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...


3 5 0

 

[CatYaaak]

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...QUOTE]

For a wanker like this the only proper response to the question and subsequent book-strike would be something along the lines of .."Why yes, I know you can see the engine because I just watched your wife suck-starting it back at the gate."

 

[Snakum]

Agree with the majority ... Flying Magazine is just about $hite nowadays. When I started flying in '95 I really liked it, and I thought Private Pilot, Plane & Pilot, et al were crap. That seems to have changed in the last few years. I realize that Flying is really geared toward a different audience (uber-rich guys or Major jocks with kids needing to decide which pilot factory to go to) but still ... there's practically NOTHING in there for the average weekend warrior anymore.

And yes ... Abend comes off as a total ass-clown.

Minh

 

[suen1843]

ATCER:.....

If you get stuck on this guy's j/s again (if you ever get the 160 program back, that is) here's a good way to get him to let you sit in the back.

Sometime shortly after takeoff, start searching around and act like you lost something. When the captain inquires as the what you are looking for, just say "I'm looking for a 'sick-sack'. I always throw up whenever I ride one of these flying machines".

The captain will probably make sure you get a seat in the back.

 

[Wang Chung]

Aviation Safety

Aviation Safety is one of the top subscriptions out there, IMHO, for the GA crowd. It actually has USEFUL, MEANINGFUL flying stuff in there. No fluff, no ads, no stupid "pirep" articles about flying the latest business turboprop that most average joes will never be able to afford. IFR refresher is good, too, but A.S. is more broad in scope.

I haven't picked up a Plane and Pilot lately, but does anybody like Budd Davison's Grassroots column? I used to love those.

 

[rubberducky]

so who is looking outside at that point?

Well since we are technically IFR at all times the PF should be on the gauges and the PNF outside. But as you probably do in VFR conditions you look in and outside as the PF. To answer your question, my FSM says the PNF should be watching outside.

 

[wings421]

I really like to read Kitplanes and Sport Aviation (by the EAA), but I'm into homebuilding.

 

[sandman2122]

Good Reads?

I'm partial to MAXIM and FHM, because the articles are sooo interesting.

 

[Vortilon]

Who's Looking Outside on Takeoff...

Normally I just close my eyes....takeoffs are scary! But not nearly as scary as landings.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

They replaced a highly respected Airways captain for this smuck,

I doubt you will find many airways pilots that agree with your opinion of said pilot. Especially the ones that had to fly with him.

 

[350DRIVER]

I doubt you will find many airways pilots that agree with your opinion of said pilot. Especially the ones that had to fly with him.

You may be right but the Airways pilots that I know surely don't share your same opinion(s). Have you flown with Captain Block prior to him taking his early retirement? Atleast this guy didn't come across as a complete assho!e, over-accomplished clown as Abend does issue after issue. Les brings nothing of usable substance to the magazine other than personal opinion and whacked/flawed logic. I would rather be locked in a cockpit with Ron Jeremy talking about the overweight females that he tagged over the years before I would ever want to discuss flying with Les.


different strokes for different folks.......

3 5 0

 

[bobbysamd]

June Les Abend

He devoted two pages to PA Announcements 101 in the June Flying. Now, really, except for airline pilots, how many people in his reading audience can relate to making public address announcements during a flight? He wrote in depth into the ABCs of proper cabin announcements and even quoted from his company manual. Though I wanted to fly for the airlines, I could not relate to the article. The Richard Collins upscale pilot/businessman type could not relate to the article. Perhaps the Gulfstream/TAB Express P-F-T crowd who reads the mag (there was a full-page ad for Gulfstream) might relate to the article.

What a waste of paper. I agree with comments above about how Michael Maya Charles writes great articles.

 

[English]

In my humble opinion as a free-lance writer, (And not a very good one at that...) the perfect aviation magazine would include the following, they are the BEST at what they do:


Hippie stuff:
Lane Wallace
Dave English

Hippie stuff! that's funny....I'm sure they'll get a kick out of that!

 

[Skygod]

I've met Lane. She is as nice in person as she seems in print. Not really a 'hippie' -- but someone in love with flying and flying people. Has the rare talent to transcribe it into words. And the rarer talent to do so every month.

I think 'Airways' is the best magazine right now. www.airwaysmag.com

English is a bigger tool than Abend, but a good enough writer to hide it!

'Flying' is a shadow of what it was in the sixties and seventies. Pick up some old copies at a yard sale or used book store. It's a revelation. Then look at some old Private Pilot or whatnot from the same era. Richard Bach, Ernie Gann, Rick Drury, Len Morgan, Bax. Great writers talking about great flying. And if that makes me a hippie . . . so be it.

 

[English]

We love your writing, SkyGod...no hippie about it!

 

[Timebuilder]

Count me in.

When I was a child, my dad had a stack of Flying next to the can, on the windowsill and the radiator. I had heard about ground effect before I could factor an equation.

Those were good days. Too bad nobody publishes a magazine that counters the PFT crap we see now.

 

[philo beddoe]

Maybe we should forward a link to this thread to Abend's in-box over at Flying?

It would warm my heart if he knew his ultra-tool status was being discussed here.

What say? Turn him in the the editors?
:evil grin:

 

[A Squared]

Yep,


Abend is a complete horse's @ss. I read one of his columns in which he was discussing his first large airplane class (727 I think) He claimed that he was the only one in the class who could land the airplane well even though he had no large airplane experience and many of the others in the class did. In his version the instructors admonished the rest of hte class, saying that abend was the only one who was doing it right. Ummmm yeah, sure. His column on armed pilots was pretty sad too.

Can you imagine spending a week in the cockpit with that sanctimonious dolt?

 

[TheDogsBollocks]

A Squared,

If I had to spend a trip with that sanctimonious a** Abend and, if I were an FFDO I would probably just blow his f**king brains out with my sidearm for subjecting me to such horse s**t.

I would think the rest of AA's first officers would thank me!

 

[AAsRedHeadedbro]

I've read Dave Engish's articles and have had the pleasure of meeting him in the crew lounge in Chicago. I agree with the assesments of his writing. He has the rare ability to paint a perfect picture and then place the reader right into the middle of it.

I hope Skyg..., er, Dave continues writing his beautiful pieces and I agree with him about the best writers. I include him in that bunch.

Keep em coming Dave and have fun at JetBlue!!

 

[coolyokeluke]

OK for us ignorant types what magazine does Dave English write for?