BA pilot grounded over undisclosed anger
There was a theory that the Captain still had his hands on the controls which were moving because the autopilot was flying the aircraft. Because of this it may not have obvious that he was incapacitated.
There was also some sarcastic humour going around concerning how a copilot was supposed to know that the Captain was dead.
Modern SOPs with challenge and response calls, and CRM training hopefully mean something similar won’t happen again.
There was also some sarcastic humour going around concerning how a copilot was supposed to know that the Captain was dead.
Modern SOPs with challenge and response calls, and CRM training hopefully mean something similar won’t happen again.
Some years ago I spent a career break working as a dispatcher in Scotland, where we got to know a lot of the based crews well. One particular one, known to us as 'Stormin Norman', a captain with a now defunct Gash 8 operator, had a particularly brusque and unpleasant manner with many of us.
One day he had a go at me for no good reason, and I have to admit that I bit. "Listen Norman, I don't have to do this job. I like it, but you don't get to speak to me like that. I have a college degree and more than 20 years management experience. Now change your attitude or I am walking off your flight and you'll be late home. Again." Or words to that effect. Uncharacteristically, I managed that without profanity.
Y'know, he was a pussycat after that. I just hoped his CRM was better than his attitude to ground staff. Everyone is just trying to make a living, after all.
One day he had a go at me for no good reason, and I have to admit that I bit. "Listen Norman, I don't have to do this job. I like it, but you don't get to speak to me like that. I have a college degree and more than 20 years management experience. Now change your attitude or I am walking off your flight and you'll be late home. Again." Or words to that effect. Uncharacteristically, I managed that without profanity.
Y'know, he was a pussycat after that. I just hoped his CRM was better than his attitude to ground staff. Everyone is just trying to make a living, after all.
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I find that First Officers are rarely shy. If they have recently flown with a Captain that is a bit of a nightmare they are never slow in coming forward with their stories when we fly together. Trouble is, being a Captain I have never flown with any of them on the line so I cannot judge for myself. The few skippers I know that developed a reputation I have always found very pleasant away from an aircraft. I can only guess the added stress of sitting in that LHS can turn some quite reasonable people into CRM nightmares. I think it is a question of how easy you find the job. A guy that is not very capable or is poor at prioritising is likely to be spending most of his day sat at the very edge of his seat, whereas the more capable guy is able to chill and process tasks in a much more relaxed fashion.
Last edited by Magplug; 3rd Apr 2024 at 12:11.
Magplug, I believe you to be right - at least that was my experience.
I remember flying whilst going through a divorce, Luckily, I had a non-flying accident at home which resulted in a broken bone and a couple of months off work. If it hadn't been for that, I'm sure something very unpleasant would have happened. I shouldn't have been anywhere near an aircraft at the time without counselling/help, and neither should anyone else. An individual under intense stress is the last person to realize it.
