Medical emergency response/first aid. This will likely involve a combination of in-class and hands-on training. You will need to know what to do if a passenger needs assistance of this kind during a flight. Airplane evacuation procedures. Some cabin simulators are built with large pools next to them so water landing and evacuation procedures can be practiced. This kind of training will be all hands-on and will require that you perform the actual duties you would for the real event. Theory of flight and plane aerodynamics. Since this is a theory-based subject, you will probably learn about it in the classroom without much physical demonstration. This is the kind of learning you would expect in a more traditional educational setting. You could also be expected to demonstrate how you would handle an unexpected situation in a cabin simulator with several other flight attendants and involving actors playing passengers. These training exercises are intended to test your problem-solving and group interaction abilities.
Your training program serves the additional purpose of being an extended interview. You will be constantly judged on everything you say and do during training, and you need to be able to impress your instructors. You are almost guaranteed to not be hired if you can’t be punctual. You are sure to perform better and absorb the material more effectively if you are in your seat (or at your assigned location, as the case may be) and ready to learn when class begins.
If your training is not being held near where you live, you will be staying in a hotel and probably rooming with another flight attendant trainee. You will have lots of opportunities to get to know your roommate well, and it is in your best interest to be friendly and courteous toward her. Training is a grueling and stressful process. You should remain open to the idea of bonding with your fellow trainees and supporting each other throughout the program. Flight attending is a people-oriented career. You should get into the habit of being friendly and talkative with people you meet, since you will have to do this in your daily line of work.
Be sure to have extra notepads and writing utensils with you while in class/training. You wouldn’t want to run out in the middle of the day and have to ask someone else to borrow some. Your preparedness will also be judged heavily by your instructors. Taking good notes does not mean writing down every word your instructor says. Focus on understanding what you are being told and taking notes that will allow you to remember the key points. You’ll especially want to make note of any specific safety protocols you will be expected to know (or at least where they can be found in detailed written form).
You are likely to study more effectively if you don’t try to slog through 4 straight hours of reviewing notes. Take a break every hour or two (even if it’s only for a few minutes) to relax or do something else. Since your training involves carrying out procedures as well as knowing airline policies and regulations, mix up your study sessions so you alternate between book/note learning and going through the motions of more physical tasks. Enlist your roommate or other fellow trainees to help motivate you to balance your studies with leisure activities once in a while. If you make a plan to go for a run with a classmate in the morning, you’re more likely to keep the appointment than if you have no one else to hold you accountable.
Go to bed early enough to wake up a few hours before training begins. Use this time in the morning to review your notes from the day before while your mind is rested. This strategy will help you retain the information as well as possible. If you have a hard time waking up early, you can find an alternative study time that works for you. Just keep in mind that late-night studying carries the risk of making you tired for your next day of training. Don’t bank on your ability to use days off to catch up on studying. Depending on your training program, you may be required to participate in weekend ride-alongs or demonstrations that could take all day.
Flashcards are a great way to memorize lots of information and are especially useful when studying without a partner. Create flashcards for terms and their definitions, airport codes, or any other short bits of information you need to know. Make a note of the topics or definitions you have trouble remembering and set aside extra time to focus on these. This is a great benefit of quizzing yourself: you will identify your areas of weakness before being officially tested on them!
Some airlines will not allow you to retake the final exam, so you will have to pass it on the first try. Do not fail to study for your final exam, because a few small mistakes could end up making your training essentially worthless. If you do not know the format of the final examination, find an appropriate time and situation to ask one of your instructors. They may choose to keep this information secret, in which case you should prepare yourself for all possible exam formats. If your exam will involve a simulated flight practical, you will find it especially useful to study with a group. This way, your study partners can play other roles in the scenario (such as an unruly passenger) and evaluate your performance. You will have a broad range of topics to know for your exam, many of which are required in order for the training program to be Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified. These topics will likely include CPR and first aid, aerodynamics and theory of flight, air traffic control principles, airplane evacuation procedures, FAA emergency protocols, in-flight announcements, helping disabled passengers, and many more. [6] X Research source
If you have trouble reading with noise, make sure you go somewhere quiet to do your reading. If you choose to study away from your hotel, pick a location that is easy to get to and that has hours of operation that will accommodate your schedule. Feel free to switch up your study locations if need be. Some nights, studying in your hotel room might work fine, but on others, perhaps there is too much going on. It can also be nice to get a change of scenery now and then.
If you sign a contract of conditional employment when you are accepted into an airline’s flight attendant training program, then you are guaranteed a position if you pass your training course. If you wish, you can take a course on general airline procedures from an outside company before applying to an airline training program to improve your chance of success. These courses cover general procedures that apply to all airlines and airports; this may include airport codes, airline terminology, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulations, First Aid, and CPR. These classes are not a substitute for airline-specific training programs.
You will stay in a hotel paid for by the airline and which is also likely to provide breakfasts and dinners at no cost to you. Training days are very long (up to 12 hours), so don’t expect to have much free time during training. Although you will have days off, you will probably want to use that time to study. Some airlines pay their trainees, but this is uncommon. It is safer to expect to receive no income during training.
Airport codes. You may be tested on your knowledge of these as soon as your very first day of training, and you’ll need to know a lot of them. Quiz yourself on them often until you have committed a large portion of them to memory. Your airline’s dress code. Most airlines have extremely specific rules about flight attendant attire. You should plan to know what you can and can’t wear as a flight attendant, and dress accordingly during training. Your airline’s grooming guidelines. This can include anything from makeup dos and don’ts to required and prohibited hairstyles, to facial hair rules for men (which are most likely that you can’t have any).
Think of generalized training as a good way to boost your likelihood of doing well in your next training course. By doing this, you won’t be going into the second class without any experience or knowledge. However, don’t expect this to be an advantage in getting selected for training in the first place. Airline training programs are only good for a specific type of aircraft. If you are hired by your airline and later assigned to different aircraft, you will have to undergo training for that specific type of plane. If you train or have experience for one company in a specific plane and later switch airlines, you will have to re-train even if you’ll be working on the exact same model of aircraft.
Bring plenty of school supplies, such as notebooks/paper, spare writing utensils, a book bag, etc. Although flight attendant training can be unconventional in some ways, you are still a student and you will need to study like one. Plan for the climate you are traveling to. Your training may be held in a place very different from your hometown, so consider the typical weather there during the time of year you will be training. If you are from Las Vegas and your training is in Chicago in December, you’ll need to prepare for much colder, wetter weather than you are used to. Consider your comfort during training. Although you will be limited by the airline company in terms of how you are allowed to dress, do not bring clothing or shoes that you can’t be comfortable in for 12 hours at a time.
