What happens on your first day at an airline.
Hello, and welcome to the Lessons From the Line column. As a way of quick introduction, we, the authors of this column (Richard, Andrew, and Jolanda) have flown at the regionals and majors, domestically and internationally, in the right and left seats, Airbus and Boeing, civilian and military, and have flight instructed, served as line check pilots, worked in pilot recruiting and interviewing, as well as racking up extensive volunteer experience as pilot union representatives.
We are also the authors of The Airline Transition Manual (www.airlinetransition.org) – a complete guide to managing your airline career. Collectively we have a century’s worth of experience, and we have been graciously invited by the AirlineGeeks to share our thoughts and life lessons from the line with you.
Congratulations! You made it. You are hired at an airline and you are now preparing for day one of class. But first, reflect back on how you got here: how you set your goals, how you overcame setbacks, what skills you learned along the way, who helped you, and then pat yourself on the back for a job well done.
When you walk through the doors of your new airline, take a moment to appreciate where you are and what you have accomplished. Take a picture of the area, yourself, and your classmates; you will thank yourself thirty years from now when you are creating your retirement photo gallery.
You are now on to the next phase of your career. Although this is a time to celebrate, it is also a time to prepare yourself (and your family and friends) for a busy time ahead. Training is not only time consuming, but can be stressful as well. Below are several things to consider for putting an indoc plan together before heading off to the training center.
Airline indoctrination (“indoc”) programs typically run for about two weeks. During this time, you will be introduced to company culture and policy, fitted for uniforms, complete insurance and company forms, get a tour of the facilities, and listen to managers talk about your job, their expectations, and the future of the company. You will receive information from the human resources department on pay, benefits, and leave policies, as well as perform emergency training, complete fingerprinting and drug testing (if not completed prior to arrival), take a picture for your new crew badge, and many more somewhat mundane tasks.
Day one of this program is typically set up to welcome you and introduce you to everything that is going to follow over the next two weeks. Expect the company to makes copies of required documents, pass out company materials including e-tablets, complete badging procedures, and provide you with an itinerary of the events and training that will follow.
During this time, the company will continue to evaluate you as a candidate. This is not the time to go out and party until 3 a.m. for a 6 a.m. get up and to go to class. Moderation is always the key during training. Remember, you are being watched and you are on probation. New-hire pilots can and do get dismissed from training for inappropriate and irresponsible behavior all the time. You worked so hard to get here, do not blow it over a night of $1 tallboys and mechanical bull riding!
Each airline runs indoc a little differently and with varying degrees of logistical support. In order to make certain you have a solid plan for getting to and completing indoc, make sure you can answer the following questions:
Does your airline pay for lodging while in training? If not, do they have a recommended hotel or is there a discount available? Will you have a hotel room with a refrigerator for storing some food and drinks – eating out every night for two weeks gets expensive. Does it have a restaurant, is breakfast included, and (if you’re interested) do they have a fitness room? Is there a crew room in the hotel where you will have access to a microwave if you need it, or is one provided in your room? How close is the hotel to the training site – can you walk, or does the hotel or company provide transportation to it? Should you drive your car to training? If not, do you need to rent one? Is the parking area for the hotel or training site safe? If you live in the area, should you go home each night or stay at the hotel?
Generally, airlines provide positive space air transport to their training center’s location – just make sure you know how to book your seat if you intend to travel by air and how to get from the arrival airport to the training facility and hotel.
During training, most companies will provide lunch once or twice. This usually happens on the first and last days of indoc and is typically something like sandwiches. A representative of the pilot’s union will also stop by at some point bringing pizzas or sandwiches as well, but for the most part you are on your own for food. There might be an on-site cafeteria, or food trucks outside if you’re lucky; otherwise, it might just be a hallway with some vending machines. So, before you head to indoc, it’s a good idea to figure out what the food situation is at the training facility and do a quick search of the local area to see if there is a grocery store or restaurants nearby should you need it.
And remember, it’s important to stay hydrated, so keep the water coming and try to stay away from too many sugary drinks and overly caffeinated beverages, and moderation with regard to alcohol during the evening gatherings is imperative.
Pack to have comfortable, conservative, rip-free clothing. Except for picture day (usually on day one and or graduation), there will be few formal days. Some airlines have dress codes and require business or business casual attire (no jeans and sneakers); so make sure you know what the requirements are and dress accordingly. This might mean you need to do a little shopping before you head to indoc.
Often the classrooms and flight simulators are either very cold or very warm; therefore consider dressing in layers. Also, have comfortable shoes for the simulator – leave the high heels and long-toed dress shoes for formal events, and save the flip-flops for the beach.
Definitely exchange contact information. Consider forming small study groups, especially if you are new to flying larger, more complicated aircraft. Often, someone in the class will start a text group for everyone to join. Not only is this group good for exchanging information on scheduling and training experiences, but after training, for sharing information on Initial Operating Experience (IOE), commuting, parking, crashpads, base and domicile issues, etc.
As soon as you receive notification of your new-hire status and indoc training, put your plan together and follow all instructions provided by the company. There is going to be a lot of information and tasks to be completed coming your way very quickly. Be prepared to show up on day one ready to train and with all pre-indoc tasks completed (as outlined by the company), and with all the required documents – usually pilot and medical certificates, passport and or green card, FCC license, birth and marriage certificates, bank information for direct deposit, etc.
Do not wait until the last minute to complete tasks and put your plan together. There is plenty of stress once you start systems and aircraft training, so don’t add to it by showing up unprepared for indoc.
If you would like more recommendations and a complete explanation on how the airline pilot profession works and how you can best manage it, pick up your physical or e-book copy of The Airline Transition Manual at www.airlinetransition.org.
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