ScaryKite

its not like your going to instruct for 500 hours and then all of the sudden become Chuck Yeager, but its about beeing comfortable in a cockpit and beeing able to manage tasks and keep procedures in order. And flight instructing will help you with that. at least a little. there have been people that made it through at 250 hours, but its kind of rare. We will see.

trackpilot

Yeah honestly i don't think i'm ready for it right now either. Although i'd LOVE to get hired on. But don't want to washout and have that on my record.
But don't they teach you and try to help you throughout your training?

JoeyMeatballs

dont take this the wrong way, but if you don't know...................probably not ready to apply there

blastboy

I'm thinking about it because I am torn between flying DC3's for nothing per hour or flying the RJ's at a little better than nothing per hour. I'm leaning more toward the DC3's because I have always wanted to fly the old bucket of bolts.

flaps 9

If I taught you how to play golf, could you beat Tiger Woods?

They can "teach" you until they are blue in the face, but until you gain some "experience" will the lessons sink in.

Part 121 airlines don't spend alot of time "teaching" flying skills. They will teach "profiles" and expect you to know how to fly.

Are you a systems expert? You'll have about 10-12 actual class days learning systems. You then have to show "adequate" knowledge in those systems during an oral exam. Along with systems knowledge, you will need to rattle off memory items and limitations, without missing ANY!! Throw in a performance problem and some weight and balance and you now get to go on to the next step.

After 8 Sim sessions, if your instructor signs you off, you now get to demonstrate your flying abilities during a check ride.

Push back, normal start procedures and taxi to the runway. 6/6/6 takeoff, don't forget to make sure the centerline lights are on . Takeoff, do some steep turns and a couple of stalls. Program FMS to intercept a radial or join a airway. Get vectors for an approach, at this time you might discover a hydraulic failure or a generator is offline. Not a major issue, if you've seen it before. Now you're attention is wandering as you brief the approach. Oops "what was the heading to intercept?" now your late intercepting the inbound course, a few hundred feet high, and you don't remember if you've finished the checklist in the QRH, you still with me? Oh, well the autopilot is on and it will help me, right? Well you're still high and can't figure out why this damn thing isn't working. You continue, never quite get configured, on speed, by 1000ft, but you continue anyway. Here comes the missed approach. What were the call-outs again? Go miss into a hold. Can't quite figure out the FMS and why is the plane turning so hard to the left? Oh my, we lost and engine. More checklists, and I still have to try and fly this thing. Good news, bad news. City vehicle has run into the localizer. It's now out of service, but we can offer you the VOR/DME to runway 18R, would you like that sir?

Now you're reaching your saturation point as you need to perform a single engine, non-precision approach with multiple step down fixes. Talk to me goose No auto pilot on this one. Must be hand flown as per the SOP, you remembered that right? All this time your seat fill Captain is just sitting in the left seat, quietly, while you fumble along. Did we finish the checklist? check single engine landing performance? what flaps settings will we use? what speed will I fly? boy my leg sure is getting tired.

Suddenly the Sim stops. You're thinking that was nice of the examiner to give me a break right now. He leans over and hands you a pink slip and says to call the training department in the morning to schedule additional training. He points out several areas you missed while you were overloaded during this exercise.

Moral of the story. Keep instructing, build your hours, fly night cargo and gain some experience. When the time is right, you will know.

Good luck in your career.

JoeyMeatballs

Sounds about right

Outlaw2097

their site still says 1500...but wgas!

POPA

Might as well head on over to GoJet.

ScaryKite

oooohh burn! 50 hour IOE does help your chances of not getting the axe!

Schnides

Flaps 9 just posted money... That's exactly what to look forward to. If you can't stay 20-30 miles ahead of the plane at all times, but are hanging from the tail the whole time, you won't be able to help your Captain when things get tough. I'm sorry, but even with a new 1,500 hr FO, the Captain is single piloted for a awhile. If guys take those jobs with 250 hrs, the airline management won't see any need to raise wages to attract and keep more experienced pilots.