Week 14: Rest and recuperation

After a pretty intensive few months, it was a welcome relief to get 6 days off from lectures to enjoy the Christmas holiday season. For the first time in a long time I was able to stay in bed beyond 8am without feeling guilty for getting behind on my studies; that's not to say I didn't do any during the week off, but the pace was a lot more leisurely, more to keep my brain ticking than anything else.

Unfortunately for most the time off didn't start brilliantly, the terrible weather Britain experienced being the main culprit. The drive to my parents normally takes about 2 hours, but 4 became 6 due to the high winds/driving rain closing the QE2 bridge at Dartford, forcing 8 lanes of motorway traffic on the M25 onto just 4 for both directions. For some of my course mates journeying further afield, their flights were cancelled, a trip up to Heathrow their only hope. Not the best start!

Meanwhile, on Christmas eve Gatwick experienced a major power loss due to flooding, which inevitably caused chaos for anyone trying to get away before Christmas day. Fortunately for Gatwick the loss was restricted to the North terminal, but given easyJet's significant presence at the airport and the fact they have to split their operation between the two terminals, just over 80 flights had to be cancelled. Apparently at one point there were Police Officers manning the information desks in an attempt to achieve some semblance of order, as customers became increasingly frustrated (as is expected) as some had lost out on flights the previous day due to the adverse weather. Not a good day to be in the firing line at Gatwick airport!

This week the MPL students received their first Ops newsletter that goes to all crew at easyJet. For the moment a lot of it goes well above our heads, but a section about the various anti-icing scenarios at airports was quite interesting, and it gently demonstrates the number of factors a crew balances when chasing an on-time departure. 

So back to lectures tomorrow where cp112 continue with Radio Navigation, chomping into another big module 2 subject. This week we're fortunate to have New years day off (Wednesday), but given the fact we've just had a week off most are staying in Southampton, and by the sounds of things the majority of the course will be in Oakmount Avenue to celebrate the end of another year. I'm a big fan of that plan.....my walk home will be a matter of metres! Happy New Year all, and you'll hear from me early in 2014.

Week 13: Pressing on and results

During week 13 we continued with General Navigation, finishing up the first of our module two subjects on Friday. In a similar vain to to the first week there were a few more concepts to get our heads around, but again thanks to our instructor Steve everyone seems to be fairly confident of the subject material. However, as engaging as he is, nothing could prevent the inevitable constant email checking on Friday, the first day exam result could be expected!

Basically to cover themselves the CAA (Civil aviation authority) who conduct the exams stipulate the results will be posted a minimum of 10 working days from the final exam, and there is no allowance to collect in person as it would be unfair to those with a "geographic disadvantage". Therefore we were reliant on the Royal Mail bringing their 'A' game, and the millions of Christmas cards not slowing Postman Pat down........and for the patient we were rewarded with our results at 1430 on Friday. I am very chuffed to say I got an average of 96% across my seven exams, and many of my course mates received similar scores proving that hard work pays off. Now about the next seven.....

In addition, for those on the easyJet MPL course (EZM03) we also found out that following our exams we'll be visited by our liaison pilot prior to heading off to New Zealand, and on our return we'll also have the opportunity to tour headquarters up at London Luton, gently bringing us under the bright orange banner. This may seem something of a non-event, but given the monotony of ground school it's very easy to lose sight of the end goal, so a chance to visit my 'office' for the next 30 years can't be bad!

Finally, today I actually had lectures (yes on Sunday) for our first day of Radio Navigation. As horrid as it was to have a one day weekend, our new lecturer Caroline kindly offered to teach today and tomorrow so we get Tuesday (Christmas Eve) off. Unanimously the class thought this was a brilliant idea, so tomorrow afternoon ill be heading straight to my parents for six days off to celebrate Christmas. I intend to eat too much, catch up with friends, and probably enjoy a few jars at the pub, leaving me only to say Merry Christmas and I hope Santa's good!  

