A320 Type Rating

The advanced phase of simulator training consisted more of the same in the intermediate phase but refining the techniques and putting in more complex failures combined with flying short routes like between Leeds and Glasgow. In this short space of time we were given a situation like another bomb on board or smoke to deal with and for those 2 situations you basically need to land ASAP! There isn't much time to really brief a normal approach so you just brief the essentials and get the thing on the ground. Other failures included starting engines using different techniques because the apu was inop or the starter was faulty or even if you are doing a hot start there is a technique used. The advanced phase was also consolidation of the things we had learnt in intermediate phase like flying with single engine and then unusual attitude recoveries preparing us for our licence skills test.

I found the advanced phase the most challenging of all of the training which wasn't helped by a few 0615 starts in the simulator meaning I needed to be out of bed by 4am! I think I ended up having 5 or 6 early's by the time I finished advanced phase.

Before we knew it, our licence skills test was upon us! There were only 10 details before the big test. The licence skills test for the Qatar MPL is carried out by a training captain from Qatar so has no relation to CTC at all. We turned up for the big day not knowing what to expect and had been revising all possible scenarios he could chuck at us. He made us feel at ease a little during the briefing by discussing the main things we will be doing during the flight. I was up first with my sim partner monitoring what I was doing and doing the radio calls. The pressure of knowing it was a test got to me a bit and I thought that throughout my flight, I hadn't done particularly well. I can't even remember what my failure was now as there was so much going on. I had to put that half of the test behind me and do the best job I could do as pilot monitoring for my sim partners turn to fly. I certainly did a better job at monitoring than I did flying. I felt me and my partner worked well together. 5 hours later we had finished our test and shut down the plane. Thankfully we were put out of our misery as soon as we got out of our seats and congratulated us on our flight. 

Our debrief went well, he was very pleased with how our flight went and the main pointers he had for us were basically things that Qatar actually do instead of what we had been taught. This is because there is a slight disconnect between CTC and Qatar, new information is slow to reach CTC so we are left learning old procedures. However, saying that, there is a new training manager at CTC who came from Qatar earlier this year and he is now updating all the procedures to fall inline with current Qatar procedures which will be good for future people coming through. 

On my way home I had organised a test drive in a few new Range Rovers to treat myself and get a feel of what I'd like to get in Qatar. The test drive didn't make my decision any easier because they were both really nice vehicles! Other things that happened over the last few weeks were that the flying Scotsman (steam train for those who don't know) came through town so I, along with thousands of other people stood in the rain to get a glimpse at it going past. Another big event that happened in Southampton was watching the worlds largest cruise ship (Harmony Of The Seas) leave on it's maiden voyage. The ship is huge! I went to Portsmouth with my parents for a couple days to see all the ships 

So that's it for me at CTC, I will be helping out at a couple shows for CTC but other than that, my next blog post will be after I have moved to Qatar on 14th August. Between now and then I will be busy trying to sort all the paperwork, vaccinations, medical renewals, deciding what I would like to take with me and of course catching up with family and friends before the big day.

Supercharged 5.0l sport....dream to drive and the growl is ace!

Real smoke in the flight deck simulation...scary stuff!

My workstation trying to revise all SOP's and possible failures for LST

Worlds largest cruise ship

Wandering at Nash Point with my mum.

A view of the centre console from the upper panel

Flying Scotsman

Portsmouth Dockyard

Basic Phase Complete

Time is going so fast in Southampton! The basic phase is complete already after 21 simulator flights. It also marks my mid point through my training in Southampton. 

Continuing on from my last post where we had just completed upset recovery, we then continued to fly from different airports around the UK like Leeds, Prestwick, Manchester and Heathrow to name a few. We were then introduced to single engine operations. First of all we had a flame out during cruise and then we had to return to the airfield and land safely. Having one engine creates a larger yawing moment which we then have to correct using rudder and then to relieve some pressure from our legs you can use rudder trim. Quite a lot of force is required when you make a large change in thrust, quite a few times my leg was shaking trying to keep the rudder steady. The trick on the approach is to try and get the aircraft stable and trim set and only make minor adjustments, otherwise large changes require changes in thrust which requires changes in trim and has a knock-on effect and you are constantly chasing the aircraft. We were then given engine failure during take off which is interesting because you are at full power setting and then one engine quickly cuts out creating a huge yawing moment. 

After the single engine operations we had a high altitude upset recovery and then we were introduced to LOFT (line orientation flight training) which is basically short routes from one airport to another. We then practised the different entries into each airfield like we were doing at the start of training. Then we had to couple that with engine failures. Up until now the fuel quantities had been frozen on 5 tons but the last few flights the fuel was flowing so that we had to manage the fuel quantities left and make sure we landed with the legal requirement still remaining. It's not so easy when you have a lot of things being thrown at you all at once. It is a very busy process for both pilots! 

Then the test came and thankfully it went well. Me and Jack had different routes. I was up first going from Liverpool to Birmingham. A very busy route and everything felt like it rushed up on us! Jack had Birmingham to Leeds which felt a lot less rushed for both of us. Overall the flights were good but not our best performance to date. We had both passed and we have both earnt our first stripe on our epaulettes. The key word that came out of basic phase which we will have to practice in the next 2 phases is ANTICIPATION! Everything moves so fast that you literally have to think that much further ahead. 

The next phases are the intermediate and advance phases. The intermediate consists of 10 sim sessions where we will be practising more failures and emergency situations. I am also paired with Alex for the final phases. The advance phase is then more LOFT flights with the emergency procedures and only consists of 11 sim sessions with the last session being our final licence skills test. Then we will have roughly a month off before heading to the desert to fly the real thing. Scary to think that we are so close!

We have done a little bit of exploring around the Hampshire area. We went to Winchester and explored a bit of the traditional town. We also went to the New Forest for a bit of a walk with the wild horses. Also went to Portsmouth to check out the boat yard.

Next post will probably be after my intermediate test in a few weeks time. If you put your email address in the box to the right it will email you to tell you when I update with a post rather than you check back all the time.

More upset recovery

Finally have the medical

After an agonisingly long wait due to some complications I have my QCAA class 1 medical and my notice has been given in.

Just some pointers for future cadets looking to do the Qatar MPL, when you are budgeting for the medical, you need to have a chest X-ray and an eyesight examination before you arrive at Aviation Medica. The chest X-ray can vary between locations. My X-ray cost £100. Specsavers occasionally do vouchers for you to have an eye test for £5, just make sure you take the QCAA eye test form with you so they can fill it out for you.

Next post will be after my first couple days of the course.