Simulator Training

I've spent the last two weeks in the sweatbox ... err Simulator at Flight Safety in Toronto, learning how to fly the Dash 8 and all of LIAT's S.O.P.'s (Standard Operating Procedures). I was pretty glad it was finally summer in Canada, however after being down here for over a month, the 20 degree days, warranted a sweater pretty much all the time: Luckily it warmed up by the end of it!

The 'Sweatbox' as it's referred to by most pilots is actually a box on moving stilts (which happens to be very cool inside) that is an exact replica of the Dash 8 flight deck; switches, gauges, lights and all. It also makes movements to simulate the same sensations which you would get while in a real aircraft. There is also has a seat in the back for the instructor to monitor everything that goes on in the front, while being able to change the aircrafts position, weather and cause any and every failure or fire imaginable. Pretty ingenious if you ask me!

I went up with 5 other guys, 2 company instructors, my sim partner (who is from Anguilla), and another pair of new hires from St. Lucia. We spent 9, 4 hour sessions in the simulator - 8 being training and the final flight being the 'ride' (flight test). The simulator is a fantastic tool because we were able to be exposed to how the aircraft flies, and every different type of emergency possible, (whether an engine fire just after rotation on takeoff or a rapid decompression from 25,000 feet) without leaving having to leave the physical ground. Most of these emergencies couldn't be simulated in a real aircraft, unless it actually happened - and thats not the time I want to be learning how to do the procedures correctly and efficiently! Another great thing was that if you make a mistake, you could always just pause in mid-air, talk about it, then redo it - (as opposed to trying to do it in an aircraft, continuously moving at 230kts. Anyways, the name 'sweatbox' came about because of the fact that it's on the ground, instructors in the back can do pretty much whatever they want, compiling problems and causing new ones - keeping us on our toes, and really making us work (or sweat, for that matter!) My Instructor, Wade, liked to call himself just a DJ. He mixes the music (causes the problems) and we just have to dance along to it (and correct the situation)! After those two weeks, I sure got my fair share of engine failures under my belt... think 10-12 each night, especially at the time of night our sessions had been booked for (12am-4am and 4 - 8 am) - prime sleep time!

I'm back down in the sunny caribbean, where the July weather has proved to be playing fair so far, in terms of temperature! We've gone through a morning of Dangerous goods and a morning of Crew Resource Management - working on skills and techniques in the 2-crew environment. As far as I know (they haven't let us know much farther than the next day), the rest of the week will be spent on a Differences Course, which teaches the small differences between the Dash 8 300's and Dash 8 100's, which the company owns 17 and 2, respectively (as we will be flying both). I will also be looking for a car to drive and an apartment to live in! 6 weeks of living in a hotel is enough for me, I can't wait to start cooking my own meals again, instead of having to eat at restaurants. As for when I start to fly, I would imagine the in-aircraft training will start in about 3 weeks (yes, lots more ground school to cover before). I will keep this updated, especially when I get to be around airplanes again!

We've got a bit of a tropical depression heading this way by the weekend (as seen with the red and purple!) Horray for Hurricane Season!