B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Time Pressure
No Specific Anomaly Occurred All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy
I recently completed the B737 [recurrent training] event and feel it is necessary to point out the shortcomings in this fleet's recurrent training program.  The [maneuvers check] itself contains too many maneuvers to complete within the allotted time.  For example; despite taking a very short 5 minute break during the 4 hour sim period; we were barely able to complete the entire [check ride]; despite pushing quickly and successively through each required segment.  During the pre-brief; the [instructor] mentioned several times that there were many tasks to complete (both evaluation and train to proficiency) and that it has been a challenge to finish within the planned time.  At no time did either I or my sim partner require additional training; so that was not a contributing factor.  When we got to the Category (CAT) 3 approaches; the [instructor] pre- positioned us at 1000 feet on the ILS.  This did not permit completion of the Precision Approach Briefing Guide.  Day two was the [line-oriented training]; which was given in a [fixed base trainer].  This was the first time I have ever taken a [recurrent training] event in a non-motion simulator.  As usual; the [instructor] briefed that the event should occur in the same realistic way as any line flight; however; there were a few caveats.  First; the visual display is skewed for one of the pilots.  The [instructor] explained that only one pilot would have a visual that was the actual straight ahead view; while the other pilot's view would be skewed.  He also explained that he would move the view; as necessary; so the flying pilot had the accurately depicted view as it would exist if we were actually flying the airplane or full flight simulator.  Second; the FTD does not have the current ACARS 2.0 software loaded; but rather ACARS 1.0; which was phased out of the 737 fleet.  In addition; the ACARS printer does not work in this particular [fixed base trainer].  That would require the pilot who initiates ACARS requests to notify the [instructor] whenever initiating an ACARS request; so he could hand us the torn off slips of paper with ATIS/FWM/Takeoff Data; etc; etc.   I first noticed the skewed visual display during taxi out; as my right-side visual display appeared as if the aircraft was crabbed 30 degrees to the right.  This later became an issue during the crosswind landing; when the non-flying pilot could not effectively determine if the proper wind correction had been applied.  The ACARS requests were also a distraction; as we had to recall ACARS 1.0.After completion of the [line-oriented training]; the [instructor] offered to use the remaining device time to practice the engine failure on final approach maneuver.  After performing several of these; it became even more obvious that the use of a fixed base training device for [this training] is inadequate.  In closing; both days of training were disappointing from an expectation basis.  While the instructors provided quality training to the best of their abilities; the syllabus and [fixed base trainer] were substandard.  I respectfully request feedback from the fleet regarding the following questions:How does the fleet determine an adequate amount of simulator/device time is budgeted for completion of all the assigned tasks/maneuvers?Does the fleet have a quality control plan implemented through which it assesses [training] on a routine basis both for content and volume?  Is it the intent for the [line-oriented training] to be as realistic as possible for a line flight?  If so; how does the fleet expect the [line-oriented training] to be realistic if it is given in a device which does not closely replicate flying the actual airplane on the line?
B737 First Officer reported his concerns with what he sees as an inadequate recurrent training program at his airline.