Pilot Competencies
1. Prepare
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Now this may sound obvious, but the best way you can prepare is practicing in a simulator that replicates your upcoming assessment. But we also need to read the manuals, arm chair fly profiles and practice briefing. You want to walk in to your assessment knowing you've done everything you can to land that dream job. Practice on flight Sim? Watch YouTube videos? Talk to others who have already done the assessment? Practice flying manually when appropriate at your current airline?
Maximise your chances of performing to the best of your abilities.
2. Set the tone
At your assessment you will most likely be paired with another pilot, or airline assessor. Chances are you both come from different flying backgrounds, different aircraft types and differing experience levels. Setting the tone and establishing some common ‘SOP’ calls (e.g. 100 kt call, who will hold the thrust levers during take off?) Will show communication and teamwork skills and that you're thinking ahead.
Being successful will depend on how you as a pair work as a team. You both want to pass, so briefing the ‘How’s’ and coming up with strategies on working together is imperative.
3. Briefing
​Practice, Practice, practice. We can do this at home by reading plates and developing a clean concise style, encompassing threats and HOW to deal with them. Consider the following:
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Brief the relevant threats for the day: i.e.
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Unfamiliar aircraft type
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Non normal crew compliment
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Manual thrust
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Raw data nav
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Raw data SIDs, Arrivals and Holding.
Importantly brief for yourself, not what you may or may not think the assessor wants to hear. Talk about ‘HOW’ you will equip yourself to handle these threats as a team, and work together at times of low workload to prepare yourselves fully.
Take your time on the ground, and only say you’re ready when you are.
Briefing Top Tips
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Brief from the plate, to the FMGC, to your VOR/ADF/ILS selectors, then finally check its displayed on your PFD and ND.
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There is no point blindly reading out all the info on the plate, pick the relevant parts and talk about HOW you’re going to achieve your goal.
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Use open questions when you can, but don’t get carried away, not every question has to be open! Be concise and relevant.
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Have a piece of paper handy to write down your partners and assessors name.
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Write down the relevant MSA for your flight.
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Make a note of the fuel burn and your diversion airfields.
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Create some ‘bottom lines’ (e.g. final reserve fuel is xxxx, approach fuel is xxxx, we need to start our approach with xxxx)
4. Manage your Workload
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The PF is going to be working hard, so as a PM your role is to help your PF by assisting as much as possible. There are several ways we can do this.
Pilot Flying
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Brief at times of low workload
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Use the autopilot if its available
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Hand over control when needed to set up a hold, approach or when dealing with a non normal
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Use the phrase ‘What’s the next event’. This is a very useful tool when flying a SID and an approach.
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Encourage your PM to assist you by telling you what’s happening next, to lead with setting bug speeds, altitudes and headings.
Pilot Monitoring
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Consider next event
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Pay close attention to speed, heading and altitude deviations and call any wayward trends.
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Back up your PF and reduce their workload when able
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Be vigilant and don’t switch off, you're under assessment in both roles equally.
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Its very common for the Pilot who "goes first" to switch off after their turn in the flying seat. Don't fall in to this trap.
If you're doing nothing ask yourself why, and what could you do to get ahead. Don't switch off.
Share the workload, keep SA high and think ahead. Work together to achieve a dynamic like this.
5. Airbus Basics
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If you’ve flown a conventional aircraft and have your assessment on the airbus, there are some key differences you should be aware of.
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Its fly by wire - unlike conventional aircraft, the side stick has no mechanical link to the flight controls.
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In the Air when you move the side stick you demand a roll or pitch rate. When at your intended bank or pitch simply let go and the aircraft will hold the attitude.
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There is no pitch power couple. Consider that if you go around you will need considerable back pressure to achieve the Go around attitude.
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It auto trims below bank angles of 33 degrees.
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The thrust levers have gate positions for TOGA, Climb POWER and FLEX. Anything below CLB gate will be in the 'manual thrust range'
Airbus Handling Top Tips
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The side stick is very sensitive, make only small inputs and avoid a tight grip.
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When using the autopilot it will be available in basic modes. Avoid the use of V/S mode as this requires you to match the thrust to achieve it, keep it simple and use open CLB/DES and control the rate with thrust.
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If asked to do a steep turn, the aircraft will no longer trim at bank angles over 33°, therefore back pressure and bank input will be required.
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Make life easier, consider using 70 - 75 % N1 climb power to give around 1500fpm ROC.
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Use IDLE descent. at speed of 250 kts or below this will achieve 1500 fpm or less.
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Know your pitch power datums - 250 kts = 60% N1 3° pitch. Green Dot Speed = 55% N1 5° pitch. VAPP = 50% N1 2.5° pitch.
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If you're straight and level and you're not between 50 - 60 % N1 ask yourself why?
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keep your scan high, avoid fixating on thrust setting. Set a rough setting and refine.
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6. Keep SA High
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Maintaining good situational awareness is crucial to a well flown and managed flight.
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Brief at times of low workload.
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Talk about HOW you're going to do it, and ask open questions to your sim partner to share your mental model.
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At times of high stress use simple models such as PPP to help rebuild SA.
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Plane - read FMA's (if any), consider attitude, speed, heading, altitude, config and fuel endurance.
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Path - MSA? where are we going to? do we need to change course or make an immediate change? are we safe?
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People - Consider ATC, cabin crew, passengers.
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This is an excellent way to rebuild your SA and help make decisions.
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Work at a slow pace, slower than you think you should to allow your rational brain take over from your irrational/reactive brain
7. Practice Hold Entries
Holding is something that seems to create panic in most pilots! But with a simple understanding and methodical application they are straight forward. When given instructions to take up a hold we recommend this:
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Consider handing over control to your partner.
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Tune NDB/VOR and point aircraft towards it.
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Consider your entry speed and slow down.
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Establish how many miles to the beacon using DME info.
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Input the Hold inbound course in to the Course selector on the RadNav page.
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visualise the left or right holding pattern on the ND.
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Assess which direction you're coming in from and decide the entry.
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Now take back control and ask your partner what holding pattern they think it is. A great time for an open question!
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Simple!
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8. Relax
OK, easier said than done. But if you've prepared yourself as much as you can, then you can walk in to that assessment knowing you've given it 100%. Try and find comfort in that and enjoy the experience!
At SimPrep we consider ourselves experts in preparing pilots for Airline Simulator assessments. We can guide you every step of the way helping you feel fully equipped for your upcoming Sim.
Please contact us to find out more
