Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Cockpit Chronicles: A captain's line check
Once every two years a captain is required to be observed by a check airman. And captains over sixty must be checked every six months.I touched on the line check in the last Cockpit Chronicles, and I've had yet another trip with a check airman performing a line check, making it two in the last eight days. Both of the captains I was flying with were over sixty. As a result of the change in retirement age from sixty to sixty-five in 2007, a line check has been mandated every six months for those sixty and older.
I've spotted some of the items that check airman are looking for during these checks. Consider this a guide on how to make a check airman happy. I know my demographic here at Gadling will be thrilled to come across this information.
It's important not to fly any differently when you're not being checked. You won't be able to fool these pilots by 'stepping up your game' only when they're around. There are so many rules, procedures and techniques you'll need to adhere to, that it'll be obvious to the instructor that you haven't been paying attention to your training if you try to 'step up your game' only when the management pilot is around.
The 'Check Airman'
At my company, check airmen are captains that are chosen, usually by the base chief pilot, to fill the instructor positions. Some are exclusively 'line' check airman, who only perform line checks and the 'initial operating experience' for new pilots to the aircraft. Others are qualified to fly the line and also perform simulator checks.
What they want to see.
The following are some examples of what a pilot will be tested on during a six month or two-year line check.
Licenses and medicals
The first thing they're likely interested in seeing are a pilot's license and medicals. They're checking to see the medical hasn't expired and that the license includes an 'English Language' endorsement. It may sound silly, but the international organization overseeing many of the rules governing air carriers worldwide, ICAO, requires all licenses to include this endorsement. If it's not there, you can't fly, no matter how eloquent a pilot is while trying to talk their way out of the problem.
Briefings
A check airman will be watching to see that a captain conducts a thorough briefing with the flight attendants regarding any security changes, the expected ride conditions and to re-iterate how an evacuation may be handled.
Procedures
In order for 10,000 pilots to fly well together, there has to be a set of procedures and call outs that everyone is familiar with, obviously. So check airmen pay particular attention to these procedures and will often comment if something is done differently. For example, if a pilot were to check the flight controls on the ramp instead of the taxiway, something may be said. Interestingly, in that example, other aircraft in our fleet allow for the flight controls to be checked on the ramp after the pushback crew has departed, so not everything is consistent from one fleet to the next.
Checklists
While it might seem to be nit-picking, check airmen will say something if the response to a checklist item is read back as "closed" when it should be "cutoff" instead. This can especially be an issue for pilots coming from a different brand of airplane that uses different terminology. Old habits are hard to break.
Efficiency
Check airmen are tasked with encouraging fuel saving techniques and they might make mention of this during a line check. Recently a comment was made to me when I opted to use the Econ mode of our FMS to set the climb speed since it was 298 knots, which was very close to the company's procedure of using 300 knots at that weight. The check airman probably just wanted to be sure that I knew the speed usually set for a given weight. Interestingly, they rarely mention when a pilot brings the flaps out early when flying level at the minimum clean (no flaps) airspeed for twenty miles before starting the approach; a technique that could also save some serious dinosaurs.
PAs
Recently we've had some changes in the regulations regarding delays on international flights. You're going to hear a lot more updates should a delay occur, and there are specific rules regarding just how often captains must update passengers, even if we don't know the cause for the delay or how much longer we may have to wait. Since the penalties from the Department of Transportation, DOT, for non-compliance are steep, this will be an example of a new policy that will be checked as well.
Systems knowledge
Even though we go through an oral exam during our simulator check rides every nine months, check airmen will be looking for signs of weak areas in the knowledge of the systems of the airplane. These systems can include the hydraulics, electrical, flight controls, FMS computers, autopilot, fuel system, pneumatics and flight instruments among other things. But there's no oral quizzing during line checks fortunately. The instructors are quick to say they're just there to observe.
So while pilots rarely have management looking over their shoulders, they are checked often by check airmen.
