CargoBob

Is it a small minority or common among the new civilian types?

My fo:

28 years
white male
breitling watch
brand new
average pilot skill
embry riddle/ flt instr/ RJs 5yrs / friend of family connection

He joked about the army troops in the arpt terminal, comparing them to TSA agents.

Criticized new hire classmates for taking mil leave during first year to go make more money in Iraq

After asking what I did b4 this, he stated and I quote, "I had an F-16 ANG slot if I wanted it, but, it would have slowed me down."

After the trip, I told him that he had some more to learn and should do more listening...and he thought it had to do w/ the airplane and listening up on the ATC radios!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????

The old civilian guys I flew w/ used to be very respectful about the mil and guys that had bad vision...atleast were respectful...I hope this is an isolated incident but other guys have been telling me the same story w/ other guys?? What is up?

Slice

Sounds like he needs an a$$ whoopin'! Not the norm in my experience...thank god.

FlaZoomie

ya, sounds like a brat that needs an adjustment (maybe a GI shower)....

leardriver

I think the key stat here is average pilot skill. Sounds like he is trying to compansate for something. Maybe a self esteem issue? I fly DOD stuff to the desert in a whale now a days and spend lots of time with reserve C-5, and ex-141 drivers and engineers. Best group of guys I could ever hope to fly with! I am a civie and have never felt like they look down on me because I'm not military.

This guy is just a moron. Don't let him bother you. He belongs in the regionals!

Leardriver

BrownGirls YUM

Sounds like an average pilot without a lot of guidance acting his age. He'll eventually learn if the good guys talk to him and provide that guidance.

Aren't most of us statistically "average pilots"?

wldplt

Maybe he had that ANG F-16 slot and maybe he didn't. Maybe he critcizes his buddies who take mil leave because he had a shot and blew it. Sometimes what a person says is a smokescreen for issues they have. I would take what he says with a grain of salt.

Ranger

I think it cuts in all directions. I just flew with an F/O who got out of the navy a little more than a year ago . He took great pains to tell me that he just couldn't figure out why the company didn't set up a hiring booth on all aircraft carriers and hire every person leaving active duty. After all, they are simply the greatest pilots in the world. He then proceeded to pound on every landing that he made through the entire trip and miss 75% of the radio calls for one reason or another. I've come to the conclusion that some of the worse pilot that I've ever flown with are ex-military. And the rest of them are civilian pilots.

It's attitude and paying attention to the basic stuff when you first start to fly. It doesn't make a bit of difference whether you're military or civilian.

vagabond

As the captain, is it your job to also set this fellow straight and to ensure that he has the minimum skills and abilities? He is only 28 years old, although age should never be an excuse.

Brown Cow

Vagabond.........that is the job of the training department, not the Captain. Remember, there are a lot of Captains out there because of the seniority system. The original poster has a point though, this young man needs a talking to.

animals

the FO sounds insecure/nervous/afraid of being looked down upon if you ask me. Particularly the slamming-others/showing-off-the-Breitling watch parts of the story.