I know your pain!!!
I used to fly with a captain that was exactly like what you describe. Only he didn't apologise...
He also used to abuse everyone in the air and on the ground... He was the most abusive person I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
To boot, it was my first ever turbine aircraft, and my first ever jet... and to boot my first ever multi-crew aircraft...
He also used to say that SOPs are designed for the 'lowest common denominator' ... well.. then call me the 'lowest common denominator' cause SOPs have saved us a few times...
I remember one day we had this masssive arguement in the air... over crosswind technique, he was critising various sources of my flight training and my ethnic lineage... he opted to take control as pilot flying which I of course let him because he was PiC...
Nearing our destination.. ATC cuts out a massive 70 nm of track.. right at ToD... Low and behold.. we're too high.. I just wanted to say something.. but just couldn't.. and he wouldn't have listened anyway...15 miles to run at 17000 ft and 3 and a half orbits under radar control on finals later... hes swearing and muttering that ATC and everyone was out to get him...
Yeah he was right on that part..
I was most unfortunate that I was the only F/O that could fly with this guy as there were only two of us rated on the a/c..
He started complaining about everything, management, me.. he never gave any support when I was flying.. basically I was trying to fly this 12 ton jet single pilot with my experience of about 1000 hrs...
I did my best to try and accomodate for this guy but nothing worked.. I said to myself that what ever happened on the flight deck.. I would just have to deal with in respect to the S.O.Ps and once on the ground.. I would try and work out a way of avoiding flying. (Thought about once leaving him and the aircraft in some out of the way 3rd world port while I took a commerical home)
I seriously considered chucking it in...
Things changed when he ended up flying another type within the company with more crews...
Also a new F.O came along in the jet that I was flying
.. low and behold none of the F/Os had anything good to say about him and things came to ahead when he disregarded a weather report and a F/O's warnings about a strong headwind, almost running out of fuel that the writing was on the wall for him..
It was only when other people saw what an idiot this guy was that my doubts about my ability started to disappear...
Thankfully management woke up after everyone complained about him and he and the C.P had tea and bikkies one afternoon going into night...
Never did see him again after that... And I've never enjoyed my flying more than after that..
There is NO excuse for anyone to be that abusive on the flight deck.
Shouting matches are for when your on the ground at the pub.. and not passing 5000' for FL350
Don't put up with it.. talk to your C.P or whoever in the next chain of command at your company now...
If he won't listen.. go the guy above him.
I dont care what anyone says.. IT IS a safety of flight issue.. a crew that does not communicate together should not be flying together... I've been there, and I was the most junior of the company at the time. I wish I had spoken up sooner but I was also afraid of losing my job... but at the end of the day.. better lose my job than my life!
P.S I didn't get fired... and I'm still flying said jet to this day....
Last edited by Cypher; 6th Aug 2007 at 11:18.