denverpilot
Tied Down
I think I understand what you're saying. My early training (primacy) was heavily leaning toward "call and response" memorization of checklists and flows, since originally I was heading toward an aviation degree. I'm quite comfortable with that environment. The "pro" way as you've pointed out. Piles of unlogged sim time. Always two "crew".
After flying for a while and then leaving aviation for 8 years and returning I noticed a distinct lack of the utilization of "memory items" and found that "flows" had become more popular. It was subtle.
"Flows" when I started flying were the way to get it done right but the instructors were teaching the "call and response" because we were all headed for airline interviews, so to speak. "Flows" weren't given much direct "love" back then, it was just known by everyone that was the way you really flew while rattling off checklist items.
Nowadays flows are actively taught. This is good.
As far as your opinion that the wheels were falling off the bus during my IR training, I should explain that a) we were doing a highly concentrated "immersion" jump into IFR flying and b) I'm my own worst critic. If you want an accurate assessment of my performance you'd probably have to ask Jesse. I nitpick the crap out of training flights because I want to get the maximum out of them. I miss a single checklist item and stew about it later looking for a way to force-integrate the new flow into the old.
Plus, what I was trying to accomplish was subtly different than many trainees. I was forcing a change of many years of workable memorized behaviors and flows that work almost flawlessly for VFR flying and incorporate new items that need to be there for IFR flying. VFR the checklist is down on my lap, the flow happens, and the checklist comes out to double check. In my head I'm also doing "call and response" well after the items are being accomplished. That primacy will never go away. I can easily transition into and out of "two pilot cockpit mode" while I know that's a difficult transition for lots and lots of folks.
I'd share that there's a distinct disadvantage to doing 20 years of VFR and then knowing you have to change things significantly. I wasn't missing much in my flows after a couple of days but my nemesis was closing the cowl flaps. It was coming back into the flow after a few days, the beginning was just a sign of "being really busy" on departure.
(Anyone thinking about adding the Instrument Rating: Do it early on in your flying career. It's easier to integrate it all before all habits are heavily set.)
My comments about reliance on the checklist during that process was more of a "I have a feeling I missed something I never missed before because we just simulated going IMC at 100' so I'd better check the checklist". And in a few of the flights we really were IMC at 600'-800'. I loved the challenge.
Sure enough, my nagging feeling was correct a few times early in the week. By the last day I was doing fine. It's a jump into the deep end doing two to three flights a day. And very good for me because it stresses and highlights what happens under stress. Others may not like that method very much.
This type of immersion works well for me, but I have to hit a wall and say "crap!" to remember everything. Jesse knew and pushed me right up to that wall around Wednesday night.
Then it starts to "stick" and stick real well. Drag it out over months it doesn't "stress the system" well enough to find the triggers that cause my personal overload. I personally want to know what those are.
Jesse is very good at watching for signs of "comfort" and then nailing you with the next step. I was getting comfortable with things and let it slip my mind about mid-week that we had partial panel to do still. Jesse pulled the instrument failures at the exact right time to show me where I would be dead, dead, dead if I wasn't ready for it. DME arc at night turning onto the arc.
David has attested to this also. Jesse juuuuust let's you get comfortable then "oh hey, something failed... you know how to turn onto this arc without those pesky vacuum instruments right?"
Streeeeetch that brain Nate. Are you REALLY ahead of this aircraft? Mind blown. Fight back. Learn how to fight back if something catches one off guard in actual. It was perfect.
So I fully agree with your assessment that there's some awful training going on. I had really good training and get what you're saying regarding checklist vs "just get it done". Some of my experiences are being misinterpreted as caused by that weird non-pro "anything goes" style training that I know you're trying to point out.
I nitpick and nitpick myself. Jesse has said before a lot of his role is managing someone's confidence. Don't read too much into me saying I was "leaning on the checklist", that wasn't for the whole week. It was more self-assessment saying, "Wow dummy! You had to refer to the checklist more than you've had to in years." But it was an integration process. Not a "I've forgotten how to fly this thing" process.
It's difficult to distinguish in a short description, thus this longer one now that I had some time to think about how to word it. Fly the plane, followup with the checklist. If the checklist blows out the window, still fly the plane.
