Upon the completion of two weeks system training, two weeks abnormal system training our three man teams were again divided. Each person was assigned an individual training partner and Instructor with whom they would be paired until the checkride.

From now on all training would be done in a full motion flight Simulator and alternate between the -100 and -200 aircraft.

For the first simulator the items accomplished began at the point the ground Training Device left off. The big difference between the two is that the level of realism in the full motion simulator is closer to the actual airplane in system realism and feel. In the Ground Training Device certain items were not active or working because they were not needed at the early stages of training. In the full motion simulator all systems, switches, panels are fully functional and inter-dependant.

The first simulator training focused on the primary systems such as Hydraulic, Fuel, Pneumatic, and--Electrical.

Upon entering the Simulator every event was treated like an actual flight. This meant the first item looked at was the Aircraft Maintenance Log and a check for the required publications (Red Tabs, Table Top Charts, CatIII Card, ect....). This was followed by the "power application" in which the battery and APU or Ground Power were used to power up the aircraft. Once powered the next items to be checked were the "Serviceables" (fuel, engine oil, hydraulic quantities, Oxygen bottle Levels, and accumulator pressures). If any were found to be at limit lower than needed for the flight Maintenance was called immediately (simulated called). At this time you also checked the F/E Oxygen Mask for proper function. If the Oxygen Bottle were closed this was the time to find out so Maintenance could open the bottles.

Once these items were seen to be in order for flight the circuit breakers were then checked and radio switches turned on. In the 727 this is not a small undertaking. The C.B. are located on the rear bulkhead, side panel, center console, beneath the pilot/co-pilot Instrument Panel, and atop the F/E Panel. Failure to find a popped C.B. was a de-brief item; and every Instructor hid them like Easter Eggs for the cockpit setup.

Once the C.B. check was complete you immediately began the F/E Panel Pre-Flight. This was ran in what was called a "flow pattern"; a pattern which was done the same every time that completed the pre-flight in an orderly and efficient manner. It began in the upper left Electrical panel and ran down thru the Fuel panel, Hydraulic panel, then up to the Pneumatics and Pressurization Controls. At each station you checked various valves, switches, lights, Voltages, Amperages ect... to ensure proper function.

Then... It was on to the Pilot Overhead Panel. again a "flow pattern" was used. The Hydraulic Flight Control Switches were checked, Compass Systems (and Standby Compass System) along with the Pilot Heats, Windshield Heats, and Anti-Ice Valves.
 

Overhead Panel

From here the flow moved to the Pilot Instrument Panel. It was the job of the F/E to power up the Standby Attitude Indicator and test the Engine Fire Detection and Protection Systems, Warning Light Test, Gear Lights/Indicators, set the Altimeters and test the trim system.

Any problem with any item mentioned above meant an immediate call to Maintenance or reference to the Aircraft MEL (Minimum Equipment List).

Next, the F/E had to copy a simulated ATIS broadcast so that all the T/O data could be calculated. Upon receiving it Max/Standard EPR, Speeds, T/O distance, Dump Time and various other performance data such as flap setting were determined on a card which would be used by the pilots to set the bugs on the front Instrument Panel.

Although it sounds like a lot of work, this would all have to be accomplished in 15 minutes or less. The really hard part was about to begin...

Flight Engineer Panel