'Any Non-Rev Pilots on board?'

I've thought about this scenario including after a sim checkride once included the supposed incapacitation of myself at the request of the instructor.

My plan is (assuming I'm the one that's not incapacitated), if there is a pilot in the back who is a current 121 pilot then bring the one who is most similar to the incapacitated pilot up front to help (flies the same type for another airline, or something close, or has rode in the jumpseat of this type numerous times, etc.)

If there are pilots in the back that are PPL, military, helo, etc., no offense to their qualifications and experience but I think I might be inclined to have them on 'standby' in the cabin.

I feel like it might be more complicated and bothersome to attempt to give dual instruction to another pilot in an attempt to quickly bring them up to speed on how to be my assistant. By the time that could be accomplished, we'd be on the ground.


Disclaimers
1) I don't mean to accuse the pilot in this article to have made the wrong call by bringing this guy up, by any means
2) Different scenarios would play out differently of course. i.e. 45 minutes from the airport I've chosen as the medical diversion point, vs. the situation starting around top-of-descent into a familiar airport, in other words, 10 minutes until on the ground.
3) I also don't mean to sound like a part 91/135 pilot wouldn't "cut it." I just mean, in a situation where there is very little time at all to decide what the plan is, I'd have to use a very basic description of their flying gig to figure out if I thought bringing them up would be worth it. If I were in the cabin of a Falcon 2000 and one pilot conked out, I think the remaining pilot would have an easier time without me, Airline Aaron, up there looking at all the gadgetry like EFBs installed within the main displays.
 
Personally, I think the article came off a little douchy. I think it might have just been the author's commentary, as none of the quotes from the Bone guy were really out of line, but it really makes him come off as some sort of a hero who saved the day. I have a feeling that the FO could have handled it just fine, even without another pilot aboard. I'm not an airline type, and maybe there are some other considerations for multi-crewed heavies, but I find it hard to believe that a professional airline pilot would be panicking in that scenario to the point of being unable to fulfill his/her duties. Maybe I am weird, but this is not my fantasy at all. My experience in a 737 is limited to sitting in the back drinking cocktails and watching movies......hardly a skill set that would be useful in an emergency.
 
A normal briefing is considered hundreds of issues ?

There were hundreds of issues the two pilots talked through on the aircraft while descending; cabin pressure, approach, contact with air traffic control, visual cues and programming of the auto-pilot were just a few, said Gongol. At about 500 feet above ground level, the first officer hand-flew the approach to a normal touchdown.
 
The FO said she had never taxied a 737 before. The 737 must have been really new to her.
 
I wouldn't read more to the story than how it was written.

This guy is an expert at enhancing self worth without blatantly doing so, ie FITREP's/OER's bullet point...(mil officer/NCOs self assessments for promotion)
Plus, we all know Mil Aviators are damned good pilots...:biggrin:

And lastly, some people come apart at the seems when they are taken out of their comfort zone.
@fholbert you do know that most 121 FO's don't taxi the aircraft right? I've taxied the 170 only once (obviously from the right seat), and it wasn't pretty. 100,000 lbs airplane doesn't taxi like a 2,000lbs Viking.
 
fholbert said:
The FO said she had never taxied a 737 before. The 737 must have been really new to her.
Click to expand...

Unsure of aircraft systems of the 73, but in my aircraft which I have 4000+ hours on, I've taxiied it only a handful of times. Usually I get the aircraft controls when lined up and stopped on the runway and give them up during landing rollout at a "safe taxi speed", defined by a majority of Captains as 60-90 knots.
 
I always figured that stopping the plane on the runway or on a high speed and getting emergency crews on the aircraft ASAP would be a good idea. Maintenance could tug the aircraft to the gate after.

You are already at the wrong airport so what is the hurry to get to a gate?
 
Maurus said:
I always figured that stopping the plane on the runway or on a high speed and getting emergency crews on the aircraft ASAP would be a good idea. Maintenance could tug the aircraft to the gate after.

