Here is your origanal post:

"Lemme give you just one example for what I am getting at. According to you, the gate runs the whole show, I as Captain am just a pawn to be pushed wherever I am needed, until I am unchoked and engines running....

Few weeks ago had a deferred APU AND jetbridge had no ground air. 95 degrees outside, probably 110 or so in the cabin, 120 in the cockpit. I politely told the gate agent when we were going to board, so he didnt have peeps sitting in that oven for the whole 25 minute boarding proccess. We were going to wait for the huffercart to arrive, then start boarding as fast as possible.

Well no sooner I get back down to stow my bags (30 minutes prior to departure) I hear him open the boarding door and make the we are now boarding PA. 5 people come down the jetbridge, I intercept them and escort them back to the gate. Gate argues with me we have to get this plane out on time. (yeah all doors closed with no air for 15-25 minutes? no thanks). He says he doesn't need the CA to be there to board, So I get the FA off the airplane so noone is on it and it it would be an FAA violation for him to board.
Huffer cart arrived, I cranked one up while boarding, out in 10 minutes.

That is Captain's authority, not gate agents authority. Lemme ask you this....had I boarded in that situation when the gate agent wanted me to and 3 old lady's and an infant got heat stroke and needed medical attention because they were in a 115 degree oven for 35-40 minutes, who would have gotten in trouble? (hint, not the gate agent)"


I read: (deferred APU, no ground air, 95 degrees outside and probably 110 or so in the cabin and 120 in the cockpit). This is not unrealistic for these conditions with ANY airplane.

As CRJ200 operators around the globe will attest, this aircraft CANNOT be cooled in 10 minutes from these temperatures with an APU and two engines running. Forget one engine alone at the gate! Please. Once it gets as hot as you say, even an hour flight later it's still hot.

Now, since this thread was about weight and balance issues but has undertones regarding 'captains authority', it caught my attention so I responded. I am not questioning exactly what transpired on your flight, nor what all the details were, but according to your post, life was pretty HOT. And under the conditions you have described, it seemed like every story of a summer-NO APU operation I've heard before.

Here's where I differ. NO APU, NO Ground Air, Over 90 degrees? NO GO. Period. There is no magic wand/quick turn/leave one engine running procedure that will keep this bird cool on the ground. The company and the Captain can take steps prior to departure to mitigate these conditions. I am not attacking you; merely the condition. I make sure the arrival station has and will use ground air under these conditions or MUST they make other arrangements.

Did you know that MOST stations have working ground air? And that SOME of these stations don't use it because the rampers are HOT too and it's too much work. But if you PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN, when it is needed, amazingly cooling air comes! It should be hooked up UPON ARRIVAL at the captains request.

I will not watch beads of sweat drip from the passengers and crew to simply chock up another on time departure and justify the company's irresponsibility. Again, please don't take this the wrong way - but this condition is one of my BIG pet peeves with the regional sector - and I'm not attacking you, just the condition.

Regards,

SL