Gray Beard do's/don'ts for newbies

[Draginass]

It may sound funny, but don't love flying TOO much. Professionally, she is a very harsh mistress. Be able to do something else you like, too. If I lost my medical tomorrow, I'd be bent, but not broke. I could still support my family, still work at something I like, and be happy.

Keep you first house, first wife, and retire rich.

Your ATP certificate and 777 type rating is STILL a license to learn.

Don't sweat a busted checkride. Take responsibility, correct it and move on.

Shun companies that want you to pay for training or demand training contracts. They cheapen the profession.

Support your union. People like your union brothers and sisters turned the commercial aviation industry from that of a bunch of poor vagabonds into a respected and well paid profession. Don't let anybody, even some of your so-called collegues, tell you that you're overpaid. Based on your education, experience, and training, your contemporaries in other professions are making as much or more. Don't let their jelousy color your sense of self-worth. Keep in mind that aviation is a BUSINESS. Don't let management to abuse your dedicatioin, just because you enjoy going to work. NEVER EVER EVER SCAB. Draw unemployment, get another job, but NEVER scab.

Don't compromise your character for anybody, not even yourself.

 

[tcoll777]

temptation is the devil.....(even if it's the director of training)... do what you think is right, not what you are told is o.k..........

 

[BluesClues]

Avbug, I must respectfully disagree with item one on your list. Sometimes you're gonna have to piss off MX or dispatch. Granted they can make your life hell for ya, but I'm sure you've had the occassional dispatcher try to send ya out with a full boat and min fuel because "the WX is not that bad" or it's "forecast to improve". I generally try not to piss off MX, but I refuse to accept a questionable MEL item or pencil-whipped repair. If I'm not comfortable, I'm not going. I have yet to get into any trouble for refusing to fly when something just didn't smell right.

I'll add one more to you're list: Beware when the guy you're flying with says "Hey, watch this!"

 

[enigma]

FL000 advised that you should not let anyone rush you.

Good Advice.

To which I will add a small point. Learn to recognize when you are rushing. The times when you rush yourself may be more dangerous than when others rush you. It's easy to recognize that a gate agent is being pushy, but not so easy to recognize when your own anxiety is pushing. Teach yourself to sit back, take a deep breath, and tell yourself to slow down.

Point two. Avbug speaks truth, grasshopper.

One more thing, learn to say, "could you hold that thought until I finish this xxxxxx". That is a nice non-threatening way of telling your partner to shut up.

regards
8N

 

[StaySeated]

one more thing

I would like to add one thing, it will make your life infinitly less stressful.

Dont f up your logbook.

Enter your times as often as possible, not just when the seasons change. Once your start filling in the various time tables each airline sadisticly requires you will find a tenth missing here and a tenth extra there. Take your time, update often, you will appreciate your vigilance later.

 

[xhercdriver]

If you want your crew to volunteer information and keep you out of trouble, you have to be willing to take the time required to get their inputs, and then be willing to actually consider those inputs in "your" decisions.

It isn't "indecisiveness" to acknowledge that someone other than you actually came up with the right answer.

If the words "Here's what we're gonna do" come out of your mouth before the words "What do you think?" you probably don't understand CRM yet.

 

[avbug]

Bluesclues,

We don't disagree at all. One should never compromise one's judgement. I've refused aircraft before, and been threatened with loss of work. I've refused flights, and have spent nights away from home when I felt it was unsafe to continue or press on.

Compared to potential loss of life, threats to my employment mean nothing. However, my point was simply that there are several ways to approach an issue, and the last confrontational method, or the least offensive method when dealing with maintenance, and others, is usually best. The point I had intended to make, I suppose, is that our jobs depend on many other people, and when the one small moment in time is resolved, we still need to work with them.

Point taken.

 

[publisher]

thoughts

1. Air Traffic Control is in a nice room somewhere and fitting you into their plan. Do not let their plan interfere with your safe flight. The person in command is you and they cannot come up to help you out when things are going south.

2. There is no disgrace in saying I'm not comfortable with this approach or this anything, in mssing approaches, taking your time to examnine your options, saying please give me more information, going to an alternates, or not going at all.

3. Treat every flight like you did when you had 55 hours.

4. Runway behind you and altitiude above you are just as worthless as the saying says.

5. Know what your minimums are and what your capabilities are. Because you can does not mean you should.

Lastly, shut off the radio's, the radar, the flight director, and look out the window some night and remember why you wanted to do this.

 

[AWACoff]

When flying with a-hole captains, be mindful of shutting your mouth but never shut your mind. The "single pilot" cockpits that a-hole captains create also create smoking holes in the ground. I'm sure Ifly4food would concur when thinking about The Iceman and D U G "doug".

 

[LR25]

Flying with the A$$hole

I used to get uptight when I knew the guy I was going to fly with was a jerk.

This is what I do.

I get in the airplane and I do my job, and I make sure I do it good.

If you do it good, it just might get rid of some of the problems that make this a guy a "jerk" that may have been reported to you by others or on previous flights you had with the guy.

I'm not saying take abuse, but I will say go the extra mile to make it a good trip, becuase you might be with the guy for 4 days.

Lets face it, there are always going to be that "jerk" that you are going to have to fly with. I say figure out what makes them tick, and it might just go alittle bit smoother.

I like one of the previous posts.

You can be having a really bad day but, while your up at cruise on a nice clear night, look out the window and know why you are there.

I can't think of a better cubicle.

LR25