Don't feel that its necessary to fill every moment of the flight with chitchat. Remember Pee Wee Herman jumping out of the train when the hobo wouldn't stop talking? I've had captains like that hobo...but I didn't have the luxury of jumping out.
If you're going to reprimand someone always allow them to keep their dignity. Do it in private, not in front of people.
If you don't like what your FO is doing, ask why they are doing it that way before deciding he/she is wrong. They likely have a good reason. If you don't like it, then say so - don't play that roll the eyes/cross your arms/sighing game and let them get away with it. As an FO I will fly the plane how you want it, where you want it and when you want it as long as its safe and you make your desires known.
Let the crew know in advance what you expect. Don't hide your pet peeves and bottle up your preferences. We don't read minds well.
Don't abuse your right to the courtesy laugh.
We all know how bad this job can be and how disgruntled you might be, reiterating the point does no good. If you would rather start your own orange grove in Florida then fly, then just do it, don't bore us with the details.
You are, in fact, paid to teach...don't say your aren't. You have a lot to teach your FO, your FO has a lot to teach you. CRM is a great thing.
Don't be afraid to ask questions.
Don't be afraid to admit you don't have all the answers.
Don't be afraid to take responsibility.
Don't be afraid to tell the truth.
Don't be afraid to admit you don't know everything.
We don't have to be best friends, but congeniality is a great thing. In the end, the best captains I've flown with treat me with respect and let me do my thing.
Always give your FO a justifiable reason to pull your unconscious body out of smoldering wreckage or to fight off cannibalistic passengers if we crash land in the Andes. The best justification is that we like/admire/respect you. Otherwise you're on your own!
__________________
"There's.....Something on the wing. Some...... Thing!."
When its the FOs leg do not tell atc you are going ten left for weather and then turn my heading bug and switch to hdg mode. If you talked to me I would have more than likely had the same idea and we could have come to the same conclusion. I dont fly your plane, dont fly mine.
Dont assume that the FO does not have the same operational experience and real world experience as you, include them in everything you do as they may have something useful to offer.
Procedures are mandatory, technique is optional. I appreciate that you like 1 percent less tourque on the left engine when landing and that you prefer to flare at 5.76 degrees. Dont teach me how to do it, I notice, trust me. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, if I liked what you did Ill do it.
Lead by example, be professional (look and act like your mother and the FAA are watching you)
Maintain standardization (makes life easier for you crew)
As long as safety isn't an issue, let your crew make a few mistakes (we learn more from our failures than out successes)
Groom your subordinates (have them make command decisions -- they will eventually have to make them and once in a while they might have a better idea)
Praise good work
After 25+ years of "flying the line", I'd say that was very well stated and great advice for the next generation of "Captains to be".
Thanks for your thoughts. For you young guys and gals getting ready to put on that fourth stripe, read and heed FlyJSH's comments. Good to know someone has their head screwed on straight !
don't be too obvious when staring at your female co pilot's chest
I tried your Honor. But my F/E (a gorgeous young woman...who was a damn good Engineer to boot !) kept wearing those kinda thin uniform blouses and very lacy bras and well..... I thought it would be "OK" to start #2 (B-727), then shut it down and make sure it re-started again 'cuz....well... I had to check the F/E's panel with each engine start and....OK...I'm busted !
when the FO is the pilot flying... let them make the decisions...... be a good NON flying pilot for your FO when he or she is flying. Let the FO do his job .. just because he does it differently than you would do it..does not make his way wrong.
Praise when its appropriate. Counsel when its appropriate. Keep eveyone in the loop... nothing worse as an FO than not to be thought of as part of the process. The best CAs I have flown with at least consulted with me even if they were only faking it!!!!
Also.. remember in the end... you are paid to be in charge...take charge...lead by example.....Be the Captain that FO's WANT to fly with ...not the ones on many FO's "no fly" list.
(Published in The Pointy End, a professional airline's fictitious professional safety newsletter.)
You are a captain because you are a survivor and because you have a seniority number that has a lower numerical value than the other pilots. You aren't a captain because you are smarter than the other pilots, better-looking than the other pilots or even because you have a better personality than the other pilots. Your brown-nosing-the-boss skills didn't get you the gig and your corporate-ladder-climbing strategies didn't get you in the left seat. You are only here because you are still alive and because your seniority score finally got you the job.
That being said, you have to agree that no matter how you got the job, the job feels pretty d*** good. Finally, you get to fly your way. You have the chance to show off your leadership skills and to impress the aviation world with your skill, verve and talent for that pilot-in-command thing.
