Episode 7: When Flight Simulators Didn’t Exist – Pilots Before Had to Get It Right the First Time!

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Airline Selection Podcast, brought to you by the Airline Selection Programme!

Join your host, airline captain and major airline recruiter Guillaume Debauchez, as he sits down once again with Captain Calvin Shields for another insightful episode in the Calvin Speaks Series.

In this episode, Captain Shields takes us back to the early days of his aviation career, when flight simulators were nearly non-existent, and pilots had to train on the actual aircraft. He shares what it was like to earn a type rating on the VC10 without modern training technology and how pilots of the past had to master every aspect of flying—without room for mistakes.

Key Topics Discussed:

- Pilot Training Before Simulators – Learning every nut and bolt of the VC10 before stepping into the cockpit.
- The High-Stakes Type Rating – Performing steep turns, Dutch rolls, and emergency descents on the real aircraft.
- The Evolution of Simulators – From basic mechanical systems to today’s highly advanced flight simulators.
- The Reality of Training Flights – Spending weeks in Shannon, Ireland, practicing maneuvers with no safety net.

Before full-motion simulators revolutionized pilot training, aviation demanded a whole different level of precision and hands-on skill. This episode is a must-listen for aspiring pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and those curious about the history of flight training.