How to deal with a control freak?
 

Is this technique or Standard Operating Procedures, Captain?
 

Hope it goes better for you...

Are you new?

Oh man...been there done THAT. When it happened to me I just looked at the guy and said "listen, I get paid the same either way, do you just want to fly all the legs so you get to fly them your way?" He responded, "No, I'd still like you to fly your legs." So I responded "Well I'm qualified to operate this aircraft so unless I am breaking a reg or a limitation, not following policy or I am endangering your life or others then I'd like to operate the aircraft my way. If thats a problem for you then I would prefer you fly all the legs so theres not a conflict".

In your case with his response about challenging his authority I would tell him that you're not challenging/questioning anything but you ARE telling him that the environment he creates in the cockpit is not the most positive and safe. If he still has an issue with you flying the airplane then it might be worth talking to a member of your professional standards committee. Chances are this is not the first time another pilot has had an issue with him so you can take comfort in that.

FFB's above advice is very good...if you really must, just suck it up and don't fly the aircraft with him.

Ditto for what FFB is saying but I would add that you first discuss this with a captain you have flown with and trust. If you can't resolve it yourself then seek help from a professional standards volunteer.

I agree with Freeze. Are the flows that he is telling you to do different from those written in the Company POM? Are you flying the company profile? If they are tell him to take it to pro stans. The guy needs to chill out, part of learning is making mistakes and eating some humble pie.

Exactly! If you are doing flows/profiles/call-outs just like the company FOM states then its this capt. who is out of line and not SOP. Prof standards is definitely the way to go.

I've been here for a little over two years. I do my standard call outs(i have no problem with that)fly the profile, but I also understand when to fly a bit fast to the marker when there is a larger aircraft behind me and fly a dot high, slow down early when following a heavy, or maybe even extend the gear, configure early when cleared for a visual when high! I can suck it up and not cry about it, it's just annoying when you have someone b*tching at you all the way down! What is this, private pilot lesson #1?:cool:

Thanks, I appreciate all the suggestions and comments...

meeko031 if you've survived flying a Jet for two years, I'd say you probably don't deserve being told how to fly it. Go to ProStandards. Your Captain is a tool.

You might want to consider pointing out to this captain that he is the only captain you fly with who does this. Then ask him if he flew with a lot of captains when he was a first officer, that micromanaged him. One techinque I used a lot when I was a F/O was just to talk a lot about what I was doing. "Ok, we're coming up on five thousand...I'm gonna slow back to 210 and get the slats out. Then we can do the approach checklist." Stuff like that. That way, he knows what you're thinking. Usually micromanaging stems from insecurity...he has to have it a certain way because he can't deal with it if it isn't! This guy probably doesn't think too well outside the box. Either that or he thinks his way is better than whatever you were taught by training and standards. Either way, the bottom line is it's his jet, but you should be able to be the PF and use your own techniques..until you goon it up, then you might wind up doing it his way. Who knows, you might wind up teaching him a thing or two...

You've Got the Airplane!
 

Try this, next time he decides to micromanage during the approach, just say "You've got the airplane!". Just make sure you were following all FAA and company procedures and be prepared to immediately take over PM duties. Works best if it's real busy and you're being slam dunked. If he wants to know why later, just tell him you felt unsafe trying to fly the airplane and follow his directions at the same time.

Just be thankful you only have to put up with this guy for a month. I flew in the right seat with a Capt. like this for 2 yrs. Most horrible 2 yrs of my flying career-Always had something to say no matter what-People like this are control freaks and will never change. I would take the advice of the peers in your industry (airline) and talk to your flight standards dept.
I wish I would have had this option. Good luck !!

Maybe isn't the Captain.

I think POPA has the best solution. As posted from another thread.

Let him think he is in control, that will satisfy his desire.

Same thing when dealing with women, let them think they actually know what they are talking about.

Yeah, you're right. Maybe, im the one with the problem, how unprofessional of me to complain and post a comment about my day on how to deal with this super flying god!

Ditto JethroFDX (thus FFB)
Insecure Capt. I'd bet lousy CRM briefs as well. I have done the Unkonwn Rider suggestion almost exactly as he stated. The Capt quit and we actually got along well afterwards.

DONT do this!!!! This is annoying as hell! I had an FO that would talk her way through everything as if she was still instructing....."Okay i'm bringing the power back, okay trimming it up, okay adding power, okay i'm going to raise the nose and slow it down so we can configure"


I DONT CARE what you are doing, just fly the plane the way the company tells us to and we'll be fine. One of the most annoying FO's I have EVER flown with.

I'm glad to hear you say that, Lalo. After reading a few people suggesting that FO's should talk about what they are expecting to do, I was raising an eyebrow because I usually don't do that unless I see something out of whack and I start correcting. I can imagine that would get to be a pain if someone vocalized every move made throughout a trip.

This technique is only to be used with aforementioned irritating micromanaging captain...comprende? He obviously can't just fly the plane...that's why he posted his problem on this board. Read. Breathe. Repeat.

Sounds like a long month! :D

After you do an honest self-assessment and address the "is it me question" [and figure you can fly], I'd ask him point blank if he thought you had a problem flying the airplane.

Pro-Stan could be a solution but only after you confront him in the most constructive way you can about his flying lessons.

If all else fails, and your only flying with him for a month, reject his offer to fly any of the legs and just be the PNF.

"Okay...I'm using the lavatory now.....I hope there is enough TP....."

Pro Standards.

In lieu of that, call in sick...of his sh!t.

The bottom line is this is more than just irritating. He is having a negative impact on the safety of the flight by not allowing you to do the job you were trained to do. There is no doubt he is not good enough to do your job and his, but that is what he is trying to do. Calmly and assertively tell him, "Look, I know you think you are helping me but you are not. Your comments are a major distraction and keeping me from performing the job as I was trained. Unless it is an immediate safety issue, let me fly, and if you feel the need, critique me AFTER we are parked at the gate." Do your best to fly by the book and the way you were trained. Remind him of this and tell him if he has a problem with that, take it up with your training department.

Smack him in the face.

I gotta say even the most micromanaging captains I've ever flown with were not as bad as you're describing. You're best bet is to talk to him first. Tell him that while you respect his experience, you are an experienced crew member as well and that the things he is doing are having a negative impact on your ability to operate as a required crew member. If this still doesn't work, pro standards is the next step. Good luck...

You can always hand fly it raw data on your short flights, do that fine, and he should chill out.

I usually say something to give the nfp a heads up on what im doing for anything out of the ordanary i.e. I tell them Im slowing at fl240 because we are mostlikely to get slam dunked...

Sounds like a fun month!

It's pretty simple, just think of it like in The High and the Mighty. YOU are John Wayne, the CA is Robert Stack. If that doesn't work, then do what FFB says.

I flew with one of those just the other day. I kinda made a joke out of it and called him "Captain Micro" a few times. When he asked why I called him that I told him it was because he micro manages too much. I don't fly like him so either fly the legs or let me fly. I'm not just some voice activated autopilot system. The rest of the 4 day anytime he'd start micromanaging I'd just call him captain micro and he'd back off. He'd say something like "well I don't really care but there are other captains who do and they'll snap at you". I wouldn't respond back to that but in the back of my mind I'd be thinking that if there is I sure haven't met him or anyone close.

Ever notice how a CA always uses the "To me it's no big deal... but.."

For your situation I advise to call him Capt. Micro, avoid his employee number, or simply say that you aren't challenging his authority you're flying the plane how you'd like to and unless he can show you where you're doing something wrong then you'll keep doing it. Tell him he's f'ing with your mojo and making you fly like crap because you're having to focus on him more than the aircraft and the situation at hand.\

Then wait till he's making a bad landing and ask the tower for lower lol.

Your avatar compliments this comment nicely!
Me personally, I would just say nothing until I couldn't stand it anymore or the safety of the flight was being impacted, and we'd go from there.

Mabe that WAS the captain...

Here here. Works for me EVERY time

There's never a good reason to be a dot high. Turboprops are pretty forgiving, you can get away with a lot. After two years in the same plane, you should be pretty dang competent. Put little stickies in your captain's view that say RELINQUISH.

If I'm following a triple, I'm sure not flying the same glideslope as them. Something about wake, or vortices...turbulence...turn me upside down...

This should work

Wow. You've got a sh_tty situation there. One of the nice things about being at a more mature airline is you don't see this much. Everyone is very experienced and a guy like that gets exposed pretty quickly. He would end up on most FO's no fly list and the CP would probably look in to it.

If I every fly with someone like that I give them the airplane. I'm perfectly happy to sit there and do my job. If he won't shut up I put in ear plugs and turn my head. Someone one else mentioned it, just punch up the other autopilot and say, "you've got it." If you want to rub it in you could point out everything he's about to do a little early. That would be fun. "You're going to turn here in a second." " OK now turn." Not too much!" "OK, level out.....NOW." I think he'd get the message. If not, it would be worth it just to see him blow his stack. Don't worry about him going to the CP on you. If he is as bad as you say, the CP is well aware of this tool

Good luck.

Its funny how when a captain does this you really begin to second guess yourself. I had the same type of captain my last 4 day, and I was loosing my MIND. I never said anything, too scared, im on probation, but i really started to second guess myself and think "maybe i am horrible" I flew today with a normal captain and he was like great job, but the whole time I kept expecting him to yell at me like the previous one did..... That is the first time Ive expereinced it...drove me NUTS

competent? Why would we switch the flying every other leg if he thinks I can't fly the plane? hMMM?

as far as flying a dot high not being a good idea, Im gonna have to disagree with you here! It only takes one time, I learned my lesson real fast about avoiding wake! I will not definately fly the same glidepath behind a 767 or any larger ac, even any wake from 737s. :eek:

I feel for ya! I had a guy like that a few months ago. I swear, when I landed the last leg of our TWO months :eek: together and he said "my airplane" on the rollout, the angels sang:

HALLELUJAH!

I'm so glad that captain lines come out before FO lines so I don't ever have to fly with him again.



BTW, I wussed out, I never really said anything to him, I just let my blood pressure go up the entire trip.