787 Cockpit Tour video: Perspective for Normal Procedures before FTD phase

Upon arrival for training, after the Indoctrination Class and before you begin the FTD phase, you will be immersed in CBT lessons and memorizing the 57 pages of Normal Procedures. Stay calm and keep on. 

In the Indoctrination Class I explained learning "compartments" of information, I pointed out the panels section in the Flight Crew Ops Manual (FCOM), I discussed the concept behind the flow patterns used, and I offered access to my blog posting regarding preparing for the Oral Exam.

The FTD does a great job in providing a forum for practicing and developing "muscle memory" of the normal procedures. Unfortunately, the FTD only includes the forward, overhead, and center aisle panels of the cockpit. Of course the Full Flight Simulator (FFS) is the actual cockpit on jacks to provide motion. So everything will gel when you get to that phase.

In this post I present a video of the cockpit -- albeit limited -- to help provide perspective of the location of items referred to in the preflight flows. Hopefully you will find it beneficial when you start studying the normal procedures. You can find it by clicking here.

Good luck! Remember, the more you prepare, the "luckier" you will be.

Reference: By the way, the cockpit snapshot is from a video found at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9ai-9pjfug created by Guitargamery Productions.

ORAL EXAM PREP

     You are all aware that an oral exam is required as part of your training. These oral evaluations are usually considered the most stressful part of the entire training process. They are required not only for Airline Transport Pilot ratings, but for type ratings as well. In addition, the FAA has mandated some oral questioning (usually aircraft limitations and non-normal memory items) even for proficiency evaluations.

     Stress is magnified by the "unknowns" in any situation. This posting is to help answer some of those unknowns in an attempt to alleviate some of the stress.

     The oral exam is administered by either an FAA examiner or an FAA-designated Training Center Evaluator (TCE). The evaluator conducts the exam in accordance with the FAA Practical Test Standards (PTS). The PTS requires that the applicant "Exhibits satisfactory knowledge appropriate to the airplane."

      Knowledge will be evaluated through five elements: aircraft limitations, non-normal memory items, systems questions, an exterior inspection of the aircraft (conducted via a Power Point presentation of photos), and a few performance problems. To accomplish this, the oral exams are typically scheduled for two hours each. The oral exams are administered individually, not as a crew concept. 

     As you have been told, the type rating course does not include an oral exam prep class. You, the student, are solely responsible to be prepared for this exam. All elements of the exam will have been covered through the CBT and the Systems Integration training (fixed base simulator) phases.

     To further help in your preparation, I have prepared a "Flash Cards" review presentation. It includes both the aircraft limitations and non-normal memory items -- approximately 25 items. Click on the oral preparation Flash Cards to view the presentation.

     Good luck! The more you prepare, the "luckier" you will get.

Crosswind Landings Lesson - Video Update

     Hello all. As I hope you know, my goal is to provide engaging instruction to help you learn the information you need to safely and efficiently fly the airplane. As part of my own continuing education, I am enrolled in a Master degree program in Education Technologies. 

     Through that course I recently discovered that videos, like so many things, come in different formats. ("Formats," for those who don't know, are like languages that different devices use to present the content).

     In my last blog, I introduced information about crosswind landing techniques. In the Power Point title page within the lesson, I inserted a short video. I also added the video to the Cool Places to "visit" gadget in the right column. 

     The included video is of the Boeing Tests of the B777 for crosswind landings. You will see at least two of the techniques discussed in the lesson Power Point being demonstrated. See if you can pick them out.

     So if you were frustrated with not being able to access the lesson's video on your device, try one of the new formats.

     Here are the videos in the different formats -- the first in .avi format:

 Here is the same video in .wmv format:

    

     Hope you enjoy the video as part of the learning experience. Let me know!