Back from the box..

That's the outside of a level-D simulator, aka 'the box', similar to the one I just completed a proficiency check in. I'm not exactly sure how much they cost, but I believe I heard somewhere around $20-$25 million each.

A proficiency check, or PC, is required for first officers once every 12 months, and captains once every 6 months. It's pretty much exactly like the initial checkride when you complete initial training in the aircraft, and it went down like this:

Start with the aircraft running on one engine, holding short of a runway. Start the other engine, but get some sort of abnormal engine start (hot start, no starter cutout, etc.). Complete the necessary checklist items, and the instructor will allow the engine to zap to life normally. So far, I've only had one abnormal engine start on 'the line'.

Both engines started and cleared for takeoff. Some sort of malfunction shows itself at a relatively low speed (less than 80 knots or so), and an aborted takeoff is performed. Max braking, thrust reversers if available, coordinate with tower and ensure the passengers are informed and taken care of, then complete the necessary checklist items.

Repositioned back to the end of the runway, cleared for takeoff again. Normal takeoff and climb out. Climb to an intermediate altitude to perform stalls. Clean configuration stall (flaps up, gear up), takeoff/departure stall (gear down, flaps intermediate), landing/approach stall (gear down, flaps full).

Stalls complete, vectors for an ILS (instrument landing system approach). Fly the approach down to minimums (min weather), but do not see the airport/runway/approach lights. Execute a missed approach. During the missed approach the left engine catches fire. Fly the missed approach to a holding pattern while securing the engine/extinguishing the fire, running checklists, advising ATC, company, and the flight attendant(s).

Once all items are complete, return for another ILS approach. Autopilot fails on the approach, so the remainder is 'hand flown'. Runway in sight this time, single engine approach and landing. Repositioned back to the end of the runway. This time there's an engine failure at V1- the takeoff decision speed. Any failure or fire prior to this speed and we will abort the takeoff and should safely be able to stop on the remaining runway. Any failure or fire at or after this speed, and we continue the takeoff and treat it as an in-flight emergency. It's safer to continue and extinguish a fire in the air than to run off the end of the runway trying to stop. This is sometimes the most difficult portion of the checkride. An engine failure/fire at V1 is pretty much the worst case scenario.

Successfully takeoff with the failure, run the checklists, instructor gives us the engine back. Come around for a non-precision approach (similar to an ILS, but does not provide vertical guidance - must have better weather to land from these approaches). Runway in sight, descending to land. ~100 ft from touchdown, ATC (the instructor in this case) issues a go-around due to traffic on the runway. Two-engine missed approach, probably the fastest maneuver during the checkride. A lot of things to accomplish in a small amount of time. Back around for another non-precision approach. This time the runway is in sight, and there is no conflicting traffic. Normal approach and landing.

All of this takes about 1:00-1:30 to complete, then it's time to swap seats and let my partner be the flying pilot while I act as his captain.

Long hours

Four of our -900's on the ramp in CLT

After two long days of work, I couldn't help but think what other jobs require such long hours, or flexibility in scheduling. On Sunday I showed up at the plane at 7:15am, after waking up at 5:45am to get ready and drive to the airport. One Atlanta roundtrip, one Birmingham, AL roundtrip, a 3 hour break at the airport, and one final leg to the overnight in Greensboro, NC. We pulled into the gate at 8:50pm, put the plane to sleep, and finally got to the hotel around 9:30-9:45. A 'duty day' (show time to release time) of 13 hours and 50 minutes. Federal aviation regulations limit a crew to a 16 hour duty day - twice what a 'normal' person would work in a day. Perhaps doctors, or other professionals in the medical field work comparable hours? Or maybe high level management and CEO's of major corporations?

It was a long day, and we had a show time of 6:25am the next morning. In bed around 10-11pm, and alarm set for 5:00am to get ready, grab a quick breakfast, take the 15 min shuttle to the airport, pass through security (why do we have to go through security again?) and preflight the plane for it's load of passengers anxiously waiting in the boarding area. A decent amount of sleep, but I was looking forward to a short 3-leg day, and being done by noon. A nap was definitely scheduled for the afternoon.

But that plan was quickly changed when the Captain pointed out to me on the paperwork "FO Jackman, you are JRA'd (junior assigned) to DH (deadhead) CLT-TLH (Tallahassee) at 2:50pm on flt 2607, and fly 2698 TLH-CLT at 5:05pm." Great. I was now scheduled to sit around from noon till almost 3:00, deadhead to Tallahassee and bring the plane back. Instead of getting off at noon, I was now scheduled to get off at 6:30pm. Well, the deadhead was delayed, and we landed in TLH almost an hour late. Twenty minute turn, trying to make up time back to CLT. But of course with a high level of traffic headed for CLT, and thunderstorms in the vicinity, ATC slows us down and starts turning us away from CLT to add spacing between us and the aircraft in front. Pulled into the gate at 7:00pm, and I was onboard the employee shuttle by 7:30pm.

What other job requires you to stay 7.5 hours after you were originally scheduled to get off? That's practically a 'normal' shift for a 'normal' job added to my day. The sacrifices we make to fly chunks of metal around the sky...

AirTran's tribute to Indy racer Danica Patrick, AirTranica