Mesa
11-18-2014, 01:17 AM
#3981
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2010
Posts: 977
Or you can do what I did and not study all that much outside of work (just pay attention to the bold/underlined items on slides and things repeated by instructor), don't practice flows and call outs except during IPT (not outside of IPT) because IPT is a huge time waster for 4 days and you have plenty of time to learn them then. Departures, arrivals. Precision/non precision. Learn the basic callouts, which are fairly easy, then learn the variations for V1 cuts and associated single engine differences. Sure you might not look like CackgoblerSully on the first day, but who gives a sht. I was not close to repeating a sim, had a painless oral and checkride, etc., and I'm not a smart guy. Missed maybe one question between the GOM and systems tests, and that was about average. Sims and IOE were both easy. A little stressful at first until I got used to the sim, but easy nonetheless. The stress was self induced, not sim or instructor induced. And my experience was mostly VFR small aircraft. All this instrument and FMS stuff was new to me.
I tried to get material before class but didn't get much, and for good reason. We got all the stuff on the first day on a google drive account set up by a class or two ahead of us, but once you get access to the intranet it's all there. Download the important ones to your iPad (GOM, CFM, preflight, and systems manual are the 4 main ones) Get good reader.
But really, the shts easy. The people who struggled were people who couldn't speak english well and old people (a couple career change types). And one flat out idiot who wouldn't shut the fk up asking stupid fking questions and who has no business flying my family around on a jet anyway. Incidentally, these are the people who studied the most at the hotel in groups and liked to highlight their stupidity in class by opening their mouth and asking stupid questions or arguing with the instructor about irrelevant sht and causing us to spend less time on important material and/or leave later in the day than we would have otherwise. All my group study sessions turned into jacking around or drinking. So I quit group study sessions. Didn't study with my sim partner once except during IPT.
Here's some more advice, don't ask stupid fking questions. If you need to know it, they will teach you. If it's on a test, they will teach you probably more than once and will bold/highlight that info. If it's going to be asked on the oral, you (or someone else in your class) will be asked by the ground instructors every question asked on the oral, unless the guy is just trying to teach you and show you how smart he is on CRJ systems and buttons. You could no-shtt not show up for class the entire time, sit through the final review session, and pass all the written tests, and if you have a really good memory or are a fast note taker, or record the session on your phone, get probably get a 100%. The daily oral quizzes they ask will prep you for the oral, as well as the handouts they give you.
My biggest take away from training (fairly recent class) is that you have to really try to fail, or be less than marginally competent. There were definitely people I thought would not make it, and who shouldn't be flying airliners (or flying anything for that matter). Those who shouldn't have made it got second chances on check rides and such and I am pretty sure all got through. I'm happy for them and I hope they find success in this career (errr job?). But, if you are struggling or think it is really hard by the end of sims (it's tough for everyone until the first few are over with, got it...), look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you should be flying a jet with pax in the back. If you question your own ability or potential and you've had 8x 4 hour sim sessions to figure it out and you still can't, I probably don't want you flying my family around.
More random sht I wish someone had told me before I started at Mesa. Get your luggage and leather jacket (if you are going to get one) orders in ASAP. I'm still waiting on my leather jacket. The uniform info they give you on day 1 and 2 is significantly lacking. Check the uniform reg out (quick read), try some **** on, and get your orders in. Company pays half of your 2 pants, half of the leather jacket, and half of the blazer. That's it. The websites for the 3 approved vendors all suck and I couldn't log in after the first few days to M&H or abbot to place an order. Those are the only two they will payroll deduct, btw. Gotta fill out an expense report for a cut above to get reimbursed. A cut above sends **** out real quick. Other vendors seemed to as well. But the leather jacket order is insanely long (that's a direct order on a form the company failed to give our class that you then give to KG who you will get contact info for and who works in the training center). Been over several months for me I think since I ordered, still waiting. I regret ordering one. I've been going with a short sleeve shirt waiting on this dam thing, and I broke down and got that ridiculous pilot sweater. It is itchy, leaves shtty fuzz all over my shirt, and I hate it. Not to mention I look like a flight attendant (no offense). Blazer probably would have been a better choice. Luggage took a while to order and receive too, so I'd look at the luggage works website and figure out what you want. It is all discounted, regardless of whether or not it's on the sheet they give you. They don't tell you that part. Just tell KG what you want from the website and she'll order it for you.
Oh, you'll get measured on day 1 or 2 in class by an alteration shop that is kind of near the hotel. What they failed to tell us is that Mesa pays them $10 per pilot who gets measured, so if you take your pants there to get hemmed they are a total of $10 for both (normally $10 a pair) because Mesa paid for half already. I think only a couple of us actually used that alteration shop, but Mesa paid $10/person for all of us to go there regardless. Take advantage of that.
