Am I Out Of Line Here?
06-17-2014, 02:42 PM
#1
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jun 2014
Posts: 3
Am I Out Of Line Here?
This is my first post on this site and I am not a pilot. I have an issue that I seek advice on pertaining to a friend of 40+ years that is a pilot for a major US carrier. He has been both an FO and Captain for this major US carrier. He currently is an FO having been relegated recently to this role (? I’m unsure how this works within your industry) to a much larger aircraft for overseas service.
In spite of the fact that this guy has been a scammer and schemer his whole life I now find reason to question his professionalism based upon his behavior. I do understand that pilots are a microcosm of society and if the behavior I am about to describe is not considered out of line for pilots or most professions that people entrust their lives to then I am willing to drop it cold.
As I mentioned he has been scamming the system his whole life. His latest is to acquire a handicapped license plate to enable him to park conveniently at airports. Previously he used fraudulently acquired mirror tags to afford him this courtesy.
He incurred quite a few bodily injuries during his high school sports career that he has been taking advantage of in his professional life. He once boasted to me that he injured himself helping a flight attendant place a bag in the overhead. He related that he needed shoulder surgery and used this to get the insurance to pay for it. He turned this into 6-months off (whatever that means, he said that he did not have to fly for 6-mos. and still got paid). He boasted to us that he used this time to establish a business outside flying and that he still played golf and went white river rafting in the Grand Canyon. Seems to me if you can do that you can fly, but again, I’m not a pilot.
Recently his behavior has become very violent. He has been married 3-times and two of them have involved him getting physically violent with the wife as well as destruction of their physical property. I and mutual friends have had to intervene multiple times with respect to the physical abuse incidents to ensure the wife’s health and the integrity of the household items.
What caused me to post this is within the last 2-years he has verbally threatened to “cut your heart out” and to “put a bullet in your head” to a mutual friend. He certainly has access to firearms to accomplish this task. Granted he was in an alcohol induced state at the time but is this normal? During the “I’ll put a bullet in your head” incident he physically attacked this mutual friend of over 40-years striking him in the face and causing major damage without even allowing the “friend” to defend himself. He is a tremendous bully to his family as well.
He has several friends that are doctors and I have witnessed boxes and boxes of “sample” drugs that he gets from them to “keep it off his record” as he says. He claims that they are for persistent pain/ailments that he suffers from. I’m not a pharmacist or doctor so I don’t have a clue as to what they are. If they are innocuous, why get them serrupticiously? He constantly complains about being underpaid which I wholeheartedly agree with. I have a great respect for your profession and your professionalism.
I know this guy is a danger to his social circle from the events I described and others that will remain unpublished. The question is, is this man a danger to his passengers or your profession? I have no clue. I’m looking for advice here. If you say “he’s just a Joe trying to make a living” so be it. If, on the other hand, you believe this man endangers or is a threat to anyone, please advise me on what to do. Again, I’ve no clue. I’m really getting tired of his antics and braggadocio on how he scams his airline, his friends and his family. The only thing that antagonizes me more is the thought of reading an FAA incident report citing any of the things above as cause. Though I’m no pilot I fly platinum level miles each year. I am unaware if I’ve ever been on one of his flights but it does concern me.
If I’m out of line, I can take it. Please advise. Also, if I am posting on an inappropriate forum please advise.
reddeacon
In spite of the fact that this guy has been a scammer and schemer his whole life I now find reason to question his professionalism based upon his behavior. I do understand that pilots are a microcosm of society and if the behavior I am about to describe is not considered out of line for pilots or most professions that people entrust their lives to then I am willing to drop it cold.
As I mentioned he has been scamming the system his whole life. His latest is to acquire a handicapped license plate to enable him to park conveniently at airports. Previously he used fraudulently acquired mirror tags to afford him this courtesy.
He incurred quite a few bodily injuries during his high school sports career that he has been taking advantage of in his professional life. He once boasted to me that he injured himself helping a flight attendant place a bag in the overhead. He related that he needed shoulder surgery and used this to get the insurance to pay for it. He turned this into 6-months off (whatever that means, he said that he did not have to fly for 6-mos. and still got paid). He boasted to us that he used this time to establish a business outside flying and that he still played golf and went white river rafting in the Grand Canyon. Seems to me if you can do that you can fly, but again, I’m not a pilot.
Recently his behavior has become very violent. He has been married 3-times and two of them have involved him getting physically violent with the wife as well as destruction of their physical property. I and mutual friends have had to intervene multiple times with respect to the physical abuse incidents to ensure the wife’s health and the integrity of the household items.
What caused me to post this is within the last 2-years he has verbally threatened to “cut your heart out” and to “put a bullet in your head” to a mutual friend. He certainly has access to firearms to accomplish this task. Granted he was in an alcohol induced state at the time but is this normal? During the “I’ll put a bullet in your head” incident he physically attacked this mutual friend of over 40-years striking him in the face and causing major damage without even allowing the “friend” to defend himself. He is a tremendous bully to his family as well.
He has several friends that are doctors and I have witnessed boxes and boxes of “sample” drugs that he gets from them to “keep it off his record” as he says. He claims that they are for persistent pain/ailments that he suffers from. I’m not a pharmacist or doctor so I don’t have a clue as to what they are. If they are innocuous, why get them serrupticiously? He constantly complains about being underpaid which I wholeheartedly agree with. I have a great respect for your profession and your professionalism.
