The Supernumaries
Following the excitement of last weeks extravaganza, the conclusion of the Type Rating brought with it the final step before the operation of the aircraft on the line, in the form of our supernumary jump seats. These consisted of 12 mandatory sectors sitting behind the FO and Captain on routes travelling around the network getting used to the daily routines and the procedures which will become no doubt become 2nd nature in the next few months. For the Supernumaries, we were given the opportunity to choose wherever base we wanted, making this much easier and as such for course FR 133x we parted ways and headed off back to our local bases. For my part however, the nearest is Stansted.. and it really isn’t very near! I therefore selected a city I greatly enjoy and have numerous friends in their final uni years at, thus Bristol became the next best possible option. As well as being a simple train ride from Reading, the city has a unique charm unlike many in the UK together with extremely friendly people which made the whole week all the more rewarding. A delightful and extremly welcoming B&B awaited, and I couldn’t reccomend the Laurels in Winford enough to anyone floating in BRS in the future..
During the week, I’d say the whole of the type rating course came together as we all saw the daily operation on the 737 really fit into place. Whilst we were all just observing, it was an opertunity to put into practice and get used to little things like paperwork, ATC and basic Cabin PA’s- all of which I’ll be honest was slightly daunting at first but is now I think we’re all feeling mildly more comfortable. Perhaps most amusingly, was to get a phone call from a certain Mr Fahy on Thursday evening, who then applauded me on not cocking up (as much as perhaps he’d expect haha) as he heard some of my first few radio calls on Dublin tower that morning, as he waited for us to land so he in turn could take off!.. It is not uncommon as I understand it, from FTE we me all be at different airlines but we’re all on the same airwaves..
As well as Dublin this week, its mainly been Eastern Europe with the sny’s taking me to 3 new countries including Slovakia (Bratislava), and Lithuania (Kaunas).. Even from just viewing from the flight deck with the 25min turnarounds, its evident that these fascinating places are a world apart from the day to day reality of the UK, and have no doubt that in due course in this career these opportunities will become available to experience such places. What was nice each morning was that almost every departure took us towards Compton and then over central London towards the North Sea.. a rather nostaligic sense perhaps but the most amazing feeling to see your own house from the flight deck of a 737 at 39,000ft.
So with the jumpseats over now I guess the next step awaits.. On friday my roster will come out and the dates and base for my line training will be revealed.. Slightly apprenhensive yes.. but finally at long last I’m going to be doing that very job for real.. which all that pain, stress and work has been all about.
Best and I’ll be back with an update soon.
A
