I don't want to be "that guy" but...

How would you answer that situational question in a Delta or United interview?

That's your answer.

Best answer of the thread.

And no, the interviewers don't want you to say "snap a picture and go to the chief pilot." Both because going to the chief pilot is not the best way to handle it, and because snapping a picture with your phone in flight is probably violating SOP in and of itself.
 
Why did you even waste the 5 seconds it took to type that pointless reply?
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Well, technically, if I had a problem with the captain (and I have) I'll address it on the ground in a timely fashion. If he's unresponsive, I'll have myself replaced and start a dialogue with professional standards. If he's dangerous, truly dangerous and not simply "he's following a new procedure which I do not like", I'll go to Pro Stan AND my LEC rep to discuss what the next move should be and how to handle a potential visit to the CPO.

Agreed. The important part is to bring it up to the guy first. Obviously borderline narcolepsy is probably noticeable, but other stuff they might not know they're doing. If I'm doing something stupid or smell like ass (you can totally say ass on here) I'd want it brought to my attention.
 
I agree with this sentiment in principle and I desperately want it to be true in my career, but I hope that anyone who has flown professionally can appreciate an FO having to think twice about approaching an issue such as this with a definitive resolution, because each situation is different.

Let's forget any talk of this guy nodding off, because that was not part of the experience I personally had with him. My experience was someone who seemed very disenchanted with the company or possibly his job and spent almost the entire 2 legs facing out the side window and babbling incessantly about conspiracies and the government.

Now I'm game to discuss any topic civilly; but this guy doesn't want to have a conversation, he wants to lecture you. This immediately (in my mind) creates a poor CRM environment because one person is clearly not interested in listening to what the other has to say.

We've all flown with a variety of personalities, and from the right seat, it's extremely rare to fly with a guy and decide that a bid avoid is necessary. Some guys talk non stop, some guys switch off the hot mic in between checklist items. Some guys always fly fast, some guys want to squeeze every penny out of the trip. Some guys want to convince you that Obama is the antichrist, some guys want to convince you that the company is dangerously mismanaged.

In all of these variations, we usually find a way to get the job done safely and to the standards that the company asks. Apparently some people can work with this guy. I thought our styles were too different after 1 day. I'm going back to try again because I have to and I'm taking my standard of professionalism with me.

Nevertheless, I wanted to get input from the various professionals that participate here. I'm not done learning.

If it's just taking crazy I just turn them down to a volume where I can hear what they're saying, but just barely. That way when they get on topic I can turn them up again. Otherwise they just get silence from me or "I'm not really familiar" if they ask a question...but that rarely happens as they are usually taking at you and not really seeking conversation.

It's annoying, and if push comes to shove I've had to tell guys "look, I just don't talk about that kind of stuff up here."

We don't have to be friends with everyone we fly with, but we have to get along.
 
Regardless, the first step has to -- has to -- be directly engaging him about the concern personally.

Respectfully, offline, in a non-threatening way. That direct engagement may go nowhere and even result in a negative response, and if that's the case, then take it to the next level.

I see far too many folks (in life, not just in flying) who are just plain too frightened to directly engage people about these kind of things. Either they don't want to antagonize the situation, or they don't want to face personal embarrassment for themselves or the other guy, or are afraid of the result of bringing it up, etc. They'd rather go to that other guy's supervisor or to another organization, and let someone else take care of the problem. It is the workplace analog of passive/aggressive spouses who won't just tell you when something is bothering them. It is also a little like the cultural aversion folks have to shaming someone else or being shamed themselves.

This isn't what we should be doing as pilots. It isn't fair to the person who is doing something incorrect or offensive or unsafe to not directly tell them the truth (again, you can do this and still be tactful and respectful). Good CRM, real professionalism, isn't going behind someone's back and telling on them.

Again, absolutely nothing might result from talking to them about your concerns personally, but you are doing him and yourself a massive disservice if you don't speak to him plainly about your observations and concerns first before going to Pro Standards, ALPA, Chief Pilot, etc.

Watch out, your Colonel is showing :)

(Why can't we have real world convos about leadership like this at SOS?)
 
If it's just taking crazy I just turn them down to a volume where I can hear what they're saying, but just barely. That way when they get on topic I can turn them up again. Otherwise they just get silence from me or "I'm not really familiar" if they ask a question...but that rarely happens as they are usually taking at you and not really seeking conversation.

It's annoying, and if push comes to shove I've had to tell guys "look, I just don't talk about that kind of stuff up here."

We don't have to be friends with everyone we fly with, but we have to get along.
Ah yes, the old "let me adjust my audio control panel" routine. :D
 
I'll get around to a more detailed reply later, but the trip has gone quite well actually. I must admit that it seems like I approached this with too much pessimistic anticipation.

There are a couple of issues to be sure, but this guy is MUCH more tolerable than when we last flew.
 
I'll get around to a more detailed reply later, but the trip has gone quite well actually. I must admit that it seems like I approached this with too much pessimistic anticipation.

There are a couple of issues to be sure, but this guy is MUCH more tolerable than when we last flew.
I have a two-event rule for such things.
 
Same here. It was a reprieve from the constant onslaught of stories about canned food and ammo collection and the coming race wars. Nice to just look out the window without hearing a guy's manifesto every now and then.

Sorry for being off topic...

Haha I had to Jumpseat once and listened to the captains "final solution" to the crime problem in this country. his statement was that "We all know who is committing the crimes in this country...what 'people' so we just need to sterilize their woman and in a few years there will be no more crime" I said "yeah, didn't work for Hitler but he didn't have Americas resources"

It was pretty quiet for the next hour.
 
Same here. It was a reprieve from the constant onslaught of stories about canned food and ammo collection and the coming race wars. Nice to just look out the window without hearing a guy's manifesto every now and then.
The gear coming down is a great way to get their attention.

Hypothetically.
 
I'll get around to a more detailed reply later, but the trip has gone quite well actually. I must admit that it seems like I approached this with too much pessimistic anticipation.

There are a couple of issues to be sure, but this guy is MUCH more tolerable than when we last flew.

Life lesson. 95% of the things I stress and worry about never actually come about. Glad this worked out. Great thread.
 
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