CRM and procedures at the BA longhaul fleet?

[cornet]

Hi again,
how are the longhaul captains at BA? Is there a good CRM on the longhaul fleets (B747, B777) or do the captains always try interrupt u and force u to fly the aircraft their way?
Can u operate in the box (which would be the OMA) like u want and nobody will say something (as long as it is good airmanship of course)? For example is it allowed to fly a descent on the B777 with V/S or do you have to use all the time either Flight LVL change or VNAV? etc. I would be happy if u can give some of you experience positive and negative.

[ETOPS]

cornet

No need to worry. Contrary to what you may have heard the operation in BA is pretty relaxed. All flight crews are trained in CRM and the adherance to SOP's is very good. Want to descend in V/S? Just brief it, announce it and do it! Main point is keep your colleague in the loop and if he/she offers a bit of advice, maybe their experience is useful.


If you ask nicely I will carry your flight bag and make you a coffee!

[Human Factor]

If you ask nicely I will carry your flight bag and make you a coffe!

I'll hold you to that.

[cornet]

Thanks ETOPS. I only heared from a friend, who is still under supervision, that the trainingcaptains on the B777 are sometimes a little "strange". But I guess that like everywhere else when u are new to a company or fleet.

[Jetstream Rider]

My way of putting it would be that standards are high and the atmosphere relaxed. During training you will be expected to be by the book - and on line too. However, the atmosphere is relaxed and no one tries to score points or be too nit picky (except the odd one or two you always find in any company). High standards are assumed until you prove otherwise!

[john_tullamarine]

Cornet,

If your colleague is still undergoing conversion line training, then that probably explains a lot.

In most companies, the training captain will set out to overtrain in the company mould so that, at training's end, the student has an easier time of the final check to line and the company philosophies are more strongly reinforced.

The majority of training captains are chamaeleons in that they can swap hats quite easily from training to line captain. Perhaps you should revisit the discussion with your colleague after he/she has finished line training.

[cornet]

yes, u are right, that´s what I also thought, nothing against BA captains, they seem relaxed

[woodpecker]

Relaxed, even to the extent of folding my arms when a new ex RAF copilot was flying manually and still programming the flight director.

He suggested he was trained in "single pilot operation".

I suggested "there's no problem, but wait until you forget to do it by the book in the sim or on your route check! Your world will come tumbling down!!"

[Farty Flaps]

If the sop calls for use of vnav and level change and no other operational reason exists, why would u want to use v/s. Every colleague of mine that insists its more efficient usually ends up with a scratchy porpoise like fuel hungry desent. Why use an abacus when you have a computer. Sh1t in sh1t out.
Or is it an ego thing about automated flying. If so go work for a navajo operator . Not being nasty just wondering.

The application of behavioural markers to this would doubt your need to depart from sops. Now that is real crm, not just being nice to each other and all getting the same size hotel room.

[bandeeto]

If you never use the abacus, then when suddenly it becomes a necessity...it might take you a few seconds to remember how to use it..and a few seconds is along time during an emergency - that much I do know.

Is it better not to practice using the abacus now and again, while the computer is there to back you up?

But those computers will never fail, so why worry.....