Lack of professionalism (an example)
 

An open note to the Shuttle America crew arriving KATL gate B20 on May 29th:

Maybe you don't really care about how the airline pilot profession is perceived - that certainly appears to be the case. Even if you don't respect yourself, please quit embarrassing the rest of us.

I really am not sure what part of having newspapers all over the glareshield as you taxied into the gate seemed like a good idea: Maybe you want the traveling public to know you are well informed. Perhaps you are keeping a canary in the cockpit and are using it as a liner. Maybe you are just too lazy to put it away. I don't know and frankly, I don't give a damn.

When you do things like this, YOU LOOK LIKE CLOWNS!!! It was not unnoticed (and commented on) by several passengers sitting in the food court next to the gate (and I can assure you, they weren't impressed by your devotion to current events). I've read dozens upon dozens of posts by regional pilots bemoaning the way they are perceived by both the traveling public and fellow aviators. No one else will respect you if you don't present a professional image. Also, I'm guessing if an FAA inspector had been passing by, he would have been less than impressed as well - but hey, maybe you really don't value the job that much.

It’s not like we’re debating wearing your i-Pod in the terminal – this tells everyone who looks at your aircraft, “I really don’t pay attention to the aircraft while I’m flying – I just kick back and read the paper, the autopilot will get us there.” Don’t bother explaining workload in cruise to me, I know – this was on the glareshield taxiing into the gate.

If you're a Shuttle America pilot and it wasn't you, please do what you can to shame your co-workers into displaying a bit more professionalism.

Rant temporarily suspended . . .

When did this happen?

Just what kind of "professional" are you expecting to hire for $16,000 a year?

Management doesn't think it's a profession anymore.

It's just a JOB, and it's about time pilots start acting like it.

If this job sucks so badly, get the hell out. I, for one, would like your seniority number. Cry and moan all you want, but don't act like anyone has a gun to your head.

Management doesn't hire professionals, they hire babies like yourself. Don't feel singled out though, there are thousands just like you who cry and moan and have to have their rear ends wiped for them at every turn.

If passengers actually cared, they'd book away from regional airplanes when possible. Instead they comment about it while they board one.

Maybe he was reading an article about the E190s they are getting...




Sorry, couldn't resist:D

Yeah... doormen make a hell of a lot less than that and they act more professional than many pilots.

Some random girl asked me, while I was deadheading, if after the airplane was on autopilot the pilots would start playing cards or something. The perception is at an all-time low. Yikes.

I hope you told her there's no flat place to play cards up there. And then told her we read the paper, do sudoku puzzles and word problems, and listen to am radio.

Are you serious? Who cares about a news paper up there? Was it sunny and hot out? Maybe they didn't want it to get 100+ in the cockpit? Once again who cares? What do they say when a DAL, CAL, USair, AMR, or other guys pull up wearing ball caps to keep the sun out of their eyes? If this is what you have to complain about then either life's that good for you or you're a drama queen.

I flew with a CA once that carries around a magnetic chess board...

No, I told her we play Monopoly and the occasional Mouse Trap.

See I know you're lying because you can't keep the trap balanced while in a plane.

lmao, she probably thought it was real, too. That game was fun but a ***** to set up.

I would have suggested to those pax that they might have wanted to rebook.... preferably to a mainline flight.

oops.......

You are worried about a few people that can look up when we do something like this??? The Wall Street Journal?? Millions of people?? WHAT?? ANY BEANS TO EAT??


WSJ 2nd UPDATE:Colgan Air Transcript
Shows Lack Of Crew Discipline - WSJ.com

By Andy Pasztor
Of The Wall Street Journal WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The pilots of the Continental Connection turboprop that crashed in February near Buffalo N.Y., rushed through mandatory checklists in a matter of seconds, but spent almost the entire 59-minute flight from Newark, N.J., bantering about personal issues, job goals and the theoretical hazards of ice accumulation during winter flying, according to the cockpit recorder transcript released Tuesday by federal investigators.

