"Hi there, I'm Standard"

[1x1]

Who's heard this on day one of a trip and said to themselves "Oh boy, here we go". I gotta tell ya Captains - those are words an FO cringes at hearing. Maybe some of you captains remember feeling that way too.

9 times out of 10 when us gear bizatches hear that, after leg #2 we got a laundry list of dirt you guys do or don't do that is not SOP. For what it's worth, saying that you are "standard" goes without saying! We all expect each other to live up to our employers rules and procedures when we show up to work. Bringing attention to it is not necessary. So please stop coming into the cockpit with your nuances and pet peeves, and we can all get thru a trip a little easier.

If I ever utter the "Standard" word after upgrading (god help us who are waiting).......shoot me.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Never minded hearing those words as an FO. Just meant that I could pretty much expect him to fly the way the training department taught both of us. Even minor deviations from that were really no big deal to me.

You know what the best thing about upgrading to Captain is? Not having to fly with A-hole Captains anymore, because you're the A-hole now.

 

[UnstableAviator]

"I'm laid back, but I'm by the book."

 

[NoJoy]

"I follow the checklist"

 

[WayBack]

Who really cares? 99% of the pilots out there aren't standard in some fashion. As long as the job gets done, why complain? That's unless you're the Chief Pilot/Management/Training Department type. Hell, I've even flown with IOE Captains who aren't standard outside of IOE training.
Are you one of those people who can't accept that the same results can be accomplished 1,000 different ways? Or does it have to be done 1 way and way only?
Maybe you're the one that needs to have a beer once in a while and lighten up. Quit taking this job so damn seriously.

So please stop coming into the cockpit with your nuances and pet peeves, and we can all get thru a trip a little easier.

You're the one that has the problem with it. If you're that upset by it, call sick and then call pro-standards or a Chief Pilot and vent your frustration. But in the end, you'll get the same answer from them all. "You're the FO. Shut your hole!".
It sounds like you're a real joy to fly with if this is ruining multi day trips for you. You losing sleep over this?

 

[ASA_Aviator]

Who really cares? 99% of the pilots out there aren't standard in some fashion. As long as the job gets done, why complain? That's unless you're the Chief Pilot/Management/Training Department type. Hell, I've even flown with IOE Captains who aren't standard outside of IOE training.
Are you one of those people who can't accept that the same results can be accomplished 1,000 different ways? Or does it have to be done 1 way and way only?
Maybe you're the one that needs to have a beer once in a while and lighten up. Quit taking this job so damn seriously.
You're the one that has the problem with it. If you're that upset by it, call sick and then call pro-standards or a Chief Pilot and vent your frustration. But in the end, you'll get the same answer from them all. "You're the FO. Shut your hole!".
It sounds like you're a real joy to fly with if this is ruining multi day trips for you. You losing sleep over this?

I find it annoying when someone is really non-standard just because I don't know what they expect, but as long as they aren't trying to kill me, it doesn't really matter. Some people get pissed if you start a flow before they call for it, and some get pissed if you wait for them to call for it. So, I just ask, "Do you want me to wait for the checklist to be called, or not," before the first leg with a new captain.

Being proactive seems to solve a lot of the problems. Just relax, and learn how to mold to what the captain wants. Someday, you'll be pissing off FOs yourself...

 

[WayBack]

I find it annoying when someone is really non-standard just because I don't know what they expect, but as long as they aren't trying to kill me, it doesn't really matter. Some people get pissed if you start a flow before they call for it, and some get pissed if you wait for them to call for it. So, I just ask, "Do you want me to wait for the checklist to be called, or not," before the first leg with a new captain.

Being proactive seems to solve a lot of the problems. Just relax, and learn how to mold to what the captain wants. Someday, you'll be pissing off FOs yourself...

Exactly.
FO's need to be sharp marbles seeing that they're the low man on the totum pole, and no matter how much that captain pisses you off, for what ever reason, the FO has to learn to deal with it.

 

[Flybywire44]

Some of the worst pilots you'll ever fly with are the most standard.

 

[MALSR]

This goes along with, "Hi, I'm easy going." When I here that I cringe and prepare myself for a long trip.

 

[WayBack]

Some of the worst pilots you'll ever fly with are the most standard.

