DAL Class drops
03-29-2017, 07:08 AM
#891
Super Moderator
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: DAL 330
Posts: 6,868
Originally Posted by gloopy
DL has always been radically against the concept of hot mic. The North guys brought the Airbus over and they use it, which was a good start. The 737 doesn't have the detent where you can leave it in hot mic. The feature is still there, but you have to physically key it each time as its spring loaded back. Some other operators, never DL of course, have been known to put rubber bands or coffee stir sticks etc and make their own hot mic, but that is highly frowned on at DL. Newer 737's are coming with the hot mic detent, but very few pilots will use them even if they know its there. That could change eventually, but its going to take a LONG time. One ear on, one ear off, missed calls and minor hearing loss are simply part of the culture. You can ear plug it of course, or go both ears on and make 100% of the radio calls but then miss a higher percentage of things from the other pilot I guess.
I think it is already changing. In the last few months out of LAX only 1 guy did not want to use the HM switch when on a new 900. Most guys now seem to appreciate it.
I know that I sure do and now that I will be flying with my favorite Captain on every trip we will definitely use it.
Scoop
03-29-2017, 07:31 AM
#892
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: B737 FO
Posts: 664
Originally Posted by gloopy
DL has always been radically against the concept of hot mic. The North guys brought the Airbus over and they use it, which was a good start. The 737 doesn't have the detent where you can leave it in hot mic. The feature is still there, but you have to physically key it each time as its spring loaded back. Some other operators, never DL of course, have been known to put rubber bands or coffee stir sticks etc and make their own hot mic, but that is highly frowned on at DL. Newer 737's are coming with the hot mic detent, but very few pilots will use them even if they know its there. That could change eventually, but its going to take a LONG time. One ear on, one ear off, missed calls and minor hearing loss are simply part of the culture. You can ear plug it of course, or go both ears on and make 100% of the radio calls but then miss a higher percentage of things from the other pilot I guess.
Back on topic slightly, are the classes usually 25 or do they sometimes run smaller?
03-29-2017, 07:57 AM
#893
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Joined APC: Jan 2010
Position: Representing the REAL Delta
Posts: 857
Originally Posted by FL370esq
Probably became "slightly"(?) frowned on after the "never DL of course" crew kinda exacerbated their situation with a rubber-banded hot mic followed by the removal of an O2 mask which inadvertently had been selected to EMER in the box while the cabin altitude warning horn was going off. Now that had to be a loud cockpit! 🤐
Just flip the switch if you go on O2, whether that involves a toggle switch or pulling off a rubber band. It's the exact same motion. Anyone that thinks this is an unacceptable trade off when compared to a lack of CRM in a loud cockpit on a daily basis really isn't that bright.
03-29-2017, 08:18 AM
#894
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Joined APC: Sep 2013
Position: On the hotel shuttle
Posts: 5,815
When I flew the CRJ with DC's we used the hot mic method and simply keyed up momentarily to talk to each other. For years. Never had a problem -- except on my days off when my thumb would reflexively move up whenever I talked to someone anywhere.
03-29-2017, 08:33 AM
#895
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Joined APC: Jan 2010
Position: Representing the REAL Delta
Posts: 857
Originally Posted by GogglesPisano
When I flew the CRJ with DC's we used the hot mic method and simply keyed up momentarily to talk to each other. For years. Never had a problem -- except on my days off when my thumb would reflexively move up whenever I talked to someone anywhere.
03-30-2017, 08:53 AM
#896
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Joined APC: Jul 2010
Position: window seat
Posts: 12,522
Originally Posted by FL370esq
Probably became "slightly"(?) frowned on after the "never DL of course" crew kinda exacerbated their situation with a rubber-banded hot mic followed by the removal of an O2 mask which inadvertently had been selected to EMER in the box while the cabin altitude warning horn was going off. Now that had to be a loud cockpit! 🤐
03-30-2017, 11:48 AM
#898
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Joined APC: Feb 2015
Posts: 986
Originally Posted by cornbeef007
Exactly the same situation one would be in with the locking hot mic switch in the new 900s. Boeing and the FAA think that's perfectly acceptable. Some carriers are even approved to use a rubber band in their FOM, they just need to be trained....just like the Memo we got for the new 900s.
03-31-2017, 07:35 AM
#899
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Joined APC: Apr 2016
Posts: 393
Originally Posted by gloopy
For every little example like that you can come up with thousands of missed/misunderstood radio calls, checklist and configuration requests etc.
04-01-2017, 03:14 PM
#900
Can't abide NAI
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
Posts: 11,989
Originally Posted by tomgoodman
The 727 was too loud for even a hot mic to help, so we developed a sign language of rude gestures to communicate. If necessary, the S/O could serve as a runner to carry messages. 
One of the funniest was the Capt who explained that he did not reach across the cockpit for nothing. Other FO's had written him up and if I did too, he didn't care. So, first leg I'm hand flying to round the corner (the procedure in the box does not go quite far enough for the localizer to capture) for 5R in MMEX and ask for "gear down, flaps 15" ... he just glanced my direction and replied "your side"
When we rolled out he asked "how much time you got on the airplane?" I replied, with this trip about 45 hours. He said, well, you fly better than that. You got the rest of the legs.
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