People ask about headsets a lot too. In ground the instructors are anal about repeatedly saying the company requires TSO'd headsets and iPad mounts in accordance with our ops specs. I've seen plenty of line pilots (ca/fo alike) with non TSO'd/non ops spec items (RAM mounts, light speeds, etc.). Not saying its right, but it happens. Each aircraft has 3 sh*tty nasty TSO'd telex headsets. If you use your own non TSOd headset, and you need to use a TSO headset for one reason or another, you can grab the ones on the plane. I still use those Telexs until I find a good deal on a Bose headset. Some of the telex sound like crackling garbage and they all probably have AIDS and lice on them. A CA I flew with who used a uflymike setup was a pain in the d*ck to hear. I couldn't hear him transmit on the radio, and he was constantly fking with his mic boom. He gets a lot of complaints from pilots and ATC apparently, so I ruled the UFM out.
The best deal on the approved iPad mount (single and dual suction cup versions of the Delkin Fat Gecko mount plus applicable iPad bracket thing) can be bought from B&H photo. They don't tell you that either, and it can take a while for it to ship. You have to have a receipt to get access to jepp app/charts and send the receipt to the gatekeeper of setting jepps up. I spent a lot of time and price checked everything (within the last 2 months) and B&H has the best deal with no tax and free shipping for the correct two items (mount/bracket). If your order is over $50 it's free expedited shipping...mine was $47. Combine orders with a friend or order two in case you lose one like my dumbass did. Amazon was okay too but they charge tax to AZ. DEDDMNTIPAIR is the part number for the iPad air mount and DDMOUNT MINI is the part number for the single suction cup thing, at least from my receipt from them. Don't let anyone tell you you need the dual, it is akin huge and I saw more issues with duals falling in sims than I had with my single. The single suction cup mount isn't going anywhere if you put it on correctly, and it is approved (there are contradictory statements on that floating around, but it is good to go). Should be $20 for the bracket plus $27.17 for the single mount. Way cheaper than the "discount" marv golden rapes us with. Don't get the dual. Don't get the dual.
Benefits, uniforms, luggage, ipad mounts are the last things you want to be d*cking with in training, especially if you decide to study and practice a lot. Look at that stuff before you start (and get the admin sht done during GOM week) and have an idea what you want to order, get sized when that lady comes and look at the uniforms in the closet early. But be warned, they are all ****ty looking and had a lot of odd sizes, and the QC from the 3 approved retailers is lacking, causing a lot of variation in size from the allegedly same sized items. Once you get back from sims, you start IOE fairly quick and need uniforms ready to go, and if you go abroad for sims like most of our class did, you won't be able to do much with getting uniforms while you are away.
The slides (and everything for that matter) on the intranet are so disorganized and mismanaged it's embarrassing. Old files, repeated files with various things missing, different conflicting versions, etc. Take a usb drive and have the instructor put all the slides they use on that, so you are guaranteed to have the same ones the instructors use in class. I would have volunteered to help reorganize their intranet and update their files for them, but then I remembered how I don't get paid enough for that.
Have fun. I gave up a good 6 figure job for this.
I tried to get material before class but didn't get much, and for good reason. We got all the stuff on the first day on a google drive account set up by a class or two ahead of us, but once you get access to the intranet it's all there. Download the important ones to your iPad (GOM, CFM, preflight, and systems manual are the 4 main ones) Get good reader.
But really, the shts easy. The people who struggled were people who couldn't speak english well and old people (a couple career change types). And one flat out idiot who wouldn't shut the fk up asking stupid fking questions and who has no business flying my family around on a jet anyway. Incidentally, these are the people who studied the most at the hotel in groups and liked to highlight their stupidity in class by opening their mouth and asking stupid questions or arguing with the instructor about irrelevant sht and causing us to spend less time on important material and/or leave later in the day than we would have otherwise. All my group study sessions turned into jacking around or drinking. So I quit group study sessions. Didn't study with my sim partner once except during IPT.
Here's some more advice, don't ask stupid fking questions. If you need to know it, they will teach you. If it's on a test, they will teach you probably more than once and will bold/highlight that info. If it's going to be asked on the oral, you (or someone else in your class) will be asked by the ground instructors every question asked on the oral, unless the guy is just trying to teach you and show you how smart he is on CRJ systems and buttons. You could no-shtt not show up for class the entire time, sit through the final review session, and pass all the written tests, and if you have a really good memory or are a fast note taker, or record the session on your phone, get probably get a 100%. The daily oral quizzes they ask will prep you for the oral, as well as the handouts they give you.
