip>
Stan, hope the ride was as easy as the oral. Good luck/(early) congradulations.

I'll echo the (early) 'grats! I have faith.

[BrianNC]

As well as you've handled everything else in training it should be a piece of cake for you.

Early congrats also!

[tonyw]

Originally Posted by kellwolf

Stan,

I just wanted to tell you good luck. We're all counting on you.

Dude, that's MY line!

[frog_flyer]

im gonna go ahead and say OUTSTANDING and OUTFRIGGENSTANDING to stans successful completion of his checkride!!

i have faith too!

[ready2fly]

Day 29

Checkride = PASSED!!!

The Phase Check was actually harder than the ride....believe it or not.

Today's profile was: DFW - MEM. Took off from DFW in RVR 6 conditions, climbed out to 17000, then set up for maneuvers.

First came the stall series. Started out with the arrival stall. Did that pretty well, then moved straight into the departure stall. Recovered nicely...took a little longer than I prefered to get `er trimmed out, but gotter done...and we were done with maneuvers.

Vectors to the ILS 36R at MEM. Screamed down to 3000, set up for the approach, flew it nicely, ALMOST landed and a freakin' "FedEx jet" pulled onto the runway.

Went missed.....came back around, did the VOR/DME, went missed - out to the hold....did that, then the GPS for 27.

Flew that okay...left alt just a tad early, got down to MDA, didn't see the lights, went missed AGAIN......back around.....autopilot "failed". Hand-flew the same approach to wheels down - including the nose....when "Eagle Flight 801 - ( say it with me) go around!"

Didn't get the thrust reverseres deployed, so we could do the go around. Just as the wheels came off - DING DING DING DING DING (Master Warning), plane yaws right, I correct - go straight into the V1 cut profile and fly that like a champ.

Came back around, did the same approach again (GPS), hand-flew it this time - single engine....down down down.....landed.....Thrust reversers deployed.......Ahhhhh.

Repositioned the aircraft .....knew what was coming.....Set thrust.....80 knots.......(wait for it)........EVERYTHING goes dark on the PFD, MFD...everything..."Abort, Abort, Abort"....yoke forward....contact ATC....

...and we're DONE!!!

Taxi back in. Do the After Landing, Parking and Terminating checklists....up to the debrief and I hear "Congratulations. You made it through. You pass!!"

Tomorrow is LOFT (Line Oriented Flight Training) in the sim. It was originally supposed to be from 8 pm to Midnight on Sunday....but they changed it to (get this) 4:30 AM .

So...no hangin' with JH and the boys tonight.

Tomorrow though......it's ON!!!

IOE starts Tuesday. No rest for the weary. Haven't been home since March 3rd. FINALLY get to go home next Friday - the 21st. WHEW!!!!

More later!

Peace!
F.O. R2F

[BobDDuck]

NICE!

I think the hardest time I had in the sim was during LOFT. Lots of work.