Week 12: No rest for the wicked

After a rather boring week of revision, followed by an equally dull week of exams, it was a welcome relief as mentioned to take a weekend out and think of anything but ground-school. My housemate Andy and I found that we were having dreams about exam questions, which has got to be anything but healthy! However all good things come to an end, and on Tuesday cp112 were back at Nursling where we started general navigation. Yippeeeeeeee!

   'GNav' is different to many of the subjects we completed during module one, as there is no way near as much to learn so quantity isn't an issue. That said, what you do learn can at times be complex, or so easy your brain finds a million and one ways to the answer because you refuse to believe it could be that simple! On a personal level, I hadn't used Trigonometry or Pythagoras for probably 10 years yet amazingly my brain still remembers it, so clearly my teachers did a great job hammering it in........and for those of you considering joining, yes i'd recommend reminding yourself how it all works!

As a class, we've also been lucky enough to be taught by one of CTC's newest ground school instructors, Steve Barnes. Without any doubt he's one of the best instructors we've had, not just due to his knowledge of the subject, but also the fact that if someone's wearing a face that says "I have no clue what's going on", he'll spot it and get everyone up to speed before moving on. The other nice thing about GNav is the necessity to draw diagrams rather than just trying to work things out in your head; you don't exactly need to be Michaelangelo, but a picture really does say a thousand words...

On Friday, CTC again had their doors open but for a very special occasion, Pilot Graduation. Given the effort graduates put in to completing the course it's nice to see that at the end there is a celebration of success, as well as an opportunity to show family around the facility. The highlight for most was probably the fact Carolyn McCall (easyJet CEO) was the guest of honour, making a speech and also handing out the various graduation prizes. Unfortunately I was in lectures so couldn't listen in, but it's nice to see the pomp and ceremony that await me in the tail end of 2015. After the ceremony there's a black tie evening affair with guests which is normally held in the function hall at Nursling, but given CTC's increased use of Airbus simulators, by next years ceremony the hall size will have been halved as a new fixed base simulator will be taking up real estate. Therefore by the time I graduate the graduates dinner will be off site (likely in a Marquee), further sugar-coating a special occasion. 

As with module one I find myself back at my desk, either working through notes, Bristol Computer lessons, or using one the question banks for testing. It's not all doom and gloom though; given I've completed  module one plus a week i'm over halfway through ground-school and therefore only a few months from disappearing to the southern hemisphere. Hopefully by the end of next week I will also have my module one results in hand, so Christmas this year could go one of two ways!

Week 11: module one finally over

Finally the week of exams arrived and has passed, and as a course cp112 appeared to be in good spirits with regards to how things went. There were a few questions that the group as a whole struggled with (myself included!), but nothing hideous so hopefully the results aren't too devastating! What I have learnt is to stick with my original answer; in the final question of the final exam I managed to talk myself into switching answers, only to find out 30 seconds later that was a massive mistake!!

As we got a long weekend off I came back up to Essex to see my family, whilst also popping to my old rugby club to watch my friends play (followed by a few cheeky beers). So another day of relaxation, and module two starts with a bang on Tuesday introduced with a monster subject, General Navigation. On the upside, the quicker we get going, the quicker our departure for the Southern Hemisphere arrives! 

Week 10: Revision and the end of Movember!

This week has been completely dominated by revision for the main exams, which start at 0930 tomorrow morning. For most students the question bank seems to be the main method of revision, but given its repetitive nature, revision becomes incredibly monotonous. I personally chose to go into Nursling each day to study, purely because I would find anything and everything to distract me! I wouldn't like to guess how many questions I completed, but hopefully some of them appear in the exams with no nasty surprises!

Away from CTC, yet still relevant easyJet (my eventual employer) posted a 51% increase in profits, equating to a pre tax profit of £478million. I know to some this may seem a dull comment, but given the fluidity of the aviation industry it's a good idea to keep up-to-date, especially when the airline posting the profit is where ill be working! Unfortunately the record profits have also led to parts of the workforce striking as they feel undervalued, proving that even when the going's good not everyone's happy.