These check rides usually result in something being learned and are a good way to ensure that every pilot is working in the most standardized way while flying the line. The vast majority of check airmen are helpful and friendly, although I can't say that most pilots are truly happy to have them aboard. And knowing that fact probably makes the check airmen job all that more difficult.
As a first officer, I'm not eligible to work as a check airman and I've vowed to stay away from the job for the rest of my career. At our company, there really isn't a significant pay premium to work as an instructor, and you give up most landings and opportunities to actually fly the airplane while you're performing a line check or IOE training. And your schedule is often dictated by whatever the pilot you're checking can hold. While I appreciate those who choose to step into these roles, I know my place in life is as a line pilot. There's nothing better. Except perhaps as a line captain, but that will have to wait for a future Cockpit Chronicles.
Cockpit Chronicles takes you along on some of Kent's trips as an international co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 based in New York. Have any questions for Kent? Check out the Cockpit Chronicles Facebook page or follow Kent on Twitter @veryjr.
The first thing they're likely interested in seeing are a pilot's license and medicals. They're checking to see the medical hasn't expired and that the license includes an 'English Language' endorsement. It may sound silly, but the international organization overseeing many of the rules governing air carriers worldwide, ICAO, requires all licenses to include this endorsement. If it's not there, you can't fly, no matter how eloquent a pilot is while trying to talk their way out of the problem.
Briefings
A check airman will be watching to see that a captain conducts a thorough briefing with the flight attendants regarding any security changes, the expected ride conditions and to re-iterate how an evacuation may be handled.
Procedures
In order for 10,000 pilots to fly well together, there has to be a set of procedures and call outs that everyone is familiar with, obviously. So check airmen pay particular attention to these procedures and will often comment if something is done differently. For example, if a pilot were to check the flight controls on the ramp instead of the taxiway, something may be said. Interestingly, in that example, other aircraft in our fleet allow for the flight controls to be checked on the ramp after the pushback crew has departed, so not everything is consistent from one fleet to the next.
Checklists
While it might seem to be nit-picking, check airmen will say something if the response to a checklist item is read back as "closed" when it should be "cutoff" instead. This can especially be an issue for pilots coming from a different brand of airplane that uses different terminology. Old habits are hard to break.
Efficiency
Check airmen are tasked with encouraging fuel saving techniques and they might make mention of this during a line check. Recently a comment was made to me when I opted to use the Econ mode of our FMS to set the climb speed since it was 298 knots, which was very close to the company's procedure of using 300 knots at that weight. The check airman probably just wanted to be sure that I knew the speed usually set for a given weight. Interestingly, they rarely mention when a pilot brings the flaps out early when flying level at the minimum clean (no flaps) airspeed for twenty miles before starting the approach; a technique that could also save some serious dinosaurs.
PAs
Recently we've had some changes in the regulations regarding delays on international flights. You're going to hear a lot more updates should a delay occur, and there are specific rules regarding just how often captains must update passengers, even if we don't know the cause for the delay or how much longer we may have to wait. Since the penalties from the Department of Transportation, DOT, for non-compliance are steep, this will be an example of a new policy that will be checked as well.
Systems knowledge
Even though we go through an oral exam during our simulator check rides every nine months, check airmen will be looking for signs of weak areas in the knowledge of the systems of the airplane. These systems can include the hydraulics, electrical, flight controls, FMS computers, autopilot, fuel system, pneumatics and flight instruments among other things. But there's no oral quizzing during line checks fortunately. The instructors are quick to say they're just there to observe.
So while pilots rarely have management looking over their shoulders, they are checked often by check airmen.
These check rides usually result in something being learned and are a good way to ensure that every pilot is working in the most standardized way while flying the line. The vast majority of check airmen are helpful and friendly, although I can't say that most pilots are truly happy to have them aboard. And knowing that fact probably makes the check airmen job all that more difficult.
As a first officer, I'm not eligible to work as a check airman and I've vowed to stay away from the job for the rest of my career. At our company, there really isn't a significant pay premium to work as an instructor, and you give up most landings and opportunities to actually fly the airplane while you're performing a line check or IOE training. And your schedule is often dictated by whatever the pilot you're checking can hold. While I appreciate those who choose to step into these roles, I know my place in life is as a line pilot. There's nothing better. Except perhaps as a line captain, but that will have to wait for a future Cockpit Chronicles.
