Simon Says
New Airbus Regional Jet
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2001
- Posts
- 1,036
Hey, I only put my hand on the gear lever 20 out as an aid to help me remember to make sure it goes down. Plus, it may help prompt my FO in case he forgot to put it down.
It's just a non-verbal que to the other guy of what I'm thinking about and a polite way to suggest what he should be thinking about. I've never actually forgotten the gear, mind you, and neither has my FO. I also know there are many systems to keep me from forgetting the gear. But it still seems like a good practice.
As a plus it helps my co-pilots identify me as a tool, because my barking about being standard while I fly my own personal procedures might not have been enough of a clue.
I award you for you honesty and understand your reasoning. But for every action there is an opposite reaction. I am assuming you are a Captain. Yes, having the gear down is important and yes we do have many, many backups in helping us remember to put the gear down. But with you putting your hand on either the gear handle or flap handle when the FO has not called for it makes that person feel like you are micro-managing which can lead to different problems down the road. It slowly creates anymosity and slowly but surely the FO will no longer have your back.
So you might be thinking, well it is my darn airplane I want the FO to fly it how I want it flown. True statement, but then why don't you just fly every single leg and let the FO do all the pilot monitoring duties.