Jack Lewis FedEx CP
11-23-2006, 04:36 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Posts: 463
Jack Lewis FedEx CP
Nice guy. Never mentions fatigue. He should lose his job over this letter.
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FEDEX CHIEF PILOT LETTER - OCTOBER 2006
Subject: Captain Diatribe
Source: Jack Lewis FedEx Chief Pilot
I'm on a rant so bear with me. This has been boiling in me since the Subic MD11 tail crash three weeks ago. There's no humor in here and it's a long email.but no apologies. This is only going to Captains because these are Captain topics and it's serious. The list below is high dollar and/or high visibility issues. More importantly, these are professionalism issues that, frankly, make me question our abilities lately. For starters, consider these things:
1) The FOM says to carry your passport. We lost freight again because 2 Captain Crew members did not have theirs with them. This is the third time in a month. It would seem the discipline road for noncompliance is becoming the only solution. If we are professionals, then why do we do stupid stuff like this? You need to carry your passport with you and ask your crew if they have theirs. Read the FOM
2) Stop relying on the Company to baby sit us to keep Passports, Visas, Medical, FAA Certificates, etc., current. Register your FAA certificates on the web site. These are our responsibilities. Learn to comply with the employment requirements.
3) PIC authority means you are in charge of the aircraft..but also accountable. If a MEL is written correctly or an aircraft repair is signed off correctly, you can still decide not to accept the aircraft for flight.. but there may be consequences. Ask all the questions you like, consult with the Duty Officer, Flight Standards, MX, Flight Test, Engineering or the Tech Pilots. But if they say it's okay to go, then it is. If you then refuse the aircraft, be prepared to defend your decisions on facts.. not with "I still don't like it". Two Captains recently questioned MEL's, which, as it turns out, were written incorrectly. This was determined by the consultations. Good on them. We have also had three Captains refuse aircraft after all the consultations and they were wrong. remarkably wrong. We get paid to make correct judgments and decisions. We are the ultimate safety valve..but we have to know what we are talking about. If you can't figure out these types of things or pick ! the correct course of action, then down bid so you're not in charge.
4) You want to be a Captain, act like one. Slovenly appearance, inability to convert Z-time so you show on the correct day, late for check-in, lack of compliance with the FOM, CFM, and FARs are not professional traits. Don't commute (driving or flying) into a long trip and complain about the reroute. Show up ready to go to work. LIDO is here to stay. Use it and make sure everyone else does.
5) We have a Captain crew member allegedly busted for drug use in all the papers. We have another Captain crew member who showed up drunk in the crew lounge recently after deadheading in for a trip. He wasn't checking in for 7 hours and was only transiting the crew lounge, getting his Jepps to prepare to fly later. Security nabbed him and we are all wear the label. Dumb move. Most of us are way past acne problems, therefore adulthood should have occurred. When you come to work, figure out how to be prepared for it. Bad judgment in your personal life will probably carry over into your professional life. If you need help, ask. If another Crewmember needs help, tell us...we have great benefits. When it comes to piloting itself, we have an ugly record. The NTSB isn't real impressed with us. Here's the pilot-error type mishaps /accidents from 1997-present. All are landing accidents except for one go-around and one takeoff. These assessments are my own opinion, based on info I have...
Newark.....MD-11.pilot-error.....strike damage.....good visibility, contaminated runway
Manila....A300...pilot-error....$16 million damage..... good visibility, wet runway
Subic Bay....MD11 .pilot-error....strike damage...... good visibility
Tallahassee...B727...pilot-error...strike damage..... good visibility
Memphis...MD10..pilot-error...strike damage..... ...good visibility, gusty crosswind
El Paso...A300...pilot-error...$2 million damage.....good visibility
Memphis...MD11..pilot-error..$.5 million damage....good visibility, go around
Ft Lauderdale..A300...pilot-error..$1.5 million damage....good visibility
Subic Bay....MD11.initial look is pilot-error..$10.5 million damage(yow!)..good visibility, tailwind
$170+million in pilot-error damage.Yikes!!!!! At least you DC10 Captains seem to have figured out this landing thing.......The common thread in all these accidents besides pilot-error and good visibility, is that they were totally preventable by the Captain if:
1) he had maintained good SA when he was PF and if
2) he had looked at the instrumentation below 400' when he was PM. This is classic Threat & Error Management (TEM)...or lack thereof.
