About an hour in a 737, flown as a pair. They are looking at your raw-data handling, awareness and CRM, not a type rating.
You fly with a partner and swap roles, roughly 30 minutes each as pilot flying (PF) and pilot monitoring (PM). It is not a 737 knowledge test: the assessor wants to see that you can hand-fly accurately, stay ahead of the aircraft and work as a crew. Mistakes are fine as long as you notice and correct them.
Crews are usually mixed, one candidate from a 737 MCC and one from an A320 MCC, so your partner may be more, or less, comfortable on the 737 than you. That is normal, and the assessor takes it into account.
The profile below is drawn from recent candidate feedback, so expect small variations by assessor and by day. Charts are handed out during the morning briefing.
A standard SID, climb to a level-off, then automation off for the rest of the detail.
- Briefing: the full brief is done beforehand in a briefing room; in the sim you usually get only a very short departure brief.
- Airport & departure: commonly East Midlands (TNT2N / TNT2T “Trent”) or Liverpool (WAL2T “Wallasey”, ILS 27), returning to the departure field.
- Pre-set: the aircraft is usually set up for you; you verify rather than build it.
- Takeoff: flight directors and autothrottle ON; follow the SID, bug up and retract the flaps on schedule (around 3000 ft).
- Level off: typically 5000 ft (occasionally a further climb to 7000 ft).
- Automation off: after the after-takeoff checklist, flight directors and autothrottle OFF, the rest is hand-flown raw data.
A sequence of hand-flown exercises: intercepts, level and speed changes, and a steep turn.
- Radial interception: intercept a VOR radial, usually flying outbound (for example 060 or 080).
- Climbs & descents: often at 1000 ft/min, sometimes while turning.
- Speed changes: accelerate (220 → 280 → 320) and decelerate (250 → 220), holding altitude.
- Turns & headings: assigned heading changes between the other exercises.
- Steep turn: 45° bank, 180° (sometimes 360°). Acknowledge the “BANK ANGLE” aural by calling “disregard”.
Typical pitch & power
- Straight and level, 220 kt: 55% N1, 4° pitch.
- Acceleration 220 to 320 kt: 80% N1, pitch decreasing to 2.5°.
- Steep turn: add 2 to 3% N1 and 2° of pitch in the turn.
These are reference values; confirm the exact figures during your prep session.
One technical failure or a cabin event. Fly first, then manage it as a crew.
The pair is usually split: one pilot gets a technical failure and the other a cabin, medical or exterior event. The two are handled differently.
Case 1, Technical failure
A caution or warning during the detail, for example a dual fuel filter bypass, GEN 1 (bus) off or disconnect with the APU inoperative, a forward-door caution, or a master caution in a busy phase.
Fly first: if it happens in a busy phase, call “standby” and finish the manoeuvre. Then run the flow the assessors are looking for:
- 1 · PM calls the light. For example “Source OFF”, or any warning.
- 2 · PF calls it. “[Name of the light], QRH non-normal checklist, my radio.”
- 3 · PM reads and does the QRH. Most of the time the assessor pauses the sim to explain the QRH, or simply calls it completed.
- 4 · PF hands control to the PM and starts a PIOSEE. Problem, Information, Options, Select, Execute, Evaluate.
- 5 · PF performs NITS. Nature, Intentions, Time, Special instructions.
- 6 · PF performs the PA.
- 7 · PF sets up for the approach. Frequency, course and minima; there is no FMC to do.
- 8 · PF gives a quick approach briefing.
- 9 · If there are no questions, PF takes control back and the PM reports ready.
- 10 · PF calls for the descent and approach checklists.
- 11 · Re-evaluate if you can. If you have the bandwidth, re-check everything just before intercepting the LOC; if you are not comfortable, focus on the approach.
Case 2, Cabin, medical or exterior event
An event away from the systems, for example an unwell passenger, a suspected heart attack or stroke, an unruly passenger, spilled chemicals, a small cabin fire (a charger, say) or a cargo fire.
Fly first: aviate, navigate, communicate, and call “standby” if it lands in a busy phase. There is usually no QRH to run, so start directly at the PIOSEE:
- 1 · PF hands control to the PM and starts a PIOSEE. Problem, Information, Options, Select, Execute, Evaluate, to a clear plan: continue, return or divert.
- 2 · PF performs NITS. Nature, Intentions, Time, Special instructions.
- 3 · PF performs the PA. Sometimes the examiner makes the PA, or it is not requested.
- 4 · PF sets up for the approach. Frequency, course and minima.
- 5 · PF gives a quick approach briefing.
- 6 · If there are no questions, PF takes control back and the PM reports ready.
- 7 · PF calls for the descent and approach checklists.
Radar vectors to a raw-data ILS, flown to a full stop.
- Vectors: radar vectors to final (for example 2000 ft, around a 15 nm final).
- ILS raw data: flight directors off, hand-flown to a full stop.
- Expect a twist: a glide-slope failure with the runway in sight (continue visually), or a go-around if you are unstable, you may be re-vectored to a short final for a second approach.
What consistently separates a pass from a struggle.
- Do a sim prep. A few hours on the 737 plus some backseating makes a huge difference; almost everyone says passing without prior 737 exposure is very hard.
- Catch and correct. Mistakes are tolerated if you see them and fix them quickly, one candidate gained 400 ft, corrected it in seconds, and still passed.
- Prioritise. When several instructions arrive at once, do the important one first, then the rest.
- Aviate, navigate, communicate, in that order, always.
- Fly pitch and N1%. Keep your raw-data scan on those two, trim out the forces, and make small corrections.
- As PM, call deviations early, clear, timely callouts are exactly what they want to see.
- Keep PIOSEE sharp. Some assessors specifically want a short, straight-to-the-point decision process.