Hot cabins
 

Always appreciate the rides, but I gotta say something...

Not gonna mention the airline.

Last 3 commutes on this airline, passenger cabin was unbearably hot. Everytime, APU not started until just before departure. Today was the exception... Crew started the APU only after an elderly pax fainted from the heat. I'm not joking, the flight attendant on the exit row was having sweat drip down her neck.

Just a reminder it's summer. The ground air doesn't keep 100+ passengers cool in a humid environment.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

I'm trying iced coffee for the summer months!

Plane Coffee

Also on large-cabin airplanes like the A321 or 737-800, please DO NOT shut down the APU until the majority of the airplane has deplaned!

Yep I was deadheading on a company aircraft. Gpu got plugged in and the pilots shut down the apu and split. No AC plugged in til I was almost out the door and I was in the back third of the plane. It was stifling.

It will just get worse as fuel prices continue to rise...

They had a commute to catch. Can’t blame em.

They could’ve left it running and left

Every carriers I’ve worked with prohibit leaving the aircraft unattended, with the APU running, unless maintanance is present at the aircraft or a crewmember is in the cockpit.

But profit sharing!

Can’t do that on my airplane so forget that was an option lol.

First world pilot/passenger problems right here. It’s hot it happens. How do you think the generations felt years ago on the old pistons and early turboprops felt. They survived back then so can people today. However just by looking at the media and people in general everyone seems to getting weaker physically and mentally.

With the few exceptions, the airline industry is now an almost all jet fleet. Conditioned air carts are a thing of the present, and should be used... especially with an inoperative APU.

While In the US and overseas, I’ve had a few occasions with an inop APU with a GPU hooked up. I was told the conditioned air cart was not available. I’m not going to sit in an un-airconditioned jet with an OAT of 100 degrees plus. No worries... put an extra ton of kerosene on the jet... load the bags... close the bins... brief and give the ground personnel bottles of water... request from ground to run an engine at idle. Start the engine... disconnect the huffer, and GPU, get the air going and board the pax and get underway.

The duties and responsibilities of the captain of every FOM, GOM, COM, etc. of every airline I’ve flown with, states that they are responsible for the safety of the passengers, crewmembers and aircraft... including passenger comfort.

Today, marching orders from management via the C/P or D/O through memos, (not bulletins which would have to be incorporated into their manual systems) dictate otherwise. Bottom line... Don’t run the APU... save 20 pounds of fuel in the name the of “Carbon Foot Print”??? save $$$.

Years ago, the company relied on judgement of the 119 personnel who should be entrusted with the keys to the jet. Of late, it seems the dictates of the non 119 group control... what a shame.

C/Ps and D/Os, worth their salt, back their crews when exercising proper judgment and responsibility towards the safety of their fellow crewmembers and passengers.

I just don’t get to... why are so many afraid to start the APU 10 minutes earlier?

How many captains, who really run their show, rather than OCC, have been called in for tea and biscuits regarding APU Usage?

I fire it up whenever I feel like it. I could care less about the fuel cost.
My crew and pax deserve a comfortable cabin.

If the airline wants to be environmental, they should announce at the gate that the air conditioning will not be run until after departure in order to save carbon. Then the pax can see how their PC sensibilities intersect with the real world and make their own informed decisions next time.

But yes, if no ground air then run the APU. I've never had an inop APU and no ground air, but using #2 as a big APU sounds like a good idea in that case. Most jet FOM/SOPs allow it, all of mine have.

I 100% agree. I will not shut it off until the pax are off. If the ground air isn’t doing it’s job I have the ground crew unhook it and start the Apu back up. If their ground equipment doesn’t work I’m not gonna let the passengers and crew suffer.. plain and simple..

Unless you and the ramp crew have a written, approved procedure for doing this, you are putting the risk squarely on your shoulders. The cargo doors are all closed up as you are boarding, then the late bags show up from the other side of the airport. They drive right behind your idling engine and someone gets hurt. Who are they going to blame? Ridiculous, I know. But there is a risk to going off-script. If something goes wrong, you are the fall guy.

Valid point...

By the grace of the Sky Gods, after briefing of the choreography and and with full concurrence with all parties concerned, never been in that position. There’s absolutely no difference during engine start and being advised last minutes bags have to be loaded on the jet with both motors runnning. Shut down two, open the bin, chuck the bag, close the bin, re-start number 2 and away we go. All that is covered in the brief. And yes... I’ve never had an issue with ground personnel regarding the above, as procedures are contained in our manuals. The Airline’s Ground Services Department provides and trains out station personnel normal and abnormal procedures accordingly.

