Once
hired, you may be assigned a First Officer or Flight Engineer
position, regardless of your background. Although all airlines
fly the same types of airplanes, each airline will train you
based on their standard operating procedures.
New
Hire Training consists of 4 phases:
•
Phase
1: Indoctrination (Indoc) Training
Indoctrination training involves company history, rules
and regulations, and general subjects such as payroll,
benefits, simulator training slots, cockpit resource
management (CRM), etc. You will be assigned a seniority
number, pilot base, and aircraft you’ll fly. Indoc
lasts approximately 1-2 weeks (dependent on the company).
Once Indoc is complete, you make take a comprehensive
written test on topics discussed in class.
•
Phase
2: Ground School – Aircraft Systems
After passing Indoctrination training, you will proceed
to ground school to learn about the aircraft systems
for the type of airplane you were assigned to fly. Ground
school may last 2-4 weeks. Most airlines have cockpit
mock-up (paper-trainer) and computer-base training devices
to supplement the ground school materials. Once ground
school is complete, you will take a comprehensive written
exam and/or oral exam before proceeding to simulator
training.
•
Phase
3: Simulator (Sim) Training
After passing ground school, you will be assigned a
simulator partner. Sim training usually lasts for 2
weeks or more. During sim training, you will experience
normal, abnormal and emergency situations and taught
procedures on how to deal with these situations. Once
sim training is complete, you will take an oral exam
and flight test (checkride) in the simulator with an
examiner.
•
Phase
4: Initial Operating Experience (IOE)
After passing your checkride, you will be assigned IOE
trips to fly with a Line Check Airman (instructor pilot).
IOE allows you to apply the information you learned
in Indoctrination training, Ground School, and Simulator
Training to the “real world” by flying actual
trips with passengers on board. The Line Check Airman
will help you get accustomed to “flying the line”
and teach you how to do your job more efficiently. After
passing IOE, the company’s scheduling department
will assign you several trips to help you build experience
in the airplane.
