RAFAT
Wrong on both counts. I am neither a YANK nor do I consider myself as 'old school', although my training, which was assimilated over many years of watching and questioning, was from some tremendous people from both of those sectors, who you seem to consider with an element of degradation. I would suggest that when you go for your command training, you open your mind to more knowledge than you appear to be willing or able to assimilate. Your attitude leaves a lot to be desired.
My comment, which you seem to take in a derogatory way, was in no way meant like that. The first thing that you have to realize that 'command' is not primarily about flying. It's about managing. That comes first. Running a safe, efficient operation for the benefit of the paying customer has a spill-back effect on the success of your company. Look after your airplane first, look after your crew, and the rest will take care of itself.
'I.L. Get-Mecote" above has an excellent comment in his post that you would do well to heed. I quote, "Delegation is a great way to gain capacity". An excellent observation.
My use of the term 'mundane' was not used in a derogatory sense. My experience has been that when the first officer is included in the operation, in a capacity beyond strictly flying, his contribution as well as self-confidence increases immensely. His own ability to clearly word snags in the tech log, his keeping of the flight log, completing the load sheet, completing customs forms and even in some cases keeping the expense sheet for the entire crew, filling out and filing ICAO flight plans, administering the fuel distribution sheet to contract fuelers are only some of the things that one learns through the normal process of moving up through the ranks.
You appear to be one of those first officers that thinks that 'command' is only about flying, that your gauge of success revolves around whether you can out-fly, or make better landings than the captain.
Have you ever had to file your own ICAO flight plan, or do you know how to do it? Or where to do it? Or are you happy with whatever your dispatch office throws at you? Do you determine your own alternates, based not only on weather conditions but on other factors such as time of day at arrival, whether a hold is imminent, all weather capability of your aircraft, or do you let the captains that you fly with do all that?
Are you a contributer to the operation, or do you go along for the ride and try to out-land the captain?
The first officers that I have been privileged to work with over the last 12 years, have all been encouraged to contribute and to see the operation through the same eyes that I view it from. After achieving their own commands, more than one has privately called to thank me for the wider perspective that they came to view the entire operation after having been delegated with the responsibility to cover those smaller things that all contribute to the success of the entire mission. In retrospect, I cannot recall one who did not relish the chance to learn a little more about the entire operation and wasn't willing to contribute by eagerly doing those 'mundane' things that you seem to view as below you.
Two, or in some cases three chaps are sent on a mission for a reason. It is not a one-man show. By having a first officer who is a ready learner and operational contributer makes my job a lot easier. By taking the administrative necessities onto themselves, they free-up my mental capacity to think through and mentally orchestrate what hopefully will turn out to be a successful mission.
You would do well to regard your own future command in a similar light. Good luck to you.
(Edited for typo)
[This message has been edited by CallYouBack (edited 31 January 2001).]