I would have said underwhelming incompetence, but yes; the individual was exceptionally incompetent. How he managed to get certificated, much less get hired, was a mystery.
Quote:
1) If you had dropped dead midflight on a nasty weather day, would this person be able to safely land the aircraft, something the passengers should be able to depend on ? If not how are you properly exercising your authority as PIC by allowing the situation to continue ?
As stated previously, I did not hire this individual, and made pointed requests not to fly with this individual, as did everyone else to whom he was assigned. This individual had a good attorney, and the company was looking for good, solid backing before letting him go. Until then, the fact of the matter was he was going to go fly.
The airplane involved as certified as a single pilot airplane, and although we operated as a crew, could have been operated alone. He was not required to be there, but was on board as a function of company policy.
I am familiar with many operations in which the First Officer or Copilot may or may not be able to handle completion of the flight alone. In this particular case, as I stated before, he is one of two individuals throughout my career for whom I have written letters recommending termination. A third individual cropped up last year, for whom I was asked to do an evaluation flight. I recommended his release before his initial checkride. He was given the ride, and failed the first, passed the second, as was put on payroll. I was able to learn afterward that his experience and background was falsified, and he was subsequently terminated.
These individuals were found at different companies with very different kinds of operations.
On...and on.
Definitely an old time Flight Engineer who desires he was actually...a pilot.
We see 'em all the time.
To be ignored, generally.
IE: consigned without a window seat.
IE: what else is new?
