Intermediate Phase Complete

Sorry it's been a while, there hasn't been much to report. Another milestone has passed, we have now finished the intermediate stage and only have one phase left to complete before flying the real thing.

Before the intermediate stage simulators we had to do 2 and a half weeks of type rating ground school and 2 exams. These exams are the same exams that any pilot wanting to get type rated on the A320 type fleet would have to do. These 2 and a half weeks consisted of a lot of late nights to try and learn all of the content required. The type rating course is self taught using an ipad app which has a lot of different sections and you just work your way through them at your own pace. We then had an instructor on hand to go through questions with us and run through the virtual flight deck simulator sessions with us. It's safe to say that after the ground school, we had all had enough and our brains were bursting with so much knowledge that it was hard to recall small specific details on demand. It was a good job we had a few days off before our first simulator session to be able to consolidate and prepare for it. 

The first of our 10 simulator session began and it was clear to see that both me and my new sim partner hadn't been in a simulator for a while, for me it was about a month since I was in one. Overall we both learnt a lot and progress was made. The intermediate phase is similar to the basic phase of flying the aircraft except you start using the automatics more and more. We also start programming the Airbus computer to tell it where we want to go and all the little bits of information you need to get from A to B like optimum altitudes. We also get full motion on for all of our flights from now on. For me, I initially took a while to trust the automatic systems as I am so used to flying manually and trusting my own ability. When you start to see that the automatic systems are not there to try and kill you, it does alleviate some pressure when you are in a high pressure situation. That's not to say you put the automatics on and forget about them, they need constant monitoring to make sure they are doing what you want them to do. Also, an issue could arise and the automatics drop out at which point you need to know what is going on so that you can quickly take control. Just as you start getting familiar with the Airbus automatics, the instructors start failing systems and putting the aircraft in different configurations to demonstrate scenarios. By our test flight we had a bomb on board and dual hydraulic failures to deal with. 

The next phase is more of the same where we fly routes and then we get given more severe failures. I'm quite looking forward to the smoke in the flight deck sim session where the flight deck will actually fill up with smoke to the extent that you will barely be able to see the instruments in front of you. Scary to think that we have 10 sim sessions left to be able to become competent enough to fly the aircraft for real and to iron out any procedures that we haven't quite learnt properly before out skills test on the 11th and final simulator session. The skills test is carried out by a training captain from Qatar Airways and has no relation to CTC, so the only feedback we get is from the previous courses ahead of us. 

On the exploring front a have done a little bit more exploring back at home with some friends around the Brecon Beacons. Other than that not much has happened. The next blog instalment will be after my skills test hopefully with some good news that we have all been working so hard at over the last year and half.

Visit to Warwick

Epic ride at Thorpe Park

Visit to Big Pit

Trek up Pen-Y-Fan

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

Basic Simulator Phase

Happy New Year to you all.

We have just passed the halfway point in the first of 3 phases in Southampton. To be honest there isn't really a lot to talk about during this simulator phase as we are basically just learning how the Airbus A320 works. So far we have been learning how to fly the various different approaches and departures using standard instrument procedures out of UK airports.

The basic phase is mostly fixed base. We only do 2 flights with the full motion switched on in the basic phase, these are for upset recovery. This means putting the plane into unusual angles of bank and pitch and then recovering before the plane falls out of the sky due to slow speed or breaks up due to overspeed. The first of the upset recovery was good fun. The instructor put the plane into unusual nose high and nose low attitudes and then we had to recover back to level flight. This was quite fun with the full motion switched on as it felt a bit more realistic. We also did a landing with the full motion on which went better than expected with a smooth landing. 

We have also started flights with an engine failure. We did one flight with the engine failing in flight and another with it failing on taking off. This is quite tricky the first time we did it as an engine out creates a massive yaw (if you could imagine a see-saw with 2 people in balance and then one person jumping off, that is the effect you get when one engine fails but left and right as oppose to up and down on a see-saw). The way to counteract the yaw is to use the rudder and then use the trim to release the pressure off your legs. I was surprised at how much force was needed and my leg started to shake the first time. Every time you adjust the thrust, you need to adjust the amount of rudder input, so the trick is to get into balance and be stable as quick as possible so you don't need to adjust the thrust setting.

The next thing for us is to start learning more and more emergency procedures and high altitude upset recovery. Koffin corner is a term often used in high altitude which is where the overspeed and the stall speed meet meaning you can't go faster and and you can't go slower, not a nice place to be!

I wont be updating the blog as often as NZ as there isn't much to report about and there aren't any mountains to take pictures from down here. Here are some pictures of our training since our return to Southampton, I wont put a description as they are pretty self explanatory.

