So in all your years of flying in an SIC spot... Have you ever feared for your self or the safety of the flight because you did not trust the PIC? Thinking, well this is the end... If only I had control.. Or maybe have you ever taken control away from the PIC in an emergency situation to save yourself or the flight..


Just curious..

 

Never had to. Challenge an issue once, wait for the correction. State it again more urgently, wait for the reaction. "My controls" after you've stated the issue twice. This will all happen very quickly if it ever does.

If the safety of the flight is in immediate jeopardy you might have to take the controls without challenging. In fact I brief guys I haven't flown with before that I fully expect that from them. That road goes both ways. That's why there's two of us. Work together to keep each other safe.

Luckily I've never had it happen either way.

If you truly are afraid to fly with the guy/gal you need to voice your concerns to him/her. If they don't listen and/or blow you off go directly to your CP and don't fly another leg with them.

You have a specific issue you wanted to run by us? If you feel better to PM feel free.

 

Yes. In two cases the PIC was weak all around, so I just took charge.

In one case the PIC was hard-headed but really weak on flying, so I just told him to fly every leg and talked him through approaches, etc.

I never flew with any of those folks again so I don't know if they were off their game that day, or just poor pilots.

 

Not really... I was just curious is I start to enter the corporate world and find myself sitting in the SIC position... If I was ever faced with that decision, how I would handle it...... Or I guess there is training involved that teaches you how to deal with a situation like this... Hopefully never will encounter that problem, and will learn from the PIC that I am with instead of fearful of his flying..

 

I have flown with some bad PICs, but never felt true fear over the safety of the flight. Although I've probably had a few heart beats skip and lost a few hairs

 

Never had it happen at the airlines, but when I was a cfi I was with another cfi in a tailwheel, and he was going to short the runway just by a hair. No time for talking, I just pulled back a little on my stick.

Have a friend (fo at regional) who was more familiar with the airport when captain lined up to land on the taxiway. The FO just said "my controls" and corrected and landed the airplane.

 

Why not just say "Hey man, the runway is over there!" Or suggest a go around. But taking control in that situation? Weird and counterproductive.

 

Agreed. You're not lining up at 100 AGL (hopefully)...plenty of time to make a friendly reminder.

Can't say I was ever really scared as an SIC.