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Dune
26th Jul 2009, 05:53
Interesting article in this weekend's FT from a frequent flyer:


FT.com / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé - An air of confidence (http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/aff25860-77e3-11de-9713-00144feabdc0.html)

An air of confidence
By Tyler Brûlé

Published: July 25 2009 01:36 | Last updated: July 25 2009 01:36

What’s the sweetest sound to welcome you when you board a long-haul flight? Is it a flight attendant welcoming you by name? Is it a soothing soundtrack drifting out of the speakers? Perhaps it’s a silence that suggests there may not be a gaggle of screaming toddlers within earshot? Or what about the sucking thud of the door being closed on time?

My autumn work cycle kicked off on Sunday evening with a gentle jolt as I made the trek out to Heathrow to board a flight to Hong Kong. A typhoon passing through HK, along with generally stormy forecasts, had me on edge but then the most wonderful melody boomed through the aircraft: “Good evening ladies and gentleman. This is your captain speaking, and welcome to this Cathay Pacific flight bound for Hong Kong.”

While there was nothing particularly reassuring in this standard script, it was the plummy confidence of a captain who sounded as if he used to fly Phantoms for the RAF that allowed me to settle back. There was further relief as he named the first officer who’d be doing the flying. I think the name might have been Bruce or perhaps Wayne or maybe even Darryl – whatever it was, it was a name only Canadian or Aussie parents would choose. Confirmation came minutes later when some distinctly Canadian vowels exited the speaker telling the crew, “Seats for take-off.”

I’m not sure about you, dear reader, but the cockpit combo matters greatly to me. No question that big Boeings and Airbuses do many things on their own but it’s capable men and women who keep these generally gentle beasts not just stable in the skies but stop them from venturing down the wrong taxi-ways, steer them away from ghastly cloud formations and also inspire confidence in crew members and passengers alike.

At the risk of deluging the FT’s letters editor, give me a British captain at the controls, followed by a Canadian, Aussie, American, German or a Swede any day. My reasoning? English is the official language of the skies and if you’ve ever spent any time in a commercial cockpit – remember the good old days when you could sit in the jump-seat on oversold flights? – you’ll know how hairy it can get in the busy airspace approaching London, LA or New York, as controllers fire out routings, level changes and traffic alerts.

For my safety, sanity and money, I’d rather not have someone on the joystick who needs to ask twice or who gets a digit or two wrong while changing radio frequencies. And, dare I say it, there are simple cultural issues at play as well. Is it a coincidence that I once had an Italian pilot fly his MD-80 like a Tornado on approach to Pisa airport?

If you ever happen to find yourself at a hotel frequented by airline crews, then you might want to entertain and inform yourself by buying a round of drinks for some pilots one evening. You’ll find there’s a reason why there are wider approach margins in many countries and, no, it has nothing to do with technology. You’ll also find that countries with appalling highway safety records also have pilots with similar reputations at 35,000ft – and no, it’s not just RAF or RAAF pilots who’ll tell you this. The Swiss, Dutch, Kiwis and South Africans will all happily confirm that many Med-hugging nations have a “special” way of flying and that, for some airlines, a small prayer is part of their standard operating procedure.

As carriers great, small and just launching fight their way through balance sheets and try to figure out how to scrape a margin in an increasingly challenging civil aviation market, it does concern me how much board members and investors think about what their brand sounds like over the intercom.

On a recent flight back from Singapore, I had to struggle to pick up what the captain and the first officer were trying to convey. As the aircraft was fresh off the assembly line, I can assure you that there was no problem with the public address system, but the speakers’ accents left more than a few passengers confused as we were tossed about over the Bay of Bengal.

At this point I don’t care how well-groomed the flight attendants are, how expansive the menu, how chilled the champagne or how big the flat bed, the reason I’ve paid to fly on this particular carrier is safety and a polished service record. If I can’t understand what the hell the crew are trying to say, then all that money invested in advertising and marketing, slick paint jobs and a bulging order book for new aircraft means precious little.

Clearly, a world dominated by British, Australian and Canadian airline pilots is not an option but, as some of the bigger global carriers try to save money by hiring pilots from lower-wage markets, they need to think hard what this says about their brand image and how it plays to their most frequent and high-revenue passengers – most of whom are looking for safety, consistency and value over air miles and cheap fares.

Tyler Brûlé is editor-in-chief of Monocle
[email protected]
More columns at FT.com / Arts / Columnists / Tyler Brûlé (http://www.ft.com/brule)
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009

I know from my own personal contact with many friends/family who are nervous flyers, the 1 thing that either "gets them on edge" or "relaxes them" is the P.A. from the Captain.

Not saying it is right or fair; just saying "it is what it is".

411A
26th Jul 2009, 06:14
Clearly, a world dominated by British, Australian and Canadian airline pilots is not an option....

You got that right.
The western airline pilot scene is dominated by the USA, in numbers, by quite a large factor.

herkman
26th Jul 2009, 06:31
I think your comments in regard to confidence in the Captain and his offsiders are very true.

