Les Abend

[Traumahawk]

Does anyone remember a few months back when Abend took some flak from readers when he wrote an artice about "how hard it is being a major airline pilot" ??

Plane & Pilot isn't too shabby sometimes. I think Freeman --while somewhat on a different freq-- has his moments....
Sometimes reading about flying can be like reading about golfing. How to articles are someones personal opinion on what they THINK works for them, when in reality it is the fastest way to screw your game up big time.

T-hawk

 

[Duke Elegant]

Heh! Heh! Heh! That Richard Collins guy in Flying sure milked his P210 adventure for ten years or so.. Boy , he sure had me sitting on the edge of my seat while he told us about oil changes and vacuum pumps and WOW! Sometimes he used to run into bad weather and get a motel.


I wonder if he ever did a flight without his tie.

 

[EagleRJ]

so who is looking outside at that point?

Both pilots are looking outside. The point of the call is to verify that the airplane has started to climb before retracting the gear.

It would be really embarassing to lift the nosewheel off the runway, call gear up, and then go sliding down the runway on your belly.
Direct trip to the Chief Pilot's Office for sure!

Many 121 airlines have the same type of call in their SOPs.

 

[typhoonpilot]

Hope everyone had a nice 4th of July. We didn't get to celebrate this year due to where we live. I thought putting on my No Fear American flag T-shirt and walking up and down the road would generate some fireworks, but it didn't

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

I am not defending Captain Abend because I think he is a total tool. However, at AA the proper callout for the pilot flying is always "Positive Rate, Gear Up."

So you are telling me that the pilot flying is watching his VSI while he is taking off. Who the hell is looking out the window at this point.

Exactly my point, although I take positive rate off the altimeter as that is what Boeing recommends. More intelligent pilots than I can argue the exact reasons that a positive indication on a VSI doesn't necessarily mean a positive rate of climb.

So our hero Les is not wrong on this part, I'll conceed the point but he still thinks very highly of himself and uses the dreaded term " co-pilot ".


TP

 

[typhoonpilot]

Both pilots are looking outside. The point of the call is to verify that the airplane has started to climb before retracting the gear.

In airlines that have a decent CRM program and that encourage teamwork the PNF calls "positive rate" and the PF then calls "gear up". Those are airlines where the term is First Officer, not " co-pilot " and where the Captains are probably a little more modest than our hero. At least I'm beginning to understand where his attitude comes from.

Typhoonpilot

 

[Dangerkitty]

Does anyone remember a few months back when Abend took some flak from readers when he wrote an artice about "how hard it is being a major airline pilot" ??

With all due respect, how in the hell do you know how hard it is to be an airline pilot? Because with your time you obviously are not one. Again I think Les is a total dork at times but he is an airline captain and knows what it takes to get there. As do I.

 

[Dangerkitty]

So you are telling me that the pilot flying is watching his VSI while he is taking off. Who the hell is looking out the window at this point.

Its the way AA asks us to do it. Why dont you go to the school house and tell them a better way to do it. Furthermore, if you are looking at the VSI on a rotation you dont belong in a 121 cockpit.

 

[ATCER]

Fellas... I think I rode this guys jumpseat one night from LAX to JFK ... I started reading this thread tonight and remember an interesting jumpseat experience. I found his picture on the web but I can't swear if it was him or not, it was about 4-5 years ago. (he did have a moustache)

I was out in LA (buddy passed out there from a friend at UAL) and decided to head back early, figured I would hit LAX to try and hitch a ride. I find a AAL flight and go to the gate, gate agent was friendly, and said she'd tell ask the Capt... BTW, you know what you're getting yourself into ? I was like huh ?

I go meet the Capt, ask for a ride, he was nice, said yes, then began to explain to me how when he saw me walking down he knew I was not a pilot because he could spot all his fellow aviators by the proud way they walked or something... I knew it would be interesting but I am always greatful for a ride, especially a free one. I strap in and he is already all over the FO, asking all sorts of questions, he has books and manuals out... I thought he was giving the poor guy a checkride or something. We're getting ready to go, the FA pops her head in and says to me, "there is room in the back here, come have a seat..." I'm halfway out the door when Capt says "WHOA !!! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING ???" ... I was like... ugh... to the back ? I apologized and explained that most flight crews don't want people up front. He then explained to me that he was not most flight crews, that any crew that allowed that was unprofessional, then took out some manual and quoted to me the passge about ATC in the cockpit ... the FA rolls her eyes, tells me good luck and slams the door, the FO was shaking his head. I apologized, sat down, buckled up, and shut up.

While in line for TO he is still asking the FO questions, he asks... "in the B757, can the FO seat see the right engine from looking out the window" ... as the FO begins to turn around to look (big mistake) the Capt hits him on the head with the book ! I said to myself this is going from bad to worse... I decided that if the FO killed the Capt in route I would testify on the FO's behalf that it was self defense.

Somewhere over middle America he paused in telling me his life story and passion for aviation and asked about what I did... I explained that as much as I loved my job... it was just that, a job to earn $$$ to enjoy life, hobbies, drink, whatever. The man had the most disgusted look on his face I have ever seen, like a son telling his parents he would be quiting Harvard to join the circus... after what seemed like 80 hours we finally landed at JFK. The FO booked, he was gone. I hung around to do my normal post flight, thank the crew, etc. I asked the Capt... how'd the FO do on his evaluation ? He answered... what eval ? Oh, the questions... I do that to all my FO's...

Now, before I get flamed I was and still am greatful for the ride, I always have enjoyed the crews I met and still go drinking on occasion with a few (I always seem to have the sector on speaker when they check in and hear me, then announce what bar they will be in after they land) The Capt was a nice guy and smart but a real wingnut and I felt bad for the poor SOB that was the FO on that trip.

Sitting here I swear this is the same guy...

 

[jumppilot]

So you are telling me that the pilot flying is watching his VSI while he is taking off. Who the hell is looking out the window at this point.

Do you know when positive rate is when you take off VMC? I do.

Do you know when positive rate is when you take off IMC? I do.

We fly airplanes, not operate on brains.

 

[350DRIVER]

ATCER,

This was probably Les...

He does come across as a complete jackass from the reading that I have done on him. . . I couldn't imagine being the FO on one of his flights, sure it isn't very enjoyable. AA close friend of mine is on the 75/76 and will have to ask him about his personal experiences with him when he get's back on US soil.


things that make you go hmm...


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