This couldn't be more true.
I will never forget this guy. He was a check airman, and an anal one at that. He tried to be perfectly standard and by the book to the point where he would miss the little things because he was too busy double checking everything (taxi checklists, atis....YES ATIS!) that he would mess up.
He messed up and messed up a lot. Taxing the plane was his biggest issue. He would move his finger along on the chart while the plane was in movement. The problem was he couldn't watch his finger and the taxiway.
In HOU he damn near pulled onto an active runway thinking it was a taxiway. I tried telling him 3 times that he turned the wrong way, finally locking the brakes up on him. We had a brief discussion.
As long as you have fuel, programmed the FMS, configured the airplane to take off and don't blow an altitude...everything else can be fixed without the FAA knowing.

 

[Metro752]

What about flying too slow?

 

[khsgt]

My usual brief was always "I don't give a F*&k what you do or how you do it, just don't hurt me, my airplane, or my ticket" Most seemed to be ok with it.......Cheers

 

[pipi]

Some of the worst pilots you'll ever fly with are the most standard.

The three pilots that almost killed me, and I mean that literally, were the three most NON STANDARD pilots I have ever flown with. Being standard is about discipline. It's about being proud about what you do and refusing to compromise and lower the bar. It's about character, about doing what you know you are supposed to do, even when nobody is watching, instead of being cocky (not proud) about what you do, and doing things your own way because you think you are better than the people that developed the SOPs.
When I fly with an FO that is standard, we don't have to second guess each other and the cockpit flows beautifully, and very efficiently.
Pilots that do not adhere to standards tend to have other things in common: they tend to do crappy walk-arounds, tend not to be very knowledgeable about systems, ATC, their radio phraseology normally suffers and tend to be somewhat unprofessional in front of passengers.
It takes as much effort to do things by the book as it takes to do them your own way. In the end, it is all about discipline, and if you don't have it to fly standard, you probably don't have it for many other things.

 

[khsgt]

The three pilots that almost killed me, and I mean that literally, were the three most NON STANDARD pilots I have ever flown with. Being standard is about discipline. It's about being proud about what you do and refusing to compromise and lower the bar. It's about character, about doing what you know you are supposed to do, even when nobody is watching, instead of being cocky (not proud) about what you do, and doing things your own way because you think you are better than the people that developed the SOPs.
When I fly with an FO that is standard, we don't have to second guess each other and the cockpit flows beautifully, and very efficiently.
Pilots that do not adhere to standards tend to have other things in common: they tend to do crappy walk-arounds, tend not to be very knowledgeable about systems, ATC, their radio phraseology normally suffers and tend to be somewhat unprofessional in front of passengers.
It takes as much effort to do things by the book as it takes to do them your own way. In the end, it is all about discipline, and if you don't have it to fly standard, you probably don't have it for many other things.

What REALLY scares me are the guys that spend so much time worrying about procedures and "standards" that they forget how to actually fly an airplane without the autopilot turned on.

When I was a new 121 captain, my first six months were pretty rough, 4 phone calls from the CP as I was trying to follow every letter of every law. As Jr. Reserve, I got assigned an FO shift one day with a very senior captain and he made an observation, he said "the guys that try to stay out of trouble always seem to be the ones getting into it, the guys that arn't trying to stay out of trouble ("don't give a s*&t") never seem to find it" I gave the "not giving a s&^t" attitude a try for two weeks, and I never went back. Made it all the way to IOE check airman and never got a phone call from the CP again. Get the big stuff and nobody is watching close enough to catch anything else.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

"Hi, I'm standard" was never the flag. The true flag was someone that mentioned something along those lines and then ended up having a napoleon complex and not being smart enough to fly standard. You typically didn't find this out the first time you met them, though. There was normally a trail of pissed off FO's and FA's that they left behind.

Then there were the guys that just didn't care.... (for some reason they were almost always smokers...). That made for a long trip trying to figure out just what book they were reading from.

Being laid back and standard is always the easiest (and certainly is possible unlike some of the morons on here seem to think)- it takes minimal brain power and you always know what to expect.

 

[WayBack]

The three pilots that almost killed me, and I mean that literally, were the three most NON STANDARD pilots I have ever flown with. Being standard is about discipline. It's about being proud about what you do and refusing to compromise and lower the bar. It's about character, about doing what you know you are supposed to do, even when nobody is watching, instead of being cocky (not proud) about what you do, and doing things your own way because you think you are better than the people that developed the SOPs.
When I fly with an FO that is standard, we don't have to second guess each other and the cockpit flows beautifully, and very efficiently.
Pilots that do not adhere to standards tend to have other things in common: they tend to do crappy walk-arounds, tend not to be very knowledgeable about systems, ATC, their radio phraseology normally suffers and tend to be somewhat unprofessional in front of passengers.
It takes as much effort to do things by the book as it takes to do them your own way. In the end, it is all about discipline, and if you don't have it to fly standard, you probably don't have it for many other things.