The transcripts shows that the Colgan Air Inc. crew, Capt. Marvin Renslow and co-pilot Rebecca Shaw, violated mandatory safety rules by discussing extraneous topics during the descent to Buffalo, just before their twin-engine Bombardier Q400 aircraft slowed dangerously and went into an aerodynamic stall, killing 50 people.

Data released by the National Transportation Safety Board indicates that the stall wasn't triggered by ice accumulation, but rather Capt. Renslow's pulling back on the controls and overpowering an automatic stall-protection system that was pushing the nose of the plane down in order to regain a safe flying speed.

The transcript of conversations reflects a breakdown in cockpit discipline, marked by an almost cavalier attitude toward safety as the pilots laughed and joked extensively about previous flying experiences, the rigors of commuting to work by air and their own shortcomings as aviators.

(This story and related background material will be available on The Wall Street Journal Web site, WSJ.com.)

There was hardly any discussion, until the last few minutes, about the conditions of the flight they were operating. Required checklists appeared to be done almost as an afterthought, according to the transcript, as the pilots resumed extraneous discussions immediately afterward.

Icing was on the crew's mind approaching Buffalo in snow and mist. Starting four minutes before the crash, and just before rushing through the descent checklist, the crew talked about dramatic buildup of ice around the windshield. "Oh yeah, it's full of ice," the co-pilot said. The captain replied, "that's the most I've seen . . . in a long time." But instead of discussing their situation and agreeing on a plan of action in case of an emergency, the crew immediately switched to discussing personal anecdotes regarding icing.

Co-pilot Shaw, for example, is quoted on the transcript reminiscing about how little experience she had with ice during her early training flying in the Southwest U.S. "I had more actual time (experiencing icing) on my first day" with Colgan "than I did in the 1,600 (flight) hours I had when I came here."

The co-pilot, who had been hired by Colgan less than a year before, went on to say: "I really wouldn't mind going through a winter in the Northeast before I have to upgrade to captain."

For the journalists, industry officials and relatives of victims packed into the NTSB's auditorium, the transcripts of what the crew said - and how distracted they appeared to be - provided the most chilling part of the hearing.

Right after completing the cruise checklist above 10,000 feet, the crew launched into an extensive discussion of Capt. Renslow's previous experiences with engine troubles on Saab 340 turboprps. Then Shaw, the 24-year-old co-pilot who recently moved to Seattle but flew out of Newark, talked about her hopes of finding a job that would keep her closer to home. "I would do three nights a week and be home, I could have kids and raise a family."

Two minutes into a discussion of future earning hopes by each pilot, the captain spotted a plane and said, "you got traffic out there, it's coming left to right." The crew continued to discuss personal matters, including co-pilot Shaw's head congestion. It "might be easier on my ears," she is quoted on the transcript, if the aircraft starts descending sooner and more gradually toward the airport.

As the crew noticed the buildup of ice, the co-pilot acknowledged her fear of ice accumulation on aircraft surfaces, which can decrease lift. In the past, she said, "I would freak out (if) I would have seen this much ice; and thought, of my gosh, we were going to crash," according to the transcript.

Below 2,300 feet, things deteriorated quickly for the crew. According to documents released at the hearing, the crew leveled off the aircraft and set the engines to idle in what seemed like a normal approach. Within three seconds after the landing gear went down, however, the engines were revved to maximum power.

It took only a total of about 20 seconds until the crew received a stall warning, the autopilot disconnected and the Q400 lost lift, rolled and slammed into the ground.

While the broad outlines of the last few minutes of the flight had been reported earlier, the first day of the hearing provided more information about the crew's actions in the cockpit. The data confirmed earlier reports that Capt. Renslow continued to pull back on the controls to raise the plane's nose during the entire seven seconds the so-called stick-shaker was warning the crew about an impending stall. The normal reaction to such a warning is to lower the nose in order to gain speed.

Just after the cockpit microphone picked up the sounds of the engines increasing to full power, Capt Renslow exclaims: "Jesus Christ."

Shaw, for her part, began doing what she could to save the plane. "I put the flaps up," she said. Eight seconds later, she asked the captain, "should the gear up?"

Capt. Renslow replied: "Gear up. Oh (expletive)."

