rigger

Below you will find information for a new hire about what he/she can expect when coming to training. This info is correct as of now but as everyone knows things do change. This is by no means a guide supplied by the company and the company information will always be the default.

This guide is supplied with the intent to answer the most frequently asked questions by new hires. I also wanted to provide a tool for you to utilize when trying to figure out what to study, what to expect, and most importantly what training will expect from you.

Study hard, work hard, have fun!

HOTEL

Welcome aboard!!! We are excited to have you join our company! As a new hire there are many questions that you have and thus far are probably still looking for many answers. Hope this helps a bit.

You will be arriving into IAH term B,C, or E go down to any of the baggage claim areas and call the Holiday Inn bus for Pick-up (281) 449-2311. You will be told about ½ an hour for P/U. If you would rather take a cab it will cost you about $12 - $15 with a tip. Tell them Holiday Inn JFK Blvd and Highway 8. Once you get to the Holiday Inn you will check in and either pick a roommate or pick an empty room and wait on your roommate (depends on when you get there) if you know some folks in your class set it up now while you’re waiting to come to training. (On a side note you will pick your sim partner about day 2-3 most go with the roommate they picked because you will have to be with each other when the Sims start. Pick your roommate wisely you will be living with them for 7 weeks full time!!!!!! More then one issue has cropped up between adults and the company does not want to hear about you not getting along with another crew member. After all how will you get along in the cockpit if you can’t get along in training?) While you’re at it make sure you put yourself on the fridge list at this time, usually get it within a day. (VERY IMPORTANT TO DO)

Ask the Holiday Inn where orientation is going to be held. Depending on the size of the orientation it could be in the Holiday Inn or it could be in the Training center. If it’s the training center there is a bus that leaves directly to the training center @ 7:00 & 7:30 all other busses also go to the center but you will get there via the airport first so which ever way you go plan accordingly. The busses do fill up.

There is an express training room (with 2 rooms inside) for flight attendants and pilots. It is room 179. It is on the bottom floor down the main hallway almost to the end turn left through the door, first room on left. In this room is a paper tiger that was put together by a class over a year ago (it is showing it’s age) but at least you can go here study, run your flows and callouts (your all learning these right?) while sitting in chairs in front of a mock-up. There is also a sudo mock-up on the 5th floor towards the front of the hotel.

There are laundry rooms in the H.I 2nd and 4th floor 1.25 for a wash and 75 for a dry. No detergent gotta buy some. Remember the fridge get food also Good eats is not bad but gets very old.

WHAT TO BRING

You’re coming to school what do you bring to school? Everyone’s different just know the school house will not hold your hand, they will not spoon feed you, they will not wait on you to catch-up. They will give you all the knowledge you will need to pass the course but you will have to work your butt off plain and simple. Think of it this way, a master’s course is about 25 or so credits you get what a year or so to get these credits….we are giving you a master’s in 6 weeks what you bring is up to you.

On another side note THROW AWAY ALL THE STUFF YOU HAVE BEEN COLLECTING TO STUDY. YOU KNOW THE STUFF IM TALKING ABOUT, ALL THE GOUGES AND CHEAT SHEATS YOU HAVE BEEN BURIED IN FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS!!! IT WILL WITHOUT A DOUBT MESS YOU UP WHEN YOU GET HERE!!!!!!!!!!! There is so much negative learning with this stuff. We have proven time and time again it is a bad idea. You were given an incredible gouge when you got hired it’s called Volume 1 and 2 everything we cover is in those two books. We will talk more on these books later.

Now with all that said:

You will need (2) 3” Jepp Binders or (3) 2” Jepp binders. A good idea is also to get a 1” binder for hubs etc. You eventually will need a flight case Black (must have it for FTD 1 and beyond show up as though you were going flying)(don’t need it the first day but don’t be without it the rest of the time don’t worry if it looks empty it will fill up very fast). You will need a flashlight in this flight case. You will need your Pilot license (readable), your radio station license, your first class W/privileges medical, your glasses if you need glasses and an extra pair to carry in that flight case. Leave your logs safe at home you don’t need them for the oral or check ride.

There is a company that will come in on day 2 and sell you binders, flight cases, etc etc. They will payroll deduct everything but they are expensive. It is great quality stuff but don’t feel you have to get any of it. (They are a couple of pilots at Express, but the company has nothing to do with them.) There is the stopover store in the lower part of the Marriott hotel that you can buy all the stuff that they have and much more. You should at least go over and get the little black flight time log most guys/gals carry on the line.

You will buy uniforms on day 2 you will need pants, shirts, tie, and jacket. Hat is optional maybe 5-10% wear the hat on the line. If you have these from another carrier make sure the color is the same (black with gold) and you’re good to go no need to buy anything. If you have nothing you must have the jacket from them the rest you can get on your own. Make sure your pants match the jacket (color and material most buy the pants also) if you get your own elsewhere. The uniforms are payroll deducted.

Other then the above you need to bring a great attitude! If things turn to crud for you in training a good attitude will help immensely. People can naturally stumble, those who stumble and keep the course are more likely to catch a break then those who stumble and blame everyone else. Remember you’re a professional! Who would you like to be paired with for 4 days, a positive person or a negative person?

