When would you take the controls from the captain?

[Steve]

Had a friend get this question at a American Eagle interview. How would you guys/gals answer?

 

[svcta]

At this point in my life I would ask for the next question. It's a ridiculous question to begin with and I have heard 10 different answers and no one, not even Mr./Ms. Interviewer, knows what the right answer is. "CRM....lip service lip service lip service, captain's experience.....lip service lip service, lip service....I don't really know enough to say when he's wrong lip service lip service lip service...." Blah.

Glad I'm not doing an airline interview any time soon. Honestly, if the time ever came I assure you it would be justified. Then I'd look right at that H.R. hag and tell her she had 10 seconds to ask me a real question or "I'm walkin outta this beotch." followed by a raucous "Check out F.I. dot com and see how I roll, muthaf*^%er!! I'm SVCTA! AHHHHH!"

 

[siucavflight]

Um, what?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I'd reply... You have captains here that have trouble with aircraft control???

 

[turboshark]

Oh...that's easy! When the last 10 minutes of his conversation with YOU was about how depressed and unfulfilled his life is and that he's had thoughts of suicide......fun "prozac" psycho stuff like that!

Then again....What Would Spock Do? ......WWSD?
Make sure its logical before you grab and fill out a nasa report when you land.

 

[time builder]

That's easy, I would take the controls when the captain says: "you've got the controls."

But seriously, we know what this is eluding to. If the captain's gonna kill you, do what you gotta do. However, the last thing you want to do is engage a tug of war on the controls. One company recommended that if it came down to that, I should whack the captain over the head with a fire extingusher, and then take control.

 

[DrewBlows]

When the captain says "you have the flight controls" or when a successful outcome to the flight is in doubt.

 

[siucavflight]

That's easy, I would take the controls when the captain says: "you've got the controls."

But seriously, we know what this is eluding to. If the captain's gonna kill you, do what you gotta do. However, the last thing you want to do is engage a tug of war on the controls. One company recommended that if it came down to that, I should whack the captain over the head with a fire extingusher, and then take control.

I would use the crash axe!!

 

[Way2Broke]

Most GOMs contain a clause about incapacitated crew members. Usually it says that if you ask something 3 times (required calls) and get no response you should consider that crew member incapacitated. Of course, you should use some common sense as well.

 

[Princedietrich]

Easy answer. If the crazy ol mofo does something that will lead to me becoming a smouldering crater within the next several seconds, I'm taking the wheel. This will be followed by a barrage of "WHAT THE FLIPPIN HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

 

[learflyer]

At this point in my life I would ask for the next question. It's a ridiculous question to begin with and I have heard 10 different answers and no one, not even Mr./Ms. Interviewer, knows what the right answer is. "CRM....lip service lip service lip service, captain's experience.....lip service lip service, lip service....I don't really know enough to say when he's wrong lip service lip service lip service...." Blah.

Glad I'm not doing an airline interview any time soon. Honestly, if the time ever came I assure you it would be justified. Then I'd look right at that H.R. hag and tell her she had 10 seconds to ask me a real question or "I'm walkin outta this beotch." followed by a raucous "Check out F.I. dot com and see how I roll, muthaf*^%er!! I'm SVCTA! AHHHHH!"

funny $hit!:beer: . I'm walkin' all up outta herezle!

 

[Mason]

Seriously..I've had this question a few times.

A few good responses in an interview setting might be:

I'd take the controls if:

1) Said captain operates aircraft outside of its limitations despite prompting from the FO.

2)Captain becomes incapacitated..non-responsive.

3)Captain puts aircraft in a situation which could result in a FAR deviation/unsafe condition.

There is no aviation job work risking safety or your professional credentials for.

 

[BushwickBill]

My answer:

I would NEVER take the controls from the Captain. If something unsafe was going on we would have a very long talk about it and if I felt something really wacky happened I would talk with the Chief Pilot or the DOO about it. I would only do this if I felt unsure about getting back in the airplane with the same captain again.

If the interviewer then prompted me with nonsense like what if the captain was dead?

Sure I would take the controls.

After speaking with 2 heads of corporate flight departments I feel like I'm fairly backed up on this one.

One of them said if he had an interviewee say he would take the controls "he would make damn sure the guy never got a flying job."

