Originally Posted by
Gspeed
I haven’t seen Delta play this game yet but my old employer did. I always held the release until the door was ready to be closed.
Q-31. Do all FDP extensions require pilot-in-command (PIC) concurrence?
A-31. Yes, all FDP extensions require PIC concurrence. The PIC must be aware of the need for the FDP extension before he/ she concurs, and if the extension is 30 minutes or less, the concurrence can be via a fitness- for-duty affirmation. The PIC cannot give advance concurrence in an FDP extension before he/she knows about the need for an extension.
There are lots of arguments to be made about why the gate agent has to check in with the CA. They don't know if MX has been called. They don't know if we are still fueling or waiting to be fueled. They don't know if all the pilots are even on the airplane. At my old airline, the gate agent would ask the lead and the lead would stick her head in and say "good to close?" You don't need a piece of paper to have that authority.