Burnt out nav light on Christmas Eve

[xjcaptain]

I'm not sure how you other guys operate, but as a Captain, I EXPECT, and RELY on other people to tell me if they see something wrong with the aircraft, because I am not usually the one doing the preflight. To discourage ANYBODY from passing on what they think is relavent information wheather it's a rampie or FO has the potential to someday KILL you. After getting chewed out, rather than thanked, they probably won't mention anything next time, and the next time it might be something valid, and on MY aircraft. Even though most rampies are not pilots, they are around aircraft enough to know what looks "right", and "normal" vs. "different". They can come up and discuss it with me any time.

 

[vclean]

Safety issue, I need to know now. Nav light, overhead pax light, static wick, etc, we discovered on post-flight.

 

[rettofly]

Safety issue, I need to know now. Nav light, overhead pax light, static wick, etc, we discovered on post-flight.

Agree. But...not to be paranoid, if a Fed at the end of a bad day happens to see you taxi and launch without the required nav light , he or she might just decide to make a phone call. Of course, if it breaks after brake release and breakaway thrust is applied, you can legally keep going and write it up at next time you put the parking brake on.

Bottom line: If it's broken, fix it or MEL it, no matter who finds it. That's just me.

 

[Draginass]

I love some of you guys. It's not your discretion to ignore a problem with the aircraft. And guess what, when you do that captain a favor and DON'T tell him and the FAA finds it, what's your excuse now. Oh, and BTW you've probably screwed the captain also. Any FO that thinks that behavior is ok doesn't deserve his ticket, much less to be in command of anything.

When I do a walk around I tell the captain about ANYTHING that I find even questionable. And, to the man, every one has told me to get mx to check it out.

 

[Skybusdriver]

The answer that a "non-airline initiated" person should give is:
WE ARE NOT GOING UNTIL IT IS FIXED, EVEN IF IT IS THE LAST FLIGHT OUT ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND THERE ARE 20 NUNS and ORPHANS ONBOARD, AND THE CAPTAIN NEEDS TO GET HOME TO HIS PREGNANT WIFE.

But we all know what we would really do...

 

[TonyC]

Safety issue, I need to know now. Nav light, overhead pax light, static wick, etc, we discovered on post-flight.

That's easy for you to brag behind the mask of internet anonymity, but I'm betting you'd sing a different tune if Uncle Fed were following the FO on the preflight walk-around inspection.

It's not our perogative to invent our own rules where rules have already been clearly established. Certainly, where there is no clear-cut guidance, we must rely on our best judgment. But in the case of a NAV light, there is clear guidance available. Use it. Period.


===================================
"If you can't get them to salute when they should salute and wear the clothes you tell them to wear, how are you going to get them to die for their country?"


“You cannot be disciplined in great things and indiscipline in small things.”


"Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men."


- General George S. Patton Jr

 

[IAHERJ]

The question is how would you answer this question in an interview. You have to know why the interviewer is asking such a question in the first place. There is really no right or wrong answer but more of a "how does he answer the question". When I was interviewing pilots, and asked a question like the above mentioned scenerio, I would look for pilots who were really looking for ways to get the flight going. Would the applicant ask me if we had maintenance on the field; could we call a contract mechanic? Or would the applicant say "the plane would be grounded, end of story" with a harh rigid attitude. I saw both types but always liked the guy/gal that would ask me 10 questions hoping there was a way to get the plane on it's way and not strand/inconvenience any passangers. If nothing was available, they would be visibly discouraged but would tell me that the plane would have to be delayed until it was fixed. I liked that, they would not break any rules but had the right attitude. I knew right then and there that on the line, they would do what it took to get planes from point A to point B safely but using common sense and realizing that not everything works like clockwork or operates like a simulator checkride scenerio. You have to think outside the box sometimes on the line and the interviewer is only trying to get into your world of thinking when a scenerio is brought up in an interview like the one we discussed here. Good luck!

 

[Diesel]

Turn the nav light switch off. That way they aren't burned out they are just off. Forget to turn them back on until landing. Then it burned out on landing.

Enjoy christmas with the family.

 

[Freebrd]

Nav light??? We don't need no stinkin' nav light!

Let's dance!

 

[bobbysamd]

Stupid interview questions (as opposed to Letterman's Stupid Pet Tricks)

Safety is No. 1; regulatory compliance is No.1A. For the pax, the show must go on, one way or another.

I would first consult the MEL to see if I can fly without it. If I can, fine. If not, and maintenance is on the field, I would have it changed. If I cannot do that, assuming the airport is in Podunkville, I would ask the station agent to put the pax on the next Greyhound bus so they can be home for Xmas. If the airport is a hub or semi-hub, I'd consult with ops, with the objective of booking the pax on another flight or on Greyhound.

 

[jtslc]

Opened a can of worms with that question. What was it again? Your Nav looses his light on Christmas?

 

[flying_gringo]

if its not night time - we're good to go.

if its only the white one, you're still Christmasy enough- the feds will let that slide.

if its the red one and your in a Lear, I feel comfortable using those little red ice light things on the dash.

but if its the green one - your done. go home. No Christmas for you - nor anyone else.

any good celebrity lawyer will tell you they're only required for flight anyhow - so you'll turn the so called "burned out" one on the moment you break ground.

these questions are stupid. Made up by dudes with no dates and no beer sitting around reading the FAR's playing what if. If that's what they want for a pilot, I don't want to play anymore. Arguing these interview questions is the whole special olympics analogy. Even if you win - you're still retarded.

I'd love to play more, but I need a beer. - a cheap one - just like I voted for in the beer poll.

happy new year folks...

fg