Additionally, we have had wheels in the mud, aircraft off the side of the runway on a rejected takeoff, altitude busts, runway incursions, early descents below MDA with EPGWS warnings, one landing on the wrong runway, one at the wrong airport, another approach to the wrong airport, etc., etc., etc,. It may seem like we don't have much going on, but as you can see, that's not the case. Do we always suck? Absolutely not. Look at this list that could have had tragic results were it not for the actions of our Captains:
1) MD11, A300 and MD10 jammed flight controls airborne.
2) Catastrophic engine failure on MD10.
3) FGS loss on A300 and MD11
4) Landing gear collapse on MD10.
5) All wheels locked on landing, (antiskid problem) on DC10 and MD10.
6) A300 and MD11 off icy runways with minimal damage.
7) Landing gear unsafe on B727, MD10, and DC10.
8) DC10 and A300 with real smoke in the cockpit.
What's the common thread for these good ones? Captains handled these situations that were unavoidable and minimized the damage because of quick thinking and skilled airmanship.
Conclusion: When the chips are down, our Captains rally to the cause.
But if things seem basically normal, hot-tub harmony apparently sets in; the light's in the window but nobody's home; some bricks are missing from the load; a few cards are missing from the deck.. We get paid pretty well. The current TA has even more dollars in it for us. It is past time to stop griping about the catering and security and deviations and expense reports and reroutes and revisions and LIDO. It is time to earn what we think we're worth. Regardless of good weather or bad, perfect airplane or 5 MELs, experienced crew or new hire, we need to perform. We get paid to handle the situation, figure out how to move the freight safely and legally, and sometimes be smart enough not to move it based on conditions. There's no doubt it's a fine line to walk. It's our ability to walk that line that allows us to live the way we do and earn what we do. I say again..this isn't a part-time job anymore. It is our responsibility to give you better help. You're not expected to give your F/Os flying lessons..but if you identify weaknesses that concern you, stop talking about it at the F Street or Someplace Else or Harry's and talk to Flight Standards. If you're shy, talk to Pro Stan. It's your responsibility to mentor your crews so that they follow in your footsteps correctly. Give them the example to emulate and make them meet our standards. They are Captains-in-Training.
Here's the end of the rant. If you don't like responsibility, down bid. If you're afraid of the aircraft you're flying, bid off. If you don't like flying anymore, retire or quit. If this sounds like I'm indicting all Captains, I am to a degree. This is a Captain problem. Every accident listed above was preventable by the Captain knowing what was going on and applying TEM. The vast majority of our 1921 Captains are good Captains.but it's time for all of us Captains to run the airline like it should be run. It's not a Flight Management issue or an ALPA issue or a CBA issue. It's an "us" issue. Come to work prepared, look the part, figure out how to move the freight safe and legal, know the rules and comply with them. Demand the same of your crew and your peers. Back to the basics......preparation, appearance, performance, responsibility, authority, accountability.
[email protected] just hit reply. Over.
Jack Lewis System Chief Pilot Captain, FedEx Express
--------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDEX CHIEF PILOT LETTER - OCTOBER 2006
Subject: Captain Diatribe
Source: Jack Lewis FedEx Chief Pilot
I'm on a rant so bear with me. This has been boiling in me since the Subic MD11 tail crash three weeks ago. There's no humor in here and it's a long email.but no apologies. This is only going to Captains because these are Captain topics and it's serious. The list below is high dollar and/or high visibility issues. More importantly, these are professionalism issues that, frankly, make me question our abilities lately. For starters, consider these things:
1) The FOM says to carry your passport. We lost freight again because 2 Captain Crew members did not have theirs with them. This is the third time in a month. It would seem the discipline road for noncompliance is becoming the only solution. If we are professionals, then why do we do stupid stuff like this? You need to carry your passport with you and ask your crew if they have theirs. Read the FOM
2) Stop relying on the Company to baby sit us to keep Passports, Visas, Medical, FAA Certificates, etc., current. Register your FAA certificates on the web site. These are our responsibilities. Learn to comply with the employment requirements.
