Good Captains

Sometimes I'm just putting my hand there because I know it needs to be there next.

It's not a commentary on your technique. I just want to be ready for it.


Some of you are really sensitive [emoji14]

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Why does your hand have to rest on it though? And if so, how far out do you put your hand on the flap because "you know it's coming next." It's annoying. If I see the other pilot doing that, I assume he wants flaps out at that moment. When it comes to flaps and gear, keep your dang paws to yourself. Move your paw when flaps or gear are commanded to be moved.

It's not that hard :)
 
As a new captain this thread is awesome. Caught myself moving my hand towards the flap handle yesterday and thought better of it.
 
Why does your hand have to rest on it though? And if so, how far out do you put your hand on the flap because "you know it's coming next." It's annoying. If I see the other pilot doing that, I assume he wants flaps out at that moment. When it comes to flaps and gear, keep your dang paws to yourself. Move your paw when flaps or gear are commanded to be moved.

It's not that hard :)
PeanuckleCRJs confession is an example of when I do it.

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As a new captain this thread is awesome. Caught myself moving my hand towards the flap handle yesterday and thought better of it.

The "retractable dog leash" analogy works well for me.

Let your copilot run to the edge of the leash and right before he steps into oncoming traffic, suggest a new course.

Otherwise he's never going to learn. If you have to go around, go around. But when you think you're saving something, you're actually an involuntary single pilot.
 
Go ahead, put your hand there. I'll wait to call full flap until 1100 AGL. You do it sooner on your own, and we're having "the talk" about uncommanded aircraft surface movement after we land.

See, I can be a dick too :)
 
I keep my hands on my knees, ready to pounce if the FO needs help, but not getting in their way if they don't. Old paranoid instructor habit, what can I say.
 
So, for the flap resters, do you then place your hand near the gear handle? Isn't that the next place you're gonna have to put your hand?
 
I keep my hands on my knees, ready to pounce if the FO needs help, but not getting in their way if they don't. Old paranoid instructor habit, what can I say.

Are you FRAKKING kidding me with this? [emoji35]


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I'm glad I'm not alone in some of this… is it a regional thing, where many FO's are as green as can be?
If it's my radios and ATC asks "say Mach number".. 9/10 captains will say, "say .79" .. I'm thinking, "well, I'm able to read, and it says we're doing .79.. are you expecting me to say .82?"

The flap-hoverer used to intimidate me into putting flaps down earlier than I planned… now that I have experience and confidence.. I just wait until I'm ready and let them sweat there for awhile..

I haven't jump-seated much, if any, on regional jumpseats.. when I commute, it's always mainline American. Obviously, the experience level of a mainline FO is way higher than most regional FO… and maybe that explains what I'm wondering about: it seems at the regional level, there's a LOT of "coaching" and a lot of it is unnecessary - I've talked with other FOs who are driven practically crazy by the unnecessary "coaching" and I know when I'm upfront on mainline, there's none of that - if it's the FO's leg and they say they're doing something a certain way, unless it's unsafe or illegal (which has never been the case), that's the way it's going to be… a lot of the time I say something like that and the captain decides for me that we're doing something else.
Maybe regional CA's just suck??
 
If you're an FO on the ERJ at XJT, don't you dare touch the APU panel. I was starting a 4 day, first to the airplane, it was hot with no ground air, so I started the APU. The CA shows up 20 mins later and starts lecturing me about APU usage, selected the GPU, and kills the APU. Didn't even introduce himself first. After that, he started running around outside after the rampers yelling about an air cart. After they ignored him, he comes up the stairs and starts the APU. What a wonderful trip that was.

Edit to add: 99% of the folks there are great, watch out for a few folks though. Some of the best flying I ever did was at a regional.
 
So, for the flap resters, do you then place your hand near the gear handle? Isn't that the next place you're gonna have to put your hand?

Are you FRAKKING kidding me with this? [emoji35]


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Oh yes. I've had that.

My best solution is to then order something (even though the AP is on and I can do it), I'll call for something. Like hey, push speed. That gets their hand off the gear handle and do what you asked them to.

Again, it's one thing if the FO is late configuring and you're trying to help out. But just putting the hand there because "you know it's coming" is just dumb - and annoying.

10 yrs as a 121 FO and I've never placed my hand on the gear or flaps until the CA has called for it. The amount of times we've forgotten gear or flaps on landing: zero.
 
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