Command “Experience”

Wouldn’t it be great if you could just transfer all your First Officer experience straight into the Left Seat and then you wouldn’t need any Command Training?

Nice thought, but it doesn’t happen that way!

Command requires a different skill set from those that you are currently employing as a First Officer. Some skills are directly transferable (e.g. flying the aircraft) and others will have to be learnt or refined to suit the new requirements of Command (e.g. Leadership).

So how can you build up your Command “Experience” while you are serving your apprenticeship in the Right Seat?

It’s pretty easy(?). You’ve got to learn to teach yourself or, in other words, conduct Self Directed Learning. You can gain a lot of experience through learning from others, and more specifically the Captains you are currently flying with. If you are really lucky you can get yourself a mentor to guide you as you learn the ropes.

It has been said that "experience is the best teacher". Sometimes, the price of experience is too dear. It is seldom sufficient and it always takes too long to accumulate. Experience can be gained much faster and more efficiently if it is gleaned deliberately through training. Experience is a very valuable and important asset that can form a vital component of a thorough knowledge base. Whether acquired personally or vicariously from others, it can be a powerful weapon in the arsenal of wisdom. (Richard S. Jensen - Pilot Judgement and Crew Resource Management)

To add to that quote:

• Learn from the mistakes of others - you won't live long enough to make them all yourself.



• Experience is something you get just after you actually need it.

Start building your Command “Experience” early in your career as an F/O. Then when you come to do your Command Course for real it will seem “easy”.