one more thing
why do good pilots call mx on the radio for advice on how to fly the plane?
alaska airlines did that and ended up off the coast of oxnard.
this aa pilot ended up in trouble.
I know one guy who couldn't get one gear down on the 737 (main)...he called mx control and they declared: take the crash axe, cut a hole in the floor and cut the hydraulic line so that the hydraulic pressure will release the gear!
IT TURNED OUT THAT MX had left a wheel chock in the wheel well and the gear got hung up on that.
rule one, if you think you should radio mx for advice while inflight...LAND at a good airport NOW...and then telephone them...talk to anyone you like then.
BUT DON'T FORGET, YOU ARE THE PILOT NOT SOME GUY IN MX CONTROL or whatever your airline calls it.
I remember using the acars data link to ask about conditions at syr (syracuse new york)...winter, you can guess.
Didn't get anything, shot the approach, everything looked ok, checked braking action with tower, ****ty but ok, and we landed. stopped, and as we were taxiing to the gate an urgent acars message:
DON'T LAND SYRACUSE conditions too bad!
needless to say, my acars message to THEM was...do you want us to takeoff again?
YOU ARE THE PILOT!!!!!!!!