Hi fellow forum members, I was asked by a couple of people to let you know the result of my IR test, I am happy to say that I gained a 1st time pass today so obviously I am very happy, especially after the debacle last Friday when I attempted it and it was curtailed by Cardiff ATC, this coupled with weather delays to do the test meant for a very stressful couple of weeks.
I wanted to do an IR diary for you to read as I did my CPL but the content is just too mammoth to tackle, I will give a brief overview of the course to enlighten you to the content.
To start with we did the Multi Engine Rating, getting used to the Seneca from the Warrior & Arrow was a bit daunting, so many more things to worry about, and when those turbos kick in you really know it. The Multi Course covers everything asymmetric, which is the aim of the exercise, can you handle the plane with 1 engine inop?
Then it is into the Simulator for a few weeks, you learn all the procedural side of things from here, the checklists, it feels as though you have checklists coming out of your ears. You learn the content of the course for test which will include the departure, the airways join, the en-route section down the airway, the airway exit, the ADF tracking inbound to the NDB for a holding pattern then a procedural ILS or NDB approach, a missed approach, an engine failure, then off for general handling which includes the emergencies, then a rejoin to the airfield you departed originally for the other approach you didn’t do off the hold pattern at the en-route airfield, then you do a visual circuit to land.
So with this in mind the Sim sessions concentrate on all these aspects, but it isn’t great for doing emergencies, afterall it is a computer, so you generally find the emergencies easier in the aircraft, and like I said it is just a procedural trainer more than anything, but it is important to get this right because once you jump in the aircraft you are burning £6 per minute ouch.
There are 2 of you on the course, so 1 instructor to 2 students, the good thing here is that you “back seat” all your partner’s flights and visa versa, so you kind of do the course twice which is very very draining and tiring.
The hardest thing I found was jumping out the sim and into the aircraft, even though you know what you are supposed to be doing it is kind of like a “rabbit in headlights” scenario, you almost freeze, but once this passes and you get used to the a/c again it get’s so much easier.
The course is 55hrs long (if you have under 200hrs before start) so it is a seriously long course, but very rewarding when it goes well, and even more so when you get that final result.
Anyway enough from me, thanks to all those who have supported me on the way, it has been a tough journey, all I have to do now is the MCC course, which is merely a tick in the box, I will try and do a diary for that one, we’re doing it at Farnborough in a Saab 340 Sim so it should be good fun, then the CVs can go out to the airlines and fingers crossed I’ll get an interview or 5 😉
Thanks for reading
Dean
By: Deano - 20th March 2007 at 10:16
Ian thanks for the reassurance, to say I wasn’t looking forward to the IR is true, but now it’s done I most certainly am not looking forward to a Type Rating, oh the fear of failure 😉
You’re right about the MCC, it is just a tick in the box, nice to do it on a full motion to get that experience but learning it in depth is probably futile.
Must settle the nerves down and enjoy what is ahead, afterall the main bulk of the training is out the way.
By: wysiwyg - 15th March 2007 at 13:59
The difference from now on (including the MCC) is that instead of training to operate a single crew air taxi type operation you are now entering the world of turbine airline operations. The theory is now over, it’s now time for the true practical… and that is where it stops being a chore and becomes serious fun (but still requiring alot of effort).
I still have a complete set of Saab 340 manuals, however I would not recommend studying them before the MCC as that would just douse you in too much information. The type used in the MCC should not be too important as it is more a case of understanding the processes of multi-crew ops than being a type rating. The course will contain the exact level of info you need to know beforehand to achieve success.
By: Deano - 14th March 2007 at 23:44
Many thanks guys.
Ian, thank you for that, I certainly hope that was the hardest flight I’ll ever do, it felt like it hehe, and there was me thinking the TR will be more difficult, let’s hope not :D.
Thanks for the offer for info on the Saab 340, I will have to take you up on it.
Darren, thanks, I will have to send a CV to you guys, I know of a lady who went to BMI mainline from my flying school with minimum hrs so there is hope, I can’t wait for the MCC to be out the way so I can fire off the CVs, interesting times ahead 😉
Dean
By: DarrenBe - 14th March 2007 at 23:18
Congrats Dean, was wondering how you were getting on!!
Still quite fluid in the industry, we seem to be constantly interview for our holding pool, although the resignations have slowed to a trickle. Mind you four additional aircraft are due over the summer.
Seems to be a few jobs out there, at the moment, considering the number of no-shows for interviews and courses.
By: Ren Frew - 14th March 2007 at 10:08
Well done Deano, reach for the stars fella…;)
By: wysiwyg - 14th March 2007 at 09:52
Really well done. When sending out CV’s you should really press home the value of saying you have a FIRST TIME IR pass. That is by far the hardest flight you will ever do in your flying career. From now on everything becomes MUCH more fun and easier.
I’ve got about 1500 hours on the Saab 340 so if you have any questions steer them this way and I’ll do my best if I can remember. Would love to be a fly on the wall at the back of the sim!
By: EGNM - 14th March 2007 at 01:30
Echoing Lance – well done, keep up the good work!
By: Grey Area - 13th March 2007 at 21:03
Very well done indeed! 😀
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March 13, 2007 at 8:20 pm