When you get typed in an Airbus for a US 121 outfit it's not required to hand fly a traffic pattern without autopilot and autothrust. When I did it. Hopefully, this lack of a requirement in recurrent training/evaluation is going to be fixed. Gosh, I'm sure the airline CFO's will just fold and give the training departments larger budgets without pushback for additional Sim time. Steep turns (with autothrust), stalls, single engine ILS (from the FAF with autothrust), no flap/slat, and windshear recoveries are trained and evaluated. I've found my experience dragging a Waco tail,thousands of hours hand flying a 1900 in the NE corridor, and actually feeling the yoke move cables and bellcranks in a DC-9 does not translate to the Bus in degraded automation modes. Electrical system failures with both gens and the APU Tango Uniform results in the left PFD and ND giving degraded information with a ram air turbine and batteries is what needs to be trained and evaluated. At least on the

(Written on 11/25/2022)(Permalink)

I certainly didn't make up the phrase "regulations are written in blood". But with the current (US) FAA regs a pilot could fly a A-320 for his/her entire career without ever demonstrating a VFR traffic pattern (take off to landing) without using the autopilot or auto thrust). Looks like the (US) feds are finally going to force the 121 operators to train this (other than single engine approaches from the marker, steep turns and stalls). Of course the FAA won't do anything without ICAO involvement, so I hope we lead the way. All about the benjamins, and SIM time is expensive. At least the reality of the past 20 years is getting some attention. I've been seeing new hire FO's using the automation from a couple hundred feet after takeoff to a terrified look on their faces at 200AGL on a coupled ILS in VFR.

(Written on 11/25/2022)(Permalink)

I was wrong our contract prohibits the use of the cvr in discipline.

(Written on 10/07/2022)(Permalink)

I have to edit this as our ALPA contract specifically states: 1. The Company shall not use any information gathered from a cockpit voice recorder in any disciplinary or discharge action. 2. The Company will not regularly or randomly review flight data recorder data or cockpit voice recordings for the purpose of discovering pilot irregularities. The Company shall not use any information gathered from a flight data recorder in any disciplinary or discharge action, unless the information be- comes a matter of public record in an NTSB proceeding

(Written on 10/07/2022)(Permalink)

The way I interpret it is Part 91 applies to all operations and when Part 121 is more restrictive, then those rules apply on top of Part 91. I think they should have got the guy for at least "Careless and Reckless", but the information provided is so obfuscated who knows. The use of the tapes as internal discipline might be a question for any SWAPA guys on the forum familiar with their contract and SWAPA's history of dealing with Section 19 (Disciplinary-Grievances). My 121 outfit (ALPA) doesn't specify use of or prohibit the CVR in our contract, so perhaps the company could have used it for internal discipline. It's all academic now as apparently the captain quit or retired. If I was that FO I would have submitted and ASAP, Safety report, and NASA report, and phone call to my Professional Standards and MEC to inquire about civil action before I left the parking lot on the way home.

(Written on 10/07/2022)(Permalink)

Transport category aircraft flight deck doors are (post 9/11) designed to lock people out, not "dead bolt" the pilots in. Let's use some common sense. She wasn't locked in. She could have easily called for a flight attendant, and at least in an Airbus unlocked the door from her seat, while staying at her duty station, to have a witness for the violation and crime. There is also a system to unlock the flight deck door from the cabin that all flight attendants and pilots are taught to use although, at least on the Airbus that system may be overridden, to keep the door locked from the flight deck. Need a Boeing person to confirm the door lock actuating system can be unlocked from the pilot seats.

(Written on 10/07/2022)(Permalink)

Excerpt from 14 CFR § 91.609 - Flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders: "Information obtained from the record is used to assist in determining the cause of accidents or occurrences in connection with the investigation under part 830. The Administrator does not use the cockpit voice recorder record in any civil penalty or certificate action."

(Written on 10/07/2022)(Permalink)

We landed a Bus about 45 minutes after that accident, and not too far from KMIA. We briefed our company policy windshear escape procedure, reviewed our windshear avoidance policies in our QRH, and modified our approach speed accordingly. We calculated fuel to, and routes to our alternates, with an”S”. We had a licensed Dispatcher giving us updates on the wx encroaching on our STAR. We didn’t have to go around, but we were spring loaded for it, and the controllers were providing exceedingly helpful vectors with real time continuous PIREPS from all preceding aircraft. Heck, we had 90 degree, 20 kt wind shift outside the FAF, that dissipated to a less than five knot variable winds at minimums, and we weighed 141,000 lbs. How does a light aircraft, with a jet in it or not deal with that? I'll tell you what I would do is try to find some blue sky and head for it, then an alternate. We receive constant training from a highly professional organization with multi million dollar

(Written on 09/16/2022)(Permalink)

"Well, look at the Big Brain on Shirley!" Are we not speaking the Queens English when we explain to you that allowing the flight to continue would not only be setting the airline up for sanctions, but they would also have to deadhead a qualified FO to continue the Roster (cough, cough, schedule)? Maybe the the employee discovering the error was a responsible person ethically reporting it to a supervisor? Who then reported it to their supervisor for a simple air return? All of the employees aware are now ethically if not legally responsible for correcting whatever the heck the error was a well Shirley.l Maybe, just maybe, the not qualified crew member did the right thing and refused further assignment until the error, administrative or not, was corrected? Don't know, Shirley, but I see people doing the right thing, and you obviously haven't been in the actual hotseat while a regulator reviews your training departments books. Why do I have the feeling I've spent more time

(Written on 05/07/2022)(Permalink)

Well, Alex, I believe you're quite right and I hope I'm big enough to admit it. I was just replying to the guy asking if we thought they airline would have gotten "caught". I replied with my experience. I guess it's not the first time I've been the ugly American in the room as some of my Canadian colleagues used to rather enjoy pointing out. I was left to counter with nothing but snide remarks about their bad haircuts and good rock and roll. Keep your nose in the books Alex, so you can help us "line slime" from desecrating the EASA rules. It does occur to me that when I go to say, Bogota (from the US) and and land the plane I'm pretty much on their turf and had better follow their rules and all the US rules in our manuals as well. To quote you: "You should know that, Shirley?"

(Written on 05/07/2022)(Permalink)