How to Pass Flight Attendant Training

Getting the Most Out of Training

Expect a blended learning experience. In flight attendant training, you will be taught through a variety of methods. Some days might be spent entirely in a classroom, while others could be spent in an aircraft cabin simulator practicing actual procedures for dealing with in-flight emergencies. You should expect to participate in a range of educational situations that will challenge you in different ways. Some example topics include: 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.

Show up on time. If you are late to your flight attendant training sessions, you will feel distracted and unprepared for class. This will also be distracting to your fellow trainees and the instructor. Punctuality is a top requirement of flight attendants on the job, so it's best to get in the habit of being early or on time now. 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.

Get to know your trainers and classmates. Becoming acquainted with your trainers at the start of the program will ensure that they know you by name and will make you feel more comfortable with the training process. Since you will be interacting so closely with your classmates for so long (up to 2 months), you have the opportunity to initiate long-term friendships or (at a minimum) form study groups to help you pass your training exam(s). 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.

Take lots of notes on everything. You will be given a lot of information during training, much of which you will have to commit to memory for your flight attendant exam at the end of the program. Be sure to take notes on everything you can (even during your practical, hands-on training sessions) so you can study them again later. Much of what you learn will not be available in written format for you to read at another time, so don't count on that possibility. 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).

Find time to relax and exercise. Flight attendant training days can be long (up to 12 hours!), so it is important to focus on other things (or nothing at all) every now and then. Even though you will need to devote almost all your "free" time to training and studying, you should not forget to take breaks when possible. Late night laps in the hotel pool, 10 minute TV breaks, or early morning jogs/workouts can be very effective at recharging your mind and relieving stress. 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.

Studying Effectively

Study in the morning. Training days will be long and exhausting, and your brain will likely be fried by the time you get back to your hotel each evening. Don't try to study when you are tired -- you won't learn much and will only wake up feeling groggy the next morning (especially if you sacrifice sleep). This will be especially problematic if you are surprised with a quiz on something you learned earlier in the week. 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.

Quiz yourself often. You will have to commit a lot of information to memory, such as Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) and potentially hundreds of airport codes. You should get in the habit of creating quizzes for yourself in order to test your comprehension and retention of the material you are learning. You may find it helpful to do this with a fellow trainee. 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!

Match your studying to the exam format. Airlines differ as to the style of the training program's final exam; your exam could include written and oral components and might even involve simulated flight scenarios. In any case, the final exam passing requirement is usually set very high (around 90%). 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.

Choose a study location free from distractions. Unless you are studying with a group, pick a spot in your hotel (such as a meeting room or "business center," if this is an option) where you are unlikely to be disturbed. If you study in your room, make sure you are not watching TV, talking to your roommate, using your phone, etc. while you are supposed to be focusing on your work. If you have trouble focusing at your hotel, go to a coffee shop or other public place nearby. 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.

Preparing for Training

Understand that training does not guarantee you a position. Even if you are accepted to and pass a training program for a specific airline, you are not guaranteed a position with that airline. This is a preliminary step in the process of securing a job as a flight attendant. 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.

Plan to devote 4 to 8 weeks to training. The exact duration of your training will depend on the airline, but most are over a month long and very intense. Training programs are conducted on location, so you will have live away from home for its duration unless you happen to already live near the training facility. 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.

Study before training begins. Your potential employer will send you a packet with lots of information a few weeks prior to the start of training. This packet might include a list of things you need to already know by the time you start training. Typically, training will be 95% procedures and safety. Here are a few things you should plan to learn (or at least introduce yourself to) before 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).

Accept that company-specific training is required. Although there are many good flight attendant training programs out there that are not affiliated with an airline, this alone is not sufficient to secure a flight attendant job with an airline. If you complete a general training program on your own time, be aware that you will have to repeat the process with your new employer if you are selected. 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.

Arrive at training well-prepared. Be sure to consider what you might need during your several-week training program in order to make your training period as comfortable and stress-free as possible. You will likely be away from home for the entire training period, so a little planning will go a long way. Although you may get a list of suggested items to bring to training in your introductory packet, it may not be totally comprehensive. 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.