Pilot's Six Month Check Ride for Propeller Driven Aircraft

Voluntary Certification
 

Last Updated January 13, 2007

Real World...

Every six months, Airline Pilots flying under Part 121 FAR are required to pass a Check Ride that is usually given (as of this post) in one of the company’s Level 4 (Delta) full motion flight simulators.  This Check Ride usually involves three or more people within the simulator itself.  There is the Flight Crew (Captain and First Officer) a Simulator Operator (who might also carry the title of Company Check Airman) and any additional crew members (Flight Engineer or FAA Check Airman).  The emphasis is on crew communications and coordination taking into the concepts of crew (cockpit) resources management.

Additionally, correct use of the company’s approved Check Lists to include Memory Items and correct interpretation of Tab Data and manufacture’s schematics (within the Flight Operations / Performance Manuals) are expected for successful completion of this recurrent training.  After refresher training is completed, the pilots return to their respective hubs to resume normal flight operations.

Our Program...

The following Six Month’s Check Ride is a combined effort of the WestWind Training Center and a number of Category Five Test Pilots. The following scenario has been tested and checked for accuracy and it has been determined that the Beech 1900 WestWind airliner will pass this Check Ride.  It should be noted that completion of this Check Ride is NOT required to remain a pilot in good standing within WestWind, VA.   This Check Ride is purely voluntary and has no effect on any pilot status.  It is presented to show what a real airline expects of its pilots and as a challenge to all WestWind Captains.

Figure 1, Cockpit view 737 Full Motion Flight Simulator

Figure 2, Airbus A320 Full Motion Simulator

This Check Ride will take place within the virtual world of the WTC and it is assumed that the Captain is under training in one of the companies full motion flight simulators.  As of this post, only the Beech 1900 has been tested for this Check Ride.  The training scenario will take place at the FAA Test Center, Atlantic City, NJ (KACY).  This site is selected due to its sea level elevation and the ability to do a circling approach to another runway.  Also, Atlantic City offers long runways and the trainee will not have to worry about any mountains or high elevations.   

            A quick word on airline safety in general.  I realize that this post might be read by the general public and I want to take a moment to reflect on the safety of airlines.  Although successful completion of this scenario represents correct actions in flying an airliner during emergency conditions, the overall safety record of the US airlines is nothing short of outstanding.  Real airlines practice for emergency operations but the truth is that there are very few incidents or accidents.  One is far more likely to have a mishap by driving the family auto than flying as a passenger with any US carrier.  This presentation is a reflection of how real airline pilots are trained and their abilities to handle emergency conditions. 

            We will use the following approach plate.  If this plate is unreadable on your computer system, please go to the following address and print out a good copy.

http://avn.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco/online/d_tpp

In the download section select digital - TPT, 
Select the latest product.
Select NJ on the map. Type in KACY and select ICAO: Select ILS RWY 13 (pdf file)

The following virtual training mimics the concepts of Line Orientated Flight Training (LOFT) and takes into account Dr. Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy of cogitative, psychomotor and affective domains.  Whereas real airline simulator training involves coordination between crew members, our virtual world recognizes that a WestWind Captain is “on his own” as to the correct responses (and applications) to the different subject task areas.  It is suggested that you print out this whole presentation as you will need it to successfully accomplish this Six Month’s Check Ride. 

            This scenario will involve a takeoff in a WestWind Beech 1900 airliner and just after reaching an altitude of 500 feet you will loose an engine. You will continue the takeoff and once airborne secure the affective engine per the Emergency Check List (if you have one available). The Emergency Check List will not be accomplished below 1000 feet AGL (above ground level). The holding patterns, which are depicted on the approach plate, are best entered by the use of a “tear drop entry”.  Remember that the primary requirement of any emergency condition is to fly the plane first!  Do not get so overextended into procedures that the airliner gets into any unusual attitudes and then becomes uncontrollable.  The autopilot will be your best “friend”. 

Figure 4, Lockheed’s “Connie”, number one engine shut down and propeller feathered.

Initial Microsoft Flight Simulator Setup...

1. Position the WestWind Beech 1900 at Atlantic City Airport (KACY) Runway 4.
2. On your FS menu go to World, Weather, User defined weather, Customized weather.
3. Set the Wind direction to 40 degrees, Wind speed Heavy (24 kts), Visibility 2mi / 3.2km, Precipitation Very heavy,  Clouds: Overcast. 
4. Click on Advance Weather. For clouds set the lower bar to 1000 feet and the upper bar to 4000 feet (Tops (MSL 4000 / Base MSL 1000). Precipitation, you may use rain or snow depending on when (what season) you are doing the Check Ride (Captain’s choice).  All other selections you may set for default.  It is the Captain’s option to fly this Check Ride during the day or night (both times have their advantages). 
5. If flying during the winter Captains will observe the probability of icing and plan accordingly (Anti-ice On, Pitot heat On).

The Check Ride...