You sound like a gem to hang out with.
I bet you're one of those guys with no accent what so ever, high pitch whiney voice. But once you key the mic, you talk in a deep, raspy voice with a Southern drawl. Saying "Sugar" instead of "Sierra".
I've flown with DB's like you. It's hysterical. As long as the message doesn't get mixed up in the translation, then we're all good. If you question the message, then question ATC.


And then 3 pilots almost killed you? Literally? Then it's time to wake the hell up and pay attention to what is going on around you.

 

[Max Q]

I tend to make more mistakes when I deviate from "the book".

That's a fact.

 

[CptMurf]

To be a true professional, you should be able to analyze yourself, find your own style, stay consistant, and watch over the guy next to you. Do that and no one will "almost kill" you. Everyone has different abilities and comfort levels. The "good" guys/gals you fly with know their own limitations.

 

[JumpersAway]

I've always been a big fan of the "lead by example" method of doing things. If you call for the required briefs, and run the required check lists, the F/O usually follows your lead and does the job, the right way, along with you. The best part is you don't have to point out your way of doing business.

You can only be as standard as you know to be. Everyone can re-read the OM/FOM and come up with something they didn't know before. They may be fine details, but everytime I read those things, I continue to learn.

The "I'm laid back" remark is absolutely the wrong one to make. It's like you're seeking approval, or trying to cross sell the fact that you are really a laxidazical @$$ in the airplane. Don't tell me you are laid back- just do your job so it's easier to do mine................

 

[LazyLightnin']

I hate your briefs. I'll nod my head and pretend I give a sh|t but I'm really thinking, it's an RJ not a 76, we all fly a hundred legs a month, and this job really isn't that difficult, only mind-numbing when I have to listen your pointless briefs.

I don't care if your super standard or if you have a pound of hash in your flight case, just try not to be a total doosh.

 

[G2T]

I hate your briefs. I'll nod my head and pretend I give a sh|t but I'm really thinking, it's an RJ not a 76, we all fly a hundred legs a month, and this job really isn't that difficult, only mind-numbing when I have to listen your pointless briefs.

I don't care if your super standard or if you have a pound of hash in your flight case, just try not to be a total doosh.

And I hate it when you stare out the window when I'm briefing. Believe it or not, I might have some information you should be interested it. When we take off unpressurized because you were "nodding your head and pretending you give a ********************" while we were discussing mel's and special procedures for the day I'm not going to be happy. But hey, you were to cool to brief.

 

[LazyLightnin']

And I hate it when you stare out the window when I'm briefing. Believe it or not, I might have some information you should be interested it. When we take off unpressurized because you were "nodding your head and pretending you give a ********************" while we were discussing mel's and special procedures for the day I'm not going to be happy. But hey, you were to cool to brief.

I listen to important things. You telling me you're standard and that you are a Taurus does not help the plane get there safely. At least throw in some gossip like you're wife is screwing the mailman and so you're head might be out of it.

And if you've taken off unpressurized, sounds like you F-ed up there as well, big guy. You should know the configuration of your aircraft before you start barreling down a runway.

 

[WWEfan]

Our IP's aren't even "standard". I love having a checkride and performing a maneuver one way because that's how the last check pilot wanted you to do it. Then your next check pilot says, "WTF are you doing that for?"

It usually takes me about 2 minutes to figure out if my FO is going to kill me or not. When we push back and the FO asks me if we should start an engine....that's when I cringe. No, dumbass, we are gonna taxi out on APU thrust to save fuel.

 

[DX Rick]

I listen to important things. You telling me you're standard and that you are a Taurus does not help the plane get there safely. At least throw in some gossip like you're wife is screwing the mailman and so you're head might be out of it.

And if you've taken off unpressurized, sounds like you F-ed up there as well, big guy. You should know the configuration of your aircraft before you start barreling down a runway.

You guys fly together often?

 

[777forever]

I don't mouth off to the Captain unless whatever he's doing is going to get me fired, violated, or cause a lot of smoke.

Prior to landing in ATL, had one Captain tell me not to but the gate number after the flight number like you can thru the FMS because it messes up the ACARS and the company checks stuff like that. I just said ok and sat quietly while he deleted it out.

