Has anyone thought of this as a CRM thing?
When I was a new (less than 100 hrs in seat) F/O on the 727 for some reason we had a brand new (less than 100 hrs with the airline) F/E and a highly experienced Captain. (over 8,000 total hrs as PIC of jet transports)
However, he had less than 200 hrs on the 727.
We were headed from ATL to DCA, but because of weather we ended up holding near Richmond, VA.
Being primed for the standard ???'s via CRM, we all tried to agree on what fuel we had to leave the hold with.
After about 45 minutes, we reached that level, which by the way was higher than it needed to be if push came to shove, but while I was trying to get ATC to send us to Norfolk or Richmond and they kept giving us the old "stand=by", the Captain was communicating with Company via ARINC.
After 5 minutes or so he asked why we were still in the hold, with 200 lbs above our "CRM" decided comfort fuel, and I said I couldn't get a clearance anywhere.
He said, and I'll never forget this, "Turn to 240 and declare an emergency, tell 'em we're going to Richmond."
Could we have held longer...knowing what I do now, yes. With greenhorns in each of his 2 other seats, the wx doggie do-do all along the east coast, did that Captain make the right decision? YES.
Sooner or later that VS Captain has to make his first "solo" across the pond.
Sounds like good judgement to me.....