TiredSoul

Thank you Cardboard.

4runner

What? The person made a legit point as to why he or she left, or a contributing factor. There was a catastrophic flight recently. Maybe they saw the writing on the wall. Congrats on american btw.

Atlas Shrugged

We all have to start somewhere, and none of us were born knowing everything about flying.

These posts often get very emotional, but that is understandable when you have a hull loss with three dead pilots in a pile of pieces on the ground. It will be very interesting if the whole story ever comes out about this crash. I suspect it will eventually since the jump seat pilot's family will certainly sue for wrongful death.

But as some have alluded to here, we are sending pilots across the NAT for the very first time with line captains not check airman. Think about it. I flew across the tracks with two first officers who had never been across. I had to teach them how to do it and be there for the entry, just so that I could take a rest in the middle. This is not normal, is it?

Atlas Air signs pilots off of OE without a North Atlantic flight and releases them for worldwide duty!

I love to teach, but I am not a check airman. Captains should be mentoring FO's on all of the international nuances of flying, not basic procedural stuff.

I want our entire pilot group to be as strong as possible because flying long haul is a team effort. Ultimately, I hope every pilot I fly with is better than I am so that I can retire some day and enjoy myself.

ROBsINtheHOOD

The ramifications of a GNE , or worse , to the entire Atlas transatlantic operation requires professional , detailed and thorough training by experienced aviators. If you don't understand what a GNE is , or as an organisation , don't give a damn- you shouldn't be on the Atlantic and the authorities will be very unforgiving of mistakes.

dogo

Amen to that!

hav3atps

Is it common that GNEs are being generated throughout the operation? Just curious..

Atlas Shrugged

We had a crew enter the NATS without a clearance of any kind. They did not know because all they had flown was the NOPAC where the procedures are very different.'

I don't know how we get away this is stuff...

ROBsINtheHOOD

If that’s the case , and is the norm - then it is only a matter of time that Atlas loses its approval / authority to fly the Atlantic. It’s as simple as that. Might be a great way to get management’s attention , but at the sacrifice of something greater.
As a regular 30 West visitor , for the safety of all crew and pax , unprofessional conduct cannot be tolerated in the Atlantic HLA anytime , NATS or not.

ShyGuy

I keep hearing rumors about the Atlas 767 FO actions. I haven't seen the NTSB release anything yet. Are these just rumors or is there something more to the story?

Diesel8

Reverse your percentages and that is more of the true picture.

The issues that are going on are industry wide, not just at Atlas/Southern.

I was just on a Delta Airlines flight and on landing we were all over the place and had to do a go-around, "for traffic on the runway". Yeah right.

Those issues are a product of highly automated aircraft, where 8000 hours of experience means that there was only about 200 hours of actual stick time. Basic actual real "flying" skills versus "operating" an aircraft is the big issue. Those basic airmanship skills have eroded to a point that is horrifying at this point, mostly what I have seen is that they are completely non-existent. There is a lack of understanding of the basic concepts of anything that has to do with flying.

Fear - is if the "pilot" has to fly the aircraft with the autopilot off greater than 200' off the ground. I see too many people that if the autopilot would pack up it will be an emergency situation. VNAV is used in all situations as there is the fear that they will not be able to remember to slow down to 250 kts below 10,000'.

Sick and tired of hearing excuses that the airspace is too complex for hand flying. B*llsh*t! The airway structure has not changed from the days of flying the Classic out of VHHH with a FD, HSI, RMI, and the mighty Carousel IVA. The only thing that has changed is that the tolerances have tightened up. As long as your instrumentation is up to those tolerances you should have no problem. Nowadays you don't even have to tune a radio!

I will give this to you, there are some individuals out there that are either quite skilled, or have the attitude and aptitude to learn. They are in the minority.

What I will say is that majority of the newbies out there don't want to learn, are condescending, confrontational, and a trivializing lot. They don't have either the skills or that attitude/aptitude. The major issue with these types is this: THEY COMPROMISE SAFETY BY BEING A DISTRACTION.

I will always give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and a chance. What I will not do is coddle some idiotic, narcissistic clown, who needs to be the center of attention.

My responsibility is the safe operation of aircraft, period end of story. I endeavor to do the upmost to this goal. That means dealing with a crumbling maintenance infrastructure, clownage in the training department, a complete lack of morale, among other things, and yes, difficult, petulant children in the cockpit - oops "Flight Deck"

End rant.

Flame away, children.