Annoying crap the CA/FO does

[Hobit]

He probably just flew a whole month with Capt Ahab

 

[mrnolmts]

Somehow I don't think Uncle Bunkle got the thread he was hoping for. Instead he got some replies he can take to heart and learn from. Go Flightinfo.com!!!

 

[Papa Woody]

Flew with a FA who freaked out because I used her name in the PA announcement ("Mary, prepare the cabin for takeoff.") Said it was inviting men to flirt with her.

So I stopped using FA's names.

A week later, another FA freaked out because I didn't use her name. ("Jeez, like, saying 'Flight Attendant' sounds so sterile, impersonal")

Any ideas here? I;m ready to go Postal on the next FA who b*tches to me about anything!

 

[TWA]

These boots are made for walkin, that's what I'm gonna do, these boots are made for walkin, I'm gonna walk all over you.

Simmer down. Gear up, flaps up, switching to departure. Is that so stressful?

 

[CFI2766]

Nah, I agree with the original poster.

The captain should set a mutually supportive tone. To be sure, it's the captains name on the release, and he/she has command and final authority over the outcome of the flight. However, it's supposed to be a team sport in the front of the airplane; when it becomes all about the captain's ego, bad things happen. If the captain's really a jerk, he might just be 'allowed' to hang himself. Bottom line: in an environment with RIFs, NASA reports, and especially ASAP reports, step on your FO enough, and really bad things can happen to your career.

So far as 'burden' goes, well, I can see that with some of the low-time new hires out there. However, if you treat all 'your' FOs as though they are a burden, then they will start to act that way. Instead of an asset that can contribute to the safe, efficient (especially if it is the freedom leg) outcome, you wind up with a carbon based, voice activated autopilot for an FO.

I'm an FO. I consider this time to be part of my education to learn what to do, and not do, as a captain. I have a LOT to learn. Mostly, I'm still learning about what to do as an airline pilot, and someday, captain.

Food for thought: the good captains will teach you how to do things, even if just by example. The bad captains will teach you how not to do things, even if just by example.

 

[CFI2766]

Almost forgot, I'm good with the cowboy boots.

It's one of the last remnants of a time when flying was actually done by cool people with good stories to tell. Nowadays, we are all just time-building, youth eating, seniority protecting, Politically Correct products of an overly sensitive corporate America that have no idea of where to stash porn in an RJ, much less how to have any fun.

 

[greyskyracer]

Annoying quirk #1: Posts his gripes on the internet instead of having the stones to speak up when he is offended. You sir (and I use that term "sir" in the most ironic way possible) are a tool. Shut up and sling the gear.

But since you started it:
1. You are my responsibility, there for you are MY FO for the time being, as much as that may be a burden to me.

2. The CA sets the pace. Your turn will come to do everything at warp speed. What's the rush, btw?

3. Then center it yourself.

4. My kids and church or BBQ or whatever is way more interesting than listening to you lie about how much tail you pulled in college or how you were a total bada$$ at the "academy."

5. I like it there. If you have a problem with it speak up.

6. Why yes, I am wearing cowboy boots. What's it to ya?

I agree with everything, but 4 personally I don't care if you lie to me as long as you entertain me.

 

[Abernathy]

Almost forgot, I'm good with the cowboy boots.

It's one of the last remnants of a time when flying was actually done by cool people with good stories to tell.

The cowboy thing is pretty isolated to the South. It's not universal.

I agree with your other post, however. Good post.

 

[mrnolmts]

... Bottom line: in an environment with RIFs, NASA reports, and especially ASAP reports, step on your FO enough, and really bad things can happen to your career...

You're kidding, right?

 

[phr8dawg]

Slight thread divert? If the three stripes stand for "I'm not responsible," what in the realm of sarcasm do the four stripes stand for?

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

"Still doesn't know sh!t"

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Enough time has passed, it's ready to start a new CA vs. FO thread.​

To the CA's:
1. I am not "your FO". Please do not refer to the guy you are flying with as "my FO". Same goes to FA's.
2. When you call for a Checklist, you should actually be ready to respond to it. Me: "T/O data and Speeds", CA: fumbles around for 2 minutes trying to set speeds....then, "Set".
3. Quit centering the heading bug when I am flying. I promise you, the plane will not veer violently off course if the heading bug is 3 degrees to the left.
4. I could care less about your church or your kids. Seriously... Religion and Kids can stay at home.
5. Don't leave your friggin flight case on the floor behind the center pedestal. Put it in the damn place beside your seat. No, I don't like scrambling over your bag every time I step into/out of the cockpit.
6. Are you wearing cowboy boots?​

Till you upgrade you can keep your opinions to yourself.

