And then there's always the ol' oddball that provides the exception that breaks the rule.
In the TRACOM and RAG and early airline days I was 'smarter' in the air -- and learned more 'rapidly' in the air -- than sitting in any ground-bound chair ever created ... I just usually zoned or fell asleep in the chair.
The last 10-15 years in the airlines, while compatriots studied for 1-2 MONTHS prior to a checkride ... I never cracked a book. Seriously ... I figured I either 'knew it', or I didn't.
Of course .... I failed every checkride I took in the last 10-15 years.
I gotta agree with the old guy on this one, except on failing every checkride. Haven't busted one so far (knock on wood). Yet, I fucked away every stand up EP...literally every single one I got called out for. However, I've NEVER had a problem going into an EP sim. I prepare, chair fly, know my shit and do my best. I had/have a much better ability to feel/react and make a decision when I'm in the seat in the plane or sim than I did at attention, in front of a douchebag FAIP with all of 400 hours in an airplane. It's much easier to convince people that your decision was the right one when the plane is safe on deck in a sim, vice talking thru an EP in excruciating detail and driving the situation to a logical conclusion.
"Sir, a boldface applies. Ejection handle - pull. I will accomplish the boldface by moving my left hand from the throttle to the yellow and black ejection handle while simultaneously trimming the aircraft up and pointing towards and uninhabited area with my right hand, after which I will put my right hand on the ejection handle, tuck my elbows in, chin and neck back and down and pull up on the ejection handle." SIT DOWN, let training know you failed again...you forgot to pause for the hyphen in the boldface! (hyperbole, but similar to a few of my sit downs)
Yea...because all that bullshit was helpful in teaching me the flare sight picture, or rudder inputs during a go around, or how to actually react when the pressure is on. I don't buy that line of bullshit at all...the whole, doing it in front of your peers at attention is a good simulation of the pressure of dealing with it in the airplane. It ain't. I don't like speaking in public. I don't like standing at attention. I suffered in EPs, as a result. Review stage, or Fly 7/Sim 12 (compound EP hell) were great examples of flying with a helmet fire and working through EPs under as close to actual pressure as possible.
As far as in flight EPs at UPT..sure, we had them. They usually started with "ok, knock out these next two passes and request direct high key for an ELP" Navy in flight EP's usually start with a "vrooom" as number 1 winds down to 200# of torque and an associated fire warning light goes off at 300 feet followed by "welp, whatcha gonna do now, stud?" from the IP, or they started as smoke and fumes in the cockpit followed by shooting an NDB single engine to mins. Apples and oranges. The pain of flight school is manufactured, either way, but I'd prefer the Navy way all day having experienced the hazing in both. Air Force UPT hazing just came off as douchebaggery for the most part (why the fuck am I buying IPs I don't like beer, again? yea...fuck that)... the Navy haze seemed to have some semblance of reasoning behind it. The air force pressure was manufactured by being consistently double scheduled, 5 days a week, for 3-4 months straight. Hook the morning ride? Good thing you've got that middle period off to lick your wounds and get right back in the plane for the afternoon end of block ride/check ride. Fail that? Tough shit...better not fuck up that I-ride tomorrow morning, or you're looking at an 88 in the afternoon. Rinse and repeat.
And as far as the pissing contest, my apologies...starting one wasn't my intent. Now that we're here though...what's that saying about wrestling with a pig?
