Okay Detectives, She's - been - a - pilot - for - over - 30 - years - AND - she - is - an - A330 - Captain. Capiche?

 

Uh, I think you missed a bit of sarcasm there!

 

Missed that. What did she say?

 

In my years as a Captain I found it to be more respected by the passengers to tell them the truth and explain why you need that system fixed. In my short time at DAL I have seen several Captains do just that with an excellent outcome every time.

I also must have missed an FAR's that require an airline pilot to LIE to the passengers that are aboard their flight about any decision the Captain has made for whatever reason.

I do think it is sad that the company feels this decison was made over union disagreements and even went as far as to tell the rest of the employees that the pilots are basically squabbling little brats that are hurting the whole airline. I bet they would feel differently if they were sifting through twisted metal and bodies.

Don't forget those Colgan pilots were Legal to fly too. Legal is not always safe!

 

If I was on the outside looking in, I too would probably commend the captain on what she did. I don't think many of you though know what is going on internally at US. Just as an example: Not long after the seniority list came out I was flying on final to PHX when an east aircraft was cleared to depart in front of us. He proceeded to pull into position and sit. While the tower repeatedly told him cleared to take off, finally yelling at him he replied with, "roger." Tower finally told us to go around. After the flight I went into the chief pilot's office and was told even though there wasn't much they could do, to fill out a report because that was not the first time that the same thing had happened in the last several days. AND these are the people that are on a safety campaign. Yeah, if you believe that I've got some waterfront property to sell ya in Arizona.

 

Mr Spackler,

Since pilot support is rarely like some types of canine or human love...unconditional or blind, respectively, perhaps Cactus Mike simply isn't able to support a pilot who, by most accounts, acted in a very unprofessional manner, likely contrary to written material in the USAir ops manual? One could throw in a lack of personal maturity and a spoiled child analogy, but no sense in piling on.

My own phone inquiries to PSTAN sources indicate that the incident in question was quite public, loud and in clear conflict with written prohibitions regarding such behavior.

The following is written in the United/Continental ops manual...

"...At no time shall a pilot discuss in the presence of customers or outsiders any matter which would cast doubt on the safety of the operation of a flight...

An employee must perform no act which is detrimental to the welfare or reflects unfavorably on the company or its employees. Public statements or displays by employees which are adverse to the business interest of the company are prohibited..."

The above language exists in a similar form in most ops manuals.

 

You don't know any of this. None! You should be ashamed of your reaction to a fellow professional airman with only second hand information. I would expect this kind of knee-jerk reaction from management, but from another pilot?! Shameful. Just like Cactusmike, your blind hatred of east pilots is clouding your judgment. You should be fighting with the east pilots to defend this fellow airman!

You are lying! I've worked many, many PSTAN issues in my time and NONE OF US would EVER talk about the incident to somebody who called on the phone or even asked us in person. NEVER.

Again, you haven't a clue as to whether any of this happened. But you seem to be implying that all of us are in violation of our company manuals everytime we give a PA telling passengers of a mechanical difficulty.

You west guys need to put the hatred aside and wake the hell up on this.

Carl

 

Easy sport. I've done a few also. Confidences are never, ever compromised and were not compromised in this particular instance. However, it was public. It didn't happen solely behind a hardened door.

Seek, and ye shall find...especially when it's public.

Ciao

 

You stated that the Captain told the passengers the truth. What were the passengers told?

 

Unless we have some first hand accounts of how this captain presented the information, we can jibber jabber all day about it.

Did she yell over the PA, "US Air is dangerous, sending out faulty planes", or calmly mention that the APU was inop, and hopefully this airplane would get fixed, or another airplane would be sent over?

The delivery is just as important as what was said.

I also agree that many views here have as much to do with East/West hatred, as any facts associated with the actual event.

Let's all take a break from this one.

Thread closed.