Overweight...Now What???

[Capi_Cafre']

They're all overweight. It's not 1960 anymore.

 

[RJAA]

Disregard

 

[NuGuy]

Hello,

I am putting my bid for Captain upgrade soon. I am starting to think of some scenarios I've seen as an F/O. My question is...the gate agent tells you about estimated pax and bags. It looks as if you'll be overweight. What methodology do you use to squeeze people or bags on board?

It really depends on how badly the company is screwing me lately.

If the answer is (very likely) badly, then my methodology is:

1) Use the most conservative numbers and operational considerations (engine loss into rising terrain, highest reported temperature, lowest reported headwind).

2) Let load control/dispatch/use the stock numbers

3) Make no effort to accomodate any additional anything. If people and/or bags are bumped, hmmm, tough cookies.

In this way, everyone gets exactly what they pay for, a pissed off employee doing EXACTLY what they pay him for...the minimum.

Nu

 

[Fox-Tree]

Fox Tree - funny you should mention that. The last time using the procedures was needed was to get one of your Captains home from Memphis after his 7 day international trip turned into an 8 day due to a rare FedEx cancellation.

We don't have any say in where they fly our airplanes to. We just do our job, like you do yours - and BTW - when can folks jumpseat on FedEx? I'd love to travel to the pacific with a sleeping bag and a dinner I packed instead of row 110 on an ID96.

Hey, thanks for helping him out. I'm sure he appreciated it. Don't take it personally. I was just sarcastically venting about the sad state of affairs we face as both pax and pilots. A 50 seat RJ was never designed to fly from the east coast to DEN. Add a little wx and an alternate and the pax or bags (or both) have to suffer. I know it's not your fault - you just fly the planes. But you end up having to pick up the slack for poor decisions by some idiot well above your pay grade.

As far as jumpseats - what's keeping you from jumpseating? If you're talking international - I apologize. I have no idea if that can or will change. Domestic, as long as we have a jumpseat agreement, you're welcome aboard. Depending on where you're going, it can be a nice hip-pocket when you've spent all day at the pax terminal trying to get home (or even to work).

 

[clickclickboom]

Dont forget a kid count

It has saved my butt more than a few times going transcon with headwinds and the rush hour taxi in JFK at night

 

[Lear70]

Hey, thanks for helping him out. I'm sure he appreciated it. Don't take it personally. I was just sarcastically venting about the sad state of affairs we face as both pax and pilots. A 50 seat RJ was never designed to fly from the east coast to DEN. Add a little wx and an alternate and the pax or bags (or both) have to suffer. I know it's not your fault - you just fly the planes.

It's not just a long-haul RJ problem.

The RJ I have to take once every blue moon from ATL-BNA when the weather requires an alternate automatically makes the flight weight critical. It's already close to that on a normal day for ZFW anyway (the small Embraers and the 50-seater CRJ have absolutely pitiful ZFW).

When I did fly an RJ, one of the ones missed here when it was a landing weight problem (which was the case more often than not flying 60-90 minute segment legs), we'd call dispatch and have them recompute the fuel burn to fly at a drastically-lower altitude and/or deliberately plan to taxi longer, well into our contingency fuel, which we were legally allowed to use for long taxis (as long as we still had safe alternate and c-fuel).

I got some nasty calls from ops doing it a couple times, but that's just too bad. You gave me the keys to your jet, and I'm getting all my folks from Point A to Point B, especially the non-revs who have to put up with the crappy working conditions we all suffered from in the regionals.

Cost the company an extra $500-$1000 in fuel? Too Fu*king Bad. That's the price you pay for operating a marginally-efficient aircraft.

Incidentally, used to run into this all the time on the DC-9 running MEM-BNA as well trying to jumpseat home. Actually got bumped by it twice, leaving about half a dozen non-revs at the gate. Luckily some of us had crashpad cars and we all shared rides home.

Yet another reason why I still keep a crashpad car in ATL even though I don't have a crashpad anymore. A 4 hour drive beats another night away from home every day of the week.

 

[Visceral]

The way I'm reading into some of the responses, guys flying RJs normally consider everyone to be an adult for weight purposes? If so, why?

 

[pianoman]

The way I'm reading into some of the responses, guys flying RJs normally consider everyone to be an adult for weight purposes? If so, why?

No, we counted anyone who looked even close to one as a half weight.

 

[blzr]

How about getting your company to actually operate the equipment in the environment it was designed for.......... regional flying.
Come to think of it - doesn't this belong in the regional section?

AHHHHAHHHAHHAHH

Dud, you are killing me. Like the majors don't use A320's and 757's as commuters. get real. Clt to GSO in a 1/3 full 757, followed by a full Dash-8, and then reverse the flight.

Yeah, man, stay on your side of the street!!

 

[Mookie]

call dispact and tell them that a buddy just reported that FL 320 is really bumpy on that route and that he should file us for FL 250. increases "planned" fuel burn, but can still go up to save gas on the flight if necessary. just make sure you land under max weight. had this scenario play out by an Express Jet captain. totally hooked me up trying to get to go see momma.

mookie