A PLT QUESTIONS THE ADEQUACY OF AN MD80 DIFFERENCES TRAINING.

Narrative

AFTER ATTENDING THE ACFT Y MD80 DIFFERENCES TRAINING; I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF QUALIFIED TO OPERATE A FORMER ACFT Y MD80 WITH AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF SAFETY. MANY -- PERHAPS MOST -- PLTS LEFT THE TRAINING FEELING VERY UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT FLYING A FORMER ACFT Y AIRPLANE; WITH MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT IMPORTANT SYS AND PROCS. EXAMPLES INCLUDE; BY NO MEANS ARE LIMITED TO: FUEL HEAT. AIRPLANES WITH A SINGLE SWITCH FOR AIRFOIL ICE PROTECTION; IT MAY (OR MAY NOT) BE NECESSARY FOR BOTH PNEUMATIC XFEED VALVES TO BE OPEN TO SWITCH THE 13TH STAGE AUGMENTATION VALVES OUT OF 'PRESSURE' MODE INTO 'TEMP' MODE. THE ENG FAILURE CHKLISTS CALL FOR THE DEAD ENG XFEED TO BE CLOSED; SO WE MAY (OR MAY NOT) HAVE AIRFOIL ICE PROTECTION ON ONE ENG (ONE SOME AIRPLANES AND NOT OTHER; WE'RE NOT SUCH WHICH). THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW OVER THE MOUNTAINS IN THE WINTER. THE AHRS HAS CERTAIN MODES WHEREIN ADJUSTING HDG ON THE HDG INDICATOR WILL CAUSE THE PITCH AND BANK INDICATIONS ON THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR TO BECOME INVALID. THE CABIN PRESSURIZATION CTL PANEL IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT. THE COLLINS RADAR IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE RADAR IN ACFT X AIRPLANES. I HAVE 3 SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE THE COURSE: 1) ENLIST A FORMER ACFT Y PLT TO ASSIST IN COMPLETION OF THE MANUALS. OVER AND OVER; OUR INSTRUCTOR TOLD US THAT THE ONLY PLACE WE COULD FIND THIS OR THAT ITEM OF INFO WAS IN THE DIFFERENCES CLASSROOM -- IT'S NOT IN THE BOOK. 2) SOLICIT AND HEED THE EXISTING INSTRUCTOR'S SUGGESTIONS FOR DETAIL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COURSE. 3) CREATE AN EQUIP LIST FOR EACH FORMER ACFT Y AIRPLANE; LISTING EACH ITEM WHICH IS DIFFERENT BTWN THAT PARTICULAR AIRPLANE AND A NORMAL AIRPLANE; ALONG WITH ALL MANUAL REFS FOR SYS DESCRIPTION; NORMAL PROCS; ABNORMAL AND EMER PROCS; AND MEL/CDL REFS FOR EACH SYS.