My biggest take away from training (fairly recent class) is that you have to really try to fail, or be less than marginally competent. There were definitely people I thought would not make it, and who shouldn't be flying airliners (or flying anything for that matter). Those who shouldn't have made it got second chances on check rides and such and I am pretty sure all got through. I'm happy for them and I hope they find success in this career (errr job?). But, if you are struggling or think it is really hard by the end of sims (it's tough for everyone until the first few are over with, got it...), look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you should be flying a jet with pax in the back. If you question your own ability or potential and you've had 8x 4 hour sim sessions to figure it out and you still can't, I probably don't want you flying my family around.
More random sht I wish someone had told me before I started at Mesa. Get your luggage and leather jacket (if you are going to get one) orders in ASAP. I'm still waiting on my leather jacket. The uniform info they give you on day 1 and 2 is significantly lacking. Check the uniform reg out (quick read), try some **** on, and get your orders in. Company pays half of your 2 pants, half of the leather jacket, and half of the blazer. That's it. The websites for the 3 approved vendors all suck and I couldn't log in after the first few days to M&H or abbot to place an order. Those are the only two they will payroll deduct, btw. Gotta fill out an expense report for a cut above to get reimbursed. A cut above sends **** out real quick. Other vendors seemed to as well. But the leather jacket order is insanely long (that's a direct order on a form the company failed to give our class that you then give to KG who you will get contact info for and who works in the training center). Been over several months for me I think since I ordered, still waiting. I regret ordering one. I've been going with a short sleeve shirt waiting on this dam thing, and I broke down and got that ridiculous pilot sweater. It is itchy, leaves shtty fuzz all over my shirt, and I hate it. Not to mention I look like a flight attendant (no offense). Blazer probably would have been a better choice. Luggage took a while to order and receive too, so I'd look at the luggage works website and figure out what you want. It is all discounted, regardless of whether or not it's on the sheet they give you. They don't tell you that part. Just tell KG what you want from the website and she'll order it for you.
Oh, you'll get measured on day 1 or 2 in class by an alteration shop that is kind of near the hotel. What they failed to tell us is that Mesa pays them $10 per pilot who gets measured, so if you take your pants there to get hemmed they are a total of $10 for both (normally $10 a pair) because Mesa paid for half already. I think only a couple of us actually used that alteration shop, but Mesa paid $10/person for all of us to go there regardless. Take advantage of that.
People ask about headsets a lot too. In ground the instructors are anal about repeatedly saying the company requires TSO'd headsets and iPad mounts in accordance with our ops specs. I've seen plenty of line pilots (ca/fo alike) with non TSO'd/non ops spec items (RAM mounts, light speeds, etc.). Not saying its right, but it happens. Each aircraft has 3 sh*tty nasty TSO'd telex headsets. If you use your own non TSOd headset, and you need to use a TSO headset for one reason or another, you can grab the ones on the plane. I still use those Telexs until I find a good deal on a Bose headset. Some of the telex sound like crackling garbage and they all probably have AIDS and lice on them. A CA I flew with who used a uflymike setup was a pain in the d*ck to hear. I couldn't hear him transmit on the radio, and he was constantly fking with his mic boom. He gets a lot of complaints from pilots and ATC apparently, so I ruled the UFM out.
The best deal on the approved iPad mount (single and dual suction cup versions of the Delkin Fat Gecko mount plus applicable iPad bracket thing) can be bought from B&H photo. They don't tell you that either, and it can take a while for it to ship. You have to have a receipt to get access to jepp app/charts and send the receipt to the gatekeeper of setting jepps up. I spent a lot of time and price checked everything (within the last 2 months) and B&H has the best deal with no tax and free shipping for the correct two items (mount/bracket). If your order is over $50 it's free expedited shipping...mine was $47. Combine orders with a friend or order two in case you lose one like my dumbass did. Amazon was okay too but they charge tax to AZ. DEDDMNTIPAIR is the part number for the iPad air mount and DDMOUNT MINI is the part number for the single suction cup thing, at least from my receipt from them. Don't let anyone tell you you need the dual, it is akin huge and I saw more issues with duals falling in sims than I had with my single. The single suction cup mount isn't going anywhere if you put it on correctly, and it is approved (there are contradictory statements on that floating around, but it is good to go). Should be $20 for the bracket plus $27.17 for the single mount. Way cheaper than the "discount" marv golden rapes us with. Don't get the dual. Don't get the dual.
