do you read in the cockpit?

[P-Dawg_QX]

LNAV, VNAV, USA Today...they'll love that answer!

Those three items should be on the checklist, actually. Standard procedure, if you ask me.

 

[xjlifer]

A better interview question would be..."during cruise would you share your USA today" ....With a follow up make or break question..."did you buy that paper"?

 

[1IDBLKJEW]

HAVE YOU EVER READ IN THE COCKPIT????

YES!!!!

or if you want to be politically correct

NOT INTENTIONALLY

I think if you said NO they would just mark down "this guy lies and dont trust him"

 

[ackattacker]

A better interview question would be..."during cruise would you share your USA today" ....With a follow up make or break question..."did you buy that paper"?

And if you answer 'yes' and 'yes' then they will know you're not airline pilot material.

 

[MDP727]

You should say---- Yes, only material that is related to the safety of the flight though.

 

[pilotyip]

Is this like the question to an on-demand freightdog, "Have you ever slept in the cockpit?" Answer "Not on purpose"

 

[michael707767]

reading for pleasure in flight makes for a safer flight.
just like pleasant conversation does.
or doing crossword puzzles.
or soduko.
it alleviates bordom

I agree. I am much more aware of whats going on if I keep my mind engaged in something.

 

[saltyswede]

Only the APLA rag

That should get you hired

 

[xjlifer]

"And if you answer 'yes' and 'yes' then they will know you're not airline pilot material."

Kinda wonder exactly what "airline pilot material" is these days? He/She can't be a sane rational human being to want to get in or stay in this bidness!

 

[DrewBlows]

A question like that is asked not to find out if you read in the cockpit, but to find out to what degree you follow company policy, FAR's, etc. In an adversarial interview a follow up question to "yes" might be, assuming that your company has a policy against reading, "So, you don't think that all company policies are important. Tell me what other company policies you don't follow." If they asked "Do you do all checklists", even the crusty old captain who hasn't done a checklist since the fist Bush administration know that he'd better answer "yes", but a subtle qustion like the aforementioned reading questions can help to distinuish between the rule followers and the rule breakers, so-to-speak.

As with most interview questions there is no "right" answer. I think that you could answer the question "Do you read in the cockpit?" several ways, and still be correct. For instance.

Bad answer: "Yes."
Really bad answer: "Yes, my company has a policy against reading in the cockpit, but everyone does it. I really don't see a problem with it."

Good answer: "No, my company has a policy against reading in the cockpit, as it diverts your attention from the task of flying the airplane."

Really good answer: "I sometimes use my company manuals to clarify a policy or procedure. For instance, just the other day I knew that we would have to do a cross-bleed start in SBN, and it had been a long time since I have done one and knew that we would have very little time on the ground, so I looked up the procedure for a cross-bleed start, to refresh my memory, while en-route."

You'll notice that the last answer never addressed reading the "USA today" but still answered the question. Personally, I would throw something in about not reading non-company material, but if you really have that big of an issue with streaching the truth you don't have to, I guess.