First Day as a new First Officer

[Prairiepilot71]

Hello all!

I have been googling this question and can't come up with a solid answer. I'm currently sitting at 185TT and will be starting my CPL Multi/IFR training next year. Assuming you land a job right after flight school as a first officer on a B1900 or King air or something along those lines. What was your first day like as a first officer? Did your training during flight school prepare you with everything your expected to know? Or do you receive more of the first officer knowledge from company training/sim sessions? I've spread my training out over the past 4 years and did my PPL and majority of time building out of a small airport with a ATF. From that, I feel anxious flying into larger airports and dealing with ATC and what not. I know its a long ways away, but I just feel unprepared for the commercial world. Did anyone else feel this way at my stage? If youd like to share your first day for your employer/airplane. I would love to hear the progression from flight training to sitting left seat in a plane (Or right seat).

Thanks all, first post from a long time reader

[Tail-Chaser]

I remember my first flight from Thunder Bay to a reserve up north. The clearance on the ground was GPS direct. I was just shocked there was nothing else to it. In all my training I'd never had such a simple clearance. The first little while will be a fire hose. Read the books, do what you can to prepare, and ask questions when in doubt.

[iflyforpie]

My first day as a first officer was after a decade and a half of flying with several thousand hours under my belt as well as managerial experience, but all single pilot mostly uncontrolled and all VFR.

My first day, the morning after my initial PPC, started with a Type I and IV spray and ended with me shooting an LPV to almost minimums in a blizzard. I’d never talked on the radio so much nor gave so many briefings nor used so many checklists in all my previous career.

Lots of stuff will be a lot easier than you think. Procedure turns, anything but direct entry holds, full route clearance readbacks are pretty rare. Lots of stuff will be harder than you think. Figuring out alternate minima, cold temp corrections, approach ban and takeoff minima are things you have to deal with regularly.

I picked it up pretty quick through hard studying and upgraded in a manner of months. I’m as comfortable in terminal airspace of a busy international airport as I am in the middle of nowhere, but it’s always a continuous learning process and you can never get complacent.

[Teeg]

I had a few thousand hours teaching people to fly Seminoles... and I distinctly remembering being in the dowinwind at Tbay at 4500 and 250 kts in a Moo2 being told "ya fucked up that descent profile".
Plan ahead. The 3 and 1 rule still applies. Always think about "what if". Im convinced 500hrs is about what it takes to figure out the aircraft/operation... and then you fight complacency.
Good luck

[fish4life]

The advantage is on your first day you can’t get in a mid air because you will be 50nm behind the aircraft

[ant_321]

My first day was a 1200RVR 45kt shit show of a day. When we landed on the 4th leg my brain was still taking off on the first. Maybe if you do sim training with a LOFT type scenario you would be more prepared. My training was in the aircraft and was basically, go up and practice doing the ride a few times then do the flight test. No real training on what happens on a normal flight. You'll be lost just like everyone before you, don't worry you'll figure it out.

[Jack Klumpus]

My first day as an F/O the capt showed up stinking of alcohol and pretty rough shape.

[JeppsOnFire]

My first day I got a cell phone. The old flip phone kind. I was standing with my new chief pilot and the phone rang. I looked at him. He looked at me. It rang two more times. He says - you gonna asnswer that? I ask him - what am I supposed to say..?
He just laughed out loud and walked away.

[jg24]

Being at the PPL level, you still have a lot to learn. Don't worry if you feel unprepared right now, it's normal. You'll learn a lot during your CPL, CPL time building phase, multi-IFR, and IATRA studies (or instructor rating).

Your company will give you supplemental training after you are hired. They will teach you about the company SOPs, the aircraft etc... You will be sent to a sim training center or do the training in house, depending on the aircraft and company. The first couple days will be rough, but absorb all you can, take note, and push to progress. Enjoy the ride too.

My first day as an FO, I had no friggin' clue what I was doing. I was as useful as the chock blocking the tire. Granted, the preparation and training the company gave was pretty garbage as well. After the first day, I realized how to approach things, and it went much smoother from then on.

