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!)
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!!
No comments:
Post a Comment