Shack davedave!

These priorities are listed in the first subsection of the Dispatch section of the FOM. I mention them to the fo's I fly with. No cpo can ever question a pilot who follows the Dispatch section of the FOM.

If pilots let the cabin get hot during boarding, or fail to descend below turbulence, or fail to circumnavigate areas of unstable air with trws and bumps, or run packs in some lower flow mode, they are putting No 4 ahead of No 2. If the management wants to swap No 4 and No 2 and get the FAA to sign off on the change, fine. Until they do so, all the knuckleheads who put No 4 ahead of No 2 are failing to follow the FOM - and showing their lack of basic airmanship.

 

Ya, I meant ground powered air. My experience has been different than yours. Only Vegas and Florida did the external air seem to do its job well for the most part.

 

You were quoting me and I really don't disagree with anything you're saying here. However, I also understand when a pilot says they won't turn off external air because that's ramp's job and they aren't comfortable doing it. My main issues once we go down the "Guppy's are always hot" road (yet again) are:
1) Many (probably most) pilots don't understand the limitation about simultaneously running packs and external air and think it's as simple as cranking the APU.
2) I'm not a commuter, but in my deadheading experience, the issue isn't airframe specific.
3) Most importantly, I tire of pilots gleefully taking shots at other pilots.

 

An excellent technique that few know about.

 

Mulled this thread over last trip as the weather is getting warmer.

We're FM prohibited from turning the packs on when ground air is attached and on, yet nothing prohibits the ramp from plugging in and turning on the ground air while the packs are running....

 

While I like the Naval Aviator, "well... it doesn't say we can't" attitude, I think it's a tough one to argue for. The 737 packs work well enough that you don't need external air if they're on.

 

X

The only shot I'm taking is at those pilots who for whatever reason won't lift a finger to fix a situation they can fix. I never advocate violating the book, I'm a former lUAL type and you know how we can't fly without the book, but I advocate taking authority where we have it.

Example:
I'm a commuter on a very cold early winter morning flight, the flight crew is delayed due to a short night layover and the CS has decided to board a cold airplane ( freezing cold) so it would be ready when the pilots showed. Now I'm an JSter and in uniform, so the Purser/A/Lead F/A asked me if I could get the airplane warmed up? Well it's not my job, I'm not getting paid and I no longer am qualified on the Bus, so what should I do?

I went and got the heat put on the airplane and by the time the pilots showed things were thawing out and I had my coffee.

Of course I could have made an announcement to the folks and said write management for their excuses and poor performance.

I know so many other pilots who have done things to help their customers, and fellow UAL employees even when it wasn't their job. So call em, get the air removed (or fix the hose), start the APU, or something please!

 

I am a commuter, and while I agree that this shouldn't be an us/them or guppy issue, it often is. We need more crews to proactively ensure comfort in the cabin. Part of every brief should be, let's keep it comfortable for the pax. The execs have a comfortable working environment, so I will damned if I don't give the same to my crew and our passengers. If that means I have to start the apu and push one button to bag the air, or call the ramp to do so, or go tell the ramp in person to remove the air -so be it. I am just really tired of sitting in the back and being uncomfortable. Our passengers feel the same guaranteed.

 

I was in the back of a guppy last week into SEA. OAT around 55. Pulled into gate and no air, no APU. Just recirc fan comin out that eyeball.

It got very warm very quick but it was the lack of any air that was the worst. Extremely stuffy with many bodies crammed in a 100 sq ft area. Stupid uncomfortable.

Of course the crew was gone by the time i passed the flight deck but the word NEEDS to get out to these guys to wise up and provide for the pax.

 

Anybody gotten training on how to turn off the ground air? Not me...

If you are going to be "by the book" type I can play that game too.

I will be at the plane calling ops to remove the ground air while you are looking for me in the FPA (good luck).