[trey kule]

Ok. Your first day.
After your third review in the mirror, you should text your Captain and confirm what he wants in the coffee you are going to bring him.
Park in the very farthest spot in the parking lot to show your respect and consideration for others.
Try not to bump into anything because you can’t see anything with your shades on in the terminal.
Never, never, touch anything in the cockpit. It is all about safety.
Remember to use the three required phrases.
1. Nice landing
2. Must have been a wind gust
3. I’ll take the ugly one.....( not discriminatory...you biased b’tards. Women FOs can use this phrase too,)

That should do it. Your successful career is assured.

[Lowellson]

The parking spot line killed me. Stuff like that crossed my mind for real, back in the day. haha

[confusedalot]

From an old and retired guy.....
Time has put me into both seats, so of course I was a first officer. And of course I was the asshole in the left seat
NEVER assume that you have no say in the right seat. Sure, for the first few months, everything is new so it is an adjustment period. After that, you get more and more comfortable. Then, you become captain. It's not rocket science. It's only exposure to the environment.
The rules say that someone has to be held accountable. Those rules say that it is the pilot in command.
That is the only difference between the two seats. Otherwise, both do the same job.
Now, people being what they are, some are great to work with, some not so much. That is a fact of life. So don't worry too much about the jerks. Move on and forget about them. You will be on the other seat pretty soon.
Cheers

[HansDietrich]

I remember flying for the first time on the right seat of a turboprop. I was a little nervous, but I was lucky enough to have my friend as a captain. I felt very at ease with him.

The number one thing I told myself is: "You worked hard to be here and completed every stage of your training / exams. You earned this and you're here because you're qualified to be here. Now listen to the guy on your left and keep learning. You got a nice shiny license to learn."

I also made sure that every morning / afternoon I came to work prepared. I knew where I was going, studied my plates, reviewed airport procedures, read through the SOPs, emergencies, limitations, etc. I also took a lot of (ATC) notes. To this day I write down every clearance (on the ground). We have enough stuff to memorize. You don't need to memorize clearances and squawk codes.

I also asked a lot of questions during my line indoc. It's the perfect time to clarify things that were either a little fuzzy, or didn't know to ask. Training can't possibly cover every scenario. You learn as you go along. Even now, as a captain I learn things from my F/Os. Some of them know that aircraft manual better than I do.

Nobody expects you to be perfect your first day.

[KenoraPilot]

Remember to have fun! & everything everyone else said

[fliter]

Don't worry! Everyone feels that way, and anyone who says they don't is either lying or is too stupid to recognize their own level of incompetence, lol!

I think a lot will depend on where you end up for your first multicrew job. Mine was a big jump from a 172 to the Q400 with a well-respected regional operator, so a cut or two above a place like Georgian on a B1900, Bearskin etc. (Please, no holy wars... I'm not bashing those companies; I'm just saying they don't put in as much time to train you; that I know for a fact since I have lots of friends in those companies, and can objectively compare things like number of initial sim sessions, number of line indoc sectors, length of ground school etc.) On the one hand, it was a big transition, compared to the guys who had at least a few hunderd hours in a Metro or a King Air or even a Navajo under their belts. On the other hand, some things were made easier because the training program was so rigorous, thorough and structured, and also because the plane is so easy to fly due to automation (when nothing is broken, that is).

Anyway, despite a lot of sim training on both normal and emergency procedures, I was NOWHERE near comfortable on my first line indoc flight. In fact, I told the training captain the truth on that first day - that I'd only flown planes 20-30 times lighter up to that point, and that I had only seen the inside of a cloud a handful of times, and that I felt kind of overwhelmed. He reassured me that I had earned the right to be where I was, since I passed all the required training up to this point, and that it was normal to be nervous. No one expects perfection; they just want to see that you come prepared, so learn those SOPs, approaches, company procedures etc. That made me feel more at ease, but then I still had a moment of hesitation on the runway, since I was PF on that first leg. I put my hand on the power levers and said "I can't believe this is happening... I guess I'm really about to do this". I thought about all the passengers at the back... they must have assumed they were being flown by a qualified experienced crew, and not by a completely lost dumbass who has no idea what he's doing... LOL! I really was a fine mess on that first day! I got through it all just fine though... you just have to keep studying and reviewing and asking questions and paying attention.

For now you can still work on some stuff that gives you trouble. Nav Canada has a VFR radio phraseology guide, for example. Study it, listen to some ATC Live feeds for busy airports, and then go to busier controlled airports for your time-building... and get flight following on the way too! Go with an instructor first if you are really nervous about talking to ATC, although trust me, you're probably not anywhere the worst ATC has seen. I have controller friends too, and spent quite a few hours hanging out in control towers, and let's just say that if you're a reasonable person and ask for a clarification if you don't understand an instruction, and don't turn left when told to turn right, you should be able to survive just fine.

Anyway, good luck, and don't worry about it too much! Just keep a positive attitude, work hard, and you should be just fine!

[yycflyguy]

Hello all!

I have been googling this question and can't come up with a solid answer. I'm currently sitting at 185TT and will be starting my CPL Multi/IFR training next year. Assuming you land a job right after flight school as a first officer on a B1900 or King air or something along those lines. What was your first day like as a first officer? Did your training during flight school prepare you with everything your expected to know? Or do you receive more of the first officer knowledge from company training/sim sessions? I've spread my training out over the past 4 years and did my PPL and majority of time building out of a small airport with a ATF. From that, I feel anxious flying into larger airports and dealing with ATC and what not. I know its a long ways away, but I just feel unprepared for the commercial world. Did anyone else feel this way at my stage? If youd like to share your first day for your employer/airplane. I would love to hear the progression from flight training to sitting left seat in a plane (Or right seat).

Thanks all, first post from a long time reader

You never stop learning. From either seat. Embrace that and you'll be fine.

[shimmydampner]

No one expects perfection; they just want to see that you come prepared, so learn those SOPs, approaches, company procedures etc.

THIS!
As a training captain, nothing bothers me more than when a person shows up to sim or line indoc unprepared. You could be a 5000 hour prodigy that can fly like the love child of . Yeager and Bob Hoover but if you show up not knowing your stuff, neither of us are going to have a good time, you least of all. Conversely, you could be a 250 hour guy that can't yet fly your way through a normal circuit, but if you've put in the work to know your stuff cold, you'll get a lot of patience and help to get you through it.

[EPR]

I fondly remember my first revenue flight as a new First Officer on a turbo-prop, I felt ready to fly the aircraft after getting my five hours of right seat training. I showed up early, put my "Rampy" skills to work by getting the plane loaded and ready to go. Passengers loaded, safety briefing done and pre start after starts completed....It was at that moment ..I realized that all my training had been as Pilot flying and not as PNF, and this wasn't my leg...now what.. Talk about stumbling through shit!

[DHC-1 Jockey]

First day flying out of and into YYZ in the mighty Dash 8:

Taxiing out, we were number 20 for departure, and ground said to us "Tower 118.35." I figured that meant contact the tower. When I did, and told them we were ready in sequence, the Tower controller said "You have 20 in front of you. What do you want me to do about it!?!"

I didn't realize we were just supposed to monitor tower frequency.

Coming back to YYZ, we landed on 24L, and I switched to ground frequency before crossing 24R. I figure we're on a taxiway, so I should be on ground frequency!

Never, EVER switch to ground between the runways unless you want every controller to yell at you on the way in and make you call the tower supervisor. After, my captain was laughing though and said "Oh yeah, I should have given you a heads up about those things."

I walked around with my tail between my legs the rest of the day lol.

[MrAviator19]

My first day as FO:

I was sent to do a charter into the most northern civilian settlement in North America - Grise Fiord, Nunavut - into a 1700 ft. gravel strip, which at the time was covered in snow and ice. Needless to say, that landing was carried out by the Captain who is a good friend of mine and has a lot of experience flying in the bush. Between the complete darkness of the High Arctic, the challenging mountainous terrain and the GPWS barking "PULL UP! PULL UP!" (normal for that approach but my Captain friend just forgot to warn me of that prior to flight lol), it was the most "special" flight of mine to date. We ended up in Resolute Bay that night after dropping off the charter party in Grise Fiord.

The next day, shortly after take-off from Resolute Bay, the Captain's altimeter and altitude selector conked out. 10 seconds later the GPS went blank! So we resorted to using altitude readouts from my altimeter and using Foreflight to align ourselves on to the final and then using the ILS for that runway. What was to be a one-night layover in Resolute Bay turned into three!