3) PIC authority means you are in charge of the aircraft..but also accountable. If a MEL is written correctly or an aircraft repair is signed off correctly, you can still decide not to accept the aircraft for flight.. but there may be consequences. Ask all the questions you like, consult with the Duty Officer, Flight Standards, MX, Flight Test, Engineering or the Tech Pilots. But if they say it's okay to go, then it is. If you then refuse the aircraft, be prepared to defend your decisions on facts.. not with "I still don't like it". Two Captains recently questioned MEL's, which, as it turns out, were written incorrectly. This was determined by the consultations. Good on them. We have also had three Captains refuse aircraft after all the consultations and they were wrong. remarkably wrong. We get paid to make correct judgments and decisions. We are the ultimate safety valve..but we have to know what we are talking about. If you can't figure out these types of things or pick ! the correct course of action, then down bid so you're not in charge.
4) You want to be a Captain, act like one. Slovenly appearance, inability to convert Z-time so you show on the correct day, late for check-in, lack of compliance with the FOM, CFM, and FARs are not professional traits. Don't commute (driving or flying) into a long trip and complain about the reroute. Show up ready to go to work. LIDO is here to stay. Use it and make sure everyone else does.
5) We have a Captain crew member allegedly busted for drug use in all the papers. We have another Captain crew member who showed up drunk in the crew lounge recently after deadheading in for a trip. He wasn't checking in for 7 hours and was only transiting the crew lounge, getting his Jepps to prepare to fly later. Security nabbed him and we are all wear the label. Dumb move. Most of us are way past acne problems, therefore adulthood should have occurred. When you come to work, figure out how to be prepared for it. Bad judgment in your personal life will probably carry over into your professional life. If you need help, ask. If another Crewmember needs help, tell us...we have great benefits. When it comes to piloting itself, we have an ugly record. The NTSB isn't real impressed with us. Here's the pilot-error type mishaps /accidents from 1997-present. All are landing accidents except for one go-around and one takeoff. These assessments are my own opinion, based on info I have...
Newark.....MD-11.pilot-error.....strike damage.....good visibility, contaminated runway
Manila....A300...pilot-error....$16 million damage..... good visibility, wet runway
Subic Bay....MD11 .pilot-error....strike damage...... good visibility
Tallahassee...B727...pilot-error...strike damage..... good visibility
Memphis...MD10..pilot-error...strike damage..... ...good visibility, gusty crosswind
El Paso...A300...pilot-error...$2 million damage.....good visibility
Memphis...MD11..pilot-error..$.5 million damage....good visibility, go around
Ft Lauderdale..A300...pilot-error..$1.5 million damage....good visibility
Subic Bay....MD11.initial look is pilot-error..$10.5 million damage(yow!)..good visibility, tailwind
$170+million in pilot-error damage.Yikes!!!!! At least you DC10 Captains seem to have figured out this landing thing.......The common thread in all these accidents besides pilot-error and good visibility, is that they were totally preventable by the Captain if:
1) he had maintained good SA when he was PF and if
2) he had looked at the instrumentation below 400' when he was PM. This is classic Threat & Error Management (TEM)...or lack thereof.
Additionally, we have had wheels in the mud, aircraft off the side of the runway on a rejected takeoff, altitude busts, runway incursions, early descents below MDA with EPGWS warnings, one landing on the wrong runway, one at the wrong airport, another approach to the wrong airport, etc., etc., etc,. It may seem like we don't have much going on, but as you can see, that's not the case. Do we always suck? Absolutely not. Look at this list that could have had tragic results were it not for the actions of our Captains:
1) MD11, A300 and MD10 jammed flight controls airborne.
2) Catastrophic engine failure on MD10.
3) FGS loss on A300 and MD11
4) Landing gear collapse on MD10.
5) All wheels locked on landing, (antiskid problem) on DC10 and MD10.
6) A300 and MD11 off icy runways with minimal damage.
7) Landing gear unsafe on B727, MD10, and DC10.
8) DC10 and A300 with real smoke in the cockpit.
What's the common thread for these good ones? Captains handled these situations that were unavoidable and minimized the damage because of quick thinking and skilled airmanship.
Conclusion: When the chips are down, our Captains rally to the cause.
