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The SHOW: Airlines still a "good gig"??

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
I had the same thought, particularly re-learning the holding entry "gouge" for the ATP written. Going to do my ATP practical seemed intimidating, but what I learned is most GPS/FMS systems will fly (or at least display) the holding entry for you, and the display view makes the entry really obvious. Flying "smooth", I just liken to leading a division around, and the control characteristics of most large airplanes lend themselves easily to being flown smoothly (most of the time). Then again, if they put me in an airplane with nothing an "old school" HSI, or worse, dual OBS, I might be F'd. :confused: Looks like I'm not ready to select DC-3s just yet. Tailwheel rating in the works. ;)

The unfamiliar field piece is legit- which is why I try and take jets on the road whenever I can. A good system for digesting and understanding STARS & approaches is key, and I get the impression that airline guys generally know well in advance what arrival they're expecting. Also, a lot of military pilots fly at familiar fields/ships >90% of the time, so I think the playing field is fairly level (probable advantage: big wing guys.)

Hell on my Garmin 430/530 in the Cessna 206/182/172 I fly every day, the system will show you the holding entry, if the AP is in NAV mode, the thing will even *fly* the holding entry for you! (example here is a parallel entry for you holding pattern nerds)

Hold+picture+3.jpg
 

sevenhelmet

Low calorie attack from the Heartland
pilot
Yeah, the 430 is what I had in mind when I wrote that. The FMS in modern airliners will obviously also display and fly it for you.

That said, how often do airliners actually hold?
 

Treetop Flyer

Well-Known Member
pilot
Yeah, the 430 is what I had in mind when I wrote that. The FMS in modern airliners will obviously also display and fly it for you.

That said, how often do airliners actually hold?

Holding isn’t an everyday thing but it happens. I never had to hold in a harrier, and if I had been asked the answer would have likely been “unable”. That said, it’s easy with an FMS. Likewise, I wouldn’t worry about trying to fly smooth. You can’t snap a big jet around anyway, it will be clear as soon as you start flying a sim. The very first time I flew something after a harrier I had the tendency to over control/over correct because I’d make a control input and expect instantaneous response, then add too much while waiting for it to respond. That goes away quick.

The number one way military guys stand out at first in my opinion is on the radio.
 

Treetop Flyer

Well-Known Member
pilot
"Stand out"...in a good way or bad way? Because the first couple times I went into O'Hare, I sounded like an idiot on the radio.
In a bad way.

“Clearance on request”. (Shudder)

In my reserve squadron a guy (not an airline guy yet) couldn’t get a response from clearance delivery at a small airport. He called 1-800-wxbrief to try to get his clearance. Didn’t know to call ground. Or tower.
 

sevenhelmet

Low calorie attack from the Heartland
pilot
In a bad way.

“Clearance on request”. (Shudder)

In my reserve squadron a guy (not an airline guy yet) couldn’t get a response from clearance delivery at a small airport. He called 1-800-wxbrief to try to get his clearance. Didn’t know to call ground. Or tower.

Just getting back into GA again, it took me longer than it should have to realize that I could get my clearance on ground. Also had a bad radio "run-in" with Honolulu clearance while we were on det to Hickam. I dared to ask for my clearance more than once. I haven't been chewed out like that since flight school. :(

I'm sure all the Part-121 guys got a laugh out of it. :D
 

Treetop Flyer

Well-Known Member
pilot
Just getting back into GA again, it took me longer than it should have to realize that I could get my clearance on ground. Also had a bad radio "run-in" with Honolulu clearance while we were on det to Hickam. I dared to ask for my clearance more than once. I haven't been chewed out like that since flight school. :(

I'm sure all the Part-121 guys got a laugh out of it. :D
On the bright side there were probably none listening. I’ve had to talk to clearance only when ACARS is inop or at a podunk airport that doesn’t use CPDLC
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
Then again, if they put me in an airplane with nothing an "old school" HSI, or worse, dual OBS, I might be F'd.

When I started flying my dad's plane with my dad, it was after a pretty long hiatus from General Aviation. Just the way he had things setup, I couldn't really see his iPad well enough and he only has a very ancient Garmin panel GPS that doesn't even have all of the fixes/airports in the database and has no moving map display (think one step above the old IIMorrow LORAN Fly Buddy that I first flew with years earlier). However, his plane is fully IFR capable and has a Davtron that displays the radial digitally. He never really used it so I'd always reach up and flip it to "FROM" so I could figure out where the hell I was. Since he was never taught on a RMI, he initially kept asking why I wanted it "FROM" when we were heading to a station, but after a while, he understood why I was using it the way I was.

I am definitely a RMI cripple.
 

xj220

Will fly for food.
pilot
Contributor
Just getting back into GA again, it took me longer than it should have to realize that I could get my clearance on ground. Also had a bad radio "run-in" with Honolulu clearance while we were on det to Hickam. I dared to ask for my clearance more than once. I haven't been chewed out like that since flight school. :(

I'm sure all the Part-121 guys got a laugh out of it. :D

Hickam is no joke, as most Class B airfields are I’m sure. We had a C-17 land behind us and turn off on the wrong taxiway and ground lit them up.
 
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