From there, the cockpit microphone picked up an increase in noise from outside the plane.

Less than a second before impact, Capt. Renslow said: "We're down," followed by the sound of a thump.

The last words on the recording were those of Shaw. "We're (sound of scream).

Today - May 29. I have deliberately left out any other specific details as I feel it would be inappropriate to identify a specific crew (thereby eliminating plausible denyability should someone from their management learn of this.

Duck, you can call me a drama queen if you want, but I was taught a long time ago that people's perception of you is affected by how you present yourself. Frankly, I'm tired of direction this profession has been headed for a while now (yes, now I'm a crochety old coot), and how eagerly many help this deterioration out.

I understand doing something to shield the cockpit from the sun - IN CRUISE! Put the crap out of view at top, don't leave it laying out as you taxi in. And for the record, it didn't look like leftover heat shield - it had every appearance of the entire paper (multiple sections) strewn across the glareshield. Guys taxiing in wearing a ballcap - I don't care for it, but that's a COMPLETELY different image than a newspaper all over - at least the guy in the ball cap MIGHT have been paying attention to the flight. Of course, the public knows nothing could go wrong with no one watching the aircraft - I mean you could never bleed off 50+ knots and get into a stall... oh wait, I guess you could.

Think people, think! I have a pretty low view of public opinion, but the fact of the matter is if we are viewed as button pushing chimps, then we will be treated (and compensated) as button pushing chimps.

A wise man long ago had an excellent mantra - KDA:

K - know what you are worth
D - demand what you are worth
A - accept nothing less

Pilots (particularly in many of the regionals) have a LONG way to go on this, and if this job is ever going to be worth anything it's going to require exactly that (including burning a few places down - figuratively). It first has to start with knowing what you are worth, and to be of value you need to be a professional aviator, not a button pushing chimp. Put the newspaper away at top (sure, take off the ball cap as you taxi into the gate too). Better yet, if you feel compelled to read inflight (certainly understandable), why not read something which enhances you capabilities as a professional aviator (and put it away at top). Demonstate to the public that you (we) are highly trained professionals who deserve to be compensated accordingly (feel free to also explain how we've been repeatedly robbed by bankruptcies and whipsawing of one regional against another). Then at section six time, demand what you are worth and accept nothing less.

Like I said, if you don't care about it for yourself either:

A) do if for the rest of us who do

or

B) get out of the cockpit and go to work somewhere else

Pay has nothing to do with being a professional, it's your attitude!

It was problay 90 something degrees in there. I have done and I am sure many more of us have. Do I care what you think? Heck no. Do I care what the public thinks? To late for that. Stop being such a whiner and go home and enjoy yourself. Next time I do it I will be sure to make sure that they are all ALPA magazines so at least you will think it is worth while reading.

I saw a ton of unprofessionalism while I was at the regionals. Some of the stuff I have seen still amazes me. Someone showing up with white pants on because he forgot to get his pants from the dry cleaner? FO jumping up and down on the moving walkway. Guys sitting in wheel chairs rolling them selves around the terminal.

It's embarrassing. Now that is not to say that there aren't professionals at the regionals... there are a lot. But there seems to be a lot of immaturity as well.

I've seen a couple things at the majors, but not nearly the type stuff at the regionals. It all boils down to hiring standards. There are none at the regionals.

Boo, hoo. Call me when it's 120 in there and you don't have an APU. In addition to CFI'ing, I spent a number of years flying corporate/135 charter in turboprops and light jets (no APU). For good measure let's add in flying and the Middle East and Africa with an MEL'd APU. I am very well acquainted with being uncomfortable in the cockpit. Did we ever put up charts to block the sun on the ground? Sure! We didn't leave today's newspaper scattered all over. I'm sorry, but there is no excuse for this.

Again, call me a whiner if it makes you feel better - odds are you are part of the problem. I don't give a hoot if you paste pages of Atlas Shrugged (apropos for our times) up. It's just not appropriate taxiing into the gate. I'm amazed (but not suprised) at the vitriol and excuses being made for this.

