PIREP 1
Be prepared!! you will probably only get one chance on both the interview ride and the CAAC ride. If you fly for a carrier that doesn’t use Airbus procedures, start studying the Airbus program before you come over if possible. I will try to get electronic copies of the procedures, or at least enough to study from posted here soon. They also like to give multiple failures, dual hydraulic, eletrical emergency, etc. They like to test your memory items i.e. TCAS, windshear, loss of braking, emergency descent. They definately want you to act like a captain, make decisions and take action. I think because a lot of the Chinese airports have only one piece of concrete, they like to give strong crosswinds during your rides, right up to the limitations. So be prepared!
PIREP 2
Some things that have come up on several of the Juneyao simulator evals that you might want to know if you are preparing for the interview:
1: In China, “Fly heading —“; actually means “Fly track —“; Either correct for the wind yourself (in HDG/VS mode) or use TRACK/FPA mode (the bird).
2. APPCH NAV is not used in China. Because their coordinates do not conform to WGS84, all nonprecision approaches are flown SELECTED/SELECTED using the bird. You, of course, can still use LOC mode for a LOC only approach, but use the bird to fly the vertical portion. If your previous airline did not use the bird, explain this to the instructor beforehand so that he knows you are using an actual procedure rather than making things up as you go along. However, if you are able to get some experience with the bird before you come to the eval and are able to use the Airbus FCOM procedure, it will eliminate some confusion.
3. Sometimes the instructor will tell you before the evaluation (or not) that you are automatically cleared for an approach when he vectors you toward the final approach course. Do not mistake this to mean that he is going to continue to vector you to within the standard 30 degrees of the approach course. Usually, he will give you a 90 degree base turn (or something akin to it) and expect you to do the rest on your own. He probably won’t tell you that you are cleared for the approach because, once again, he is assuming that he has vectored you toward the course and that you will take over from there. He might say, "Report localizer", but that is it. If there is any confusion, clarify with him. Do not fly through the localizer. If you are not ready for the approach, do not take the turn toward the localizer and expect delay vectors back and forth across it. Instead, do an orbit somewhere.
4. “Visual”; and “VOR” often sound the same coming out of a Chinese person’s mouth. Clarify if there is confusion.
5. Be prepared to do a manually flown, raw data, single engine ILS. Again, use the bird for this once the autopilot and flight director are turned off. Not everybody has had to do this on their sim evals, but it has happened enough times that you should be prepared for it.
6. If your V1 cut procedure is different than what is in the Airbus FCOM, explain to the instructor the procedure that you are planning to use.
7. Engine fire on take off: They expect you to start the ECAM and start turning back to the airport at 400 AGL, or as soon as possible, and to keep the approach tight.
8. The sim evaluation is conducted at China Eastern’s training center in Shanghai. They have some very nice sims there, but you won’t be using them for the eval…unfortunately. So, just expect that some of the knobs and switches will be INOP and work around them as best you can. Also, be aware that the FMGS nav database is out-of-date and does not match some of the approach plates. A little frustrating, but again, just work around it the best you can. They are noting how you handle such issues (in terms of personal attitude and CRM skills).
9. You may have a translator in the sim with you (some of the instructors have poor English) but expect communication errors anyway. When these errors happen, STAY CALM!
10. Instructors often get pulled into doing these late night sim evals at the last minute. Thank him profusely for coming and argue with him as little as possible if a difference comes up in terms of procedure.
PIREP 3
The LOC 36 at Shanghai’s Hongqiao airport is often used on sim evaluations and checkrides at Juneyao. If you have a lot of other things going on and do not review the approach carefully, you can get mixed up easily.
PIREP 4
The Sim profile check ride by Juneyao was like this:
We were placed at the head of the runway then we took off and we had an engine failure that we resolved through ECAM actions. Then we were advised ATC about the emergency also advised the cabin’s Chief and the company that we had an emergency and needed to go back.
Then we took a few vectors for an ILS approach to runway with crosswind, the autopilot was disconnected and we went to minimus, go-around, and did a visual pattern and an approximation in raw data with a crosswind of 38 knots, then fully landed,
And finally we did a rejected takeoff just before V1. This was my SIM check.
I hope this information is useful to everyone.
Anonymous Captain
PIREP 5
The sim session consisted of three Take offs and landings.
1. Normal take off with two engines, visual circuit and land back at the same runway from which departed, wind component is 15 Kts. Crosswind. (90 degrees) weather conditions VMC
2. Normal take off with two engines, visual circuit and land back at the same runway from which departed, wind component is 30 Kts. Crosswind. (90 degrees) weather conditions VMC
3. Take off with a engine failure after lift off, radar vectors for N-1 ILS approach and land back at the same runway from which departed, wind component is 15 Kts. Crosswind. (90 degrees) weather conditions IMC for CAT I (200 ft. Ceiling/ 800 mts. Visibility).
For the all take off the use of FD ( Flight Director ) and AP ( Auto Pilot) is allow and also it can be performed hand flight and raw data.
I hope this information is helpful to you.