Educational visit to jetBlue University, Orlando, Florida, USA - 16/12/24 – 19/12/24

By Ollie Kwee

 

I have been considering a future career within the aviation industry for a long time and with thanks to a family friend I was invited to visit one of his workplaces to gain a greater insight into this area.

On Monday 16 December I flew out to Orlando, Florida to visit the jetBlue University (JBU) which is the International Training Centre for the airline. I arrived late that afternoon and was the guest of their Chief Flight Instructor. The purpose of the visit was to gain an insight into the training of a pilot and understand the different ways of becoming one.

Day 1 - On the first day at JBU I was given a tour of their training facilities. All jetBlue employees attend this centre for their initial and ongoing training. There are different areas for ground crew, air crew and pilots and I saw most of the class/training rooms.

Reception at jetBlue University

 

I learnt that pilots joined jetBlue in two ways. The first is that they are already qualified pilots who have obtained their own licences or have moved across from a different carrier. They also have an academy scheme where they take on their future pilots and provide all their training. This second route is the one that interests me the most.

Trainee pilots spend a lot of their initial weeks of training in the classrooms. They will have to learn many subjects before getting anywhere near a plane (or indeed the simulator). They will cover topics that include:

• Design and different types of aircraft – how they fly
• How different types of engines function, from propellor engines to jet turbines
• Physics and aircraft aerodynamics – including how crucial the distribution of weight (fuel, passengers and baggage) to the centre of gravity of the aircraft
• Meteorology – how to read the clouds and weather ahead and plan for it
• Threat and error management model – to prevent, trap and mitigate potential accidents
• Ground operations – air traffic control, baggage loading and unloading, refuelling, moving aircraft around the terminal

There is so much more to learn before you start getting ‘hands on’ with the aircraft. jetBlue have seven types of aircraft in their fleet (although six of them are variations of an Airbus aircraft). After their initial training in small craft, the Pilots will then get training specific to the aircraft they will fly. I looked at the training to fly the Airbus A320-200.

While still in a classroom I sat at a replica of the cockpit with control panels of a typical Airbus that were functional and interacted with a computer. I learnt the basic controls to operate the aircraft on the ground and in the air.

Replica of controls panels in a classroom

 

It was finally time to get into a simulator (SIM). The one I used is for the Airbus A320 and they cost $15M each, jetBlue have 12 of these SIMs to cover all the different aircraft they have.   These SIMs are on a hydraulic platform that will move up, down and sideways by up to six feet! Combined with the near surround video screens within, it is said to be as realistic to true flight as possible. I was nervous getting in as the drawbridge pulled away and the SIM came alive!

I was immediately placed in the Captain’s chair while the Chief Instructor sat in the First Officer’s seat. The chair is moved electronically on a track to put you at the optimal position and height. There is an indicator on the centre window frame that must be aligned so that no matter how tall you are, the head position is in the right and same place to see all the panels and outside the aircraft.

I was again familiarised with the various controls of the aircraft, such as using the ‘tiller’ to steer the aircraft whilst on the ground to the thrust levers to control the speed. Once I was briefed on the take-off procedure and understood them, the SIM was placed at the end of the runway and I, under instruction, took an A320 from standstill into the air with no incidents! The SIM was so realistic with the video, sounds, and movement, it felt like I was in an actual aircraft.

Take-off in the SIM

 

During this session I did numerous take-offs in various conditions from daytime to bad weather at night from different airports. The SIM can be programmed to recreate any condition at any airport (that jetBlue actually fly to as each airport ‘package’ cost a lot of money to install). I then moved on to landings which were a lot more difficult and yet beautiful as seeing the airport and city lit up at night was awesome.

After nearly four hours in the SIM, I was exhausted and we called it a day!

Day 2 - It was back to the Sim and I continued to learn how to operate the aircraft in different conditions. One of the longest simulations I did was a ‘Gate to Air’ exercise, taking the plane from a gate at Heathrow with a pushback from the ‘Tug’ having to interact with the ground crew on the screen, starting the engines and taxiing to the runway before take-off. There was also an exercise where there was an engine failure (the A320 has two) at a critical point during take-off as the aircraft reached ‘rotate’ speed and the nose was pulled up. It was difficult to control the plane with one engine and maintain a safe climb rate. With instruction I managed to do it. We even had a bit of fun towards the end of the session where I was taught how to barrel roll the aircraft. I was ‘successful’ on the second attempt as I stalled and crashed on the first! But I was warned by the Chief Instructor to never ever do this in a real aircraft – “the passengers will not thank you for it!”

During the pilots actual training, they would undergo numerous emergencies and learn how to deal with them – in theory.  Recent events show that external factors can have catastrophic consequences. They would have to build a lot of SIM hours before they were finally signed off as ready to fly. I was told a very frightening fact – that the first time a pilot flies a real aircraft as a new Flight Officer for real, it will be full of passengers and crew. There is no practice run with an empty aircraft as that is just not financially or logistically possible. There will of course be the Captain there to assist but the first flight is the real deal! After another four hours in the SIM, it was time to move on.

Airbus A320 Simulator

 

A pilot must know everything there is to know about their aircraft and how it works. As part of the training they will also take part in the training given to the Cabin Crew. They will have to know all their duties from galley service to passenger care. The pilots will have to know how to operate all the doors especially in an emergency. They would have to know how to deploy the escape ramps and how to deploy the life rafts. This training takes place in both the classroom and in the ‘Cabin Sim’ where a section of a fuselage is also mounted on hydraulics to simulate turbulence, or even severe listing (tilting) of the aircraft in the event of a crash landing.

The ‘Cabin SIM’

 

Door and galley set up

 

Inside the Cabin SIM

 

Day 3 - We went to the gun range. Some of jetBlue pilots are volunteers on the ‘Federal Flight Deck Officers’ programme where they are deputised by the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) as Law Enforcement Officers and allowed to carry a firearm to protect their aircraft. They are only allowed to ‘carry’ on flights within the USA. As such, these pilots must undergo additional training in the handling of firearms and conflict management. A firearm on an aircraft is very dangerous and they will need to train to keep and use it safely. I hadn’t fired a firearm before, and it was quite an experience. Our host owned other guns, so he took a selection with him, and I tried different ones including some hunting rifles.

This trip has been very educational and has given me an insight into the life of a pilot which is certainly not a 9-5 job and there will be a lot of time away from family and friends. It has given me an understanding of the intense training that is required. It is still the career I wish to choose.

I am grateful to Bryan and Mark at jetBlue for making this happen and accommodating me. I am also grateful to my parents and the school for allowing me the opportunity for this once in a lifetime experience. Thank you.