FA helps American Airlines Land

[flynryan15]

The FA said "she's a commercial pilot." I'll bet that she has a commercial certificate but she doesn't fly planes for a commercial operator, there's a difference. When you read AOPA magazine, everybody and their dog is a " commercial pilot."

Actually I knew of a couple mainline FA's that were also regional pilots.

 

[Redmeat]

The FA said "she's a commercial pilot." I'll bet that she has a commercial certificate but she doesn't fly planes for a commercial operator.

Wow Sherlock...Ya think?!!

What gave it away?...the fact that she WORKS FOR AMERICAN AIRLINES AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT?!!

Good Christ...sometimes I can't take the stupidity.

 

[Mr Wu]

Actually I knew of a couple mainline FA's that were also regional pilots.

At the same time? I'm throwing the BS flag.

 

[Lear70]

At the same time? I'm throwing the BS flag.

We had one at Pinnacle.

He was a fairly senior AA F/A, dropped most of his trips to fly for Pinnacle, bid minimum days at PCL as well, flew for AA as a F/A when he was off. I called B.S. too, he showed me his I.D. and logged onto AA's scheduling software to show me how he was bouncing back and forth in bidding... crazy.

Have no idea what he's doing now, probably still at PCL, he got hired about a year before I left and that was 2006...

That said, I agree, this F/A was probably a Commercially "rated" pilot still trying to break into a Regional or charter gig or maybe even still flight instructing.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Somehow the AMR guys will staple her to the bottom!!

 

[GravityHater]

anyone hear how the fo is?

 

[Caveman]

I agree with Lear and a few others. There's no way I'm letting an unknown gain access to the cockpit in this day and age. Unless I'm dealing with a Sioux City type scenario I can fly the plane just fine single pilot. A FA or CASS verified OAL crewmember occupying the other seat is helpful, but not necessary. Good job to the CA for using an available resource and good job to the FA for stepping up.

OTOH, we all know that her being in the cockpit was more an exercise in CRM CYA than it was a real benefit. She read the checklist? BFD. Totally unnecessary. If the CA hadn't used her he would have to explain himself to the feds for not using a resource. Was she helpful? Yeah, I guess to some degree. Did her presence materially add to the safe outcome of the flight. Not even remotely.

 

[clr4theapch]

Help in an emergency?

Lear I understand your concern for obvious reasons, however... lets just say in an example given your F/O has a Heart attack.. your call the F/A to see if anyone on board is an airline pilot but none is found but an older guy that holds a private instrument, shows his license, drivers license and he is true America red white and blue..

You would not ask him to come up front to help out with check lists and radio work? what if you your aircraft was already having some trouble enroute (maybe the cause of the F/O stress) and you had your hands full keeping the airplane upright??

What if it was a guy like me, has not flown acft in while, is a dispatcher as well (but out of work, so not in CASS)? Think I might be a help or be a hinderence..?

Even if I never had been trained on that equipment, I think I can pull a QRH or get the FOM emergency section out and read it to you.. make calls to MX or ATC.. Check breakers etc..

Just asking, as these are such rare occurrances anyway, just interesting to see how we think in this post 911 era... how much we would risk to avoid opening that flight deck door...

Yea yea.. this possibility would be like hitting the lotto 2 times in the same month...

 

[embpic1]

We had one at Pinnacle.

That said, I agree, this F/A was probably a Commercially "rated" pilot still trying to break into a Regional or charter gig or maybe even still flight instructing.

She is 61 so I doubt she is trying to get to a regional. I like how the first thing she asked the captain was "Where are the brakes?" Huh?

 

[clr4theapch]

i like how the first thing she asked the captain was "where are the brakes?" huh?

lol....