I'm Standard

[Cardinal]

My goal is to create an atmosphere relaxed enough so my FO will speak up if she or he is concerned about something or knows something that should be brought to my attention, but strict enough so that I don't get walked on all day long. If this means I pick my battles and every once in a while a procedure is bent, so be it. My brief is I give no brief. I always fly the first leg when I am with someone for the first time. I kind of set the procedural bar and then expect them to conform to it. If they scare me, I get upset otherwise....party on. As for reading in the cockpit....only if it has pictures.

Ditto. If my FO, with a grin on his face, actually says to me "What the fu&# are you doing?" at some point I know my mission for the month has been accomplished. For one, the FO is challenging my (incorrect, idiotic) actions, and secondly, he's doing it in such an otherwise abusive manner that it's clear we have built a solid rapport and that I can challenge/correct him if necessary without completely derailing the cockpit atmosphere.

And after a year or two of FOing I also took to grimacing when the "I'm standard, really laid back, let's stay safe, not get violated, and have fun in that order" line of BS was briefed. It usually meant expect wildly nonstandard flying, at times abject danger, risk to my continued employment and certificate, cockpit tension, and zero fun.

 

[Rally]

If I was a captain (which I'm not) I would tell my FOs I am going to fly it like its a checkride, and if ANYTHING pops up that makes US feel uncomfortable we need to speak to each other and provide a resolution, we need to both have "thick skins" to suggestions (grain of salt) If I was a captain I would not try to instruct the FO unless he/she was encroaching on limitations safety. One thing I've found is everybody flies differently and just about everyone arrives at about the same safety and outcome. Most people learn well enough doing it day after day.

 

[PunchTheClown]

The only thing I look forward to with this job is reading. I know that each week I'll finish a good book. Great way to make the day go by. For those of you wimps who dont like it when people read then I say F you! Its not that hard to put the book down and scan or do something else. And for those of you who say that you'll have a hard time putting on your O2 mask? I bet I get it on faster they you, you old greasy fart. Now, let me get back to my book!

 

[PunchTheClown]

You guy's really have problems with reading in the cockpit???
Glad we don't fly together...

No shiznit! The second were out of busy airspace and out of steril my feet are up and I"m reading.

 

[Longhorn]

My favorites were....

Ok, im laid back, standard and by the book. When its your leg its your plane.

translation

im an uptight pain in the arse. When its your leg, its actually my leg and you are flying.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

The worst Captains that I've had are the ones that sit there, turn the hot mic off, and say nothing the entire trip. Conversations are impossible...you ask them something to strike up a conversation and get a one word response. If you're really that miserable then stay home. This also goes for FO's who are like this.

 

[capt. megadeth]

How about FOs who brief "I'm going to duck the GS a bit to make the TD zone."

I don't get this one either. I have never (intentionally) ducked below GS and can only remember one time that I didn't land in the TDZ.

 

[olympus593]

I stay on A/P even in clear VFR so no below GS for me, mainly because I lazy...

 

[fried chickens]

I always fly the first leg when I am with someone for the first time. I kind of set the procedural bar and then expect them to conform to it. If they scare me, I get upset otherwise....party on. As for reading in the cockpit....only if it has pictures.

I agree with that. I prefer CA to fly first so I see how they do things and if it isn't unsafe or against the manual I'll do it their way. Case in point, like when to turn the A/P on. I've been yelled at for not turning it on early enough. Sometimes I just feel like hand flying for awhile.

 

[vectorvictor]

My goal is to create an atmosphere relaxed enough so my FO will speak up if she or he is concerned about something or knows something that should be brought to my attention, but strict enough so that I don't get walked on all day long. If this means I pick my battles and every once in a while a procedure is bent, so be it. My brief is I give no brief. I always fly the first leg when I am with someone for the first time. I kind of set the procedural bar and then expect them to conform to it. If they scare me, I get upset otherwise....party on. As for reading in the cockpit....only if it has pictures.

That being said....the better you think you are, the more I am going to mess with you. It sounds cruel and mean but really I am doing you a favor. Imagine what you get when a c^cky FO upgrades?

The hardest thing in life is learning to look at situation through someone else's perspective. When you upgrade remember what it was like to fly with the "hot mic off" jerk for a month. Or remember flying with the nit-picker. I can tell you that I would never go out of my way to help these jerks out. I've had many an FO "bail me out" when it comes to stuff and I appreciate it. So here's to you "Mr. Regional Airline First Officer...."

 

[Dodge]

I have found that when a CA says that he is standard, that is code for "you fly precisely by the book and I'll do whatever I darn well please." I had a few CA's like this over the years and they get really hot when you point out to them that they are being unstandard and therefore unsafe. Especially when they are LCA's.

It makes the trip more fun when you try to "out book the standard CA."

I am also proud to say that after becoming a CA, I let the FO's do their jobs.

 

[climbhappy]

i think the "I'm standard" speech simply applies to meeting a newbie fo in your cockpit and maybe you're a recent upgrade. since you both have had recent training events, it is certainly a way of saying" let's do this the way we were trained. so many older captains do things in checklist usage that are nonstandard. it should make a fresh off IOE fo feel more at ease.

 

[epps]

The best captain breif I have ever had said to me was, "You're young and good looking and I'm old and rich. At the restaurant tonight, you bring the ladies in and I'll buy the beer."

 

[jws717]

The best captain breif I have ever had said to me was, "You're young and good looking and I'm old and rich. At the restaurant tonight, you bring the ladies in and I'll buy the beer."

Hats off the all the captains who have bought the beer on the overnights!

My favorite brief is "The only reason i am the capt is i have been here longer than you. You watch my back, ill watch yours and we will stay out of the chiefs office."

 

[bailout]

My favorite brief is "The only reason i am the capt is i have been here longer than you. You watch my back, ill watch yours and we will stay out of the chiefs office."

Exactly,. Those guys are spot on..!

 

[Booker]

Yes, the "standard" crewmember is one of my favorites, as well. If you hear, "I'm standard and pretty laid back," well, I hope you're not on a four-day. However, like someone mentioned early in the thread, I had one guy tell me, "I try to be laid back. I know a lot of guys say that and then they're not, but I do my best. If I'm doing something you don't like or I'm getting on your nerves for some reason, let me know." Sure enough, he was one of the easiest guys to fly with, and very "standard" as well, without having to tell me he was. Very impressive, IMHO.

 

[SBD]

I have no problem with anyone reading the paper or a book while "in cruise." I do have a problem with the guy who turns on the autopilot after about 1000 feet and then goes to his case and pulls out the "Hardy Boys Mystery."

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Hats off the all the captains who have bought the beer on the overnights!

My favorite brief is "The only reason i am the capt is i have been here longer than you. You watch my back, ill watch yours and we will stay out of the chiefs office."

Amen!!!!!!!! Keep each other out of trouble, and talk about it over a beer on the overnight.

 

[AWACoff]

I like the FOs who pull out the paper on their leg and then proceed to completely unfold it so that they cannot see any engine instruments, flight instruments, or any daylight through the windows. Then they turn to you and ask you if you are "one of those captains" that has a problem with it. Hmm...yeah, on your leg I have a problem with having to fly the airplane. You're not at home in bed on a Sunday morning...

Some people who think they are laidback seem to confuse being lazy with being easy going. There's a big difference.

 

[goahead]

Just remember that the CA is always right.. We went through the type and it's our asz.
Ha Ha Ha that's what you hear if you speak up. Just do you job the way you were trained and if we have a problem with it then the chief pilot will always agree with whoever is doing what the book says.