Who Flys, Who Lands ??
Join Date: Jun 2002
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OOPsnearly, if you guys have the PF sitting RH seat as standard, how is it to land from the LH seat? We have a fixed seat policy, so we are familiar with the view and exact lcation of controls from our normal position in the A/C.
Just wondering whether there is any difference to it.
Just wondering whether there is any difference to it.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: The Netherlands
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S76heavy,
Many yerars ago I flew fixed seat, and on the odd occassion that seats were swapped I found my "balance" was not quite right and therefore felt uncomfortable. Now I move from seat to seat a number of times a day, I find handling comes naturally from either seat. I certainly would not like to go back to single seat flying again.
An added plus that I have found is that the co-pilots are far more confident as they are not in the "co-pilots seat", they are flying as p1 and so making decisions and while I may have had reason to question them, I have not found the need to override. By the same token, they may question any decision I may make, especially if it is a different one to what they were expecting. Because I am captain does not mean I am never wrong, I try not to be but it can happen and am not so arrogant that I cannot learn from a junior.
Many yerars ago I flew fixed seat, and on the odd occassion that seats were swapped I found my "balance" was not quite right and therefore felt uncomfortable. Now I move from seat to seat a number of times a day, I find handling comes naturally from either seat. I certainly would not like to go back to single seat flying again.
An added plus that I have found is that the co-pilots are far more confident as they are not in the "co-pilots seat", they are flying as p1 and so making decisions and while I may have had reason to question them, I have not found the need to override. By the same token, they may question any decision I may make, especially if it is a different one to what they were expecting. Because I am captain does not mean I am never wrong, I try not to be but it can happen and am not so arrogant that I cannot learn from a junior.
Join Date: Jun 2002
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oopsnearly, I agree with your last. But I wonder if it has anything to do with swapping seats. I encourage my copilots to speak their mind at any point, and they usually do. Even when we've got the fixed-seat policy.
Besides, we alternate PF and PNF duties regularly which also allows for some decision making on the copilots part.
But I suppose one gets used to swapping seats as well as to operating from the same seat all day. I must say that I'm comfortable with the fixed-seat policy.
Besides, we alternate PF and PNF duties regularly which also allows for some decision making on the copilots part.
But I suppose one gets used to swapping seats as well as to operating from the same seat all day. I must say that I'm comfortable with the fixed-seat policy.
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Oops nearly,
I think the idea of swapping seats is good, but do you think it's really safe to do it several times a day? Changing seats on different days I can see, but are you not worried that if you have a pilot inexperienced on type as the handling pilot, who has just swapped to a different seat at the end of a long day, when you have an emergency he may be reaching the wrong way to switch something off (or, if that is done by the NHP in your company, then having an inexperienced pilot in that role reaching for the wrong switch, lever or whatever is appropriate to your type)?
I've also tried both having the NHP controls taking control when visual and the HP flying to land after the NHP calls visual and I must say I prefer the former. I think that your way of doing things is only for your Dutch operations if the company you're talking about is Schreiner? I think your overseas operations are run differently and are never sent to do any simulator training, but maybe things are different now? Is Schreiner now run entirely the KLM way, or did you manage to have a balanced approach and take the best of both companies after the takeover?
I think the idea of swapping seats is good, but do you think it's really safe to do it several times a day? Changing seats on different days I can see, but are you not worried that if you have a pilot inexperienced on type as the handling pilot, who has just swapped to a different seat at the end of a long day, when you have an emergency he may be reaching the wrong way to switch something off (or, if that is done by the NHP in your company, then having an inexperienced pilot in that role reaching for the wrong switch, lever or whatever is appropriate to your type)?
I've also tried both having the NHP controls taking control when visual and the HP flying to land after the NHP calls visual and I must say I prefer the former. I think that your way of doing things is only for your Dutch operations if the company you're talking about is Schreiner? I think your overseas operations are run differently and are never sent to do any simulator training, but maybe things are different now? Is Schreiner now run entirely the KLM way, or did you manage to have a balanced approach and take the best of both companies after the takeover?
