what to do about a dangerous captain

[Paradoxus]

Kenny,

Your'e absoulutely right. I dont think the situation could be handled safely is the "fit hits the shan" as you say. This guy is majorly insecure; on top of having a prone to violence when confronted about challenges. It is almost as if he feels he needs to prove himself to me by lording his station in life over my head, with countless insults and disrespectful comments added to make things difficult. I can see him going completely catatonic over a real emergency situation. I've seen such before. Maybe I do have a responsibility to take this matter to management.

 

[Guitar rocker]

Having never experienced quite this situation before, I am still at a loss what exactly to do. I've been everything in the way of respectful with this individual; allowing him to save face on obvious screw-ups with a concerted tactfull effort just seems like the right thing to do. This morning, however, he busted our altitude and speed restriction on the Dalton departure out of KTEB in a split second, while I was running our after T/O checklist, COMPLETELY ignoring my call-outs/warnings. I have, of course, got to fill out yet another NASA report on the incident as he busted our altitude/speed resistrctions beyond what is acceptable.

I suppose the blame is equally on my shoulders, as I am required to monitor everything happening. It cannot be ignored, however, that I cannot see/prevent EVERYTHING happening when it is not my leg apart from taking the aircraft from this guy.

I can sympathize with you. How long has that cptn been there??? Do other guys like flying with him??? Does he have a bad reputation???

I understand that being new isnt the easiest. If you sit on it, it could bite you too........what if something happens and you have all this information documented and the CP says, hey, why didnt you come to me with this earlier??? Then it's too late. Your stuck between a rock and a hard place, but I would ask others who fly with him and see what their perception is and if you havent confronted him, then I would at least start there as someone above mentioned............but in the end, it's CYA. If you seriously think that hes going to hurt someone, bend some metal or get you in trouble with the federales, and if he wasnt willing to hear you out, then it's time to talk to the CP. It's not worth the risk of getting into any legal trouble or worse than that. There are other corporate flying jobs out there with really cool and safe people to fly with.

 

[shamrock]

prone to violence when confronted about challenges.

countless insults and disrespectful comments added

Upon confrontation.... he becomes hostile

COMPLETELY ignoring my call-outs/warnings.

If this stuff is just half true then this guy really does seem to have a problem. Not being in the situation personally it's easier said than done to tell you to go to the CP but I'll tell you anyway. Go to the CP. There's some total A-holes where I work who I can't stand personally but I would trust to handle an emergency. Sounds like this guy is dangerous even without interpersonal conflicts.

 

[400A]

Let me give you an example.

Just days before the Brunos Beechjet slammed into the hills in Rome Ga. killing all aboard because they were scud running, the first officer told his friends "I have to get another job before this guy kills me." He told the captain the mountain was there multiple times.

Are you going to be next? Your life and income are just as important as his. If you let him kill you, no body has any income.

If it is a personality issue, deal with it. If he is truly dangerous, you have to deal with that too.

 

[WhiteCloud]

There's some total A-holes where I work who I can't stand personally but I would trust to handle an emergency. Sounds like this guy is dangerous even without interpersonal conflicts.

Excellent point. When you go to the CP be sure you're doing everything you can to work professionally with this guy. In this business part of safety is working well with your crewmembers. Tension in the cockpit just isn't safe. Ask for advice from the CP on how to get along with this guy. I'd probably arrange to fly a trip or two with the guy to "keep myself current" and to see what's going on in the cockpit first hand. If it's personal maybe the guy has a beef with you too. Something a beer or three after work could solve?

 

[Guitar rocker]

Excellent point. When you go to the CP be sure you're doing everything you can to work professionally with this guy. In this business part of safety is working well with your crewmembers. Tension in the cockpit just isn't safe. Ask for advice from the CP on how to get along with this guy. I'd probably arrange to fly a trip or two with the guy to "keep myself current" and to see what's going on in the cockpit first hand. If it's personal maybe the guy has a beef with you too. Something a beer or three after work could solve?

Hate to say it, but I think at this point we are past what a "beer or 3" can do here. If you have already chatted with the captain and he's still acting the same way and doing things that are unsafe, you just dont have any other choice but to mention it to the higher ups. It's your resoponsibility to do so at this point.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Without us being there in the cockpit, only you and those who have flown with him know how 'dangerous' the guy is. If it's just a matter of not getting along, or not seeing eye to eye, then the dangerous part can be controlled by you and how you handle the situation and/or personality conflict. If the danger is in the way the guy flies, then you need to ask yourself if sticking it out is worth getting in a wreck and dying.

If you haven't already, take a look at the Aftermath section of the May 2006 FLYING magazine...they rehash the B-52 crash back in 94 caused by a clearly out of control senior Air Force officer. If that is your situation, my low-time advice is...don't be the guy in the right seat.

 

[bubbers44]

I had the same problem. He was the chief pilot so going there was not an option. I decided to talk to the VP in charge of the flight department, he talked to the other pilots and the CP was put on probation for a month. I thought I would lose my job earlier when I took the jet away from him when he tried to land long on a short runway in a thunderstorm one night. I thought I would get fired but didn't. He was later fired doing unsafe flights with another pilot. You can't let him kill you because he is the captain. Jobs are easier to find then body parts.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Sorry to hear of your situation.

Best advice seems to be that you need to have a talk with your CP and have him ride with this guy.

Don't put yourself in an uncomfortable position. If you feel overwhelmed and unsafe riding with this guy, stay away. As long as you have a concrete explantion for any future employment queries, you should be ok.

 

[Way2Broke]

:laugh: Maverick was "dangerous" and he got along just fine. So what is your point. Just kidding. Seriously though, if you don't like the guy do what any mature adult would do, call him names behind his back.