View Poll Results: Do classroom courses help new airline pilots?

I did it, and found it useful

38.71%

I did it, and it was not useful

12.90%

It seemed to help the FO I flew with

It did not help the FO I flew with

12.90%

It depends

35.48%

Voters: 62. You may not vote on this poll

How much of it makes sense?

Reply Subscribe

Page 2 of 4

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

03-08-2012, 07:34 AM

#11

samballs

Banned

Joined APC: Mar 2009

Posts: 562

I feel I can usually tell the difference from college grad, and academy grad (especially my years at OH, you could tell who got suckered into paying Comair academy). Just my opinion though.

03-08-2012, 07:49 AM

#12

WalkOfShame

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: Jan 2009

Position: Going Mach Chicken

Posts: 324

Quote:

Originally Posted by seahawker01

An Fo recently did not know the diferance between a hung start and a no light off. Perhaps a class in turbine theory would have helped him (I have never taken one, so what do I know). With FADEC and CDS, start failures are so infrequent that I'm sure one can get from newbie to captain before seeing one. Classroom credits might be useful in this sense.

Perhaps he should've paid attention in is systems class when he got hired....

03-08-2012, 08:12 AM

#13

FlyPurdue

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: May 2009

Position: 787

Posts: 469

One thing I do not understand - we all want to be seen / treated / compensated as professional aviators, yet as soon as a bill passes which encourages getting a professional degree, we are up in arms. If college teaches anything, is that starting salaries for college graduates are generally higher, because of the higher opportunity cost - maybe the next generation of pilots will refuse to work for these abysmal wages, and with their 1000-1500 hours, will chose to go to a higher paying 135 job, or foreign carrier, Qatar, Cathay, both hire pilots within these hour brackets.

Cheers!

-FlyPurdue

03-08-2012, 09:00 AM

#14

FlyPurdue

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: May 2009

Position: 787

Posts: 469

'BoilerUp' a fellow alum, sums it up perfectly on the other 1500 hour rule thread...

03-08-2012, 09:30 AM

#15

BoilerUP

The NeverEnding Story

Joined APC: Sep 2005

Posts: 7,611

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyPurdue

'BoilerUp' a fellow alum, sums it up perfectly on the other 1500 hour rule thread...

What? Heard my ears burning...

03-08-2012, 09:33 AM

#16

seafeye

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: Dec 2007

Position: Hot tub for now

Posts: 1,203

Quote:

Originally Posted by Special K

I am currently a CFI/CFII/MEI and a senior in college finishing my last semester on an aviation degree. I am finishing up my last 121 geared course and I can say that over my four year stay at school I would feel prepared to take on a 121 job. Knowing the 121 regs and differences between the aerodynamics, systems, etc. of a jet/t-prop leaves me feeling more prepared and informed about starting work at a 121 carrier. I don't think being a CFI is going to help me learn those things mainly because I'm not taking up a student in a CRJ everyday to do instruction. I am happy with the proposed credits they are giving grads of these courses but I thought they could have given a little bit more. 600 or 700 sounds about right. Anyways, just my thoughts!

Being a CFI will help u learn how to walk and chew gum at the same time. And make decisions for yourself. A classroom learning about runway development is good knowledge but has limited practical use.

03-08-2012, 10:41 AM

#17

BrewCity

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: May 2011

Posts: 382

Quote:

Originally Posted by WalkOfShame

Perhaps he should've paid attention in is systems class when he got hired....

My company's systems class expected that we already knew the basics of how a turbine engine worked. I mean, even if you're a whiz-bang CFI wonderboy, how hard is it to go pick up a copy of the turbine pilot's flight manual and give it a read?

03-08-2012, 10:56 AM

#18

Lab Rat

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: May 2006

Position: Jet Pilot

Posts: 797

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senior Skipper

Do classroom courses help a new airline pilot function more effectively in a 121 environment, and do they make up for the lack of experience?

NOTHING makes up for lack of experience.

03-08-2012, 11:02 AM

#19

Lab Rat

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: May 2006

Position: Jet Pilot

Posts: 797

Quote:

Originally Posted by Special K

I am currently a CFI/CFII/MEI and a senior in college finishing my last semester on an aviation degree. I am finishing up my last 121 geared course and I can say that over my four year stay at school I would feel prepared to take on a 121 job. Knowing the 121 regs and differences between the aerodynamics, systems, etc. of a jet/t-prop leaves me feeling more prepared and informed about starting work at a 121 carrier. I don't think being a CFI is going to help me learn those things mainly because I'm not taking up a student in a CRJ everyday to do instruction. I am happy with the proposed credits they are giving grads of these courses but I thought they could have given a little bit more. 600 or 700 sounds about right. Anyways, just my thoughts!

My comment is a blanket statement and not geared to any one individual in particular. With that being said, head knowledge is one thing. However, being able to land the airplane you are currently qualified on in a stiff crosswind is quite another.

My point? From a head knowledge perspective one may be qualified to accept the job. From a practical application of skills (i.e., can the person fly) perspective, one may not be ready regardless of how many 121 prep courses the person may have attended.

03-08-2012, 11:26 AM

#20

FlyPurdue

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: May 2009

Position: 787

Posts: 469

very true - when I go under the knife for a surgery, I want the surgeon to have perfected that procedure, and have done it an exorbitant amount of times, I also want that surgeon to attend study clubs, and have researched the best ways to perform the procedure, and have a full understanding of the complications associated with the procedure. Why is this even a discussion, experience + book knowledge is what is, and should be required.