I respectfully have to disagree. I’ve said many times at no point during my ATP training did I ever have the warm fuzzies, ever.
As you know ATPs program was created by airline pilots to train pilots for the airlines. The accelerated pace is not to simply expedite training and get the students out ASAP. It’s primary intent was/is to prepare students for the accelerated pace they would encounter when hired by an airline. You see now everybody’s getting hired and I believe many people choose ATP because it’s FAST and that’s fine. BUT, long before the pilot shortage when you were lucky to just get an interview let alone a job, ATP grads were getting interviewed and hired when few else were. (I knew many instructors with thousands of hours who never got a call while I actually got hired with 540 which was actually 200 below the stated mins SOLELY because I was an ATP grad). The reason was because they knew I could handle the pace. My point is there are hundreds of schools across the country who will hold your hand and will ask you to tell them when you’re ready. They’ll keep taking you up (and taking your money) until you feel warm and fuzzy and that’s fine until day one at your airline and they open the firehose. The fact is ATP isn’t for everyone but another fact is not everyone should be an airline pilot. I honestly believe given enough time and instruction most people can earn all their licenses and ratings but that does not mean they should all be professional pilots or be successful.
So, does that mean ATP instructors will send their students off to take checkrides they’re not prepared for? Absolutely not nor should they be. That’s part of being a good instructor. As I said I never felt warm and fuzzy before any of my checkrides but my instructors all explained and demonstrated to me why I was. I defy you to find an airline newhire who feels they’re ready for their oral, PV, MV or LOE but most are successful. The reason is there’s a difference between being well trained and prepared and being confident. That comes with experience. After you’ve instructed for a while you will see this for yourself. You’ll have some really sharp students who will doubt their abilities. You’ll have a choice to make. You can try and convince them that they are or you can keep going until they feel they are which is fine but know you’re not necessarily doing them a favor.
I don’t disagree with you one bit. I am speaking from my own observations at my training center on how operations were being conducted. I fully understand that this program is built for only certain people and not everyone can cut it. As instructors we know no two students are alike. Some may be able to study on their own and progress through their training with ease. Others not so much.
I could go on an hour long armchair rant about what I’ve observed, but I will save face. I care greatly about the success of my peers and soon my future students and I’ve observed quite a few things that brings concern while at ATP. But that’s just me.
Hey guys, when you went through your CFI training, are they teaching the “impossible landing” for instruction now? I heard one of my buddies and his instructor were going to practice them.
@Chris@Adam, I’m guessing during climb (sufficient AGL) and pulling the power to see what the airplane performance could be if truly lost an engine, making the turn-back to the runway? I have no clue other than what I was informed of, just asking the question.
This was what I found when I was trying to find something in relation to the question (but I think I realized I used the wrong word… )
The FAA recently released a report about how they are migrating away from the rule to “Never do a 180 back to the runway on takeoff”.
I believe AOPA, EAA, or WINGs had a seminar on it recently too.
I’ll have to adventure around, I just thought it was weird how it was brought up to me and I was under the impression to just keep going and maintain your best glide and if you have time to attempt a restart try and find the safest place you could.
I think there are so many factors to consider, altitude being the primary one followed by what is in front of you. If I had a lot of altitude and was looking at an inhospitable area, I would sure be tempted to turn back. If I had less altitude and was looking at an empty field, I would be getting a soft field landing in. It all just depends on so many different things.
I just got my CFI cert today, exactly three weeks after day 1 of ground school out here in Mesa. The program works. It sucks most of the time, but it works. After my first right seat flight, I felt like a brand new PPL student just completely overwhelmed with information. The endorsement flight was really rough. But, it all worked out and now I have a fancy new temporary certificate. Trust the process and study hard; it sucks for those few weeks but it’ll work out in the end.
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