I tell you what though, there's nothing more pleasant then flying with a safe, efficient, and friendly Captain. Makes you think of how great work would be if every Captain was like that. I guess that happens when you upgrade....

 

[ASA_Aviator]

It usually takes me about 2 minutes to figure out if my FO is going to kill me or not. When we push back and the FO asks me if we should start an engine....that's when I cringe. No, dumbass, we are gonna taxi out on APU thrust to save fuel.

Maybe...just maybe...he is trying to figure out how much of a jerk you're going to be, and asking in a non-assertive way if you want him to start the engine. (He should be more assertive, but that is a different issue.)

Trust me, some captains get wrapped around the axle if you just reach up and start the engine without asking (probably justifiably). If you leave most experienced FOs alone, they will do what is necessary to get the job done.

Lead by example, and the FO will follow. Start off with some smartass remark on the first pushback, and you will lose the FO for the trip. Your choice, I suppose. Captain.

 

[Abernathy]

I've had guys who give no briefing, don't say they're standard or laid back, who are difficult to fly with. I've had guys that say they are laid back or standard who are easy to fly with. It really doesn't matter. I had a Captain give a no less than 5 full minutes briefing on how he flies and what he expects from me. Truth be told, I completely tuned out after about a minute, but he turned out to be great to fly with.

The only way to know if a guy or gal is going to be a dick is if they have a reputation you already know about, or if they have a dick personality when you first meet them. You can gauge if someone's a dick in the first few seconds of meeting them. Whether or not they say "I'm standard" after that is irrelevant after that point.

As far as starting the engine during pushback, CA is supposed to call for it after the ground crew clears him. If the groundcrew doesn't clear him, and he doesn't say anything, I'm not starting an engine.

 

[777forever]

Maybe...just maybe...he is trying to figure out how much of a jerk you're going to be, and asking in a non-assertive way if you want him to start the engine. (He should be more assertive, but that is a different issue.)

Trust me, some captains get wrapped around the axle if you just reach up and start the engine without asking (probably justifiably). If you leave most experienced FOs alone, they will do what is necessary to get the job done.

Lead by example, and the FO will follow. Start off with some smartass remark on the first pushback, and you will lose the FO for the trip. Your choice, I suppose. Captain.

Precisely, some Captains prefer for you to wait for them to tell you to start an engine.

 

[PA44Jockey]

The problem with Non-standard Captains isn't that they aren't allowed to break away from standardization in certain scenarios (Most Manuals give digression.) The problem is that the particular Captain is used to being Non-Standard and he follows his own routine every flight. But when you start mixing in different FOs on every flight and we haven't flown with you before, we are spending multiple flights trying to understand your performance. "I'm by the book, but I do ten billion things differently." Therefor the FOs have to remain as standard as possible in order to start clean again with another plate of BS the next time we switch crews.

The most senior guy on the seniority list at OH is the worst example. Doesn't matter who is flying and who isn't, he wants you to read him every checklist. Doesn't matter if it's a challenge and response checklist or not. Half the time you wants you to do a checklist before it's even time. Like running a terminating checklist while you are still waiting for ground power. So you end up going through the entire checklist saying, "Um, I'll come back to that." What was the point in even doing it if you have to come back to the entire thing, because it's not time for it yet. I'm surprised the FEDs haven't really tore this guy apart.

It's not a pissing match, or an I fly better than you match, but the Captains job is to set the tone for the trip. If every Captain sets a different and non-standard tone, just because they choose not to follow a procedure we are definitely playing with fire.

 

[Max Q]

I hate your briefs. I'll nod my head and pretend I give a sh|t but I'm really thinking, it's an RJ not a 76, we all fly a hundred legs a month, and this job really isn't that difficult, only mind-numbing when I have to listen your pointless briefs.

I don't care if your super standard or if you have a pound of hash in your flight case, just try not to be a total doosh.

If you are already familiar with the information contained in the brief, why are you allowing them to continue? I doubt there are many FO's out there that are holding a knife to your throat. I agree that if all the information (sigwx, MEL, EFP, reroutes) has already been discussed, reading a brief is useless. I use it only as a checklist for ensuring that we're both on the same page and read it only if the CA asks.

Additionally, the brief wasn't developed for people like you. It was developed for captains that say, "your controls" on the numbers because they don't know they're flying... that look down at an MEL sticker mid-flight and say, "Oh, look at that"... that take off with an incorrect altimeter setting...

Get rid of these guys and we won't need to brief your sorry asses anymore. :beer: