Route Training / Familiarization

[ScudRunner-d95]

[url=Forum/index.php?topic=1395.0]Forum/index.php?topic=1395.0[/url]
Reading Erics post "Just another day in Asia" with the accident report of an aircraft landing off to the side of the runway and it states.

[quote]
[i]Daily Air neither provided proper initial route training required by its training manual to the Captain, nor dispatched him to carry out flight duties on the west-shore routes first after checkout for familiarization purpose according to the company’s customary practices, which has caused the un-proficiency of Captain’s landing technique. The instructor pilot’s qualification check could not ensure that the pilots were competent to conduct flight duties to Lanyu Airport.[/i][/quote]
Don't think to hard about the stupid going on in that paragraph, but I really wonder the airlines need for these Route training or familiarization checks.

In the business jet world we are in and out of unfamiliar airports everyday, from LAX to the back water middle of nowhere ones. And yet we somehow manage to find our way there and back most times, so to the airline guys WTF are you teaching on these checks?

Best bar near the airport?, nearest rippers?

I mean really, they have these signs with your gate numbered and lit up on them with guys waving glowing batons to guide you in. How difficult of rocket surgery is this sort of thing.

Or is this just more regulatory BS so when you land on the grass because you lack skill they can say oh hey he didn't have proper training see its their fault!

[Eric Janson]

[quote author=ScudRunner]

In the business jet world we are in and out of unfamiliar airports everyday, from LAX to the back water middle of nowhere ones. And yet we somehow manage to find our way there and back most times, so to the airline guys WTF are you teaching on these checks?

Best bar near the airport?, nearest rippers?[/quote]

It's normally called Line Training and is designed to familiarize new Pilots with the way in which the company operates (procedures/paperwork) and introduce them to certain routes and airports.

At my company KJFK requires a special checkout - you need to go there with an Instructor first. We also have a check for ETOPS to ensure all procedures are being followed correctly.

Minimum number of sectors is 6 with a Line Check done on sector 7 and 8.

My company is a global charter operator - same as the business jet world but with large jets.

[Walter Sobchak]

I think sometimes at big companies rules get adapted to suit the lcd, whereas at smaller companies it is easier to either weed out the weaklings, or provide them with more training as required case by case.

[Eric Janson]

Big companies operate to a different set of requirements compared to smaller companies.