The One Where INDOC Day Two Hits Its Stride

After finally getting a decent night’s sleep, I managed to squeeze in a morning gym session—yes, progress! The day started with a seasoned pilot/instructor (who also does validations I believe) giving us practical insights into airline life. In the afternoon, we met our instructor for the first two weeks, who guided us through various manuals—everything from the Flight Operations Manual to Operational Specifications and our Standard Operating Manual. It was a productive (if slightly manual-heavy) day.

During lunch, the COO stopped by to welcome us and share some industry forecasts. He mentioned Republic plans to continue hiring through this year and into 2026. He also thinks the mainlines might start ramping up hiring again toward late 2025 or early 2026—so perhaps the pilot job market is slowly ticking upward. Not as wild as post-COVID, but still a ray of hope.

Dinner was Panda Express—again. We wanted Blaze Pizza, but the line was just too long. Afterward, we unwound with a little ping-pong (and yes, I finally got a turn at the table). Starting tomorrow, though, it’s back to reality: we need to buckle down on limitations, QRC procedures, and all those details that turn a good pilot into a safe one. The real work begins now!