Well I've just spent three long nights with another one of these characters, the first two nights with a jumpseat F/O who's new to type observing. He even contemplated going sick before the end of the trip as he didn't want to spend his first few sectors of training getting what had been dished out to me! Now I know I am far from the 'rounded' product but I am safe and have a pretty good grasp of what's going on but for 5 sectors over two nights I received little 'digs' constantly, like 'ha, told you so' in this battle to prove that he knew more than me, which, let's face it, with 30+ years flying experience he should do! I found it undermining and had to bite my tongue constantly. When he cocked up and I tried to point out why the marshaller hot thrown his batons out of the cot he told me that I didn't understand marshalling signals and should look them up! He was wrong but refused to admit it and blamed the marshaller for our bad parking position. This is what is alarming, he is NEVER wrong in his eyes, despite constant mistakes which when pointed out (diplomatically) he has an excuse for, usually to blame the F/O. He even left an engine running, turned off the beacon and had the loaders approaching the a/c while he filled in the tech log.
So how do you deal with this? He is another character who is well known in his company for this. You cannot just stand your ground as a pitched battle will ensue. You cannot just point out your reasoning as this is dismissed offhand. All you can do is endure and remain professional, but he tries your professionalism every time you fly with him and it is very hard not to get annoyed whilst trying to concentrate on the job inhand. The saddest thing is I actually learnt some bits and peices whilst he was training the other guy but my lasting memory is not of this small positive.
Interfering without touching a control, another gift of the few.....
PP