Want to see a picture of my kids?

 

[Flybet3]

Enough time has passed, it's ready to start a new CA vs. FO thread.​

To the CA's:
1. I am not "your FO". Please do not refer to the guy you are flying with as "my FO". Same goes to FA's.
2. When you call for a Checklist, you should actually be ready to respond to it. Me: "T/O data and Speeds", CA: fumbles around for 2 minutes trying to set speeds....then, "Set".
3. Quit centering the heading bug when I am flying. I promise you, the plane will not veer violently off course if the heading bug is 3 degrees to the left.
4. I could care less about your church or your kids. Seriously... Religion and Kids can stay at home.
5. Don't leave your friggin flight case on the floor behind the center pedestal. Put it in the damn place beside your seat. No, I don't like scrambling over your bag every time I step into/out of the cockpit.
6. Are you wearing cowboy boots?​

Today in age there are just tooooo many "right seat captain" idiots that think they know better. Wether you like it or not the Captain is still in charge and you are HIS FO/Second in command. He/She is still your superior. Grow up. Oh an by the way, don't run a checklist, call the airport insight, or call traffic insight until you have looked to your left and said "ready for the check list/You see it? I've got the traffic, do you see it?"

 

[Flybet3]

Annoying quirk #1: Posts his gripes on the internet instead of having the stones to speak up when he is offended. You sir (and I use that term "sir" in the most ironic way possible) are a tool. Shut up and sling the gear.

But since you started it:
1. You are my responsibility, there for you are MY FO for the time being, as much as that may be a burden to me.

2. The CA sets the pace. Your turn will come to do everything at warp speed. What's the rush, btw?

3. Then center it yourself.

4. My kids and church or BBQ or whatever is way more interesting than listening to you lie about how much tail you pulled in college or how you were a total bada$$ at the "academy."

5. I like it there. If you have a problem with it speak up.

6. Why yes, I am wearing cowboy boots. What's it to ya?

Daaaaaaaammmmmmn!!! LOL. You beat my post. Well said.

 

[Flybet3]

Hey, it's entertaining for your $10 or free in my case.

Seriously, this attitude has been seen more and more.

When I was an FO, not too long ago, I sucked in all I could, all the good stuff and promised I would never duplicate the crap I saw.

That is your job as the FO.
Take notes!
Adopt everything you see that is awesome.
Vow to repeat nothing that you think is crap.

If you think everything is crap..then find another profession, or apply for management?

It's amazing but true. I remember when I was a First officer at 3000 hours and ATC would ask a question, even after knew the answer to the question I would always look at my left and say "What do you think?" and either let the Captain respond or follow his instructions.
I never ran a checklist without looking at him/her and saying "Would you like the approach checks?".
Even if the guys was a tool (flew with many) I never argued with them unless safety was a factor. I flew with guys that always had little techniques and always wanted to "teach" and yeah it was a bit annoying, but once again they were in charge and it's not like they were teaching me bad habits. Now a days I've got 600 to 900 hour idiots that think they know better. I had one guy not to long ago almost land on the nose and got offended b/c I had to take momentary control. And after I tried explaining why I had to do it, he literally challenged me and told me "well for the rest of the trip I want to see you do greaser landing! and I challenge any captain to land better than me". So guess what happened to him for the rest of the trip?
That's right.... Ran checklist, worked the gear and worked the radio.
Show some respect people.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

Nah, I agree with the original poster.

The captain should set a mutually supportive tone. To be sure, it's the captains name on the release, and he/she has command and final authority over the outcome of the flight. However, it's supposed to be a team sport in the front of the airplane; when it becomes all about the captain's ego, bad things happen. If the captain's really a jerk, he might just be 'allowed' to hang himself. Bottom line: in an environment with RIFs, NASA reports, and especially ASAP reports, step on your FO enough, and really bad things can happen to your career.

