Captain So n so?

Alchemy said:
The beauty of just calling yourself a "pilot" is that most people automatically assume you're a captain, otherwise you would've said "co-pilot" (you know, one of those people who can't fly and are just there to polish the "pilot's" shoes for him).
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An FO guy/gal that works at the union, are they addressed as "First Officer XX" or is that otherwise used as a title? Just curious.
 
MikeD said:
An FO guy/gal that works at the union, are they addressed as "First Officer XX" or is that otherwise used as a title? Just curious.
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I have been called both and I really dont need a title either way. I am pretty sure if you said in my direction I would turn around and acknowledge. As stated before I think it is an old school/ tradition thing that some people cannot let go. We have guys here that need a pick me up so you call them captain. Then again there are some that say if you call me captain again I will poke your eyes out!
 
amorris311 said:
I have been called both and I really dont need a title either way. I am pretty sure if you said in my direction I would turn around and acknowledge. As stated before I think it is an old school/ tradition thing that some people cannot let go. We have guys here that need a pick me up so you call them captain. Then again there are some that say if you call me captain again I will poke your eyes out!
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I can see both sides......in one respect, it can be a formal title in the proper setting. For example, union stuff, or anywhere the pilot is doing something for or in relation to the company....proper (to me) way to introduce them would be by "rank" then first name/surname....ie- "ladies and gentlemen, Capt Bob Smith and First Officer Mike Jones from United Airlines". On the flip side, some guys may not care for it. Personal preference thing I figure.
 
For some reason it always irks me when scheduling calls me "Captain." I'd say it's a sign of respect.....if they actually DID respect any of us. Coming from that side of the phone, it sounds mocking. I was getting into with one of the schedulers (yeah, shocking, huh?), and I started calling them "Scheduler So and So."
 
A friend of mine who used to work for an insurance company had a very demanding client who worked for Southwest who INSISTED on being referred to as captain so and so
 
I'm sure I said "El Capitan" once or twice with CAs that I was on good terms with. It took me a little while to get used to gate agents and TSA people calling me "Captain," (in a respectful way mind you, nobody disrepspects me :))

Now that I'm used to it, if they don't call me Captain, I spit in their face.
 
This thread kind of reminds me of "A Pimp named Slickback". "You have to say the whole thing like A Tribe Called Quest.":D
 
v1valarob said:
Rampers love to call everyone with a uniform and epaulets "captain." Even FAs.

When I was in indoc for another position with my company a few years ago, the pilots were told that the at-the-time chief pilot would be stopping by, and that he should be called "captain" out of respect. Yea, I respect the chief pilot, but I didnt join the damn military.
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Haha, TSA too. "Hey captain, how you doin? Hey captain how you doin? hey captain how you doin?"
 
doug_or said:
A friend of mine who used to work for an insurance company had a very demanding client who worked for Southwest who INSISTED on being referred to as captain so and so
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If anyone demands to be called by a certain designation, then most likely they are insecure, unhappy, and nobody else actually respects them.
 
My wife works at Bank of America and she said there is a guy that comes in in his uniform ALL the time, and when I say uniform I mean hat and all!
 
As was said before, ALPA seems to do it as a sign of respect. They address the Captains and First Officers (and Second Officers should the shoe fit) as such in communications such as e-mails, blastmails and the ever-wonderful Mustache Monthly.

When Scheduling calls us, they call us Captain, First Officer, etc.

I love standing around the crew room and hear people call into Scheduling, Dispatch, MX Control, etc and say, "This is Captain ..." I just use my first and last name all the time.

And I don't know which airport you guys are going through, but the TSA guys seem to think we're buddies every time I go through. They always call me by my first name. That's the only time I want to be addressed as Captain or Sir...only because I have such distain for the TSA. I've actually said (to no one in particular), "I didn't realize we were friends."
 
USMCmech said:
Seriously off topic, but what's with the ranks when off the clock?

Is it normal in the 121 world to keep the respective ranks in place when out of the cockpit? Were these guys prior Navy O-6s? I tell everybody I'm a pilot, and if I had wanted to be called a Captain I would have joined the Navy.
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As others have said, it's an ALPA policy to refer to union officials by their titles. I happen to think it's a good policy, as it does bring a greater deal of respect from lawmakers, the media, etc... Mr. Prater just doesn't have the same ring to it on the evening news as Captain Prater.

As far as military background, Captain Woerth was in the military prior to being hired by Braniff, although I'm not sure what rank he attained. Captain Prater was civilian and slummed it out in the regionals just like the rest of us schmucks prior to going to CAL.

SpiraMirabilis said:
You have to realize that the union reps ARE captains. Most of the big wigs are on union leave most of the time, though. (ATN/PCL, eh?)
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Not all union reps are captains, although most are. The ALPA staff up in Herndon call me captain all the time, although I haven't worn that fourth stripe in a few years now. They just get used to it and can't break the habit when dealing with us lowly FOs. :) And yeah, most MEC Officers at the majors are on full-time union leave, as well as all of the national officers. I haven't even flown 100 hours this year.
 
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