We’ve slowly been making progress. We’ve been through the walk-around three times now, I think I’m going to scream if we do it again today. Course, when you consider that they teach us to preflight the plane by showing us a powerpoint presentation…

For those of you that keep asking me about the overall scheme of things, here goes:

• Basic Indoctrination (I finished that last week by passing the test)
• Systems (This is what I’m doing now, and will finish at the end of the month)
• Then I’ve probably got a break. The class that finishes this Friday has been told to expect a 6-8 week break.
• Cockpit Systems Integration (This is where we sit in front of cockpit posters and they tell us which buttons to push when)
• Oral Exam
• Another break, this one possibly longer in the order of a few months.
• Simulators

6 simulator training sessions

Proficiency Check (If I pass, I get a Second-in-Command type rating for a CL-65)

Line Oriented Flight Training (This is where I get a flight in the simulator to give me an idea of what it’s like to fly the jet on a normal flight with both engines, nothing on fire, no thrust reversers deployed, the cabin properly pressurized, etc)

• IOE (Initial Operating Experience– this is where I’ll get to fly a real jet! With real passengers! I’ll have to do my first 25 hours in the plane with a specially qualified Captain who, in addition to doing everything else, is going to be evaluating me to make sure I’m capable of doing what I’m supposed to be able to do. If I pass, I’ll be out on the line on reserve somewhere. Woohoo.

We got our wings yesterday. A rather unexciting ceremony of the uniform lady passing them out. We were reflecting that it would have been nice to be presented them formal-like after we got through training. Oh well. We can return them formal-like when we wash out, I guess:)

So, I’ve got a test Friday the 26th on limitations. It’s a 100 question rote memory type thing. Boring, but at least it’s about the airplane!