WHAT TO KNOW WHEN YOU COME

Naturally you want to get a head start on your future and study now while you have the time. This is a great idea! You already started earlier by getting rid of all the gouges you have been using, but now what do you study? The volume 1 and 2 are around 1,000 pages each, how will you possibly learn all that! YOU CAN”T in the short time you have!!! So why not learn what you can now and save the rest for the Instructors! It’s our job to teach you what you need to learn to pass the tests, and pass the Oral and check ride. It’s like the old joke how do you eat an elephant….one bite at a time! So here is the first course till you get to training world.

Volume 1 – yellow tab – Limitations
Page 1-2 top of page Minimum crew in a double box you will see “Minimum flight crew”……………….2 pilots” you just learned limitation 1 your well on your way to the rest. Go through the limitations section anything that is in a double box or is double underlined you must memorize example 2. Turn to page 1-11 see parameters “N1 Max 100% is double underlined that is another limitation for the aircraft. Know all these double boxed or underlined in this section.

This next section is the EMERGENCY ABNORMAL PROCEDURES section Red tab page 2-17 Engine fire/severe damage half way down the page see the solid single boxed items affected engine………..Idle etc etc. Memory item 1. Go through all the orange tabs get all the solid single boxed items and commit them verbatim into memory. Verbatim means EXACTLY as you see them not the way you want to say them! So far we have 3,000 guys and gals all saying them the way it is listed in these books. I promise you will not be the lone pilot saying them the way you want! Learn them right the first time around so you don’t have to re-learn in the middle of training!

Now you have these items in your head and can recite them in your sleep. It’s time to learn your flows, (where and in what order to put your hands) Then the expanded flows (what to do with your hands and what buttons and switch’s you actually touch and why)

You finally need to learn your callouts for Departure, Approach’s, Missed approach’s etc. Don’t forget all the same flows for departures and approaches with an engine not working.

Remember that big white binder you got. Pull it out and towards the rear are all the flows you have to know. Learn both the captains and the FO’s (you are in training to be a captain aren’t you?) I realize you don’t know what your doing yet, but again that’s our job just learn the flows. You can then go to section 3 in your volume 1 “NORMAL PROCEDURES Green Tab and in the first 50 pages (100 front and back). You will find all the expanded procedures, and all the approach stuff. Learn them all, including what you are looking for on the fire test, ice test, hydraulic test etc. Just saying there are 3 red messages and 2 yellow ones won’t cut it know what they say.

These are your first big bites of the Elephant! You will have a good time, you will work hard. The best advice I can give is to trust the system it will work for you. The first week is Indoc it is not difficult, it is basic material for you to know. Study it and listen to the instructor, there is a 50 question test on Friday and you must pass with an 80%.

Use this less stressed time to your advantage, study and know the material I went over above. If you waste this week you will feel behind when systems begin. There is a 100 question test at the end of systems 80% too Pass.

Any questions please PM me and I will be happy to answer them as time permits.

Happy Camper

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Diane Myers

Happy,

Let me know if you get an interview. For lots of money, I'll write you a letter of recommendation. I also happen to know a couple of people that do interviews.

Happy Camper

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XJetBuff

Excellent, I was looking for a post like this... Class starts Aug 13th for me and I am getting into the books pretty good now.

After they told me that I was hired, it was kinda hard to remember the next few sentences that were thrown at me. All I remember was "study the limitations and flows, see when training starts".

XJetBuff

Well, on that note, here comes my version of a personal ad for training.

Starting class on Aug13th, I'm a married guy from Colorado but living in So Cal now, non smoker/pretty much non drinker who showers daily and doesn't wear dirty clothes. I would gladly hit the bar to watch some football (Go Broncos!) on Sundays if we are off and can't get home though! Looking for a non-smoker, serious roomie who likes to study more than he likes to party. Any takers?

Bob

No moonlit walks on the beach T?

Best bet... see who you mesh with in the first day or so of training. Whoever you choose as your SIM Partner is a good person to room with since you two will be on the same schedule. It sucks to room with someone who has an opposite sim schedule... You'll be trying to sleep while his alarm is going off at 2am and he's banging around in the shower... and vice-versa during the day.

Once you pick your sim partner... then just switch rooms. There will be a lot of that going on during the first week.

...and like rigger said above... don't forget to request a fridge the moment you check in!

Bob

__________________
Bob Moyer
ONT CA
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Maine... The way life should be.

XJetBuff

Ha, you found me!

I am spending this week getting all my "long walks on the beach" out of my system.

westrnflyer

I thought she said we just needed to know the flows. I guess this is in the email they send you before class.

rigger

Hey westrn:

Thats why I put this together, We end up hearing the "I wish someone told me about this stuff before the first week" a lot. There is a bit of a disconnect between when you are hired and when you arrive. As I said most folks really don't hear all the other stuff.

The training department is working on the "welcome, do this stuff letter" but until then this is the basis of the "O crud Im behind" speech you will get the second or 3rd day. We see it time and time again, remember training will not hold your hand they will only lead the way. It's up to you to grab hold of the rope when it comes by. Some folks grab it quickly some are barely hangin on!

Study just what I told you, and you will be golden. DO NOT STUDY THE GOUGES!!!!! If you dont have it 100% no big deal, but this is the stuff you will HAVE to know!!! No if's and's or but's!