The first half of training is
done. Well, pretty much done – I have
my systems test on Monday which will cover the last two weeks of classroom
instruction.
We have been trained on all
the inner workings of the Canadair Regional Jet. I was surprised at how many similarities there are to the Embraer
RJ that I trained in at COEX. That has
made training a lot easier this time around.
Obviously they are different aircraft but many of the concepts are the
same. I remember more than I expected
to about jet systems and as a result, I’ve been able to do slightly less work
and drink slightly more beer than last summer.
Excellent.
The quality of the systems
training here has not been as good as it was at COEX. I’m glad I have the background I do or I might have been somewhat
lost in the last two weeks. Apparently
there are two good CRJ instructors and one lousy one, and the luck of the draw
gave our class the lousy one. Still, I
learn things pretty well on my own so I don’t see this as causing any
disadvantage to me as I continue in the training program, but I hope I have
better luck with future instructors.
I’ve been spending the
weekend getting ready for Monday’s test and watching the NLCS and a little
football here and there. I definitely
like weekends. I probably work as hard
as I do during the week but at least I can sleep in a little. That makes all the difference.
I have my schedule for the
rest of training. I’m really looking
forward to getting out of the classroom and doing some hands-on stuff as I
begin simulator training. I have the
test Monday, then Tuesday and Wednesday I am scheduled to do 4 observation
flights in the CRJ to see how the crews actually work together and fly the
airplane. I’ve actually already done 2
of them so I have just 2 more to do, although I think I will probably do more
since any bit of extra training certainly doesn’t hurt. It’s fun just flying around for the hell of
it and picking up pointers from the pilots.
Then I have two more days of miscellaneous classes before I finally have
a week off to go home.
I’ll come back to begin four
weeks of cockpit procedures and flight simulator training culminating in my
checkride on November 20. I also have
an oral exam that I will be taking on November 6. The cool thing is that my simulator partner is an upgrading
captain, so I can spend all the time in the right seat while he trains in the
left instead of having to switch back and forth like at COEX. Also, I’ll have someone to answer my
questions since he’s been flying the CRJ for over 2 years.
After that I will have about
a week of IOE (actual revenue flying with a flight instructor as the captain)
before I head to Chicago to begin reserve duty.
I can’t wait to actually
start flying this thing. It is a
well-built aircraft of better quality than the Embraer RJ. I am enjoying training, but I very much look
forward to getting back up in the air again.