An MD-80 of my own.

My own MD-80...didn't say it was a real one, it even fits in the garage!


As most pilot wives will tell you training is a time where you (generally) want to become an alcoholic (if you aren't one already), or at the very least throw your phone across the room often when talking to your spouse.

John's most annoying trait in training is that he just spaces out, I'll tell him something and he will ask me the same question 2 min later (not that he doesn't do this normally just worse during training.) I have to admit John is actually pretty good in training compared to some I have heard about. Not that I can blame any of them training is ALWAYS stressful! There are so many things they HAVE to pass otherwise it goes on their record and, in all reality, would probably make it hard for them to get another job at a different airline. In a way I think it's kind of unfair, when you were in college did you NEVER fail a test? I really doubt it, you probably failed at least one, but our guys aren't allowed to have a crap day and fail one (and when I saw fail I mean below an 80!). Now if you fail a bunch of them..well...that's a problem. But because of all this the stress level tends to run really high.

In my book there are varying degree's of training. For instance initial (anywhere) is really bad, it's a new plane to them, (most likely) a new company with a new set of procedures, and of course the added stress that first year pay equals what a McDonald's manager would make, maybe.

Then there is Captain upgrade; still stressful because of the tests, but in my book not quite as bad, after all it's usually the same plane they have been flying just from a different set and different responsibilities.

Then there is recurrent (I think that's what it's called) basically it's a test once (maybe twice, not sure how often it happens a year). This is the least stressful (well it is in my book) since they are already flying the plane, and have been for a while, it's kind of like a check-up at a dr to make sure everything is going alright. Not to undermine any of the checks/test/upgrades, they are ALL stressful.

So John has had a nice 3 weeks off, since they only have 2 sims and 18 people to use them! But now its time to crack the whip again, so for the last few days John has been spending lots of time in front of the MD-80 "sim" in our house. His "sim" comprises of 3 posters which he has hung (approximately in the right place) in the garage. There are a number of "flows" he has to memorize before he went back. As far as I can tell "flows" are a list of things to do. This is where I come in, I get to sit next to him and ask him to do fun things such as "First Officer Before Taxi Flow." Then I get to sit there and watch him while he lists everything off and pushes imaginary buttons on a poster. Now I don't know what the annunciator is, does, or why you need one, but I sure know where it is now. I think I could safetly say I could fly one...just not land one if anyone remembers my post on trying to land a corsair sim.......


So I think I am ready for my own MD-80 (and not just posters) they only run about 4 million and shoot dead dino's out almost as fast as you can fill it!