May I suggest a few of you bitchy, whiny old ladies back your arses down before the facts of this tragedy are known.
We all chose this line of work and the risks involved even in this day and age. Before the remains of the crew probably reached room temperature, the mierda starts getting tossed.
Here's what I do know. There are a few posters that probably nailed the UJ description from first or second hand experience.
The slam on the Captain basically makes me puke. From what I understand, this guy was very successful. Why he was flying for these guys, I don't have a clue. I do know the claims that "he had training problems" should be taken with a grain of salt. I've been in the next sim and briefing room with guys having problems, and I don't have a clue to the real issue. I've also been in the same briefing room where a CA was described as having "an attitude problem"(he didn't) and it degenerated to two guys almost 'stepping outside'. put yourself in one possible situation. The B-Fund is at an all time high, your making 5 times your widebody CA pay with other businesses, and you run across a not uncommon AA knucklehead sim instructor or sim CKA and you decide, 'F-it, I've had enough' and retire. Of course you had a 'training problem'.
While I don't remember flying with him by his name in the past, I do remember flying with a very successful builder of very expensive FL homes (as he was)and would have remembered if he was a 'head case'. From looking at past bidding, we both ran in the same circles for years (me as FO) and I don't remember his name as being one of the few "problem children" that every FO knows about. As for 'it's a different world' in P135 or 91, yes I know, that's my pre-121 background and don't get me started.
Here's a 'training problem': For year i did recurrents and was told by the DFW training 'geniuses' that if we get an engine failure on TO, declare an emergency and ask for runway heading to 3000'. For over a decade, I was a 'problem child' because I flew Latin America and told these clowns they can't teach the muscle memory for guys flying 'down south' because many of these airports will get you killed wiith that technique. "Shut up and color" was the basic response to me as the FO. Guess what? Now they are teaching that it's not that smart to use a blanket straight ahead technique like that, and everybody should use their wisdom to keep the line swine alive. I sheet you not, they actually think they invented this crap. I remember another genius telling me how XYZ approach and technique into Quito was the "best way to run things down there". I asked the ace CKA when was the last time he was at UIO, becoming rather indignant at the uppity FO, he replies, " a couples of years ago.....and how many times for you?"
7 times that month at least, 30-50 times in the last year. He of course went on to something else to bamboozle me with.
Just perspective fellas. This guy may have screwed up to our worst expectations, a little respect and restraint will do us all good.
Stay safe.