As I have two exams in the morning (Principles of flight and Aircraft general knowledge) i'm off to get a bit of last minute revision in. But as promised, below is the final result of my Movember moustache. So reach into your pocket, find a charity box and drop some coins!

Wish me luck!

Week 9: CTC are mocking us!

As previously mentioned, this week saw cp112 take their mock examinations in the seven subjects of module one. These are:-

1. Principles of Flight
2. Aircraft General Knowledge
3. Instrumentation and Autoflight
4. Air Law
5. Meteorology
6. VFR Communications
7. IFR Communications

Unless you're a complete weirdo, exams aren't the most pleasant of experiences, but having the mocks is good practice for the real exams whilst also giving a good indication of how personal learning is going (and therefore which areas need a little more attention!). Fortunately I came through unscathed with an average of 93%, but I still came across a few questions where my knowledge was distinctly lacking so will adjust my revision accordingly. However, as happy as I am with my marks, they make zero difference to my marks next week............so time for my revision to ramp up!

Apologies this post is rather dull, but the week hasn't been particularly interesting! On the upside, by next Sunday the month of November will be over, and for those intrigued ill post a picture of the handlebar moustache that's been living on my face since the start of 'Movember'. And if you respect the cause but don't know me personally, find a charity box and put some coins in; I know movember's for prostate cancer, but any money to charity's a good thing!

Have a good week, and be generous!

Week 8: Module one complete, just a few exams to go....

As the above suggests, I have now completed all instruction for module one, so find myself in the phase of material consolidation for the mocks/final exams. This week cp112 completed Communications which by many is considered a minor subject; that doesn't mean it's any less important, but the scope of the subject is fairly narrow and the lines of questioning reflect this. Given I spent the best part of half a decade in conversation with pilots as a controller i'm fairly confident when it comes to speaking on the radio, but annoyingly the rules I had learnt were for the United Kingdom, and there are subtle (but exact) differences from the ICAO rules (the observant will remember the ICAO being the International Civil Aviation Organisation)

Basically, comms' is the time to understand the alien language heard on the radio, recognise certain scenarios we will be faced with in a professional capacity, as well as building an appreciation of the technology that makes comms' possible. The below gives a taster of the radio traffic for those interested, its a YouTube extract with with the comms' from Heathrow Approach (its long, so just a few minutes will do!)

Heathrow Director R/T sample

As this week hasn't been especially interesting, I thought for the prospective students I would talk about accommodation. Differently to Oxford and FTE, the fact CTC students potentially train at four separate sites (Nursling, Dibden, Bournemouth and Hamilton) means on site accommodation isn't the best idea. Instead, students are grouped into shared houses (except Hamilton which has the purpose built 'Clearways' facility), which are spread across the town in which they're training. In my case, I am living in a large building called Oakmount Mansion, and I can honestly say the standard here is better than most university halls....

my ground school induced prison cell

For some of you this will be your first taste of life away from home, and in some cases also the first time you need to be self-reliant. Basic cleanliness and respect for the fact you are on a professional course of study unfortunately can sometimes be lost on some, and before you call me a 'moaning Michael', let me put things in perspective:-

• If you are on this course you will be close to or over 18, and therefore the argument for 'not knowing' doesn't wash!
• After 18 months you could be second in command of a commercial jet with upwards of 150 passengers......does a level of responsibility like this command nothing less than the highest levels of maturity?
• Through training you will learn quickly how to operate some pretty complex equipment, which you will do without argument.......so not knowing how to operate a washing machine just makes you look incompetent!

These are entirely my own opinions, and in no way am I having a pop at anyone in particular as my course-mates are all top drawer. What i'm basically saying is think wisely about who you are before you even consider penning an application to CTC (or any other flight training organisation). Airline pilots are no longer the jet jockeys from the 'golden age' of aviation; they have become managers and leaders, and this transition is reflected in selection for airline schemes. Aptitude remains an important aspect of selection, but it is no longer the only aspect and those of you not quite mature enough for the role will come up short in the eyes of assessors. This isn't a life lesson, simply food for thought and a catalyst for self-evaluation!

