Just wait till the news media gets a hold of this forum and the general public start to read it.

 

Let's hope that doesn't happen. Frankly, as a professional pilot, I find a lot of the attitudes and opinions expressed here embarrassing. There are some basic lessons I teach my kids that some here appear to have never learned.

Learn to express your opinion without using foul language. There is a time and place for that...but learn other ways of expressing yourself.

The 'rules are the rules' and it's your fault if you get caught breaking the rules. Arguing that the rules are 'dumb' is NOT a defense. If you don't like the rules - then work to get them changed.

Figure out where you are on the totem pole before you open your mouth. What you say should reflect your 'power position'. If you can't say what you want and/or don't like your position - then work to change it. Don't complain about, or be surprised by, the consequences if you insist on speaking your mind regardless of your power position.

LIFE ISN'T FAIR. Nobody is going to carve out a special set of rules for you based on your superior intellect, skill, and good intentions. The rules are built to protect everyone from the 'lowest common denominator', so don't be surprised if you're judged by the same standards as the lowest common denominator. You may get a break from time to time, but don't expect one.

The rules aren't applied to people who don't get caught breaking them. If you break a rule and get caught, it doesn't matter that someone else did it 30 seconds before you...they didn't get caught, and you did. I can't even scratch the surface of the practical applications of this one .

BTW, my kids learned these things in Middle School.

 

If he could at least be accurate in the listing of FAR violations. For example, you are NOT violating sterile cockpit if you are doing a non-flying duty on the ground with the parking brake set. Says so in company FOMs. The specific reference I can think of goes something like this: "PAs other than the 'be seated' PA specifically required by the before takeoff checklist may be done outside sterile cockpit (hereafter defined as the period with aircraft not moving and parking brake set.)" This permits you to, for example, make a PA talking about a delay in takeoff where you turn off the seat belt sign and allow cell phone usage while occupying a taxiway. You are at that point no longer in sterile cockpit.

 

I agree. The problem is that he's a 'journalist' and has a right to report to that standard. If any of this leads to an FAA investigation on a particular pilot, they will have the opportunity to present evidence to a panel that understands the nuances of the FARs. I prefer to avoid that 'opportunity'

 

This is why this forum website is divided into a regional and major section. Users of this website in that section do not want these obnoxious kids posting in their section, much like real life, they do not want regional airline pilots being affiliated with mainline airline pilots, they don't even want these kids wearing the same uniform.

 

It's interesting how as a society, we are absolutely demanding things like cars that drive themselves and airplanes that fly themselves, so we can surf the internet, take pics, talk with people, while we "do" these things. This is why so many car manufacturers are currently developing cars that drive themselves, because we as consumers and operators are absolutely demanding it. Look left and right at any stop sign or light, usually the person is on their phone. How many people have "whipped it out" while on the road? Probably everyone and some worse than others. This is bleeding over to all sorts of other industries, but it feels like a steady march to me. People literally can not help themselves. I too believe there is likely a line of good judgement where you can take beautiful pictures above 10,000. I've seen plenty of people whip out SLRs even, but the things that are posted on the internet on approach and landing just demonstrate what I said above. People can not help themselves. No matter what the "punishment" is, people will still do things like this, which requires the design to eliminate the problem, which usually turns out to be automation and taking that responsibility away from whomever it is.

Of course, I'm talking long term, 20, 50, 100 years, but these are the forces and movements I see.

 

Should pilots filter their Instagramming habits? - CBS News

 

Apparently CBS decided to take this flame bait and run with it.

Are Instagramming airline pilots violating the law? - Videos - CBS News

 

I see him having traveling trouble in his future.

 

Yeah he looked like an idiot. No reason for this investigation was given. The reporters even seem to question his motives. Favorite part..."So is the FAA investigating or doing anything about it?" "No." "Hmm." "Yeah but my contact at the NTSB says we should be proactive about these kinds of things."

STOP! AIR TRAVEL IS UNSAFE!!!! WE NEED TO HAVE A GIANT NEWS STORY ABOUT THIS!!!!!

I sincerely hope some other news media has him on debating someone with an opposing view point who just shuts him down on national tv. Maybe I'll apply for that position and reach out.