If the CA (or FO) is going to be in a control seat for landing, he cannot take first break.

The 330-900 radar is "Set it to auto and forget it/idiot proof," (unless you switch to manual. Then all bets are off.)

 

Delta Pilots: "The flight attendants are lazy, entitled cart donkeys and look for any excuse not to do service"

Also Delta Pilots: "The flight attendants are so eager to do their service that I can barely restrain them"

I get that their rest is tied to service completion, its just funny how on this forum we're complaining from both sides of our collective mouths.

 

You must not do international flying. FAs are eager to do service international so they can start their break. FAs doing service domestically want to have a break from the time the wheels leave the ground until they touch again.

 

First off…I rather have an FO that want to clear a wx by 80 miles (that will only consume about 100-200lbs more of gas) vs the one that wants to only deviate 5-10 miles and I have to explain them why we should keep going more to the left/right of the WX.

You’re supposed to be min 25 miles between cells and if you’re going above 5,000 ft. Couple of weeks ago I almost had to use emergency authority, because dispatch gave us a route, ATC changed it for one that goes into the WX and then they didn’t wanted us to deviate the way we wanted.

”there’s arrival traffic”…that’s none of my problem, I can’t deviate right because there’s a line of TStorms. Eventually we got what we wanted. We gotta start thinking that we have pax and FAs in the back walking even if you tell them to stay seated.

If I see blue skies…that’s where I’m going, that’s what I’m getting payed for and fuel is not an issue.

 

Totally agree. And let’s not judge this flight crew with only fragments of a story. If you fly long enough, you’re going to eff something up (not saying they did). One “Captain Steve” is way too many.

 

I will assume from your post that you never flew international. They are two completely different animals from each other. Flight attendant rest breaks international revolve around getting the main service done. If they are not allowed up by 15 minutes after departure the call bell starts ringing. Doesn’t matter if you have your shoulder harness on to avoid hitting the overhead panel in the turbulence. Domestically it’s the exact opposite. Hit one bump and some want to remain seated for the entire flight.

 

The problem with the Multiscan radar is that is super sensitive and makes even light rain look at times like the end of days. It is easy to be lulled into a bit of a false sense of security when most of the time it paints significantly worse than what is actually out there. Typically when deviating around weather, particularly embedded weather I'll cycle between "scary mode" ie, AUTO, and "not scary mode" ie MANUAL. Its an art and a science.

AUTO will sometimes paint light rain as all red with cross hatches and red dots indicating lightning, turbulence, and hail when clearly there is none of that.

Technically the radar can be left in AUTO at all times but I've just found that if you do that and abide 100% by our rules for avoiding weather, we won't be able to run the airline. On that same note, I am in no way advocating for pushing weather or penetrating TS areas that should not be. I avoid everything as much as possible.

It will be interesting to see how this event happened and if they were actively using the radar/weather viewer/etc.

 

Yup, this is why I ask for an extra 1K fuel when there's weather. Saved me several times when I proactively changed to a completely different (longer) arrival to avoid the weather and the inevitable deviation negotiation. Safety first is what they keep telling me, so it's first and there is no second.

 

Auto has had me deviate around a buildup thousands of feet below me and farther away than necessary. So what? Happy to be the "frightened little child" as long as I finish the career without injuring anyone. The air line runs fine and will in these circumstances too. Time is the 4th dimension for avoidance. 15 late is not late according to the DOT.

 

It was a 4 man crew