I know this guy is a danger to his social circle from the events I described and others that will remain unpublished. The question is, is this man a danger to his passengers or your profession? I have no clue. I’m looking for advice here. If you say “he’s just a Joe trying to make a living” so be it. If, on the other hand, you believe this man endangers or is a threat to anyone, please advise me on what to do. Again, I’ve no clue. I’m really getting tired of his antics and braggadocio on how he scams his airline, his friends and his family. The only thing that antagonizes me more is the thought of reading an FAA incident report citing any of the things above as cause. Though I’m no pilot I fly platinum level miles each year. I am unaware if I’ve ever been on one of his flights but it does concern me.
If I’m out of line, I can take it. Please advise. Also, if I am posting on an inappropriate forum please advise.
reddeacon
06-17-2014, 03:01 PM
#2
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,319
A lot of this behavior, if substantiated, would put his medical certificate and job in serious jeopardy. The challenge would be proving it to the degree necessary. If he got arrested or charged, that might do the trick. If you contacted the FAA, that might be enough for them to look into his mental state. Obviously don't go down this road lightly...after he gets fired he might come liking for you.
And no, this sort of behavior is not really the norm in our profession.
And no, this sort of behavior is not really the norm in our profession.
06-17-2014, 03:04 PM
#3
With The Resistance
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Burning the Agitprop of the Apparat
Posts: 6,191
I would suggest staying well clear of your "friend", partner, whatever. "Deacon" implies you are trying to correct certain social behaviors. Are you familiar with "Old Testament retribution", your house, your family, your livestock?
The behavior you describe will eventually catch up to him, and it would be best if he did not think you were a part of it. Do not approach, do not intervene.
If he is showing any defective behavior on the job, his co-workers have several methods and procedures to deal with it and they certainly will, let them handle it.
Your odds of getting shot in a domestic dispute are fairly high.
The behavior you describe will eventually catch up to him, and it would be best if he did not think you were a part of it. Do not approach, do not intervene.
If he is showing any defective behavior on the job, his co-workers have several methods and procedures to deal with it and they certainly will, let them handle it.
Your odds of getting shot in a domestic dispute are fairly high.
Last edited by jungle; 06-17-2014 at 03:59 PM.
06-17-2014, 03:48 PM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2009
Position: Airbus 319/320 Captain
Posts: 880
Sounds like "roid" rage. How somebody with this type of behavior is considered a friend is indeed perplexing. Use your cell phone and take a video of his behavior and then send it to the fed's. Proactive is always better then reactive when it comes to clowns like this.
06-17-2014, 04:17 PM
#7
Day puke
Joined APC: Feb 2006
Position: Out.
Posts: 3,865
Ummmm, if these threats and assaults are true, I think you worrying about him being a pilot is kinda missing the elephant in the room. According to you, he made verbal threats and physically assaulted at least one person: you should be calling the local police. Keeping him out of the skies, something that could take time, is not going to prevent him from hurting someone else. Call the cops and say he has threatened to shoot someone, and they will be there in minutes.
If he is, as someone else suggested, taking prescription steroids (or many other meds), depending on the dosage, he very well may have been medically unfit to fly. I was prescribed steroids years back and lost my medical for several months. Most airlines include/offer some sort of insurance against a pilot losing his medical certificate. If he had that and lost his medical, he would have drawn some percentage of his base pay.
Call me a cynic, but this all sounds fishy. You are worried about him hurting a friend or family member, but mention that long after his handicapped parking permit scam (annoying, but won't cause harm). Most of all, you never have called the cops when, according to you, he beat two wives, beat up somebody else, and threatened to shoot another. If what you say is true, you should be on the phone now. Somehow I think the cops would rather check up on a bunch of wrongful suspicions than one domestic shooting.
If he is, as someone else suggested, taking prescription steroids (or many other meds), depending on the dosage, he very well may have been medically unfit to fly. I was prescribed steroids years back and lost my medical for several months. Most airlines include/offer some sort of insurance against a pilot losing his medical certificate. If he had that and lost his medical, he would have drawn some percentage of his base pay.
Call me a cynic, but this all sounds fishy. You are worried about him hurting a friend or family member, but mention that long after his handicapped parking permit scam (annoying, but won't cause harm). Most of all, you never have called the cops when, according to you, he beat two wives, beat up somebody else, and threatened to shoot another. If what you say is true, you should be on the phone now. Somehow I think the cops would rather check up on a bunch of wrongful suspicions than one domestic shooting.
06-17-2014, 05:52 PM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2009
Position: Seat: Vegan friendly faux leather
Posts: 987
Reddeacon, we will take you at your word, but I agree with others that being a pilot is incidental here. There are good and bad doctors, policemen, members of the clergy, and yes, pilots. The guy is spiraling out of control, why would you ask such a question on a pilots' forum?
APC has a share of "trollers" such as the famous "Am I dating a real pilot?" thread a year or so ago, so don't be surprised if this thread gets closed.
If you are truly concerned about the passengers in back, gather as much objective evidence as you can and contact the FAA or his employer. They will take it seriously. If you do not submit it anonymously, though, keep in mind they will likely be unable to protect your identity. Perhaps talk with a representative of the police, or even a social worker.
Strangers on the internet are generally not the answer to problems in life.
APC has a share of "trollers" such as the famous "Am I dating a real pilot?" thread a year or so ago, so don't be surprised if this thread gets closed.
If you are truly concerned about the passengers in back, gather as much objective evidence as you can and contact the FAA or his employer. They will take it seriously. If you do not submit it anonymously, though, keep in mind they will likely be unable to protect your identity. Perhaps talk with a representative of the police, or even a social worker.
Strangers on the internet are generally not the answer to problems in life.
06-18-2014, 12:53 AM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Chris's Closet
Posts: 485
Maybe he just needs a good old fashioned a** kicking from his social circle. Every once in a while you have to take a friend out back and beat 'em with a hose...especially if they're putting hands on their wife.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