You'll find that people will pretend to be interested in what you are saying. Mechanics will consult with you about the condition of your aircraft. Flight attendants will complain to you, not your co-pilot, that catering hasn't come out to the aircraft yet. They will expect you to brief them on such matters as how long the flight is going to be and how bumpy the air is so they can plan their service. Even gate agents will want your autograph -- on the flight dispatch release form.
A word about that form is probably a good idea. It says that you, personally, are able to take the flight both mentally and physically and that you agree with the dispatcher's plans for the flight, including fuel. You will routinely sign off on this form before each and every leg, but always remember this: The form is your ticket to all your power. You and only you can decide if this puppy gets off the ground or not.
If you aren't sure it is going to be safe, and then you go fly the thing and then bend metal, it is your head they'll be after. You are literally the final word and the last link in airline safety. I know you only got here because you haven't managed to kill yourself in an airplane, yet, but it's your job to be the head guy, the big cheese, the ... well, you get the idea.
Try not to fixate all your energy on worries about legalities. To be sure, staying legal is a great way to continue a long, happy flying career and I have nothing at all against doing things by the book and following the rules.
Beware of being legal yet being unsafe. That is where a captain really earns his or her pay. One time a few years back during another cost-cutting frenzy at the airline, I went out to my trusty MD-88 ready to fly to our next stop. Then I noticed that it had 23 Maintenance Carry-Overs (MCOs). An MCO is something mechanically wrong with the airplane that they don't have to fix right away. Two or three MCOs is fairly common; 23 isn't. Yet 23 maintenance problems on one plane, under our current system, is still perfectly legal.
The problem was that a lot of the MCOs on that day had to do with stopping the airplane. Autospoilers, autobrakes, thrust reversers and auto throttles were just a few of our broken parts. We were headed to a wet, short runway.
We were legal but we sure as hell weren't going. If you work for a good company like I still think I do, they'll back up your decision. If you don't work for good people, you have to stand your ground anyway because, you know what? After you run off the end of a wet piece of concrete and hurt some people in a situation like that, nobody is going to fault the company, they are going to blame you, and quite rightly so.
Don't be afraid to make a decision even if it's going to be unpopular.
Okay, enough of the super-serious stuff. Here is a short list of good captain traits that you should memorize and pass along to your children and grandchildren.
Always help female flight attendants out of the hotel van. I know this is a brave, new, liberated world and we're all equal, but you aren't wearing high heels or at least I hope you're not.
Always buy the first round at layover dinners during the rare occasions you get to go out with your crew.
Never, ever let a new-hire pilot buy their own drinks. The airlines don't pay them enough to eat, so a free beer or cola will really be appreciated. Then, when they're captains, they can buy some drinks for their crews. It's paying it forward. It is the circle of life, Simba ...
Don't do walk-arounds unless your co-pilot is running late. Most pilots don't agree with me on this advice, and some captains like to ingratiate themselves by trying to be "one of the guys" and do the work of other crew members. I personally think you can do your crews a bigger service by being a good captain not by trying to be a mediocre co-pilot. If you are like me you spent at least 15 years walking around jets in the rain. Now it is your co-pilot's turn. It is that circle of life thing again.
Never repeat anything you hear from a co-pilot, flight attendant, or even a jump-seat rider outside the cockpit if it is personal. People will tell you things in the cockpit they don't really want outside of it. Co-pilots will talk about upcoming divorces and problem children. Think of the cockpit as a confessional booth and I think you'll do fine.
Always lead by doing. Don't make fun of how your co-pilot is dressed and then go around all day with your shirttail hanging out of the open fly of your uniform pants.
You have been around long enough that you can trust your feelings. If something doesn't feel safe, don't do it.
Nobody wants to look at pictures of your prostate operation.
Unfortunately, you'll have to act like you are interested in viewing pictures of the cats of Flight Attendants, as well as the baby pictures of their ankle biters. Be nice, because you never know when you'll be retired and non-revving to Maui and be in dire need of another bourbon. Never ever burn flight attendant bridges.
Always offer to fly the first leg of a trip so your co-pilot can lower his or her standards. Once they see how sloppy you fly, they can relax and begin to enjoy their trip.
Your crew's welfare is just as important as your passengers'. Make sure on layovers that everybody gets to their rooms unscathed. Buy some dinners, rent some cars, rub in some sunscreen -- be there for them.
That is about it. A good captain never stops learning and you've just started school. Good luck!
Last edited by dojetdriver : 06-14-2009 at 11:05 PM.
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