Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Biz Jets, Ag Flying, GA etc.
Reload this Page >

agressive / unruly passengers in business aviation

Wikiposts
Search
Biz Jets, Ag Flying, GA etc. The place for discussion of issues related to corporate, Ag and GA aviation. If you're a professional pilot and don't fly for the airlines then try here.

agressive / unruly passengers in business aviation

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 28th Oct 2013, 14:15
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: where the money is
Posts: 385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Red face agressive / unruly passengers in business aviation

Allow me to kick off a little discussion. Following scenario:
wealthy passenger from somewhere else with unlimited access to the cockpit of a typical business jet during flight interferes with crew duties on hand, giving direct orders in a commanding and aggressive tone that is well suited to further increase the crew's workload.
Question(s):

have you experienced something like this?

what did you do and how did you balance the justified demands of an owner towards the regulations that surround the working environment of a crew at the controls of a transport category airplane?

what was the outcome of your decision and eventual feedback?
jetopa is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2013, 16:44
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Ormond Beach
Age: 49
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You mean something similar to PLF 1 at Smolensk?
flyboyike is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2013, 17:46
  #3 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: where the money is
Posts: 385
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
???

I actually don't know what you are referring to.
jetopa is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2013, 17:55
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: South
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Polish president and a TU154 is the reference to "Smolensk", I believe.

The outcome was not the best one!
BlueVolta is offline  
Old 28th Oct 2013, 17:58
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: My Stringy Brane
Posts: 377
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hand him a copy of the NTSB report on the 2001 GIII crash in Aspen.

Once he acknowledges the contributing factors of demanding bosses riding jump seat, invite him to sit up front silently until he is type rated.
Machaca is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2013, 16:03
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Ormond Beach
Age: 49
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
One of the reasons I've never been to attracted to corporate flying is that I really like that locked door.
flyboyike is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2013, 22:26
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
One of the attractions of corporate flying for me is the fact there is still a link to the passengers. I've had passengers barking orders, chaged destination midair (multiple times) and dogs licking my hand just before we start to taxi! At the end of the day its the strength of character of the individual that wins through and not everyone can deal with it (or wants to deal with it). That's why corporate flying is not for everyone; it requires a different set of skills and certainly strong personal/negotiating skills. If you are confident in your knowledge and can give a valid resaon for refusing or changing a particular request, then most people accept this. In fact, the more knowledgeable, in time, they become with regards to slots, permits, FTL's etc and it makes for a better working realtaionship as they won't be late again if they miss their meeting due to a lost slot or expired flight duty! The passenger expects to be able to carry their power and influence into everyday life and, obvioulsy, it upsets them if they do not get their own way, but a good crew will always explain and offer solutions without giving in to a siatutaion that could become unsafe.....in my experience anyway.
cloudsurf is offline  
Old 30th Oct 2013, 23:36
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: UK. East Mids.
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Great post cloudsurf... Very well said.

All be it the dog licking did make me chuckle.
Tray Surfer is offline  
Old 31st Oct 2013, 06:49
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FL006
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Depending on the situation and its progress you may use the cherry picker-works for me...esp. when forks, CDs and so on start hitting the MFD

Last edited by suhoi27; 31st Oct 2013 at 06:56.
suhoi27 is offline  
Old 5th Nov 2013, 19:08
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Ginevra
Age: 43
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Normally rude pax are into airliners but pilots don't note because the problem is faced by cabin crews.
Hotelpresident is offline  
Old 5th Nov 2013, 19:54
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: California
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Perhaps, but the ultra-rich set has a fair share of A-holes too. I've flown some of them.

Years ago when I was a charter pilot in California and we would get the occasional Hollywood type. As a general rule these people are accustomed to having others do EVERYTHING for them, are high maintenance and, yes, sometimes difficult and unreasonable. I had a few of those. Won't name names but there was one dude everyone loathed...he stared in TV's Miami Vice and later Nash Bridges. Complete jerk.

Sandra Bullock, on the other hand, is a most genuine, pleasant and respectful lady.

Last edited by ksjc; 6th Nov 2013 at 02:21.
ksjc is offline  
Old 5th Nov 2013, 23:24
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Ormond Beach
Age: 49
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hey, if you'd once dated Barbra Streisand, you'd be a jerk, too.
flyboyike is offline  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 01:33
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 951
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
The key to keeping the aforementioned actor in line is to keep him drunk. Fortunately, that doesn't usually require much effort on anyone's part!
westhawk is offline  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 02:25
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: California
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Yes. One day while on approach into KVNY he actually shouted from the back the he was a "licensed pilot" and was trying to tell me I was doing something or other all wrong. I love that story. What a douche bag.
ksjc is offline  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 03:36
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 951
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
One well known TV psycho-babble personality was quite well known for his temper tantrums. We were dropping him off in the Dallas area once and as we pull up to the FBO we noticed nobody was out on the ramp to park us. We thought this strange since we'd only spoken to them by radio about 15 minutes previously to inform them of our imminent arrival. The "doctor" started ranting about where the !@#$ was his (*&^%$# car before we'd even had time to get up and open the door. As the yelling continued I began to realize what had happened. He's used this FBO before! I ended up going and getting his (*&^%$# car from the parking lot myself since we could find no ramp guys in evidence anywhere! Even the normally perky and helpful desk chick seemed very occupied with an apparently important phone conversation.

I know I should have been upset with the seemingly bad service, but I just couldn't get very worked up about it after the stream of abuse issued out by the good "doctor" and "mental health professional". Oh, the irony! Some old quote came to mind: "Heal thyself Doctor"... (physician heal thyself)

Once he was on his way the FBO staff reappeared and apologized profusely, explaining about the near insurrection which had occurred during a previous encounter with the man. I accepted their "explanation" but made it clear I still had to write a company incident report to our D.O. because this was bound to cause a stir with the charter department. They understood and allowed has how they'd all been looking for a job when they found this one! I never heard a word about it and several of the same people were still working at that FBO the next time I was through there months later. The last charter pax I knew of with a reputation like that was...

westhawk

Last edited by westhawk; 6th Nov 2013 at 03:40. Reason: remebered the proper quote!
westhawk is offline  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 08:00
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: schermoney and left front seat
Age: 57
Posts: 2,439
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
IŽd rather remember the real nice guys - they are fewer, so more brain storage saved.

Acutally, when I really think about it, thats not true. I had very few disgusting people on board.
His dudeness is offline  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 09:39
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: chances are, not at home
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I must have been lucky - I am struggling to remember ever flying an utterly objectionable or disruptive passenger (grumbles for sure, usually about not accepting an overload) - By and large, I have been surprised at just how pleasant HNW individuals and celebs are (I am talking Europe here - I don't know if that makes a difference).

It is just as well, because there is certainly the potential to disrupt flight deck operations if they so choose.
Joe le Taxi is offline  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 15:06
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: California
Posts: 349
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Westhawk.
I heard a story about that same "Dr." bought himself a Gulfstream and wanted new carpets installed, called out the cheapest carpet place in town to do the job and then threw a major hissy when informed that the materials wern't certified.... huge smiles around the professionals that normally had to deal with him on a frequent basis.
A real "pill"

f
fleigle is offline  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 21:12
  #19 (permalink)  
TWT
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: troposphere
Posts: 834
Received 34 Likes on 19 Posts
What a philistine !
TWT is online now  
Old 6th Nov 2013, 21:14
  #20 (permalink)  
fade to grey
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Goddamn !
Sonny Crockett was my 80s hero. Very upset to hear he's a knob.
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.