All of this talk of gradients and servants and leadership and egos and authority is great in a classroom or in a thread such as this, but the reality is, that just like understanding the sublime working intricacies of an engine, if it catches fire you better know what to do quickly. It is not a time to be debating the abstract qualities of human relationships.
Quite true.
In 40 years of professional flying, only once did I, personally, have a problem with a First Officer.
I took control, and landed the aeroplane..an L1011.
The F/O was so annoyed that he packed his flight kit and walked off the FD.
He complained to the fleet manager.
The fleet manager was no easy mark, and as there had been several complaints from senior Captains, said First Officer was sent packing...to a lower fleet.
He was not welcome there either, apparently, and spent three months at home with no pay, on suspension.
Sooner or later these folks are found out, and as for a future command...in their dreams.
