PV
After the 8 procedure trainer sessions comes the procedure validation. It is a checkride in the CPT sim. I came in stressed, tunnel vision, anxeity, all the stuff that goes into a checking event.
The examiner was super cool, cracking jokes and doing his best to diffuse any nerves I had. We did the flight and the whole time, he was really casual and just being a fun loving pilot monitoring while I did the pilot flying portion. After, I said I appreciate your style, it was very comfortable flying with you. He said "IF you hadn't been doing such a good job, you might have gotten a totally different version of me".
That was a boost of confidence and kinda lit a fire under me that this might actually happen.
I suffer from the worst imposter syndrome and live my life knowing every day, this is the day I get fired.
I don't know where it comes from but it was amplified during this training so this was a good experience for me.
Everyone in the class that made it this far passed their procedures validation.
SIMS
We had access to full motion simulators that were for lack of a better word, Bad Ass! Feels, sounds, behaves like the actual jet which I can now confirm as I have 30 hours in the Jet.
The sims were a little less stressful then the CPT because they were the same 8 lessons so nothing new other than now we were "Flying".
Everyone gets 8 two hour sim sessions as pilot flying and 8 two hour sim sessions as pilot monitoring. This portion of the training was fun for the most part. It is mostly focused on emergencies and how to handle them.
We almost never land the sim. Every time you see a runway, there is a dear on it or a truck on it or something. In my sleep I hear "Go around, Flaps 2!" that is the phrase most spoken in the sim.
Towards the end of the sims it started getting more difficult. I was doing just ok but really struggling with the single Engine ILS w/ no autopilot. That is just a terribly difficult maneuver for me.
Due to this and a couple setbacks, when they asked how are you doing and I said I am 80% there, they offered some additional sim sessions and I accepted them.
There were a handful of others in the class that accepted them as well and this sort of became the point where the class is no longer a class but individuals finishing their training.
The group chat goes dark and we all fight as individuals for the finish line.
CHECKRIDE 1: MV
The Maneuvers validation is the hard checkride. This is where you have to do stall recovery, emergency descent, V1 cuts, engine fire, and anything else they want to throw at you including for me the dreaded single engine ILS, hand flown. I nailed all of the maneuvers and totally botched the Single Engine ILS which they know is tough so they leave it for last. They have contingency built into the training for botched maneuvers and I used all of the contingencies offered up to the point where I had the examiner behind me stating "This is it I need you to do this or it's game over" My legs were shaking. I did a v1 cut and setup for the ILS. I clicked the autopilot and auto throttles off and I was on top of the flight director, absolutely glued to it. Speed set, configured, "flaps 1", "Flaps 2", "Gear down, Flaps 3", "Flaps 5 Landing Checklist". Set power to 69%. Runway in sight, "Minimums" and I nailed that landing. I stopped the plane and the examiner goes. "It would have been less stressful if you had just done that the first time. Sat complete by the way, congrats".
CHECKRIDE 2: LOE
Last checking event in the sim is Line Operating Experience. This is 2, 2 hour flights from gate to gate. They just want to see you fly. They will throw very minor emergencies at you just to see how you run the checklists, etc. It is calm, slow paced and low stress. Mine was fairly uneventful. If you mess anything up you have 2 chances to repeat it. We debriefed my landing at the end. The examiner said it wasn't pretty and I would liked to have seen x,y,z but everything was done to standards. He printed out my ATP and Type rating and we went to the sim to snap a couple photos.
IOE & LINE CHECK
That brings us to the last 2 weeks in the actual jet. Last week, I went to Miami, Jacksonville, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Alabama, Amarillo, College Station, and DFW about 6 times. I've been everywhere man. I've been everywhere. The jet flies like the sim but it is easier to land and there are these nice people that bring you food and coffee. On the longer flights it moves very slow and is very calm. Up in the flight levels, it is beautiful and the radio gets really quiet especially late at night. There are stressful flights. We had a flight to DFW and back out where we had a 30 min ground stop and had to switch planes which meant after the flight, I have to do a post flight walk around, grab my bags, get to the next gate, do a pre flight walk around, then get the flight plan and performance loaded while all the passengers are already there. You can feel rushed when that happens but you have to fight it. All through training the moto was "Don't rush" the tendency to do so is real. On my 2nd flight, we had a bird strike at 10,000 feet. It was loud AF. On my 3rd landing, I had an APU fail. when we got the next plane, the APU was inop. Flying into Miani, we were dodging thunderstorms all along the coast. So the first time in the jet I got exposed to a lot. The last flight yesterday was my line check and it went well. A short hop from OKC to DFW so a lot to do in a short period of time but I got it done and the examiner signed me off. It was the perfect end to a check ride. I greased the landing. And having strangers shake your hand and say "Great Landing" On their way out might be the best end to a check ride ever.
I posted these in another thread but some cool moments.
My wife hitched a ride out to College station so she could get on one of my flights. That was awesome.
She made a video of her on the plane while I was making a PA. She is super happy about my being employed again and I think she digs pilots.
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Let me know if you know what kind of bird that was. I wonder what he was doing at 10,000 feet.
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All in all, I do believe this was the hardest thing I have done in my life especially given all that hangs in the balance. The training is damn hard but a full career swap at nearly 50 with two kids about to go to college and mom holding down the fort and praying this works out compounded it significantly. She took on a lot of additional clients to offset some of the financial strain but we're on the other side now.
I am happy to be working again. I am happy I made the change even though it was starting to feel like my only option since the IT world and I are no longer compatible.
I still feel like the new kid on the first day of school at the airport but that should fade. I like the airplane a lot and I really love the company. Their focus on safety isn't lip service they are very serious about it.
Even though I barely have a toe in the water, I suspect I will be a lifer here. I could see myself retiring into the training department should this last.
The culture and emphasis on safety, fatigue, prioritizing family, etc is nice.
I did make 1 single joke over the last 3 months. On the long flights, we take turns eating. Captain said its quiet if you want to eat first, this is a good time.
I handed her a can of tuna and a can opener and said can you open this while I get my utensils out of my bag?
The stare I got back was priceless. The can was not opened.
That is about the level of "fun" that can be had on the flight deck.
That's it. That's the story if anyone is curious about the airline training process, the E-175, or any non company specific things, I am happy to do deep dives into any of the stuff above.
It was all a mystery to me as I was going through it and I learned a ton.
Also, for all the people that post "I'm 26, 36, 46, 56... Is it too old to get started?", You are not too old to start, you are not too old to change things about your life that you don't like.
It is hard to change but we can do hard things if we need to.
Last Call,
-F.O. SixPapaCharlie
