For FO Jeff Skiles of USAir 1549

[falconvalley]

<SHRUG> I thought it was a nice idea. I still don't think that Sully gave the FO enough credit.

And, as long as we're Monday-morning quarterbacking Sully... why the heck did he take the controls from Skiles? What was he going to do that Skiles couldn't do?

When Al Haynes speaks he mentions that when the event occurred on UAL 232 he said one of the dumbest things in his professional career; "I have the controls".

Now, I realize it's been 7 years or so since I last received a paycheck from US Airways, but when I flew there the folks in the schoolhouse encouraged the Captain to relinquish control of the aircraft to the first officer during a non-normal. Why? Because any monkey can fly the airplane, but it takes a Captain to make a decision -- and ones perceptual field is severely limited when he/she is hand-flying.

So my first question was, "Why did he take the controls from Skiles?"

My question today, as it was last night, is (with regard to the interview), were you alone in the cockpit? Because it sure as heck sounds like it with your continuous use of phrases like, "I had to...", "My airplane was...", "I knew I could make it..."

So there ya go. I'll be the jerk who second guesses a national "hero". Somebody had to do it or we wouldn't have had anything to talk about.

It may just be his nature in a situation like that. Perhaps Skiles was exhibiting a demeaner that prompted Skully to want to take the airplane. Maybe he just blurted it out in a moment of subconcious panic of not knowing if Skiles was ok. Who knows.

Kudos to everybody involved.

 

[SIUav8er]

Not only was he flying, he was also working the radios... Skiles was the checklist reader.

 

[Qgar]

Please forgive my ignorance on the subject, but I thought I read or heard somewhere that in emergency situations the Captain ALWAYS takes control of the aircraft. Am I mistaken?

 

[Polar742]

Am I mistaken?

YES.

That's an old-school philosiphy that some airlines still use. The more modern idea is to have the FO fly the airplane, and the CA do, well, CA stuff that revolves around decision making.

This was evolved from years of CRM study.

 

[Orange Anchor]

Please forgive my ignorance on the subject, but I thought I read or heard somewhere that in emergency situations the Captain ALWAYS takes control of the aircraft. Am I mistaken?

It is a matter of experience and policy/procedure.

At USAir many years ago (10?) a check airman was charged with re-writing the emergency descent checklist. During checkrides, the emergency descent often had mistakes made. With the F/O flying, the Capt had to try and read the pressurization panel which s/he did not often work with. There were other problems so Jim (a friend) decided the first step was "Capt flies". Thus the checklist became seat and task specific. It was but the first step.

During other emergencies, it was noted that with the Capt flying, the F/O had to often ask the Capt whether or not s/he wanted to do A or B. This slowed down the procedure and interrupted the Capt's focus on flying the airplane. The question was asked about who was making the decisions and who should be flying the airplane. The answer was the Capt should be in the decision making role, the airplane flown by the autopilot and the F/O monitoring/programming the autopilot. Task loading went down, efficiency went up and more checklists were revised.

Policy was when I left.. after the bold action items (of which there were VERY few), the Capt runs the checklist, F/O flies. In this case, however, as I have noted, with Sully's experience and with the F/Os recent training (he was just out of sim training and thus familiar with engine relight procedures), I think the hand was played very well... with no offense to the F/O. We will obviously learn more when the CVR transcipits are released. Again, from personal contacts, the word is the CVR is "clean".

...probably more than you wanted to know.

 

[Polar742]

There were other problems so Jim (a friend) decided the first step was "Capt flies".

Is that D. Jim H. from PSA?

If so he's an amazing cat. Hope he's doing well, and his son is safe.

 

[Qgar]

Thanks so much for the answers, Polar and Orange! I guess I was remembering things I'd heard from years ago, before CRM took hold.

And no, Orange, it wasn't more than I wanted to know. Even though I'm not a pilot, I sheepishly admit to being an aviation geek.
You explained it succinctly and I thank you again! :rawk:

 

[Orange Anchor]

Is that D. Jim H. from PSA?

If so he's an amazing cat. Hope he's doing well, and his son is safe.

Could be.. I am trying to remember Jim's last name. But definitely a grand fellow. Regardless of the chaos going on around him, he never flinched.

He was also able to take input from just about ANY source. I watched him one day at a meeting and regardless of the validity of the input, he was gracious and fielded each comment with interest. I later asked him if he had taken some course on listening because he was so VERY good at it.

He did change the culture at the airline. The QRH he worked on became the gold standard.

 

[Orange Anchor]

Thanks so much for the answers, Polar and Orange! I guess I was remembering things I'd heard from years ago, before CRM took hold.

And no, Orange, it wasn't more than I wanted to know. Even though I'm not a pilot, I sheepishly admit to being an aviation geek.
You explained it succinctly and I thank you again! :rawk:

I've communicated with a few guys doing CRM-stuff with shipping companies and those ship captains still find it amusing and amazing that the Capt of an airplane actually manipulates the controls. They do not and they do not understand why airplane capts do.

 

[Polar742]

Could be.. I am trying to remember Jim's last name. But definitely a grand fellow. Regardless of the chaos going on around him, he never flinched.

He was also able to take input from just about ANY source. I watched him one day at a meeting and regardless of the validity of the input, he was gracious and fielded each comment with interest. I later asked him if he had taken some course on listening because he was so VERY good at it.

He did change the culture at the airline. The QRH he worked on became the gold standard.

It must be the same guy. Retired and now mows his airport grass....

He did my training for one of my types. Incredible guy. I'd like to think I could aspire to be what he is, but realistically, I just can't.

We need more of him throughout our profession.

 

[MikeOH58]

Skiles is getting a lot of face time on David Lettermen right now...The guy is pretty funny. He said something along the lines of he wish he didn't have to tell the story of the incident anymore and could have his own life back.

Additionally, it appears him and Sully met for the first time four days prior at the start of their trip.

 

[t-cart]

He's pretty funny. Glad we finally get to hear something from him.

 

[v1valarob]

Skiles is getting a lot of face time on David Lettermen right now...The guy is pretty funny. He said something along the lines of he wish he didn't have to tell the story of the incident anymore and could have his own life back.

Additionally, it appears him and Sully met for the first time four days prior at the start of their trip.

If I wasnt sitting in a hotel I would go back on my DVR and write the quotes exact, but Skiles is hilarious!

Kinda Quoted:

Letterman started reading off the chain of events and skiles says "this is the first Im hearing off of this information, can I get a copy of that information?"

Letterman: (to Sully) so you took the controls and then its your job (to skiles) to start the engines back up?
Skiles: yes, and I failed.

Letterman: So after you couldnt get the engines started, what were you doing at that point?
Skiles: Paralyzed with fear.


Hahahhaahaha.

 

[Boris Badenov]

Awesome. Now there's a guy I wouldn't mind flying with. Not to take anything away from Sully, no doubt he's the man, but I'll take Bob Hoover to Chuck Yeager any day of the week and twice on Sunday.