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Dear Fellow Pilot:

As you know, I love to blog about flying and the CRJ200…but I couldn’t have done it without the help of Yaro Starak and Gideon Shalwick. And they have a book that you need to download (for free) if you want to take a crack at blogging.

It’s fre.e!

It’s no-nonsense!

And I think you will really connect with these guys. I know I did!

In fact, they are the only ones I listen to. And even if you don’t think you have something to blog about, it is still worth checking out because I think you will be surprised that you actually DO have something to blog about…and eventually you can make money doing it too!

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This is the second the part of my recurrent simulator proficiency check (PC) that I did. If you haven’t read the first part, CRJ-200 Recurrent Simulator Proficiency Check – Part 1, just click here.

As a recap, every six months I have to head to the CRJ-200 simulator at FlightSafety in Salt Lake City. This proficiency check (PC) was a little different than all my previous ones because this one was two days long instead on one day long. This new setup had an immediate benefit since the first day was a non-jeopardy training session, which means we could really blotch a maneuver and we would be retrained on it. It also benefited us because it gave us a chance to get comfortable with the simulator again, because the simulator doesn’t necessarily fly like the real airplane. Close but not quite.

On the first day, we did several maneuvers that we don’t normally do like high-altitude stalls, zero flap landings, and complex departure procedures in IMC weather with an engine-out at airports that have rising terrain and high-density altitudes. Good stuff!

Needless to say it was a good experience.

On day two though, we had the official PC.

At a minimum, doing a PC, we are required to comply with the Federal Aviation Regulations, FAR 121.439 (recent experience) and FAR 121.441 (proficiency checks), company procedures and operations, know the CRJ200 aircraft systems and fly to Airline Transport Practical Test Standards (PTS).

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Last week I had to attend my semi-annual simulator proficiency check (PC) in the CRJ-200 at FlightSafety in Salt Lake City. As a captain, currently I’m required to do these training events every six months. All Part 121 and Part 135 pilots have either semi-annual or annual recurrent simulator proficiency checks that they have to accomplish to the airline transport (ATP) standards. Or it has to be something the FAA has approved. If you remember, I did a line-oriented flight training (LOFT) session awhile ago which is a little different but a great learning experience nonetheless.

Anyway, the whole event is a “safety” and currency issue. You get to experience scenarios that hopefully you never have to deal with in real life, but if you do, you have some experience and training from which to approach these challenges.

These training events have multiple objectives:

+ An engine problem at the most critical moment of takeoff which is V1 which may be either an engine fire, damage, or just a flameout. To make it a little more interesting, they reduce the visibility down to 500 feet.
+ System failures that can cripple your airplane if you don’t respond properly to what your airplane is telling you. Hydraulic failures and electrical failures are two favorite categories.
+ Put these together with flying in IMC conditions in mountainous terrain and you really learn a lot about your skill level.
+ …and many more!

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If you are looking for a new headset for the cockpit (flight deck) on the CRJ200, consider these headsets. I’ve seen all of them in my years of flying jets and everyone I have talked to has really enjoyed them. There are many other headsets available but few will meet the challenges and rigors of living the airline lifestyle. Also, I’ve listed two REFURBISHED headsets that will save you a couple hundred dollars, if you buy them and that is always a good thing.

REFURB: Sennheiser HMEC-45-KA ANR Headset – With Noise Guard active noise compensation, this lightweight headset is ideal for use in all jet cockpits. This is my dream headset. If I could have any headset in the world, this would be it. I tried one out once and was floored by the quality and comfort of this headset and I think that it is a total gem. The price tag is a little steep for me though, so I think it will have to wait, but if you are looking for the leading aviation headset on the market, this is it!

REFURB: Sennheiser HMEC-25-KA ANR Headset- Lightweight and comfortable dual earcup commercial pilot’s headset with Noise Guard active noise compensation. This is a great headset and the one that I use. I’ve had it for six years. It was broken only once and I sent it in to get fixed by SennheiserUSA and they did a great job. I look forward to wearing this headset for years to come. 

David Clark H10-13.4 Headset- Best Selling David Clark Headset. Extremely Lightweight and comfortable. Durable and will last you FOREVER! Most new regional airline pilots come from flight instructing and most flight instructors use a David Clark headset and there is a reason why. It is tough! I’ve had my David Clark for a long time and when my Sennheiser headset broke, I started using the David Clark again. It didn’t let me down. So, if you are looking for a great starter headset, that you can take with you to your airline job and will protect your hearing, this is the one. 

Telex Airman 750 Lightweight Headset- The world’s best selling lightweight headset and you’ll find it in most airline fleets around the world. Compact and will fit very nicely in your flight bag. Most the pilots that I saw wearing these were flying heavy metal where they were far away from the engines and insulated from the noise. Extremely comfortable, but not super durable. They are relatively inexpensive though and a great entry headset for the airlines or charter flying. 

Telex Airman 850 Lightweight ANR Headset- Eliminating the battery pack and focusing on your comfort, the Telex Airman ANR 850 headset also features innovative noise reduction technology and is the best price for the money. Again, like the Sennheiser HMEC-45-KA above, I would love to have this headset. It is a step up from the Telex Airman 750 and just a great headset.

So if you have a favorite headset, let me know. These are just a few of my favorite headsets that I thought you would like.

To You Flying Success…

Jeffrey

Have you ever had a rejected takeoff (RTO) or aborted takeoff?

I’ve had a few and they were all because I was too hurried or rushed the taxi that I didn’t control the tempo of the flight and thus failed to complete all the checklists which resulted in an inappropriate takeoff configuration.

If I had completed all the checklists and been organized, it is most likely that I wouldn’t have had to abort the takeoff. But proper checklist protocol is a post for another today. Today it is about rejected or aborted takeoffs.

So what is a “rejected takeoff” or RTO?

Well, at my company, a  ”rejected takeoff” or an “aborted takeoff” is any time you cross the runway hold short line with the intention of departing. So even if the tower says, “<Airline 1234>, taxi into position and hold, runway 22,” then tower asks you to clear the runway, for whatever reason, you have a “aborted takeoff” and in my case, I would have to call someone and write a report.

Alternatively, if you are lined up and was “cleared” for takeoff, and then had to abort the takeoff anywhere prior to V1, you also have a rejected takeoff or aborted takeoff.

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