*Your requests for FO training content here*

[Airline2Sim 489]

Guys, Josh is booked in for two days early in May to film the content for the First Officer course. We've got some stuff already in the bag that we may or may not use, and we are now looking at what else we can include.

 

We're realistically limited to around 10 hours to keep the download size in HD reasonable and for us to be able to keep the post production workload manageable.

 

Already we have recorded a short Liverpool - Isle of Man line flight with winds gusting to 70kts, forcing us to perform a circle to land off the RWY 26 ILS onto the short runway there. This line flight includes a lot of information from Josh about handling the Q400 in windy conditions and also details of the circle to land procedure itself.

 

On top of this is a line flight from Southampton International to Amsterdam Schipol on a day where most aircraft are diverting due to fog. Visibility is on the limits for an approach, but we go have a look to see if we can get in. With the ceiling at 110 feet we become visual a second before the go around call needs to be made. This flight includes a noise abatement procedure from Southampton, along with an explanation from Josh about MCR/MCL and also a detailed run through of the procedures used in setting up and performing a CATII ILS, along with difficulty of navigating your way from the Polderbaan runway to the 'Fokker Farm' parking at an airport as big as Schipol when the visibility barely allows you to see three or four taxi lights ahead.

 

Third is a line flight from Stuttgart to Geneva on a ski charter - at night in mid-winter. Heavy snow is falling at Stuttgart and you will learn all about the procedures used to de ice the Q400 and an introduction to the concept of hold-over times, where you have a set amount of time to depart before having to return to stand to de ice. After a typically Germanic STAR departure, we continue across the Alps in icing conditions for much of the journey, with Josh giving us a full explanation of the anti ice systems on board the Q400 and how to make an approach with ice on the airframe, which involves landing at a higher speed to maintain a safety margin.

 

Lastly we relocate to the Greek Islands in mid-summer, flying from Athens out to Skiathos, shooting the NDB approach to that famously short and scenic runway. Upon our return to Athens, a security alert closes the airport for an unspecified time, forcing us to execute a hold whilst evaluating our fuel options. Eventually we become 'bingo' on fuel and divert to Mykonos, where a challenging DME arc to a VOR approach awaits. There's a lot in this particular flight, including the procedure for an NDB approach, a short field takeoff in a hot environment and a lot of discussion over fuel planning and diversions and finally the challenging DME arc approach to a VOR itself.

 

That's what we have in the can so far and there's an option to add or chop stuff as we see fit. Alongside the 'real time' line flights that you guys seem to enjoy, there is also the option to add short 'how to' tutorials led by Josh.

 

These include:

 

Rejected take off

Full procedural approach (i.e following the full approach chart as you would in case the radar controller not being available)

Performance limited departure

Loss of pressurisation over high terrain

RNAV approaches

Reduced NP landings

FMS tips and tricks

Manually flying a SID (i.e not in LNAV)

Fuel emergency

Missed Approach with high terrain

Performance Limited operations

Crosswind Limitations

 

Any more, guys?

[spesimen 135]

all the stuff on that list sounds great.

 

1. one thing i would like to hear about is pretty basic but a little more tips and tricks on power management when stabilizing the approach for landing. you guys make it look pretty easy in the video but i find that i end up kind of chasing my airspeed up and down a lot on finals, it seems like i'm always having to pull back to nearly idle power just to slow to Vref, but end up in a lower energy state than i should have when i go back to 25ish and i end up kind of yo-yoing my airspeed around instead of stabilizing early and focusing on the runway.

2.  what is the purpose of some of the buttons and settings that aren't normally set. is there a reason you would turn on bus tie during flight for example, or what situations would you set the bleeds to max (another SOP in one of the tutorials just suggested using them at max all the time, what's the difference really?) why is autofeather important on takeoff but not needed on landing? stuff like that

3. maybe talk about engine out procedures a bit? i'm much more interested in the stuff you listed already, though.

 

keep up the good work, really great series so far. 

cheers

-andy crosby

[LeeL 272]

List looks good

 

Quick question, can we buy the FO version if we haven't bought the cadet version?

[pete_auau 1,154]

buy the cadet version you wont be dissappointed

[Biggles205 0]

The short "How to's.........." by Josh I believe would be very popular.