1. Your initial ATC clearance is “Fly runway heading, climb to 2000 feet squawk 1300”. Complete your Before Takeoff Checklist (Takeoff Flaps, FD On and YD On, Heading Bug 040, Altitude set for 2000 feet, Squawk on the Transponder set for 1300), Set Atlantic City VOR to 108.6 in your standby NAV 2 VOR radio.  Set NAADA 336 in your ADF.
2. Set the Aircraft Lights as appropriate (day or night takeoffs).
3. Commence Takeoff.
4. Raise gear and flaps.
5. At 500 feet FAIL one of the engines.  It is your choice as to which engine to fail.  DO NOT PERFORM ANY EMERGENCY CHECKLIST OR MEMORY ITEMS UNTIL REACHING 1000 FEET.  Important FLY THE AIRLINER FIRST.
6. After leaving 1000 feet you may perform the Engine Failure Emergency Checklist by going to Pause (P on the keyboard) Pull down menu (Alt on the keyboard) Aircraft, Failures / Engine and place a checkmark on the engine you failed. Un- pause the simulator by hitting keyboard letter P again. 
7. Engage the autopilot but put a very low rate of climb (400 feet per minute tops).  Continue to climb to 2000 feet.  Place 7700 on the radio transponder.
8. Upon reaching 2000 feet ATC will clear you as per the following clearance “Left Turn Direct to ACY (108.6) VOR. Climb to 2300 and via the ACY Radial 090 to Smits Intersection (11 DME) hold as published”.  USE THE AUTOPILOT and easy on the rate of climb.
9. After reaching ACY VOR left turn to 090 and set 090 as a radial on your VOR.  You will have to set a “crab”  (heading  less that 090) to correct for the high cross wind (suggest 080 on the heading)
10. Follow the ACY 090 radial outbound to 11 DME (SMITS Intersection) and perform a teardrop entry.  You accomplish this by turning right to 135 on the heading and start a one minute count when your wings are level.  Reset the VOR needle to 270 degrees (inbound course).  At the end of a minute turn left to 315 degrees on the heading.  Now you might have to crab to the right for a right crosswind.  When you reach 11 DME turn left for the outbound hold (090 degrees) and start the time of one minute when you complete the turn and wings are level.  The reason we are holding is to “dump” some fuel.  Go to your Pull Down Menu and select Aircraft, Fuel and Payload.  Reduce the fuel load (Change Fuel) to 75 percent by having 0 fuel in Left and Right Aux and 75 percent fuel in the Left and Right Main tanks.  After dumping fuel and after one minute has passed turn left to a heading that will center the airliner on the 090 radial (suggest 300 degrees on the heading until VOR needle centered).  At 11 DME left turn outbound in the holding pattern.  After one minute has passed, turn left back to Smits. At this point, you will get the following clearance from ATC.  “Cleared to the Atlantic City VOR then direct NAADA LOM / IAF and hold as published”.
11. After reaching ACY VOR turn right and track the yellow needle on your RMI to NAADA.
12. After reaching NAADA turn left to 260 degrees on the heading.  Descend to 1900 feet. You are doing another teardrop entry to correctly hold at NAADA.  On this heading of 260 degrees start to count one minute. 
13. While you are entering the hold at NAADA, ATC gives you the following clearance “Cleared for the ILS RWY One Three approach circle to land on Runway Four”.  Turn right to a heading of 080 and set up the ILS frequency in your radio (109.1) with a course of 128 degrees set.  Set approach flaps. When you are centered on the Loc you may descend to 1600 feet.
14. When you see “one dot above” on the Glide Slope you may lower your landing gear.  Now, here is the really important part. Descend to 800 feet only.  You should see the ground and if you do turn right to a heading of 220 degrees.  You are now on a left downwind to Runway Four. Look out the left side of the plane and see if you can see the runway.  If you can see the runway, continue to circle around for a landing.  Keep the landing runway (Runway Four) in sight at all times.  If you loose site of it you must do a missed approach which is a “climb to 600 feet, then climbing left turn to 2300 feet via ACY R-090 to SMITS Int / ACY 11 DME and hold.
15. As you circle around for a landing you will complete the Landing Checklist and when landing is assured (for Runway Four) go and apply Landing Flaps.  I would consider this as a Captain’s option.  In the real world I might land with Approach Flaps only.

OK, how did you do?  This is an extremely hard and long Check Ride.  It is not for the “faint of heart” and might take several tries to accomplish.  One last thought.  Remember to Fly THE PLANE FIRST and consider the autopilot as your best friend.  This is a real challenge for any pilot (real or virtual).  Remember that you cannot crash! 

I want to thank our Test Pilots for their efforts in proofing this Check Ride before posting to the WestWind site.  A special thanks go to: 

Senior Command Captain Gene Popma, Chicago Hub
Senior Command Captain Kim R. Stolt, Boston Hub
Command Captain Ian Crawford, Boston Hub
Senior Captain Greg Gott, Boston Hub
Senior Captain Daryl Nybe, Denver Hub

Regards to all, 

Ed Ward, Jr.
Chief Pilot
WestWind, VA

"Footnote: This Check Ride was written to be generic to all WestWind Airliners.  It is recognized that, in the real world, each specific Type may have its own special requirements, limitations and considerations for the appropriate handling of any emergency condition". 

Contact Ed Ward, Jr., Chief Pilot, WestWind VA.

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