Originally Posted by
Bernoulis 2nd
Just after DFW base closed for ASA, found myself on reserve. I had one day off in between reserve block and was trying to catch the last flight home before the off day to see the wife and newborn daughter. Was jump-seating on a company RJ and the FO was having trouble getting the whiz wheel to allow the weight. The captain, in true Captain form, trying to get me on, takes the whiz wheel, does his magic and shows the FO that we are just on the line, good to go. He looks back at me and says strap in, but not soon enough, the FO grabs the whiz wheel with his fat pudgy fingers, starts running the numbers again. The Captain, looks at him and tells him he just ran it, and we are good. The FO doesnt take the hint well, and starts verbalizing ever step of running the numbers with the whiz wheel. For those that remember those things, give it to 10 different pilots and you would get 10 different answers, they weren't exactly the most exact science. Long story short, the FO keeps reiterating that he cant make it work, the Captain takes a long sigh, and tells me better luck next time. I never forgot the frog lipped FO, and was hoping that one day he would try to get onto one of my flights, but alas, I was never blessed with the opportunity.
There is an exact same story at Colgan, except the Colgan FO wrote a letter to the FAA and in doing so got the CA screwed. This was detailed in the "Flying Cheap" documentary. From what from what I've gathered, that FO was about to be fired (and lets be honest, he does seem like a tool in that video) and he wasn't going to go down alone, so he took a CA down with him.
Seriously, who the hell would write to the FAA about a CA you flew with, esp in regards to W&B? It's your ass too! If I was the FAA person receving the letter, I'd ask this Colgan FO, how come it was only after you got to your destination that you bothered to check your weight and see if you were good to go? You didn't think of checking the math before you took off?