Cockpit Chronicles takes you along on some of Kent's trips as an international co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 based in New York. Have any questions for Kent? Check out the Cockpit Chronicles Facebook page or follow Kent on Twitter @veryjr.
Filed under: The Cockpit Chronicles
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Karen Sep 17th 2011 1:00PM
Hello - I enjoy reading your chronicles... thank you.. sometime, you can talk about the Flight Dispatchers and that they do ALL of your pre-flight planning before pilots even show up to an airport. Although dispatchers aren't in the cockpit physically on a daily basis, they have a significant roll in the cockpit.... Sincerely, a Flight Dispatcher....
Geobunny Sep 19th 2011 10:36AM
You said: "While it might seem to be nit-picking..."
I've got to say, when it comes to aviation safety, there are very few things I regard as "nit-picking".
Another interesting post, Kent. Keep 'em coming please!
Court Sep 19th 2011 3:52PM
Kent,
Thank you for all the hard work that goes in to sharing stories, behind the scenes details and Plane Answers.
Your site has help ease my fear of flying (and skydiving did the trick). I have recommended many people to visit to get a better understanding from the pilot point of view.
Please continue to post updates and share your insight.
Cedarglen Sep 20th 2011 4:42PM
Thanks Kent, for a great post. Although line checks and recurrent training can be an an annoyance for some, they are an important part of the the important job. Those evaluations and periodic simulator training are darn near the only effective way to assure that ALL line pilots have and maintain the necessary skills. While your line may be different, I think most airlines now follow a "Train to Success," policy, one that does not threaten jobs unless a very serious problem is discovered. I hope that your airline has caught on to this smart move. With experience from another profession, I know that the refreshers can appear to be threatening at the outset, but they should not be. The smart folks consider them an opportunity to demonstrate their well-practiced skills and to prove their worth to t heir employer. Unions aside, why don't more pilots see it this way? We do not need big egos and overloaded pride bags oin the flightdeck. In the 2011 environment and beyond, I thought that most of you boys (and girls) were beyond that. Line check and recurrent training should not be feared, but enjoyed. I've often heard folks ask if they prefer a low total-hours pilot, think regional pilot who flies 5-6 links per day, to a higher hours pilot, flying as FO on long-haul interenational flights - and may personally fly (take-off and landing) one or two links per month. I don't know the answer, but that recurrent training and line observation is part of the package. What do you think?
On a different, far more interesting subject... How is life in Germany going. Having lived there myself, if some years ago, I'd love to repeat the experience. It is not possible, so I'll enjoy the experience by reading about your adventures. Whoops - there are no adventures, at least that I've been able to find. And of course, how is the commuting thing working. I;ve seen but one short hint. A lot more on both subjects would make for very fine reading, sir. How's that for a quiet, polite hint ? Best wishes, sir. P.S. Many pilots often say something to the effect that a junior left seat is always better than the alternatives. In your case, that may not be true. Staying senior in the right seat may give you the base and ability to hold schedule lines that suit your family needs for more than a year. You (and your family) may wish to remain 'over there' for well more than your experimental year. As friends tell me, 'A very senior guy, sorry - 'Pilot' in the right seat is not a bad thing...' I sure hope to see more and more frequent posts. Those commuting flights give you plenty of time . Best wishes, -Craig (Cedarglen)
Kent Wien Sep 20th 2011 4:47PM
Hi Craig,
Thanks for the note. I plan on writing about the Germany to New York commute at the end of next year when it's all said and done. So far it has been easy to back my trips up and get enough time off to make the commute back and forth worthwhile. I love the country and I tried to enjoy as much of the summer there as I could.
Line checks shouldn't cause many pilots much grief. As you say, they're an opportunity to demonstrate your skills, and pilots enjoy doing that.
Kent