NWA First Officer
All right gals and guys…I’m not trying to defend or prosecute these pilots since we don’t really know what happened and have to go by what the pilots tell us.
However, I just saw a clip on CNN with First Officer Richard Cole and my jaw dropped. It’s the same chap who was a First Officer on the flight from Minneapolis to San Francisco last March/April when along with his captain, Stan, he welcomed me to sit in the Jump-seat. Photo-freak that I am, I took their pictures when we landed and as soon as I saw the CNN clip I was frantically trying to pull up his picture on my computer…yes, it was Richard Cole. A smartly dressed, very professional looking First Officer! He didn’t look good in the CNN clip I just saw. Who would? No one would look good if they find themselves in this predicament.
I have to say this: Of all my experience jump-seating on NWA to SFO/SJC, Richard Cole stood out the most. He was courteous, polite, moved his bags to the side so I could put all three bags behind his seat, asked me if I wanted a bottle of water before the door closes, and gave me a detailed tour of the flight deck even though I had jump-seated on the A320 before. It was his takeoff from Minneapolis and during flight he gave me another detailed tour of A320 FMS, and we talked in details about other avionics, systems, and airline stuff.
He came across as very well-spoken, articulate, skilled, knowledgeable, and polite. Even ‘creamed’ his landing in SFO…couldn’t tell when the wheels touched down! I remember telling my friend in California about crews’ professionalism and based on my jump-seat experience just a week before that to SFO, I couldn’t stop talking about what a great trip that was from Minneapolis to SFO.
I wish I could post his picture here, but I won’t do it without his permission!
Not being biased, but based on my experience on that flight from Minneapolis to San Francisco and his professionalism and skills, I find it hard to believe they’re being accused of ‘sleeping’ on the flight?