Plus, if DFW at least, the ground air is somewhat worthless because the ramp taps a hose off of it and routes 30% to the cargo bin.

Best post I’ve seen in a long time.
Dilly dilly.
I promise you that your CEO won’t tolerate an unairconditioned office and neither should you.

Some allow it. Ours does

In other words, saying "FU" to the paying pax is just AOK if you "have a commute to catch."

Don’t be dramatic.

It's a bit dramatic but saying "can't blame the crew for cuttin n runnin, after all they got a commute to catch" was reflective of a rather self absorbed mindset that isn't cool.

Yeah... and if they have a problem with it, they can take it out of my profit sharing.

Are you a commuter?

Big whoop. It gets people motivated to get off the plane sooner.

I was clicked on this expecting a serious discourse on flight attendants complaining about their hot flashes.

I'm a commuter and think the same about that action. The importance placed on staying around varies greatly airline to airline though.

At my (regional) airline captains get written up and face disciplinary action if they run the APU on the ground when ground air is available, even when the cabins are 90+. The only way I can get around it is walking my crew off the plane because it's unsafe to board.

There are other ways to get people off the plane quicker:



https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loca...475115823.html

I agree... conditioned air should be used whenever and where ever available. Crews have to proactive, step up to the plate, write a report when the conditioned air is providing adequate cooling. When appropriate, take a picture of the MFD, with a date and time stamp, showing the cabin temperature.

Management needs to ride around the system... especially to stations known to have defective conditioned air carts. Let them stay on the jet and experience the wonderful climate of the inside of a jet where its 85 degrees plus on a CAVOK day.

Otherwise let them write everyone up until they run out of paper. Crews were given COM, GOM, FOM, etc. to assist them in exercising judgement to ensure the crew, and passengers are safe.

What country do you fly in?

I turn on the APU the moment I get onboard and the walk-around is complete. I turn off the APU when the aircraft has an unattended sit or is a RON. The APU is far more reliable than any ground equipment provided. Added reliability and better customer service, at the expense of someone else’s profit sharing. You can be sure, if my assigned airplane is hot, it’s an equipment issue, not a mental one!

Yea I was recently on a flight and the pilots had the PC air but it was blowing hot air. It was so hot you felt like you were actually breathing hot air like when you walk around PHX in the middle of August. The FA was sweating yet she wasn’t doing anything. Totally clueless. The pilots had their feet up probably playing candy crush or browsing APC... they finally disconnected when the doors closed. This whole time the APU was on too but not selected. Please pay attention.

A320 has an issue with valves chattering if the APU is running the packs while there is external conditioned air plugged in, so don't expect 320s to have the APU running the packs while external air is plugged in. Getting ground to unplug it can take quite a bit of time.

737 may not have that issue but I've been told it's "not good" to have the packs running while external air is plugged in, and it seems like some crews won't turn on the APU bleed and packs until after external air is disconnected. Again, that can take quite a while at some stations.

Yea, excuses, whatever. The CAs I've been flying with have been perfectly happy to turn on the APU and packs at the first word or hint that it's getting warm in back and I've done it a couple times myself when the CA wasn't around to confirm first.

Finally, yea. If there is a crew swap, the APU gets shut down until the next crew gets on the plane. One can only hope the incoming crew checks cabin temps when they arrive to see if they need the APU back on immediately.

Don't know if you're VERBOTEN to touch it, but I usually run down and hit the red "off" button for the air unit.

Never have heard any negative feedback. I've heard loaders may be using a cool tap off the main line for the cargo areas, will pass on killing it in that case.

Union rampers don’t appreciate people doing there job. I just walk up to whomever I find first and ask them to turn off the air. I stand politely until they do. If they ask why I’m standing here I say I need it done ASAP but I don’t want to “take anyone’s union work” They usually get the picture that I would have done it myself but out of respect to my fellow union member I am letting them take care of it. If at that point they say no then I just do it myself. I gave them the chance. Lots of rampers aren’t informed that the cabin can get hot with the air on, also.

You're pulling air yourself? Why not pull power yourself too, or maybe go ahead and hook up the tow bar or load some bags?

Thanks but I'll continue doing MY job, and ONLY MY job.

I don't know if I'd call hitting a red button before walking up the stairs after my walk-around "doing someone else's job".