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?

Back in the day I heard of a guy that brought his dog to work for a trip because it was his “emotional support animal”. I wouldn’t have wanted to be either the chief pilot or the union rep involved in that one.

That one's easy: 1-800-FAA-DIME

Another call to 1-800-FAA-DIME

You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the
villain...

I laughed way too hard about flying through angels.

I think I know that guy. He also would not accept 666 together like in a close out or transponder code and request it changed.

Imagine being afraid of numbers.

I did know of a captain who was afraid of the alien ships in the clouds. Don't know if he has retired yet.

But back to CP's. The only time I had issues with CPs was when they were wishy-washy and wouldn't make a decision. Because if they made a decision it might be wrong.
I knew some who were "jerks". But really, if you did what you were supposed to do they left you alone. If you showed up to work wearing a goatee or were caught wearing a fleece jacket in the concourse yeah, he would jump your drawers. These usually were also the same CPs who would go to bat for you when someone was messing with you or you needed help. Anyone from ASA will remember JA. He was "rough around the edges". You didn't want him to catch you out of uniform. If you messed up he would chew your butt. But I also remember going to his office once. The door was closed and I was about to knock when I heard him yelling into his phone, "You don't (*&^ with my pilots. I'm the only one who *&^%'s with my pilots." I figured it could wait and came back later. That's the kind of CP he was. He would lay down his life for "his pilots".

I've flown for a lot of different chiefs and worked for them on special assignments. I even became a Base Chief for a brief time at my first airline (regular ol' line pilot now). I can tell you that almost all of them genuinely wanted to help pilots to the best of their abilities. A base chief at most airlines definitely doesn't get enough of a pay bump, power boost, or other incentive to do it otherwise. I actually had to take a pay cut when I became Base Chief.


As Base Chief, I wanted to be out of the office seeing the pilots, helping them get the job done if they needed anything, not glued to a desk solving petty problems. What a bunch here have said is mostly true. About 95% of pilots are good and just show up and do their job and you never have to see them unless you can actually help them with something. The other 5% overwhelmingly create most of the issues, whether its not showing up to work, calling in sick a million times, or mostly just acting like a child. They are the ones that never allow you to leave the desk and drive your blood pressure through the roof.


Someone else here mentioned what they saw as an ALPA rep and the actions they had to defend. This is 100% true. It is absolutely amazing what some pilots think they will or can get away with.

I can also tell you that as much as you might think a Chief has a power trip a few ALPA reps have it too. I understand that motivation but I've had several meetings where an ALPA rep came in to defend a pilot with chest puffed and hostile tone and all of a sudden things require deescalation before they even start. All I can say is the most productive meetings happened when the rep came in and we just had a conversation. The rep wanted to protect the pilot and I wanted the pilot to not do that dumb thing ever again and to get it off my desk. In those cases the planned resolution was in place before the pilot ever stepped foot in my office.


People have to remember that as a Base Chief, we are the middle men and a buffer between the pilots and upper management. Many issues we can solve ourselves. The pilots learn the lesson that they shouldn't do that stupid action again and upper management never has to know about it. This situation happens more often than not. But then there are the pilots that paint themselves in magenta on the radar map and get the attention of the higher ups. Well, the Base Chiefs get their marching orders too and at that point we may not have much choice in how to handle a situation.


A lot of pilots complain that they are always getting phone calls about late departures, or sick calls, or name your issue. Most of the time we just need a little info to remove the delay that was placed on the crew incorrectly, but since they were too lazy to input the real reason for the delay in ACARS, now I have to call. I always trusted the pilots version of events but if they don't give the up the info, I have to go get it to defend or reassign the late code. As far as sick calls, we can't legally ask whats going on, but when a guy calls in sick for the 10th time this year, there's a good chance something is going on. A lot of times, that pilot may forget that there are people and groups that might be able to help them so they don't get dinged in the sick policy. We are trying to help. We are trying to help. We are trying to help.


Bottom line, it is absolutely a thankless job. Everyone, from your bosses to the pilots need you to do "something" and they need it done yesterday. It's also a stressful job where you are basically on call 24 hours a day. There absolutely are some chiefs that get on a power trip but the majority I've known and worked for are guys/gals that genuinely want to help. Just don't create a reason to exert any power and you will be fine. Most want to help you in any way they can to make your life better. Its why they took the job in the first place.

When incentives change, behaviors change. So much gets misattributed to character that is really environment. I bet if the CPs in question gave up their position and went back to flying the line then they would be cool again, assuming that they hadn’t burnt so many bridges that they’re no longer welcome.

Ive got PLENTY more.


Serious