End of NZ flying!

So that's it! All of my NZ flying is done :-( Time here has gone way too fast for me. But that also means that the end of my course is only one 6 month phase away.

In my last update I had just finished my VFR flying phase. The last month I have been learning how to fly by using instruments only which is commonly known as IFR (instrument flight rules). The IFR phase started off with me having 8 simulator sessions where I learnt the different techniques of navigation using both ground based instruments and satellite based instruments. I was also taught how to enter holding patterns overhead the airfields from different angles. It's quite hard to explain in a blog exactly what I was doing. Instrument flying was new to me as I had only done basic flying on instruments when flying in the UK. Initially I found it difficult because I was always playing catch up with the aircraft when I should have always been ahead of the plane. The airlines all fly IFR so it is a technique that will be perfected by the time I finish back in Southampton. 

Following the 8 sim sessions, I had 4 2hr flights in the Cessna before sitting my test. The first 3 flights I found quite difficult because I was still lagging behind the aircraft a bit. The turbulence in the cloud always makes it a bit more tricky because you are trying to fly accurately and visualise exactly what you are doing and what is coming up next. It wasn't until my final flight before the test that something clicked and the flight went exactly to plan, I felt like I was always ahead and well prepared for the next event. I was also allowed to fly the flight without the hood that we normally wear so that we can't see outside for references. I was allowed to fly without it because there were some huge clouds around and I had to keep asking air traffic control for permission to deviate from my track so I could fly around the cloud. It was such an amazing flight and one that I wish I could share, it will be one that I will always remember. I felt like I was in a scene of a movie dodging the huge clouds and flying through small gaps in the cloud to be met by big walls of cloud.

My last IFR flight was my flight test for my IFR phase. I couldn't have asked for it to go any better. I felt well prepared and everything throughout the flight went to plan. I passed the flight and was complimented on how well I managed the flight. Following the test came the sign out process. I had to make sure that all the total hours in my log book matched with the hours on the digital system. Then I had to make copies of everything. It is such a boring and lengthy process but it has to be completed before you can leave NZ. It is also to see if you have any shortfall in the amount of flight time you have against what you should have. In my case I was 0.3hrs short on night flying. So I had to do that before I could leave NZ. 0.3hrs equates to taking off, doing one circuit and landing. It was a good but very short flight with one of my best landings which I was chuffed about. The flight almost didn't happen because the weather at the alternate airport was getting worse but luckily I managed to complete my one circuit in time.

I've done a few trips since my last post. I have been on a few flights with my old instructor while he was doing his hour building in the twin engined twinstar. What a plane! These flights also helped with my instrument flying as I was following the procedures he was doing and I'd help out with the briefings. We managed to get to a few new aerodromes during these flights including Wellington and Nelson which is on the top of South Island. Outside of flying I went on the Luge in Rotorua with a few others. It was sooo much fun although i did come out with a nasty scrape along my arm from 2 of us being a big competitive and coming off the carts. I also did a bit of Kayaking on the Karapiro lake which was good. I also went and had a look over the edge of the tallest waterfall on the North Island which was awesome, got a little wet but was so worth it. I also had a 2nd attempt of climbing Te Aroha as the first time I did it, it was covered in cloud. Yet again, it was covered in cloud! Means I will have to do it again when I come back so I can see the 360 views. Me and Joel went on a camping trip to a lake where there are hot springs next to the camp site. This was very relaxing. We got the boat to the camp site, spent the rest of the day and night there and then had to walk 15km back to the car. It was a good walk which had steady ups and downs. It would have been even nicer if it didn't rain so much on the first 7km of the walk. One of the last activities I did was the black water rafting! We did the 4 hr session which included abseiling into the cave, zip-lining inside the cave, sitting in rubber rings floating on the water inside the cave looking up at glow worms and also swimming in the freezing water. It was such a good experience and would recommend anyone to do it who visits NZ.

That brings me to the end of NZ. Sad to leave but the next phase of the training is awaiting us in Southampton in January. Hope you all had a good Christmas and have a happy new year! Next post will be after I have started in the sims in the middle of Jan.

Enroute Tauranga

Tauranga

Napier

The Luge

Wairere falls 154m

Wellington approach.

Te Aroha in cloud again!

Lake Tarawera - hot water beach

Departing from Gisbourne

Napier air traffic control tower

Mt Ruapehu

Mt Taranaki

Approach to Nelson

Departing Nelson

Mt Taranaki on the way back to Hamilton

Black Water rafting in Waitomo caves.