As for my week ahead, first mock on Tuesday with exams continuing through until Thursday, so wish me luck!!

Week 7: The letter of the Law

Unfortunately, as much as we'd all like to jump into a jet and clatter off into the blue yonder, akin to all other walks of life aviation has many rules/laws that must be followed in the pursuit of greater safety. These directives come from what could be seen as the governing body of all things aviation, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), with member states being bound by the standards and recommended practices (SARPS) set out by ICAO, or approved national differences. Given that I am boring myself describing it, the Sherlock Holmes wannabes among you will quickly deduce that a week of Air Law is best described as 'cruel and unusual punishment'! But I did say I would give an impartial insight into training, warts 'n' all!

The subject is very broad, ranging from legislation and licencing (yawn), through to the rules of the air and airfield markings (slightly more relevant). We also looked at Air traffic services, something I am particularly knowledgeable about given I spent a few years stopping aircraft 'bumping' into each other, something which really ruins a holiday. It was this that demonstrated that Air traffic control and the flight deck are still worlds apart in their understanding of each others roles, as the air traffic section was very dumbed down, in the same way that the pilot workload was dumbed down during my training as a controller. However, in an attempt to improve understanding on both sides pilots are getting increasing opportunities to visit the area control centres, whilst controllers are sitting in the flight deck during revenue flights.

As some of you have followed my training (and the above titles) you'll be aware that I have been at Nursling for just short of two months. For those of you considering the training but initially put off by the prospect of 6 months in ground school, I can honestly say that the time flies by. I have 3 days of lectures left, a week of revision/mocks, a week off to revise thoroughly, then in the first week of December I get a crack at my module one exams. Between now and then ill have a birthday which most likely will pass without event due to revision, and also I have to endure having a moustache for three more weeks (thank you 'Movember'). That said, in the grand scheme of things these are all minor sacrifices and irritations for the ultimate goal of zooming round Europe in a shiny jet. I count myself lucky; I could be stuck in a fence while a cow laughs at me.....

Enjoy your week, and watch out for the sly fences that sneak up on you!

Week 6: CTC open their doors.

Firstly, even though the charts and petrified weather reporters suggested the UK was about to turn into a post-apocalyptic landscape, the storm didn't exactly deliver the biblical bad weather that was promised. Highest winds were reported at the Needles lighthouse (~90mph), but given the proximity to Southampton we escaped with a few fallen branches and a re-route to get to Nursling. However, I do believe the below picture summarizes nicely the anticlimax we all experienced:-

This week, cp112 continued and finished Met, and also finished Instrumentation. For those not conversant with the day-to-day operation of aircraft, there are very limited occasions when the pilot flies with visual reference to outside cues, their eyes focusing on the instrument panel and the wealth of information it contains. These instruments display a wide spectrum of information ranging from vertical level, direction, speed and attitude (what the picture out the window would look like if clouds weren't spoiling the view), right through to the systems used for fuel flow, pressure systems and inertial navigation. Obviously to be competent in the role a pilot will understand these instruments, and one of the aims of the course is that students get into the simulator to 'play' with the different systems to further their understanding. Unfortunately for my course this hasn't happened as the sims currently lack capacity, but in time hopefully we get the opportunity. Below is the panel from an Airbus A320, to give a taster of the flight deck environment:-

Away from course studies, CTC had their Autumn open day yesterday (2nd November). These days are an opportunity for CTC to showcase their brand to potential cadets, allow those interested to tour the facility, whilst also bringing together the relevent experts (banks, trainers, past students, selectors etc) to answer any questions candidates come armed with. The recent announcement of this years British Airways Future Pilot Programme brought about plenty of interest, and Lindsay Craig (BA's FPP manager) was in attendance to speak during the main presentations.