So far as 'burden' goes, well, I can see that with some of the low-time new hires out there. However, if you treat all 'your' FOs as though they are a burden, then they will start to act that way. Instead of an asset that can contribute to the safe, efficient (especially if it is the freedom leg) outcome, you wind up with a carbon based, voice activated autopilot for an FO.

I'm an FO. I consider this time to be part of my education to learn what to do, and not do, as a captain. I have a LOT to learn. Mostly, I'm still learning about what to do as an airline pilot, and someday, captain.

Food for thought: the good captains will teach you how to do things, even if just by example. The bad captains will teach you how not to do things, even if just by example.

100% agree!

The "burden" part of my post was in the spirit of the "tounge in cheek" nature of my response. Generally speaking, the FO's I have the privilege of flying with are outstanding and important parts of the crew. Keep up the good work folks! I have had my tail saved from forgetting something more than once by a FO who was heads up in the cockpit.

The best crews are the ones where each member takes personal ownership of the safety of the flight. Although I am ultimately the one in charge, I have no monopoly on good ideas and am as bound to screw something up as the next fella. FO's who take an interest in every aspect of thier chosen craft are a blessing to be sure.

Bad FOs are ones who just "ride" and roll thier eyes at the fella (or lady) sitting in the left seat. They contribute nothing to flight safety and generally perform thier duties with extreme mediocrity or downright incompetence. At that point, they do become a burden, because I cannot trust them to do the tasks that are normally delegated to them. Naturally this greatly increases my workload. Fortunatley for me at PDT, these folks are few and far between.

There are bad CAs too. Part of the job, if not the MOST important job as a CA, is to mentor the FOs. CAs should do the job right all the time and carry themselves professionally. The lowest common denominator of flight safety is well trained and standardized pilots and CAs who do not take the job of mentoring seriously are a danger to themselves and the airline as a whole.

Being a FO ain't easy sometimes... Believe me, I remember. You have to be a bit of a chameleon, changing how you react a bit to each new CA. It is annoying when you get a guy who is so unstandard that you have no idea what the heck is coming next. Now imagine what that is like from the left seat, having to drag a FO through a checklist by his "eye" teeth. That's pretty annoying too.

I guess what I am saying is even though the CA is ulitmately in charge, it is a two way street. Both pilots can go a long way toward making the situation livable by simply showing common courtesy and doing the job the way it is supposed to be done.

 

[ehaecker]

All these people who say things like "until you upgrade, you just sit there and sling my gear" or "gear up, flaps up, change to departure" are really just showing their true colors as a weak captain. So ignorant.

 

[Papa Woody]

He/She is still your superior. Grow up. Oh an by the way, don't run a checklist, call the airport insight, or call traffic insight until you have looked to your left and said "ready for the check list/You see it? I've got the traffic, do you see it?"

Several quotes from Scarface come to mind right about now.

Most will get me banned from this 'board.

This one's safe:

"You finished? Can I go now?"

 

[Flyerdan]

Most Captains I fly with are awesome so I don't have any across the board general complaints.

I did fly with this Captain recently that made me worry. He was so ADD that he would call for checklists to be done several times because he couldn't remember that we had done them. The first day I kept telling him that we ran them already. The second day I just kept running them. We started the day with 2 originating checks, 3 pre-start checks, and 3 pre-taxi checks. It was the strangest thing. Then he flew so far above planned speed that we had to wait 25 minutes before our gate opened up (plus we had a 2hr sit before the next leg). When approach asked for 250kts in the descent for sequencing he had me tell them unable without even trying to slow. Then when approach gave us a turn to create space he actually increased our speed. Then after we landed and taxied in the ramp was jammed up. I guess he didn't like the way I waited to get a word in on frequency so he keyed up and started stepping all over everyone else on frequency. The ramp tower finally told him to stand by and then proceeded to ignore us for the next 10 minutes. Then we were finally directed to the penalty box for another 20 minutes until our gate opened up.

I am still left wondering if I should have talked to someone about this guy. I don't know if he should be taking Ridilin or if he even can as a pilot. I also wonder if maybe he was on speed or something like that. All I know is I really wouldn't want my family in the back when that Captain is up front.

 

[Kaman]

I wear a pair of Justin's...Gotta problem with that? Well, you better make sure if you are going to fly the Beech 1900 in the northeast you better have your guns loaded if you shoot from the hip!