Yeah I know what ya mean............last F/A I flew with, her face looked like an old leather shoe..........:p

I have a friend who was vehemently arguing with me that in the "real world" you have to memorize your checklist because you just dont have time to pick it up and read it off in certain situations (he was using the before takeoff checklist as an example).
I mean obviously I have the flows memorized but the idea of "backing up" your flow with your "memorized checklist"??!!! The whole point of doing the checklist is that our memories aren't fool-proof no matter how much you think it might be!!
I'm sure he didn't start out this way when he was a new hire.. probably picked it up somewhere along the way from someone else who told him that it was OK and even practical. Even though he's a good friend, I don't look forward to flying with pilots who practice these kind of habits.

I hate that, too. I always set it back to where I had, but only if he is watching me do it!

Wow. There's no such thing as being in too much of a hurry to read a normal checklist. Period. If he thinks there is, he needs to re-prioritize.

FOs who suddenly blurt out checklists while I'm not ready for them!

CAs who don't step on GoJet!

Was that at QX?

If you look, sometimes maybe it IS lined up- with the course. At least, that is the way I like it. It reinforces the fact that I am not on a vector (old habit from an old airplane).

CAs who remind me that I am in magenta needles when given an "intercept the localizer" clearance 30 miles out. I know that technically it's supposed to be in green needles but have they ever seen Mr. Honeywell fly? That somnabitch is all over the place until you get to about 20 miles, and even then depending on where you're at and if they are crossing airplanes in front of the LOC antennae you may still be S-turning.

You might be slightly offcourse if you follow magenta.One way to take care of that is to go on HDG mode till u get closer.
Do what the CA tells you to.He is the final authority.

I know you meant within the confines of good CLR/CRM. Don't let the guy run you out of gas over the Pacific Northwest.

Not gonna be any more off course than an S-turning autopilot or trying to bracket with the autopilot would make me. Plus the ride is more comfortable for the pax. Sure hope you don't let any captains fly you into a mountain because they are the "final authority":rolleyes:. I always brief it and no one has a problem with it. They just remind me even though its exactly what I briefed. Thats what is annoying. This is how the conversation usually goes:
ATC: Jetlink XXXX, fly heading 210, intercept the localizer 24R.
CA: Did you want green needles?
FO: I'll switch it when we get closer, we're still 30 miles out and doing 170kts cause its Cleveland.
CA: Oh, right.

Have both pilots tune the RA to 195 feet. The reasoning will probably make the majority of people on here scream bloody murder, but for all intensive purposes, it cuts down on the S-turns. Or handfly ;)

I just heard that one last week, supposedly second-hand from an LCA's mouth. Does it really work?

I've heard that too. Never tried it though. If it's VMC I usually do just kill the AP. I have kicked off the AP when it starts S-turning in IMC but that seems to make a lot of CAs nervous.

And I believe the phrase is "for all intents and purposes":D

Supposedly it tricks the AP into thinking its in Cat II mode even though its not. I've never tried it but supposedly it makes the AP "smarter" and fly the approach better. The only problem I see with that is that the Honeywell seems to have the most problems when you are far away and they are crossing airplanes in front of the LOC antennae, something that would not happen in Cat II conditions so I'm not sure how it would handle those situations.

Worked when I did it fresh outta IOE. But I have a history of not letting the autopilot fly that far into any approach so I couldn't tell ya. I'm one of "those" guys who kicks it off between 4000'-8000' feet so it's been awhile.

If you really want to freak 'em out...turn off the FD too.

Man, your Captains are lucky to have such a clever guy along!

Is that SOP at your company?

If your CA is annoying you, try pulling out one of your kids coloring books while at cruise and just go to town. Don't even bother staying in the lines.

Guys that want to talk constantly on the leg back to the hub on stand-ups. Listen buddy, I've only had 4 hours of sleep a night for the past 3 nights, I'm exhausted, it's not even sunrise yet, and you want to blather on about Britney Spears? Shut up!

No, but it was shown to me by a training department guy.

Great teaching method by an "instructor".

My gripe...Tedious anal retentive airline pilots who constantly gripe about ridiculous crap that doesn't matter AT ALL! THIS IS JUST A JOB. Not a dream. We're not brain surgeons here. Oh...my real gripe, The guy who says that he can tell difference between the 757-200ER and the 757-600WTF by counting the rivets on the lav service door. I DON'T F'n CARE!

...oops...another pet peeve. It's 'Intents and Purposes' not 'intensive purposes' genius. Intensive purposes? What on earth could that possibly mean? Think I'm being anal retentive enough yet? Mission accomplished. Roger. Over.

That was intense...was that your intent?:D

No but it might be his porpoise!

A little perspective for some of you FO's out there (Especially the one's who complain about the captain wanting to call for the checklist) from a guy who upgraded within the last year...

You're going to realize when you're in the left seat that you did a lot of stuff as an FO that would annoy the sh*t out of you as a captain. Captains run their cockpit their own way- that's just how it is. Wait until you're a Captain before you start passing judgement on guys you fly with. Don't try to be the Captain until you are. Until then just try to help out and "assist the Captain" like your Operations Manual probably tells you to.

Besides, everybody knows they have the same number of rivets. ;)

I agree with that statement for the most part but some of them need to remember what it was like when they were FOs.

True, there's no need to be a tyrant in the left seat. Just shows lack of confidence and insecurity.

Well,.... that's only true of the Rolls powered models with odd ship numbers after ship number 330 and even ship numbers after ship number 332.:D

I wouldn't recommend going green needles 30 miles out with a fed in the JS.

The localizer is only certified out to 18NM...that's why it's so squirrely way out there. Legally you don't have a valid nav signal.

Use the FMS that far out or ask for a vector.

False, only true of the P&W models, the Rolls powered are all ball bearings these days:D

In my situation, all F/O's were Captains before they got to where I'm at, I expect an F/O to act like a Capt as they will be again. CRM has really developed this discussion. Strong CRM benefits everyone. Most F/O's know how to be diplomatic and say things like"If its OK with you, we'll ......" Works good and coupled with a strong standardization emphasis makes this a non issue for me 99.99% of the time. Now the interesting part is the 60+ Second Officers :D

For some reason while reading that at work, I literally busted up. Good thing I wasn't drinking something or it would have been all over my screen.....LOL

Very funny, thanks for the laugh!

:D

F*ck you. Over.

The reception range of the localizer is at least 18 NM within 10 degrees of the on-track signal. There are some places that the signal strength is stronger and can be received further out with better accuracy and includes localizer fixes beyond 18NM, (Rwys in SLC, LAX, SFO, and ATL ) to name a few.

You may hear controllers say "Intercept the Approach Course for 27L" vs. "Intercept 27L Localizer" so be sure what they are saying because this too leaves it up to the discretion of the pilot on how he/she is going to do that. An FMS may work better until the localizer is needed for the published approach segments.

I would agree with rickair777 that 30NM is a tad bit too far.

Victoria B.C. to Boeing Field Seattle is an example. Whidbey approach always instructed me to intercept the BFI 13R localizer on the initial call. That was about 50 miles out if I remember correctly. Worked great!

Hey, don't get mad at me. I didn't invent the english language. I think that was Al Gore...