During my service with the RAAF, we had many captains who one would have flown to the end of the earth with. The profesional approach exhibited by these men, allowed us to carry out the tasks in a way that reflected on us all. After all the human response to a leader who is professional, with most of us at least, is to raise our own standards, to complement his.

Our aircraft towards the end were getting a little tired and out dated but the fact that six of them are now flying with the PAF and are considered to be the very best, shows that you do not have to have the latest to be professional.

It all about a team effort, a Captain who commands well earns the respect of all, and that not seem a too bad concept to build on.

Regards

Col

Fratemate
26th Jul 2009, 07:43
You got that right.
The western airline pilot scene is dominated by the USA, in numbers, by quite a large factor.

Aww, bless. Poor old 411A is upset because the author wants proper colonials flying him and not Tex The Cowboy Pilot from Hicksville. More isn't always better, 411A :)

ExSp33db1rd
26th Jul 2009, 07:54
In the days when Monitored Approach, and Cockpit Resource Management were but gleams in Safety Officers' eyes, I met a PanAm ( Ahhhhh! ) Captain who said, " PanAm has always flown a monitored approach " Oh Yes ?? " Yeah, I fly, he monitors "

He appeared to come from Texas, and had a large red neck.

Attitude comes naturally to some ( both good and bad I guess !! )

Wod
26th Jul 2009, 07:54
It's comfort zone stuff.

Captains should have grey hair for example.

But because it's comfort zone, it's different strokes for different folks.

First language Spanish or French, or born & bred S.E.Asia, and you might choose slightly different characteristics for "The Voice".

alouette3
26th Jul 2009, 13:01
Well, well, well. Every once in a while this forum can revert to the 1800s when the sun never set on the British Empire.
Maybe, for "colonials" we ought to have pre recorded PA's from the flight deck in an impeccable Eton/Oxford accent.Would that calm the fears of the great unwashed?
For the more discerning traveller,the Airline is probably more important than a calm British voice coming from the speakers. For instance, I would unhesitatingly step into a Singapore Airlines aircraft,knowing fully well that the Captain is probably, Chinese, Singaporean, Malsysian, Indian etc. but flies for a well run and managed airline.Besides, being "tossed about" over the Bay of Bengal can happen to any airline. I don't believe Mother Nature cares what flag you sport on the vertical stab.
If the writer of the article (editor in chief ,no less) does travel as much as he claims he does,it is wasted on him. Travel is supposed to broaden the mind.In his case it has had the opposite effect.
As to my American colleagues :I will take a bloody "rebel" any day over a bloody "colonial" in the cockpit.
Apparently, "redneck" is a state of mind.What's next? a nervous breakdown when you hear a ( by jove, Biggles ,can it be possible?) ---gasp--- a female voice from the flight deck? Very common here on this side of the pond, old chap, so steady on, stiff upper lip and all that if you are travelling in the US.
Alt3

Stuck_in_an_ATR
26th Jul 2009, 13:05
Well, personally I think that the author of this article is a ****. I have never flown for RAF, RAAF, my accent does not even remotely resemble Canadnian (though I have ICAO level 6 English) and I come from what may be described as a lower wage market (not that I regret any of those - at least my country is famous for beautiful women and our pilots kicked the crap out of Germans during the Battle of Britain better then the RAF guys :})

Is the above sufficient to consider me a sub-standard airline pilot?

petermcleland
26th Jul 2009, 13:42
Quote:-

In the days when Monitored Approach, and Cockpit Resource Management were but gleams in Safety Officers' eyes, I met a PanAm ( Ahhhhh! ) Captain who said, " PanAm has always flown a monitored approach " Oh Yes ?? " Yeah, I fly, he monitors "


I seem to recall that exact statement...I wouldn't mind betting that it was said at Berlin, Templehof :)

Carnage Matey!
26th Jul 2009, 13:48
at least my country is famous for beautiful women and our pilots kicked the crap out of Germans during the Battle of Britain better then the RAF guys

You don't sound Hungarian!:confused:

parabellum
26th Jul 2009, 13:50
I would like to know just how much Cathay are paying him for this crap?:confused:

(British, plummy voice and ex SIA).

phineas
26th Jul 2009, 20:01
I read all of Tyler Brule's columns and judging by what he has to say he does fly a lot, but I think the main goal of his columns is to provoke reaction.
Accordiing to Wikipeadia he is Canadian born, based in London and waxes lyrical about Scandinavia and Japan

Capetonian
26th Jul 2009, 22:54
The worst PA I've ever heard was an unintelligble rant by an Italian easyJet pilot who did not know what purpose the full stop serves. It caused utter bemusement for passengers. And I speak fluent Italian in case anyone calls me a monoglot!

Consistently the worst cockpit and cabin announcements I've ever heard are from Spanish airline crews (it would be unfair to say Iberia as they are all equally atrocious in this respect). At least Vueling's announcements are mildly amusing : "Thank you for vueling with Vueling. We wish you a vueling good day ...."

'layeesanshemeneesverriimportanyouleesencarefooeydisannounce '

I speak fluent Spanish and it sometimes takes me a few minutes to work out which language they are murdering at any given time as the Spanish is usually just as appalling as the English.

