Airline Pilot Central Forums - It's hot and my noggin hurts. Why?

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- - It's hot and my noggin hurts. Why? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/94183-its-hot-my-noggin-hurts-why.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpecialTracking (Post 2098642)

I recently rode on a Mesa E175 and was one of the first to board the aircraft. The cabin was already warm. Nearing the end of boarding the cabin was a sweat box and multiple passengers were complaining. Ten minutes before departure the captain reached up, starts the apu, turns on the packs and walla, the cabin cools off.

So here are my questions to regional pilots across the board. Can you tell when YOUR cabin is uncomfortably warm? Do you brief your flight attendants to inform you if it's warm? If it is warm why do you wait to start the apu?

Summer is at our doorstep and our passengers deserve better.

Indeed they do. But almost 2 decades commuting now and 99% of it on mainline airplanes, it's NOT a regional thing. My favorite is when I'm commuting in uniform, getting wedged into my steerage middle seat, everyone is frantically turning their vents trying to get air. And it's my fault......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yumyum (Post 2098647)

This isn't a regional thing. Had it happen multiple times on mainline too. Only excuse I can think of...lack of communication, taking APU usage policy overboard, poor situational awareness.

Yep, pretty much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gojo (Post 2098649)

I find it more often on mainline myself. Seems like most wait until exactly 10 minutes prior to turn on the APU.

Yep, pretty much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geardownflaps30 (Post 2098660)

Worse problem at mainline. Try being at the back of a mad dog in July with a "by the book Capt" that won't turn it on even though it's about 105 in the back 1/3 of that long skinny tube

Yep, pretty much.

Once it gets above 70 outside the 200 is an oven even with the APU on. During the summer I start it on the decent and it stays on until after takeoff the next leg. And it still gets hot...only so much you can do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpecialTracking (Post 2098725)

Even a polite question insinuates. If a request to the flight attendant can't solve the issue, I frankly don't think I want to hear the "c"aptain's rationale.

So you complain on an anonymous board instead of offering some helpful advice at the source? Who cares if it insinuates? That crew is going to spend the next 3 days pulling the same thing every leg. Put those CRM skills to work!

I'm on this board because it reaches more people and trying to start a conversation. We're having it at mainline. Time for you to police your own. FO's need to advocate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Carr (Post 2098800)

I never said it was a regional thing but nice attempt at deflection.

Wait...the APU has an off switch?

Big mainline airline management is imposing fines on regional partners if the APU is run on the ground for more then 30 minutes. Teams are on the ground standing around to monitor this.
The offending Captain then gets to explain to his CP why he did this.
Never mind the fact no pre-conditioned air will ever be routinely hooked up to an RJ when it pulls into the gate.
Enjoy your sweat box.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yimke (Post 2098742)

200- The APU is on, it just sucks that much. MX never changes the PACK filters unless told by crews to do so. We had one good aircraft with airflow, but SkyWest took it.:rolleyes:

haha. sometimes the duct psi and pack psi are good but you can't feel sh17. Is that what a filter problem looks like?

Quote:

Originally Posted by trip (Post 2098915)

Big mainline airline management is imposing fines on regional partners if the APU is run on the ground for more then 30 minutes. Teams are on the ground standing around to monitor this.
The offending Captain then gets to explain to his CP why he did this.
Never mind the fact no pre-conditioned air will never be routinely hooked up to an RJ when it pulls into the gate.
Enjoy your sweat box.

blows. well, actually it doesn't. the recent change at 9e is that you can leave the apu running even if youre abandoning the aircraft for a new crew at the gate so long as an acars message is transmitted about it.

Simple solution to push back against corp. policies.

If/when you encounter a sweatbox, hit record on your cell phone and interview other pax. Shove your cell phone in the FA's face and ask her why the A/C isn't on when it's 85+ inside the cabin. Then upload to YouTube identifying the flight # and airline.

This practice will stop with a swiftness.

Note: don't do this while in uniform or if you can be identified. Better still is to simply suggest to some other pax to do this. The lemmings out there will be more than eager for the fame and attention it gets them.