Shop talking in the flight deck

[IFLY_INDIGO]

Is shop talking always constructive?

there are times (only few ;)) that I feel like discussing technical or procedures with the co-pilot on board. few guys participate well. few guys pretend to 'know it all'. Overall I feel, shop talking is avoidable on board..

[capt. solipsist]

Depends how you talk shop. You are the captain, so you can very well set the tone. How can they not respond to you if you ask them:

"Do you remember what the manuals say about XXX?"

then, even if you're already kinda sure,

"Why don't we open the book to confirm? I have control. Will you open the FCOM to that chapter please?" :ugh:

[capt. solipsist]

Of course it has to pertain to the flight. But anything technical could pertain to the flight.

It doesn't actually mean you are unsure, but just being nice (?) about it.

And it doesn't have to be a training flight. He is NOT being assessed or trained anyway.

And you can do it because YOU are the captain, and it is a LEGAL order. What's the job description of an F/O anyway?

[The African Dude]

As an FO I often fly with Captains who are in the process of preparing for sim details and/or completing the recurrent tech quiz. I've had "so, what do you personally think we should do if we come around base turn, select flap 1 and got a Master Caution with flaps stuck?" ... in less than ideal weather with some other issues to consider. Encouraged a 4 minute debate at the end of cruise to include things such as landing performance and other items. Turns out we agreed on the outcome, but it was just normal chit chat, not an assault on the limitations of our knowledge. End result is both of us feeling good about ourselves through reaching some agreed conclusion and confident in our ability to deal with such a situation. Can't see a downside, unless the other guy is obviously not in the mood (something you should be able to gauge).

[irishpilot1990]

As an FO I like tech discussions etc, once they are brought up the correct way and it is not the Cpt trying to act like a know it all. Much easier to remember a Capts explanation of a system then the boring print in FCOM.:ok:

[EW73]

We always used to have the Flight Engineer ask the FO lots of questions, progressively getting more indepth, with the captain chiming in when he felt like it, usually when the FO was unsure or didn't know, (which was more often than you might think!), but the FEs were always aware that proticol assured that they never questioned the captain directly.

This went on for literally years of long distance flying, both miliary and civilian, and worked extremely well for all concerned.

I still miss that interaction and disemination of the experiences of some very experienced guys, with the FE not always the most knowledgeable on some subjects, usually the nav system.

Unfortunately those days are, at least for the present, not with us anymore...

Cheers

[DesiPilot]

IFLY

Trust me I have been in your shoes, I was there in IndiGo for a year and I can tell you that some of the FO's there need to be asked questions; and not technical questions but basic memory items and limitations.

Of course most of the FO's are very good, depending on your attitude they will feel comfortable asking you questions and you two can discuss. When I was there I'd call the FO ahead of time and ask them if they wanted to discuss a topic rather than twiddling our thumbs and most of them were very enthusiastic. I'd let them pick a topic, study/read up and next day or day after discuss it during the flight.

Good luck and you know there is one FO in DEL you should never ask any questions. RS didn't know memory items more than two years ago and I doubt things have improved.

[TyroPicard]

IFLY
If you go out to dinner with friends and talk about flying the whole time you are talking shop.
If you discuss technical stuff on the flight deck while at work you are simply improving your professional knowledge - just go ahead and do it, but as a discussion not as a test of your co-pilot! I learned tons of useful stuff from co-pilots.....

Definition of a Pilot..
When he is with another pilot he talks about girls...
When he is with a girl he talks about aeroplanes...