request assistance....
While on duty as a F/O’s B757-767, on last 12th August 04, I’ve been involved in the most degradable event ever. During the normal cockpit preparation duties, for the return to base of a charter flight from the Caribbean, we have informed that due to a delay in the passengers pick up at their hotels the time expected to departure would be of three hours more. The cabin crew had been around ten hours on duty and summing up the hours needed to end the flight they would exceed the time limit according to our legislation. Having noticed this and I informed the captain, and chief about the matter. At this point de captain declares that he will apply the increase allowed by law of 20% the time of duty to continue the flight. Having told him that I am not sure and would rather look it up in the manuals, he says that “his word is final and there’s nothing to review”, as I insist on making sure it’s the correct decision, he started to yell and insult me. In order to avoid arguing I decide to retire from the cockpit, while he goes on screaming: ”I’m the captain and you are not to question me”. Finally he calls me back into the cockpit, seemingly to discuss in a more civilized manner, but as soon as I went in he grips my neck and tries to beat my face, since he is taller and quite stronger than me, it was a struggle to get him off even with the help of the other pilot in the cockpit.
I was instructed to remain seated in the passenger cabin from take off until landing, out of my functions aboard. Never during the entire flight, has the captain called me in to discuss the event.
Once at home and having meditated the matter for a day, I’ve decided to inform my fleet chief about what happened on that flight, and having not heard from him in 24 hours I decided to send a written report to the local Aviation Authority.
The captain mentioned is the number five in seniority in the company, and has a long history of similar incidents to the one occurred with me, however there have not been any previous reports about it. In my case, I have never been involved in such a situation before.
Since then, the captain and I have been grounded until the Investigative Board reaches a resolution. The Capitan is very well connected and the current Board consists of: a Security Officer, who is his brother in law, and his long time mates of promotion: the Chief Pilot, the Fleet Pilot and the Operations Manager.
That complicates things since impartiality is not an option, although I believe to have acted with correction and there’s the fact that no CRM tools were applied in this case. Still, I feel that the company and I are standing on opposite sides.
Does anybody know a case similar to this one??? I would appreciate any information or advise and thank you all very much for your attention.
Best regards,
Jorge L. Vázquez