Hi guys,From recent discussions I am aware that the aircraft needs to perform an autoland once every 30 days for certification requirements.What other features of the aircraft must be operated at least once every to meet certification requirements?Would be cool to have a list of things that I can then schedule for testing.Also, how frequently do pilots attend simulator refreshers? How long do they generally last and what procedures are generally practiced on these flights?CheersMark

>Hi guys,>>From recent discussions I am aware that the aircraft needs to>perform an autoland once every 30 days for certification>requirements.>>What other features of the aircraft must be operated at least>once every to meet certification>requirements?>>Would be cool to have a list of things that I can then>schedule for testing.>>Also, how frequently do pilots attend simulator refreshers?>How long do they generally last and what procedures are>generally practiced on these flights?Mark,It is the pilot who needs to Autoland every 30 days, not the aircraft...But I think you meant that. He gets another crew member's signature in his logbook entry to certify this.In BA, pilots do two Simulator sessions per year...Spring and Autumn. These sessions normally contain a series of Autoland practices in the lowest visibility limits that the aircraft is certified for...In my time it was CAT3b with an RVR limit of 75 metres at touchdown point, 50 metres at midpoint and 50 metres at far end of runway. Decision Height was 12 feet Radio. Many emergencies are also practiced in these sessions and exactly which ones varies from year to year. Some things like basic abandoning of take-off or NOT...depending on nature of failure and speed at which it occurred are practiced on all sessions.Checking my logbook the "Spring Checks" seem to be 8 hours in two 4 hour sessions and the "Autumn Refresher" is about the same length...However, the Autumn Refresher is usually spread over two days and contains the "Nightmare" of your Instrument Rating Test...BTW the Instrument Rating is actually a part of the senior licenses and if you fail your instrument rating then they take away your license till you pass it :-( On the Instrument Rating Test, you have to act as a "One Man Band" to cover the case of an aircraft type that has only ONE flight crew. This means that on a modern jet you can use your crew members as "Dumb Frequency Setters"...so you can say to one of them "Set 328 on ADF One" but you must then identify the morse and say to the Examiner "Brookmans Park Indentified on ADF One". There will be no real emergencies on an instrument rating but you can expect to NOT see the ground on your ILS approach and then have to do the published missed approach procedure and holding patterns till the examiner is satisfied. You will then finish with an ADF approach at a nearby diversion airport.

At the lower end of the spectrum, for the C208 Caravan I fly for a freight outfit as a relief pilot, formal training is as follows:To start:Initial course with FlightSafety or SimCom or other approved provider - basically the equivalent of a type rating course for the Caravan.At least 15 hours in service with a Check AirmanPart 135 PIC checkride with A Check AirmanRecurrent:Instrument proficiency check with check airman every six monthsPart 135 PIC check with check airman annuallyPart 135 "line check" annually.There are the normal "3 takeoffs and landings in 90 days in category and class" as well.Normally the line check and PIC check are done at the same time. This year I got all three checks done while flying relief down to the New Orleans area for hurricane relief.Additionally, my operator sends everyone through refresher training in a sim at FlightSafety/Simcom/Other every two years. It's where we practice things that we wouldn't normally practice in the airplane - this cycle we will expect emphasis on ice encounters since the Caravan has been the subject of a lot of attention due to fatal accidents where icing was the cause. Since our flying is mostly at night, this will be welcome training.