Line Pilot, then Chief gone bad
 

Trying to better understand this phenomenon. In the years I’ve been on the line and flown with various guys that were fairly cool, almost all that have become chiefs, have become total dicks.

Is this industry-wide or a cultural issue at my company? They were once aware of and bound by a contract between them and the company. They now condone exploiting the contract as if it never existed. To better serve their agenda in satisfying the supreme-being.

It is universal that when one “crosses over” into management, the transformation (lobotomy) happens and the “Kool Captain” you once knew is no longer.

It is good to have this awareness early in your career. Those “Chiefs” spend 99% of their time dealing with the 5% that cause trouble on the line. The stress is not worth the pay bump IMHO.

the higher you climb on an organizational ladder, the view across the horizon changes.

also, "good sticks" do not necessarily make good leaders of humans. Sometimes they do, but...

The small details vary from person to person and company to company, but as a general rule of thumb:

Whenever a line pilot takes any kind of “higher job” (CP/ACP, LCA, sim instructor/evaluator, etc), they assume a higher level of responsibility and accountability than they did as a line pilot. In the case of a chief pilot, they went from just being in charge of the airplane/crew to being in charge of all the pilots in a certain base, and are also a representative of management (which is why many companies require a pilot gives up their ALPA membership in order to take a job as CP). Their job is now to manage, ensure the pilots they oversee are in compliance with regs/SOP’s, and yes, to discipline and reprimand when needed. And since they now answer directly to upper management, they assume as much responsibility and liability if the line pilots are not in compliance or (god forbid) they’re not flying safely as they do. Plus, since the pilots they oversee are flying around the clock, their phones are ringing off the hook 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s a terribly stressful and thankless job that you couldn’t pay me enough money to do.

Now with that said, it’s an unfortunate reality that some people become corrupt when they assume a position of higher authority like that. And those people seemed to have forgotten the golden rule of this career: treat everyone as if they’ll be the ones interviewing you for your dream job. And it WILL come full-circle for them, because even though they may be in a management role now, most of them are just pilots trying to “make it” just like the rest of us. I’ve worked under CP’s who I’d gladly write recs and go to bat for at the next level, and others who I wouldn’t lift a finger for. And I’m sure everyone on this board can say the same.

Bottom line for you is this: show up on time, do what you’re supposed to do (know and follow your SOP’s and other company manuals), know your contract and don’t be afraid to call “foul” when they try to make you break it, and you’ll get through your time at the regionals just fine. And if they’re going to turn into a complete Richard, let them. Like I said, karma.

Sorry for the novel. Hope it helps.

GW

At your particular company, the end destination for that type is the Training Center. Except Jim.....that dude was always cool.

I'd say part of it is your dealing with children sometimes. I know I'd get tired of dealing with (mostly) sr captains constant sickcations. Or new FOs who never had a job that required strict adherence to a schedule. Im shocked at how many guys plan on only doing 2 trips a month. I flew with one guy who would bid lines that worked christmas so he could sick it and get 2 weeks around the holidays off each year.

Add in problem child employees who cant work in a crew environment and i would go nuts.

Some stay cool, and those are usually the ones who had previous large-organization management experience at some point in their prior lives (white-collar, military). From my observation ex-cop pilots are the worst as CPs if they've never had previous management experience... everybody they deal with is a perp/suspect.

In cockpit culture, we communicate directly and unequivocally, often abruptly... but that's not how you deal with problem children in HR-land.

Otherwise, as others pointed out, it's a big jump from PIC of 2-5 crew to being in charge of hundreds of people.

Most managers get to deal with some good and some bad, although management by definition spends 80% of it's time on problems and problem kids... good employees don't need as much intervention. In the case of airline chief pilots, you really never deal with good employees because you don't see them, so you end up like a cop: your "coworkers" are the scumbags, and that colors your perspective over time.

As was mentioned, power does tend to corrupt in some cases.

Also this is common... some airlines don't give CP's the authority to solve scheduling problems (ie pull folks off trips for personal conflicts like your own wedding). In that case the CP ends up looking like the bad guy when his hands are tied.

Line pilots only hear stories of others foul-ups. A story that may be passed at altitude or at the bar. And then you go on with your day.

The CPO is the one that deals with it day in and day out. Constantly listening to the whiners; the 90/10 rule that I think someone already mentioned.

One can only take so much before it changes the business side. I have two chiefs I’ll talk to and one I’ll avoid. The one I avoid is company first over and above all.

I worked flights with a guy who as the CP was generally very measured, but when they elevated him to the DO he went on a massive power trip. Interestingly the guy who he replaced was busted by company tech for watching porn all day at work. So yes the higher you get it can be a problem. As far as military and police, I worked with a former Marine Core drill instructor and retired cop. They had a lot more in check emotionally and mentally than many of our supposedly “cosmopolitan” individuals.

As a former union officer, you'd be amazed at the stupid things some pilots do. I've had to sit in on several "meetings", lets just say I was amazed. Granted, some were railroad job attempts by the company to punish union guys, but a few were legit.

Example:

One Capt. would try to avoid flying into clouds because he didn't want to hit any angels. (totally serious)

Who wouldn't become a d!ck after a day of hearing sh!t like this?