As a recap, every six months I have to head to the “official” CRJ200 flight simulator at FlightSafety in Salt Lake City for either a proficiency check or LOFT.
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!
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!
Recently I’ve been getting to know two programmers from another country. They bought my ebook, “The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide” to help them develop their videos for the CRJ200. They want it to be as accurate as possible. Since then, we’ve been going back and forth with emails for the last couple days as we talk about the different systems on the airplane. I have to admit, some of the questions were over my head though. After all, I’m just a pilot.
Anyway, Javier and Anton sent me a link of one of their most recent creations. I was TOTALLY impressed with it that I sat down and wrote this little blog entry. Truly there are people out there with great talent that can create impressive videos like this one for our benefit. I’m not one of them!
I hope you will take a look at it and make a comment on their YouTubepage, share it on FaceBook, or Tweet it, if you like it! I know you will!
I’m sending this out rather quickly because I wanted to let you know about this “Cockpit Poster Garage Sale” that Training Crue Graphics is having.
For a ridiculously low price, you can get super realistic airplane cockpit posters of your favorite airplanes for next to nothing. I personally have one for the EMB-120 Brasilia, the Bombardier CRJ-200, and the Bombardier CRJ-700.
And we all know that you have to have these posters because they are essential in learning the airplane and your flows! There is no way you can make it through training without one!
Anyway, here are few of the posters I saw that they are practically giving away:
The only bad thing is that you have to order 5 or more to get the discount. That’s not too big of a deal though. I say get all 5 and then sell them to your pilot buddies.
Finally, I don’t know how long this “Garage Sale” is going to last though. It doesn’t say on the website, so they could probably pull it down anytime. I wouldn’t wait too long.
But two things have happened since I wrote that post.
First, I had my recurrent simulator training at FlightSafety in Salt Lake City and second, a friend of mine had an interview with Colgan airlines.
First, my simulator story.
If you remember, back in January 2009, I had a Line-Oriented Flight Training simulator session or LOFT. Incredibly useful and dare I say, fun? I learned a lot and still apply what I learned that day when I fly. The most important thing I learned that day was when you have an emergency, do not delay declaring an emergency. Once you’ve declared an emergency, everyone is focused on you and helping you and then you can focus on the task of getting the airplane on the ground—safely!
As a recap, every six months I have to head to the “official” CRJ200 flight simulator at FlightSafety in Salt Lake City for either a proficiency check or LOFT. 