Maybe you should make it a dictionary and a 5th grade book on grammar. That would be a good start if you want anybody to take you seriously as a professional.

if you would like anyone to take you seriously.

If flying sucks go work at mickey d's . If you don't care what people think get the h#$l out of flying , you have no business being here.

Those of you who think this is no big deal, imagine if you found out the surgeon working on your loved one had ordered a tv installed in the operating room.

I am sure a few major carrier pilots are guilty too. However, I would bet it frequently comes more from a new generation of kids who never were on a losing team, everyone gets a trophy, and just showing up deserves a congratulations. It is sad this even has to be discussed. Flying is not the only profession going through this though- USA Today actually had a good article about this last year. A new generation that expects to look and act as they please at work because it is their right. Be a professional at all times, especially when in view of the public. Fxn2fly, I see your point as well. O.K. I am preparing flame retardant gear now!

Thank you. Someone here gets it (actually, I know a lot of you do).

yeah i get it, but a surgeon makes more money in a day than most of us do in 6 months.

Don't compare us to doctors. If we were then every flight would be an hour late. Two months later the passengers would get a bill in the mail for $150 for extra costs that they weren't told about. Of course you would have to fly mon-thurs. Closed Fri Sat Sun. And never passed 4pm.
When was the last time a doctor cured someone of cancer or some other disease? We would have a 10% success rate at getting people to their destinations.
We aren't doctors. Thank GOD!

Instead you just have a 10% on time rate

Pay and respect has EVERYTHING to do with professionalism. I you don't pay us like professionals; you wont get professionals. Quit the cop out, sell out fricki'n self degrading BS talk!!!

We do not fly because we love it. Flying is not fun if you cannot decide where to go, and how to do it.

This is a job! and a **** poor excuse for one as well.

You SJS, "we do it because we love to fly", POS make me sick!

You dont have to be a pilot anymore, adios. After all, this is a "poor excuse" for a job, go work at McDonalds and I am sure you will be so happy and love life!

So we should work for less and still be professional?

BS. I don't go the extra mile because management doesn't pay me for the extra mile and right now the union isn't fighting for regional/commuter/outsourced/b-scale pay.

Amen, show up get paid and go home that is all we have to do. Nothing is ever going to change so quit whining. And what is all this go work at Mcdonalds crap? Pay me enough to support my family and I would be there in a heart beat. Flying pays the bills I don't do it because I enjoy staring out the window

I can do much better than that! I made more than i do now when i was 13!

But you go ahead and bend over; take it!!!

I won't. I encourage you to grow some cojones.

For some of you older guys out there - don't fret. I'm a 31 year old regional captain, and I hear what you are saying and couldn't agree more. Sure, I make an OK living. But I'm a professional not due to my compensation, but because I have a desire to to a good job. I have self respect. I want to be a good example for my son. I take pride in doing a good job. These are reasons enough.

I feel it is necessary to press my pants and iron my own shirt. I feel the need to wear my hat. I do these things because I take pride in my work. I want others to see that I take pride in it as well. I keep my flight case void of stickers because I don't feel it is an advertising space. I stand up straight and walk with a purpose.

Was I in the military? No. A boy scout? Never.

If I choose to point a finger, than I point it at myself. If there is a problem, that's where the problem usually begins.

When I am told by a first officer that he/she has enjoyed flying with me, I know my job is done. I leave work with a smile on my face and the hope that I have convinced one more pilot to be a professional.

So don't worry old timers, there are a small group of us out there quietly trying to do our best to save this once great profession.

Matt S.
Pinnacle Airlines

Again, being a professional has nothing to do with the amount we make....

Definition of Professionalism:
Meticulous adherence to undeviating courtesy, honesty, and responsibility in one's dealings with customers and associates, plus a level of excellence that goes over and above the commercial considerations and legal requirements. :rolleyes:

A bit cheesy dont you think? I appreciate the point you are trying to make but your statement comes off as a little self indulgent.

Stickers on the bag? Come on seriously, that is a mark of professionalism and something to be proud of because your bag is sticker free?

....."and when all else fails, there will be a group of the silent and proud who will stand up for whats right and bring justice to where it is needed." :rolleyes: