Go ahead and prep your swamp land, I'm buying. It's an absolutely true statement.

Who starts engines at AA? The CA.
Who answers EVERY challenge on the T/O checklist (11 items?) The CA.
Who makes the PA to seat the F/As for takeoff? The CA.
Who chimes the F/As when we are cleared onto the runway? The CA.

Furthermore, most if not all airlines get their T/O data at the gate. We usually get it on pushback or taxi out. Meaning that the F/O is now heads down comparing predicted vs. actual T/O data - while we're taxiing.

I'm just getting warmed up... we could do this all night. AA has long been doing it this way, flying in the face of conformity and normal F/O duties at EVERY OTHER AIRLINE worldwide. All of this stuff results in a whole lot of stuff not very evenly split between both crewmembers. This results in slower than usual taxi speeds to get all the stuff done SAFELY.

73

 

It's not bashing SW. It's stating fact.

30 years of professional aviation, almost in two collisions, both were SW ignoring ATC instructions to hold short/give way.

You acknowledge Boeing taxi speed restrictions. Do you acknowledge that your pilots regularly blow them off?

 

25 years. 2 close calls. One United at LAX and a Vanguard at MDW. Both runway incursions. Wouldn't think to generalize. One reason why we might be in more incidents other than we are cowboys we have more flights per day than most.

 

DD,

I am not going to get into a back and forth with you. All I ask is please write it up and document it with the FAA. Otherwise it just might be an embellished story instead of a "fact" with no proof. We (SWA) have had incursions just like everyone else but to engage in conjecture alluding that it was intentional or that it was that close without documentation is useless.

I was cutoff by a 767 in PBI at the hold short line after hearing the controller tell them that we were to takeoff first. Did I make a big deal out of it? No, but the controller did. I wasn't stupid enough to assume they were going to stop and engage in a game of chicken either. My little 737 would have lost.

I will not acknowledge that any SWA pilot intentionally blows anything off just as a wouldn't accuse another carrier of the same thing without documentation and an investigation. I personally am not worried if you write us up and let the FAA investigate.

The Oscar

 

30 knots on a straight away would scare me. I don't feel comfortable at anything over 20 knots.

Had the nose wheel steering fail a few weeks ago. Had I been doing 30 knots, we would have ended up in the mud or hurt a FA.

 

We're your brakes and pedals inop? I've flown many an airplane with inop/MEL'd nose steering. Makes the 90 degree turns interesting, but other than that, its easy.

I sympathize with the SWA guys on this one. I've got better things to do that waste time on taxiways. I don't do 40 knots, but I damn sure don't do 10. I'm sure the SWA guys, like myself, would like to finish up the trip as quickly as possible and head to the hotel/home.

 

Brakes worked, that's how we got stopped. Pedals had no control of the nose wheel, (Electric Jet). Big difference between an inoped system, and a system that fails while you are using it. Recognition time being one of them.

I'm not talking about anyone airline here. For me, excessive taxi speed comprises safety and comfort. The time saved at 30kts, as opposed to 15kts, on a one mile taxi is what? Two minutes?

Not worth it to me. But, that's just my opinion.

 

Tony:

I was referring to a controller on an authorized "fam trip". I am aware of ATC requirements and would not just offer the jumpseat to a controller who was going on vacation with the wife and kids.....

I don't want anyone called in on the carpet over an unauthorized trip on Seat 1W but always was glad to have those so authorized to be there.

G'day Mates

 

Not only does FOQUA report flap overspeeds, but on the 777, the onboard computers sense the overspeed and send a message immediately to maintenance so that MX can perform a flap inspection, if required, as soon as possible after block-in.

Had that experience on a flight from LHR-ORD. It was the Captain's leg and after landing, the MX supervisor came into the cockpit to tell him they would have the inspection done in about 30 minutes. "What inspection ?" he asked. "The flap overspeed inspection Sir. You oversped the flaps on departure coming out of London". "That wasn't us, Son" he sternly replied. A few minuted later, the supervisor appeared with a computer generated tape of the take-off up to clean configuration, with flap settings, speed, etc. Opps !

Big brother is watching Gents....all the time !

I agree 7576FO, great post...if we can just eliminate the SWA/AMR bashing.

G'Day Mates

 

I got hit by SW less than a year ago, so I've rather enjoyed the bashing.