These days draw a huge amount of interest, and in 8 hours approximately 600 people made their way through the various sections of Nursling. I volunteered to help, and fortunately found myself rostered in the main simulator hall. Given I am not currently qualified to pilot the sim I was stationed in the queues, talking to potential cadets and answering as many questions as I was able concerning selection and ground school. However, by lunchtime my luck changed and an instructor in the fixed base Boeing 737-800 needed some help. Initially I thought id just be answering questions for a new queue, but as luck had it Paul sat me in the right hand seat of the simulator, and I was talking through the approach and landing with each student flying from the Captains seat. On a personal level this was enormously beneficial to my learning of the various instruments and systems, as I got the best part of 4 hours playing with them and watching them operate. 

As the day wound down and the last of the visitors made their way to the exit, I found myself back in the main sim hall talking to two current First Officers who had recently completed their training. Mid-conversation, Carl Haslem (ex BA Captain) called me over to one of the A320 sims and said he was quickly testing the motion and I could ride the sim. Initially I thought I was just ballast, but as I entered was instructed to strap into the left hand seat as I was about to get a go with full motion and visuals. After an ex-CTC student and current Flybe First Officer completed a circuit from the right hand seat, Carl set us up on runway 27R at Heathrow and instructed me to give it a go. Given that this was new territory for me, the combination of visuals, noise and movement as I advanced the thrust levers left me grinning like a Cheshire cat, and very quickly any thoughts questioning the realism were quickly dismissed. To make matters more interesting I was given an engine failure in the upper air to demonstrate the clever handling characteristic of the Airbus, an engine failure that was never rectified so I had to attempt an approach on a single engine. If I ever needed motivation for my upcoming mocks/exams, that 20 minute flight was the catalyst!

I'm sure your eyes are now bleeding from all the text, so until next week stay lucky!

Week 5: The Weather

My "favourite" place

Week 5 has drawn to a conclusion, and cp112 are now a chunk of their way through Meteorology, the study of the weather. Met is a fairly important subject for pilots to have a thorough knowledge of, as it tends to have the most significant bearing on day-to-day operations, and therefore questions around the topic are often scenario based to help give some context to the information being learnt. The key areas are:-

• The Atmosphere- including altimetry which is a life saving area
• Wind- horizontal movement of air in the atmosphere and further effects
• Thermodynamics- the relationship between temperature and the atmosphere
• Clouds/Fog- whether the sheep are in the sky or on the ground
• Precipitation- rain, snow, hail
• Air Masses- ties in all the previous knowledge into a 3D concept
• Climatology- worldwide differences, seasons
• Flight Hazards- icing, poor vis, thunderstorms (things that might end a flight early)
• Met Info- information to prevent the above! 

As a subject, the majority of pilots I have spoken to have found Met interesting as it is a practical subject which is easily applied on a daily basis. Unfortunately, it is rather vast and therefore the challenge once the material is understood is to keep it from escaping. For some students reading over the topics continuously works, and for others the answer is practice exam questions as the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) have a knack for asking questions in the most difficult to decipher manner. For one element I decided to get a wall map and cover it in arrows and key words so hopefully I retain all the necessary knowledge, especially when it comes to global climatology!

The timing for Met is also brilliant, as Britain this evening is to be pummeled by a large storm created by a deep depression in the North Atlantic. Unfortunately I failed to grab last nights synoptic chart, but below is the situation forecast for midnight tonight, the 27th October. Put simply, the black lines which join points of equal pressure are very close together, and in the same way that close contour lines on a map signify steep slopes, the closeness indicates strong winds.

Separately from my studies, CTC's newest course cp113 had APD1 on Friday. APD means Airline preparation day, and throughout the course CTC use these days to help train cadets for the non-technical skills required to successfully pilot an aircraft. Arguably a monkey could be taught to fly (as I have proven), but to be a good airline pilot requires sounds communication, confident decision making, strong situational awareness as well as a flexible approach to tasks. There is some amount of role play but also group discussion to help the learning progress, and as the course progresses the content of the APD changes to maintain relevant. However, cp113's arrival signals the end of cp112 being CTC's babies, and in only three weeks our instruction for module 1 will be over and the exams will be rapidly approaching! 

Enjoy the storm!

Underway, overworked...

