The captain is a real Slapper
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 438
Likes: 13
From: Australia
The captain is a real Slapper
Appreciate ideas on how to counter the hand slapping antics of a senior captain. He has a bad habit of slapping first officers hand away from the thrust levers, radio selectors or MCP selectors if the selections are not to his often misguided taste. Because of his seniority in the old boy's club any complaints to management fall on deaf ears. It is bloody annoying. 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 495
Likes: 4
From: UK
First, if you slap my hands again then I will go to the police and do you for assault.
Secondly, "you have control". When he insists that you fly then you insist that since he has shown quite clearly that you are not qualified to fly the aircraft then he should do all of the legs. Having an OPS manual reference would help your cause in this regard, does it say anything about the % of legs an FO is to fly to keep the skills up? When he is so wrecked after all of the flying and all of your mates are doing the same thing to him then he might employ a bit of CRM and refrain from the slapping.
Secondly, "you have control". When he insists that you fly then you insist that since he has shown quite clearly that you are not qualified to fly the aircraft then he should do all of the legs. Having an OPS manual reference would help your cause in this regard, does it say anything about the % of legs an FO is to fly to keep the skills up? When he is so wrecked after all of the flying and all of your mates are doing the same thing to him then he might employ a bit of CRM and refrain from the slapping.
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
From: Canada
What MCDU2 said, especially the promise to charge him with an assault charge the hand him control.
This guy needs a reminder it is 2012. I'd also remind him that he'd be better off retiring with dignity than finishing his career mired in harassment lawsuits and sidelined from the cockpit.
Deep down this guys knows he's wrong. He knows better, he's had all the CRM trg.
This guy needs a reminder it is 2012. I'd also remind him that he'd be better off retiring with dignity than finishing his career mired in harassment lawsuits and sidelined from the cockpit.
Deep down this guys knows he's wrong. He knows better, he's had all the CRM trg.
Joined: Feb 1998
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,595
Likes: 0
From: Formerly of Nam
This is 2012 alright...
Rather than use the reactionary modern knee-jerk method of
threatening the bloke with assault, battery, lawsuits etc and
whatever other legal recourse is used because of the severe
injuries you have brutally and viciously received from all this
hand-slapping, have you ever considered to simply and nicely
ask him to stop doing it?
It might come as a cultural shock but that's what we used to
do in Oz once, often with positive results.
I know its quite old fashioned and outdated and does not fit
anywhere into the modern 2012 mentality, but give it a try -
the result could be surprising. You might even consider using
a 2012ish method of CRM "Conflict Resolution" assuming you
weren't asleep in the classroom during that module.
threatening the bloke with assault, battery, lawsuits etc and
whatever other legal recourse is used because of the severe
injuries you have brutally and viciously received from all this
hand-slapping, have you ever considered to simply and nicely
ask him to stop doing it?
It might come as a cultural shock but that's what we used to
do in Oz once, often with positive results.
I know its quite old fashioned and outdated and does not fit
anywhere into the modern 2012 mentality, but give it a try -
the result could be surprising. You might even consider using
a 2012ish method of CRM "Conflict Resolution" assuming you
weren't asleep in the classroom during that module.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 68
Likes: 26
From: The Orient
Is this still going on? In Australia? OMG, never thought you folks dunnunda would tolerate this sort of !!!!!! Any official written report to flight ops management? Verbal reports are useless when there is an old boys network up in the food chain.
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Asia
think inside the box
~maybe try getting one of those "hell's angels" black leather motorcycle riding gloves with studs on the back of the hand... put it on after he slaps you and then look at him sideways with a Bill Murray-style poker face. You may give the offending captain a good belly laugh in spite of himself.
When my siblings and I were kids, my mom would use the wooden spoon... so when we had done something we shouldn't have, we would put on our thick woolen mitts ahead of time in anticipation of the punishment--leaving my mom to figure out what it was we had done! We wouldn't tell her of course, and she would laugh and get exasperated.
Happy days.
When my siblings and I were kids, my mom would use the wooden spoon... so when we had done something we shouldn't have, we would put on our thick woolen mitts ahead of time in anticipation of the punishment--leaving my mom to figure out what it was we had done! We wouldn't tell her of course, and she would laugh and get exasperated.
Happy days.
Last edited by Taras B; 4th May 2012 at 16:03.
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,202
Likes: 4
From: Surrounding the localizer
Have had this happen twice in 10 years, one relatively recently, one almost 10 years ago, both guys coincidently enough were Ozzies (not that their nationality means anything)
Both times post-flight I offered to insert their heads into their necks via their anus...seemed to work (helps being a nice guy while saying it..gives the impression that it's a promise not a threat)
Both times post-flight I offered to insert their heads into their necks via their anus...seemed to work (helps being a nice guy while saying it..gives the impression that it's a promise not a threat)
Joined: Feb 1998
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,595
Likes: 0
From: Formerly of Nam
Just follow John Wayne's lead, perfect way to educate an old fashioned captain!
FOs had balls in those days.