You are already at the wrong airport so what is the hurry to get to a gate?
Click to expand...

If the aircraft is not disabled, stopping on a runway would really ruin a lot of peoples' day. With a medical emergency, it's often times easier to go to a gate anyway (for example, if the aircraft in question has no air stairs, it would be more work and time to have an air stair truck pull up to the stopped aircraft.
 
cencal83406 said:
If the aircraft is not disabled, stopping on a runway would really ruin a lot of peoples' day. With a medical emergency, it's often times easier to go to a gate anyway (for example, if the aircraft in question has no air stairs, it would be more work and time to have an air stair truck pull up to the stopped aircraft.
Click to expand...
That would be why communication is key. An air stair truck could be ready right next to the runway with the other crews. Jet bridges aren't exactly fast either.
 
cencal83406 said:
If the aircraft is not disabled, stopping on a runway would really ruin a lot of peoples' day. With a medical emergency, it's often times easier to go to a gate anyway (for example, if the aircraft in question has no air stairs, it would be more work and time to have an air stair truck pull up to the stopped aircraft.
Click to expand...
I mean, I can taxi my airplane (6 degrees of nosewheel steering, and I can paddle it off and use brakes and differential power as God intended), but it's not always smooth, and re-engagement of nosewheel steering can require reaching over and mashing the tiller depending on where the wheel is.

If the Captain gets incapacitated we're going to clear the runway, stop straight ahead, get the medics on board and then figure out what else to do once he or she is under competent medical care. I'm plenty comfortable taxiing the Brasilia, from the left if need be, if they tell me to—it's just not within the normal scope of my duties.
 
Nick said:
I've thought about this scenario including after a sim checkride once included the supposed incapacitation of myself at the request of the instructor.

My plan is (assuming I'm the one that's not incapacitated), if there is a pilot in the back who is a current 121 pilot then bring the one who is most similar to the incapacitated pilot up front to help (flies the same type for another airline, or something close, or has rode in the jumpseat of this type numerous times, etc.)

If there are pilots in the back that are PPL, military, helo, etc., no offense to their qualifications and experience but I think I might be inclined to have them on 'standby' in the cabin.

I feel like it might be more complicated and bothersome to attempt to give dual instruction to another pilot in an attempt to quickly bring them up to speed on how to be my assistant. By the time that could be accomplished, we'd be on the ground.


Disclaimers
1) I don't mean to accuse the pilot in this article to have made the wrong call by bringing this guy up, by any means
2) Different scenarios would play out differently of course. i.e. 45 minutes from the airport I've chosen as the medical diversion point, vs. the situation starting around top-of-descent into a familiar airport, in other words, 10 minutes until on the ground.
3) I also don't mean to sound like a part 91/135 pilot wouldn't "cut it." I just mean, in a situation where there is very little time at all to decide what the plan is, I'd have to use a very basic description of their flying gig to figure out if I thought bringing them up would be worth it. If I were in the cabin of a Falcon 2000 and one pilot conked out, I think the remaining pilot would have an easier time without me, Airline Aaron, up there looking at all the gadgetry like EFBs installed within the main displays.
Click to expand...


I'd probably put a guy up there (especially a pro pilot). There are guys at my current company that come from a 121 background from companies such as World, Evergreen, Astar; and etc... I wouldn't expect every pro pilot to know how to set up the particular FMS on any given aircraft, but I do believe that they could at the very least call out altitude deviations, airspeed deviations, and make a few radio calls. I can imagine, as flying pilot, you'd be pretty tasked saturated. Single pilot, in an emergency situation (likely trying to get down in a hurry ), and deviating to an airport you may not be familiar with.

From what my falcon 2000 friends tell me, you'd have no problem sitting right seat in it. It would likely be in VNAV until 200 ft and pretty much do everything for you but make a cup of coffee. And you'd likely g
have a FA do that for you anyways. :)
 
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