Cadet Uniform items

On Friday, I passed the four week point of my course, which sees CP112 halfway through the instructional element of module 1. In four weeks we have covered:-

• Aircraft general knowledge- Airframe, Hydraulics, Landing gear, Pneumatics, Electrics, Piston engines, Turbines, and logic systems.
• Principles of flight- the theory of flight examining Flying controls, Forces in flight, Stalling, Stability, High speed flight, Operational limits and Propellers
• Instruments- thus far we have covered half of this but have managed Gyroscopes, Magnetism, Sensors and Pressure Instruments

For those of you shy of hard work, this is not the course for you! Unfortunately, given the pace of the course there is no opportunity to rest on your laurels at the end of a days lectures. The only sure way of passing is to immediately consolidate the new information, whilst revisiting previous topics so that they remain fresh. An average day during ground school is:-

• 0900              Lectures
• 1200              Lunch
• 1300              More lectures
• 1600- 1700   Home
• Evening       Grab something to eat and strap yourself in for some study! Personally i'm                            heading to bed somewhere between 10 and 11pm, but that is down to the                            individual. 

CP110 (July Starters) have just done their first set of exams, and CP111 have just done their mocks for Module one, so it won't be long until the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) send an invigilator to oversee the first 7 of ours!

Being at Nursling is also something of a mixed bag. It's great to be on the course and underway, but months of solid ground-school ahead will take it's toll. However, given there are three full motion simulators on the walk from the car park to the classroom, inspiration arrives first thing every morning! I am also in the fortunate position that even though I only get 6 months in New Zealand, as of September next year ill be spending the best part of 6 months in the Airbus A320 simulator due to the specific learning objectives of my MPL course. 

That'll do for this week, and hopefully from now I will be in a position to make a post a week. So look out on Sunday, and ill attempt to find a different topic to let you in on.

Fly safe

Paperwork.....not all fun and games

As mentioned, the posts on this blog are currently rather weak as my course doesn't start until September,  but the wheels are already in motion with regards to administration. I will therefore attempt to give you an impression of what happens between selection and commencing the course.

Initially, acceptance is fairly informal and it's via email, so no changes there. Once you as the cadet have accepted an offer, CTC begin to put together what can be classified as joining instructions, which also serves as a more detailed explanation of the various elements. The key aspects include:-

• Contracts to be signed (for both the main course and the foundation course in New Zealand)
• Information on the specifics of the easyJet MPL
• general run down of the wings course (although the MPL is slightly different)
• Criminal record check through Disclosure Scotland

The joining instructions also give a clearer insight into where your life is going and how long each element will approximately take. Given the timescales quoted and pending no delay, I am forecast to commence base training in March 2015, and hopefully will have passengers on board by the end of the month. Base training is the first time you fly the aircraft you have gained a type rating on; essentially a group of cadets will take an empty easyJet aircraft to a more quiet aerodrome, and attempt to demonstrate what has been learnt in the simulator under the watchful eye of a base training Captain. Pending a successful result, the cadet is then released for line operations in this case across the easyJet European network.

Given base training is comfortably a year and a half away, ill leave it there. But hopefully as the months wear on the content will become more interesting!

In the beginning...

This is my first time writing any sort of blog so please cut me some slack whilst I bed in!

I have recently been accepted onto the new easyJet MPL course flown with CTC, and in September I will be joining the course of CP112 for ground school. I am currently working in the industry as an Air traffic controller, and my title comes from the fact I used to be a bit tubby (thanks to a previous love of Rolo yogurts!). I am now moving to the other side of the fence and fulfilling a life long ambition of career flying, and what better place to start than easyJet!

Flying wise I have a PPL, I instruct on air cadet gliders and I just enjoy enjoy the fun of throwing a plane round. But this type of flying will be very new and no doubt challenging, which I plan to embrace with both hands!

As my course doesn't start for the best part of three months this blog will no doubt go cold, but I plan to keep everyone updated on the intricacies of the MPL course and how it differs from the traditional ATPL. In my opinion, the course will gradually become more popular with the airlines so I find myself in the exciting position of being one of the earlier participants.

For now, enjoy the sunshine and the delight that is the British summer!