 

Short features on all the types of instrument approaches, setting the fms for these etc.  I can do all these using the Rxp GNS 530 but the fms is all new ground. I'm sure I'm not alone

 

See "how to do it" then put it into practice in the line flights would be great value

[twharrell 38]

I'm currently on video 7 (1st leg of the trip) and so far I like what you guys have done. Just curious, do you guys have a rough outline/roadmap for where you want to go with the FO and Capt courses? 

 

I'd like to see something on RNP approaches, and maybe have an hour dedicated to discussing little known features/helpful tips on using the Universal FMC. I liked the tip about drawing an extended runway centerline, by the way. Very useful for visual approaches/situational awareness.

 

Todd

[WotanUK 289]

Can i request a landing at EGLC or a steep glide slope approach in general?  As mentioned above, power management is really hard in the Q400, steep glide slopes in general make this much worse.  Unless i stay below the glide slope i tend to find myself going in much too fast and nose wheel first.

[Airline2Sim 489]

Hi Todd, yes we can do some more stuff on the FMS and RNP/RNAV type approaches. The Q400s that Josh flies only have one FMS, which restricts the aircraft to old school ILS/VOR/visual approaches but we'll certainly see what we can put in.

 

In terms of our roadmap, the F/O course will contain all the stuff above, plus anything we can fit in as requested by you guys. The Captain's course will essentially be the same kind of thing that happens in the real sim. Engine failures, jammed rudders, flap failure, hyd and electrical problems etc, along with actions to be taken after the event. Of course, we've only discussed these up until this point - we won't know exactly HOW to do it until we get our hands on the Pro version of the Q400 itself.

 

Ian - as I understand it, you need the steep approach mod to fly the EGLC approach in the Q400. The approach would also need to be flown like the LOC DME approach in the film - gear down with flaps set and landing checklist done at the point you go down the hill. I'll ask Josh but it may not be possible to do it and we don't want to start guessing.

 

One thing reported is that 'TacPack' by Vertical Reality Simulations seems to wreck the Q400's handling ability. Might be worth seeing if you've got this installed.

[stefltt 11]

I really like the Cadet's videos, but for the FO's training, I prefer to have shorter videos (30min max) on the specific topics listed above, and some situation files for us to practise. Also, as said above, it would be useful to show us how to manage power on final approach, I'm also chasing the speed.

Stephane.

 

 

Stephane LI-THIAO-TE

Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Tapatalk

[WotanUK 289]

 

 

One thing reported is that 'TacPack' by Vertical Reality Simulations seems to wreck the Q400's handling ability. Might be worth seeing if you've got this installed.

 

Was this aimed at me Ben?  If so i have never installed anything from VRS, i do like the look of their F/A 18, but can't bring myself to buy a 'warbird' in FSX, perhaps if it was released for DCS.

In my case it's just bad piloting, personally i don't find the speed management in the Q400 as bad as the 737-800WL at normal airports.

 

Thank you for considering my request.  I tend to drop gear and flaps 10 when established on G/S at EGLC, it's the final phase of approach that's vexing me.

 

Also thank you for the excellent customer service, i'll certainly be looking at further purchases from your company. 

[Airline2Sim 489]

Yes Ian, just thought I would mention it. I think you'd need to get flap 35 set before GS intercept too for the EGLC approach.

[twharrell 38]

I don't know if Josh's airline uses HUGS or not, but that would make a nice video - use of HUGS. Perhaps if Josh cannot do that one you could bring in another Q400 pilot from, say, Horizon Airlines to help with that one. And if you need a recommendation for a pilot, I have one in mind, but can't vouch for his availability. I like Josh, but just a thought if you really want to showcase every feature of the Q400. In fact, I know Horizon guys use HUGS and shoot RNP approaches on a regular basis.

 

Todd

[Airline2Sim 489]

The HUD isn't ready yet, sadly. It's still being worked on by the Majestic guys so that will have to wait for the Captain's training, I'm afraid. Indeed there are some features of the Q400 that other airlines use like RNP and HUD that Josh doesn't do on his fleet and we'll try to find a way to show you these.  

[nawarren 83]

Hi Ben,

 

I thought you and Josh did a great job. Really enjoying your work. I would like to see the flight into an airport that closes, so you hold and discuss fuel, then divert. I think it would be really helpful to see the procedure real world pilots use to decided exactly when to divert. I am never exactly sure what my divert point should be!

 

Cheers

 

Neil

[pracines 823]

Whatever is decided just be sure to keep the caffeine away from anybody doing the videos - they have a thick  accent and talk way too fast. Tell them to relax a little and let them know that they are teaching *people* not *androids*.

 

Paul