 

[Galaxy]

If it were me at an American Eagle interview:
I would buy a suit that looked like Napoleon Dynomites' and if they asked anything I would say that interviewing here must be a step up so you can only imagine how much I was making at my last job.
Next when the HR nerd was asking thier questions I would answer them all with "Hmmm Good Question..."
I would have my pad and pen out while they were questioning me and just doodle..Doodle away-draw airplanes, cars, people and when they get quiet I would ask them questions like if your company used Swingline staplers and they switched to the Boststitch stapler and one employee refused to turn over his/her control of the obsolete stapler because it had fewer jams and threatened to burn the building down if the company took it from them what would you do?
Then give them this scenario:
You are a passenger on the airline you are interviewing for and you are boarding when you hear a new pilot take several phone calls from creditors and he has become emotionally upset and shouts at each call telling them how much money he makes and he can't afford to pay them and survive also He shouts out that he may upgrade in 6-8 years and call him then. You mentally calculate his salary and realize that he makes less that the waitress that served you breakfast and less than half as much as the garbage man who could care less about you. The pilot slams the cockpit door and locks it and the FA is closing the cabin door-What would you do?
Another one:
The have been promoted from HR to PR for the airline. A week later there is a terrible accident and they are in front of a plithora of microphones giving a statement of the details. A smart journalist spends some time on FI prior to the interview and searched "Captains and First Officers" now the journalist asks: Is it true that you lowered your hiring minimums to intice pilots to work for you? What were the experience levels of the crew? Is it true you ask stupid questions on the interview? When will President Bush declare that americans don't want that low paying job and offer it up to undocumented migrant workers? What do you say?

 

[The_Skids]

Galaxy,
That is Awesome!

 

[learflyer]

If it were me at an American Eagle interview:
I would buy a suit that looked like Napoleon Dynomites' and if they asked anything I would say that interviewing here must be a step up so you can only imagine how much I was making at my last job.
Next when the HR nerd was asking thier questions I would answer them all with "Hmmm Good Question..."
I would have my pad and pen out while they were questioning me and just doodle..Doodle away-draw airplanes, cars, people and when they get quiet I would ask them questions like if your company used Swingline staplers and they switched to the Boststitch stapler and one employee refused to turn over his/her control of the obsolete stapler because it had fewer jams and threatened to burn the building down if the company took it from them what would you do?
Then give them this scenario:
You are a passenger on the airline you are interviewing for and you are boarding when you hear a new pilot take several phone calls from creditors and he has become emotionally upset and shouts at each call telling them how much money he makes and he can't afford to pay them and survive also He shouts out that he may upgrade in 6-8 years and call him then. You mentally calculate his salary and realize that he makes less that the waitress that served you breakfast and less than half as much as the garbage man who could care less about you. The pilot slams the cockpit door and locks it and the FA is closing the cabin door-What would you do?
Another one:
The have been promoted from HR to PR for the airline. A week later there is a terrible accident and they are in front of a plithora of microphones giving a statement of the details. A smart journalist spends some time on FI prior to the interview and searched "Captains and First Officers" now the journalist asks: Is it true that you lowered your hiring minimums to intice pilots to work for you? What were the experience levels of the crew? Is it true you ask stupid questions on the interview? When will President Bush declare that americans don't want that low paying job and offer it up to undocumented migrant workers? What do you say?

great stuff! I think some of us older gents who've got nothing to lose ought to do this with a hidden camera!

 

[Galaxy]

A long time ago:
I interviewed for a D.O. position with a pt.135 company and the owner sent me an offer letter. I responded with my own acceptance letter. Little did he know that I already knew a few of the pilots there and knew the issues of the company. I also was fortunate enough to go to recurrent with his first D.O. who got him the certificate to begin with.
The letter basically went like:
Dear Blank,
I accept your offer for the position of Dir or Ops. I am eager to get started and improve the company. I do have a few negotiations to work out with you prior to my starting. With regards to the salary, I believe there was a misprint on the offer letter and you forgot to leave the "1" out from in front of the starting salary. Next, I feel that a contract is justified between myself and the company to protect both of our interests. I am sure you are aware of the importance of contracts as you have each of your pilots sign one every year. I will have my lawyer draw up a 2 year employment contract for you to sign.
I have several plans to implement with you before I put my name and certificate on the line. First is the removal of pilot training contracts. These contracts generate poor morale and make an employee feel trapped in a job they don't like. This negative attitude will spill over on how they treat the aircraft as well as how they treat the customers. Basically, if they don't want to be here then why keep them here. Second, Lets sit down and come up with a more favorable compensation package for our employees. An employee that is fairly compensated will be a loyal one. We also need to look at hiring a few more pilots to share the load as fatigue causes incidents and incidents close businesses. Finally, the company is to operate to the letter of the FAR's and SOP's and AFM's. I will stand behind any decision made by any of our pilots. I look forward to hearing from you soon and working with you in the future.

A week later I got a letter stating: Thank you for your imput, however we have decided to promote from within.
Thanks