Originally Posted by
BMEP100
Thanks all for the great responses. It is as I expected- unfortunately.
I am wrestling with the new norm.
At CAL, prior to the merger, we had the numbers always loaded before push, there was no taxi check, and the b4 takeoff check was 3 items. Our on time rate was top notch- as evidenced by the bonuses paid nearly monthly. There were 3 pieces of paper from the printer. After the merger we were suddenly unable to get off the gate on time waiting on final weights and perf- so it got pushed onto the taxi way along with a mile long (not taxi) take off check and about 8print outs that have nothing to do with a safe departure.
We have some really great fo's who are very (maybe too) motivated to get off on time-inspite of briefing to keep the pace slow and comfortable.
As Captain I am expected to respond and verify the Fmc and MCP is properly set*while*taxiing, but not to verify the flap setting or trim
I see some desk pilot trying to impress his bean counter boss fingerprints all over this.
Too bad the union is more concerned with the quality of the crew meal utensils than safety on this. They are silent.
Being a public forum I will hold short here..,
I agree with all of the above, we get a lot of paper printing out on the taxi out and one of the two pilots (the F/O usually) has to go head's down to either enter or verify everything in the FMS, then he's got a rather long taxi and T/O checklist to run, and part of that check is the Captain has to verify everything in the FMS and on the paper print out, so he's got to go head's down too. A simple departure runway change is a mess, because now both have to do it all over again, while running the 'Runway Change Checklist'.
I was not at all in favor of doing all this data loading while taxiing, but as you said, some cubicle pilot/bean counter came up with it as a way to help our On Time Departure numbers go up.
Our FOQUA data has shown there have been guys trying to take off with the flaps up, or in the wrong position, and I believe it is mostly due to this new procedure of loading the data while taxiing.
As part of my departure brief at the gate (WARTS for the Delta guys) I always include the 'Threat' of being distracted by all the crap coming off the printer at the last minute, and going heads down to load it and verify it.
I say, "If we get a runway change, or new AWABS, we will pull over and set the parking brake while we sort it all out.".
We are getting paid by the minute, I'm in no hurry to try to take off and make the next Safety Bulletin headlines.