But if things seem basically normal, hot-tub harmony apparently sets in; the light's in the window but nobody's home; some bricks are missing from the load; a few cards are missing from the deck.. We get paid pretty well. The current TA has even more dollars in it for us. It is past time to stop griping about the catering and security and deviations and expense reports and reroutes and revisions and LIDO. It is time to earn what we think we're worth. Regardless of good weather or bad, perfect airplane or 5 MELs, experienced crew or new hire, we need to perform. We get paid to handle the situation, figure out how to move the freight safely and legally, and sometimes be smart enough not to move it based on conditions. There's no doubt it's a fine line to walk. It's our ability to walk that line that allows us to live the way we do and earn what we do. I say again..this isn't a part-time job anymore. It is our responsibility to give you better help. You're not expected to give your F/Os flying lessons..but if you identify weaknesses that concern you, stop talking about it at the F Street or Someplace Else or Harry's and talk to Flight Standards. If you're shy, talk to Pro Stan. It's your responsibility to mentor your crews so that they follow in your footsteps correctly. Give them the example to emulate and make them meet our standards. They are Captains-in-Training.
Here's the end of the rant. If you don't like responsibility, down bid. If you're afraid of the aircraft you're flying, bid off. If you don't like flying anymore, retire or quit. If this sounds like I'm indicting all Captains, I am to a degree. This is a Captain problem. Every accident listed above was preventable by the Captain knowing what was going on and applying TEM. The vast majority of our 1921 Captains are good Captains.but it's time for all of us Captains to run the airline like it should be run. It's not a Flight Management issue or an ALPA issue or a CBA issue. It's an "us" issue. Come to work prepared, look the part, figure out how to move the freight safe and legal, know the rules and comply with them. Demand the same of your crew and your peers. Back to the basics......preparation, appearance, performance, responsibility, authority, accountability.
[email protected] just hit reply. Over.
Jack Lewis System Chief Pilot Captain, FedEx Express
11-23-2006, 05:32 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: 767 Cap
Posts: 1,306
And this concerns a CA pilot how? If you're referring to the list of accidents, fatigue was not a factor in most of them. Several of them were just obvious pilot f##kups.
BTW - You may not like what he says, but at least Jack will tell you what he thinks. I'd prefer that to some of the weaselly, back-stabbing jerks who have been SCPs
BTW - You may not like what he says, but at least Jack will tell you what he thinks. I'd prefer that to some of the weaselly, back-stabbing jerks who have been SCPs
11-24-2006, 04:16 AM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Posts: 463
Wasn't poiting out the accidents or incidents just the poorly written letter and the fact that this idiot of a CP never mentions FATIQUE or any other outlying issues that the company or training departmant needs to address.
If I was FedEx pilot I would be totally offended by such a disrespectful letter. My point of posting it was because I felt it was totally disrespectful, unprofessional, and typical of a management pilot who doesn't have a clue about how authority, safety, and professionalism come together.
If I was FedEx pilot I would be totally offended by such a disrespectful letter. My point of posting it was because I felt it was totally disrespectful, unprofessional, and typical of a management pilot who doesn't have a clue about how authority, safety, and professionalism come together.
Last edited by CALPilotToo; 11-24-2006 at 04:22 AM.
11-24-2006, 04:21 AM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Posts: 463
Originally Posted by Jetjok
Hey, CALPilotToo, How's this for some ancient news:
Nov. 17, 1987 — Denver, Colorado. A Continental Airlines DC-9, its wings covered in ice after sitting on the tarmac for 27 minutes in a snowstorm, crashes on takeoff. The NTSB partly blames controller for "inadequate monitoring" of the plane, but says the pilots were mostly at fault.
28 dead, 28 seriously injured.
Nov. 17, 1987 — Denver, Colorado. A Continental Airlines DC-9, its wings covered in ice after sitting on the tarmac for 27 minutes in a snowstorm, crashes on takeoff. The NTSB partly blames controller for "inadequate monitoring" of the plane, but says the pilots were mostly at fault.
28 dead, 28 seriously injured.
And what does this have to do with a CP who writes an unprofessional letter expecting moral, fatigue, safety, and other issues to be resolved by simply bashing the pilot group.
Letters like this do not do one thing for safety. Sorry, I give a crap and have a slight disdain for disrespectful CPs.
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