Benefits, uniforms, luggage, ipad mounts are the last things you want to be d*cking with in training, especially if you decide to study and practice a lot. Look at that stuff before you start (and get the admin sht done during GOM week) and have an idea what you want to order, get sized when that lady comes and look at the uniforms in the closet early. But be warned, they are all ****ty looking and had a lot of odd sizes, and the QC from the 3 approved retailers is lacking, causing a lot of variation in size from the allegedly same sized items. Once you get back from sims, you start IOE fairly quick and need uniforms ready to go, and if you go abroad for sims like most of our class did, you won't be able to do much with getting uniforms while you are away.
The slides (and everything for that matter) on the intranet are so disorganized and mismanaged it's embarrassing. Old files, repeated files with various things missing, different conflicting versions, etc. Take a usb drive and have the instructor put all the slides they use on that, so you are guaranteed to have the same ones the instructors use in class. I would have volunteered to help reorganize their intranet and update their files for them, but then I remembered how I don't get paid enough for that.
Have fun. I gave up a good 6 figure job for this.
I agree with everything you've said--esp the part about dumb questions that have absolutely nothing to do with flying a jet in 121 operations.
11-18-2014, 03:37 AM
#3982
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Posts: 737
I think it's mandatory that every class has "that guy" that gums up the works with tons of nonsense questions
11-18-2014, 04:38 AM
#3983
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Position: Bob's Big Boy Front Office Staffer
Posts: 263
That lengthy crap was probably the lame-st little tirade I've ever heard. Filled with all the shts and fks, c'mon who writes this crap? Ask whatever you want in class that's why they are there. The dumbest guy in aviation is the guy who sit's in the back of the class and acts like he's got it all figured out. The play by play was okay, minus the opinionated text messages.
Summary
1. Speak English
2. Study w/group or SIM partner
3. Use down time to order uniforms,luggage and IPAD mount
4. Ask Questions
5. The planes have headsets, impulse buy not rec.
6. Don't fly jet around with this guys family ^
8. Not everyone is a flight school "cool guy."
Summary
1. Speak English
2. Study w/group or SIM partner
3. Use down time to order uniforms,luggage and IPAD mount
4. Ask Questions
5. The planes have headsets, impulse buy not rec.
6. Don't fly jet around with this guys family ^
8. Not everyone is a flight school "cool guy."
Last edited by FerrisBluer; 11-18-2014 at 04:54 AM.
11-18-2014, 06:07 AM
#3984
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2013
Position: CL-65
Posts: 157
That lengthy crap was probably the lame-st little tirade I've ever heard. Filled with all the shts and fks, c'mon who writes this crap? Ask whatever you want in class that's why they are there. The dumbest guy in aviation is the guy who sit's in the back of the class and acts like he's got it all figured out. The play by play was okay, minus the opinionated text messages.
Summary
1. Speak English
2. Study w/group or SIM partner
3. Use down time to order uniforms,luggage and IPAD mount
4. Ask Questions
5. The planes have headsets, impulse buy not rec.
6. Don't fly jet around with this guys family ^
8. Not everyone is a flight school "cool guy."
Summary
1. Speak English
2. Study w/group or SIM partner
3. Use down time to order uniforms,luggage and IPAD mount
4. Ask Questions
5. The planes have headsets, impulse buy not rec.
6. Don't fly jet around with this guys family ^
8. Not everyone is a flight school "cool guy."
11-18-2014, 11:09 AM
#3985
sippin' dat koolaid
Joined APC: Jun 2013
Position: gear slinger
Posts: 982
11-18-2014, 05:22 PM
#3987
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2013
Position: men without hats
Posts: 374
I'm anticipating upgrades to go up significantly on the EJET for Jan,Feb,Mar....20 in each. This due to aircraft coming online in larger numbers. 3-4 per month. As of right now, we have 13 Ejets with 17 outstanding. Large upgrade numbers for the Ejet thru April would be my best guess? Post April, you will see a reduction in EJET upgrade numbers 6-10 per mo.
CRJ side of the house will see upgrades again in the new year. 6-8 upgrades per month I'm guessing at least until we see the additional airframes.
Attrition I would say holding between 6-8 per month and right out of the middle.
CRJ side of the house will see upgrades again in the new year. 6-8 upgrades per month I'm guessing at least until we see the additional airframes.
Attrition I would say holding between 6-8 per month and right out of the middle.
11-18-2014, 06:05 PM
#3989
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Position: NB CA
Posts: 451
Mesa pilots like to speculate...
Last edited by flyingmau5; 11-18-2014 at 06:17 PM.
11-18-2014, 06:17 PM
#3990
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2014
Position: Mannin' deez blenps
Posts: 193
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