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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 2065.PDF
on a DC-9 in only five years, followed by widebody first officer eligibility two to three years later. The Finnish Ministry of Education contri butes 60 per cent of Port's running costs, while capital costs are met by Finnair. New rules may reduce Government support, however, so attracting outside business will then become even more important. Students are not bonded and the course is highly subsi dised. Finnish students pay only FMk30,000 ($7,500) including board—some 6 per cent of the real cost. Foreign students have to pay at cost—upwards of FMk500,000 ($125,000), according to programme. At 550 hours, ground-school time is less than for Lufthansa at Bremen or British Aero space at Prestwick. It has been more a "foundation course", but hours will grow with the introduction of more instruction on long- range navigation and high-technology systems. Finnair is tailoring a "more progressive" ground-school programme totalling 700 hours, to go with the proposed increase in advanced single-engine flying, but it may take another two years to be funded. Course duration would increase by about two months. SUN AND ICE Finland is the land of the midnight sun. Three-quarters of all flying is accomplished between the beginning of April and the end of September, and from May 1 to August 15 there is no creditable night flying. The advan tage of 15 to 16 hours of full daylight is used to the full, and Pori air traffic control works in three shifts. In contrast, instrument mete orological conditions prevail for 90 per cent of the time from November to February. Instrument flying training is supported by two Frasca 141 Bonanza simulators. The cabin of one of these is being widened and instrumented, as a 241, for "captain and copilot" training. After instrument qual ification, students operate, within their limits, in typical Scandinavian weather. From day one, students have to leam to make weather and icing decisions. Bad-weather flying and circuits in low visibility are part of the Pori operation. Diversions are a normal risk. All nominated diversion airfields are domestic airports, and not general-aviation airfields. The Bonanzas are fitted with leading-edge de-icing boots and heated mats on the propeller. Operations in light icing allow penetration of the typical thin stratus layer in inversion conditions, for exercises in the clear skies above. The country's weather conditions are seen as an advantage, and Finnair believes that quality training should start early. AFTER GRADUATION After 16 months at Pori, Finnair takes gradu ates with 175 hours of piston and 30 hours of turbine experience, plus 50 hours simulator time. The airline converts 60 per cent of grad uates straight into the right-hand seat of the DC-9; the rest go into the second officer's seat of the DC-10 for two years. Soon, candi dates will be selected for direct entry into A DC-9/MD-80 cabin mockup provides a realisitic training environment for crew drills Finnair's MD-80 simulator in Helsinki is available for use by other airlines FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 1 July 1989 23
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