Iberia .... shabby, dirty, cramped 'planes, poor timekeeping, and the rudest staff, scruffy and insolent, both on the ground and in the air that I've encountered in 30 years of short and longhaul flying. I have a wide range of experience with them and other carriers. Their employees seem to be specially trained to make every part of the experience as miserable as possible. I should add that this is by no means typically Spanish, and I suspect that Iberia has a training academy to instil the very un-Spanish qualities of nastiness and rudeness into its staff.

Add to that, that when anything goes wrong, and you're lucky if it doesn't, it is dealt with in the worst possible way. Their customer relations department is, by its own admission, too busy to answer complaints within an acceptable time scale.

They treat passengers who don’t speak Spanish with even more contempt than those who do. When I tried to intervene on behalf of an English speaking family who had missed their connection, the monoglot ticket agent at Madrid Airport told me that they were (roughly translated) ‘stupid as ****’ (‘unos tontos de mierda’ was the phrase used) for not speaking Spanish.

Most of their cabin crew, particularly on the long hauls to South and Central America, where they have little competition, are bitter and twisted battle-scarred veterans waiting to retire. One gets the impression that the airline is run for the convenience of its staff and their friends travelling on rebated tickets.

Flapping_Madly
28th Jul 2009, 23:00
Oh bugrit. We were thinking of a holiday in Argentina and Iberia are one of the airlines used. The other is Aereolinias Argentinio or how the hell you spell it. I think they are a bit the same aren't they?:{
Anyone comment please.

Capetonian
28th Jul 2009, 23:31
Aerolineas Argentinas manage to achieve the considerable distinction of being even worse than Iberia, and that takes some doing.

Their cabin crew are less surly and unhelpful, and their food is better, but their aircraft interiors are in a shocking state, at least they were when I used to fly with them, which was quite frequently, but several years ago. Also their timekeeping was appalling. From what I've heard, nothing has improved.

If I had the choice of IB or AR I'd go IB, but if there was almost any other option (except for Air Comet who are even worse, I'm not sure if they still operate down to BUE anyway) I'd go for that.

If you're travelling on airline industry tickets, you will probably find Iberia treat you better than they treat fare paying passengers.

Flapping_Madly
29th Jul 2009, 18:05
Sod that then. It's a fortnight in Skegness for us.
Many thanks.

Flapping_Madly
29th Jul 2009, 18:07
Oh !! Sorry Capetonian. You mat not get my reference to Skegness.

We may try a week in Soweto instead.

Regards.

Jumbo744
29th Jul 2009, 18:22
thank you so much, great post :ok: :ok:

larssnowpharter
29th Jul 2009, 20:00
About 10 years ago I was flying from one of the Gulf states to Aden on a local carrier. Probably fair to say I was the only European on board. Flight deck announcements all in Arabic but translated here (mostly):

'Good morning Ladies and Gentleman this is your Captain Moh'd Al Jaafar. We shall be taking off shortly for .....pause ughhh Aden. Our flight time will be mmmmmm about 1 hr 45 minutes and we will be arriving at arrrrrrrrrr 1130, ins'allah'.

Wannabe Flyer
30th Jul 2009, 10:44
It is the accent that seems to put the editor in chief of as he has missed out some other english speaking nations that do a perfectly good job communicating.

I agree that travel is meant to broaden horizons, but it seems this dim wit is more comfotable converting everything into the yeter year colonial empire.

Sorry to inform him the sun set on the british empire long ago, and give me a good nuetral accent speakng english over some of the cockney crp that rolls out from parts of england.

SNS3Guppy
30th Jul 2009, 11:05
Poor old 411A is upset because the author wants proper colonials flying him and not Tex The Cowboy Pilot from Hicksville.


Actually, that's not what the author said, at all. Do they not teach reading comprehension to "proper colonials" any more?

At the risk of deluging the FT’s letters editor, give me a British captain at the controls, followed by a Canadian, Aussie, American, German or a Swede any day.


And the author's reasoning for this? Not safety. Not Skill. Not background and training. Not technical qualifications. Not ability. Not experience, not judgement, not accolades and not education. Not even "proper colonialism." No...

My reasoning? English is the official language of the skies...


Really kind of blows that theory of yours out of the water altogether, doesn't it?

The western airline pilot scene is dominated by the USA, in numbers, by quite a large factor.


In what world do you live? If you're referring to the Western USA, when you say the "western airline pilot scene," then yes, you'd be correct. If you're talking about anywhere else in the western hemisphere, or the western world at large...you'd be wrong, of course...and you are.

On the beach
30th Jul 2009, 16:53
Heard in a land Dunnunda many years ago:

"Ladies and Gentlemen if you look towards the rear of the aircraft you will see the Captain demonstrating the use of the urinal"

Unfortunately, young military FO pressed wrong button whilst transmitting and all flying in Southern Queensland got to hear.

Naturally there was a clamour to get on the mike and the first response was:

"Geez, you'd a thought Qantas could have afforded doors on the dunnies by now".

Doesn't make the flying any better but it makes it a lot more fun.

On the beach :ok: