I had a real good trip this month.
- Thread starter Cleared_ILS_RWY_9L
- Start date
FlyChicaga
Vintage Restoration
LOL!
"Have you seen this boy?"
"Have you seen this boy?"
FlyChicaga
Vintage Restoration
I was thinking about it, and I thought about something I'd like to say.
A lot of people often take their work very seriously. This is definitely a good thing. I take my job VERY seriously, because myself and my crew have many lives in our hands. I suggest you read the book "Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds", and you will see exactly why I care so much about each and every passenger that gets on my airplane. The most important thing to me is doing this job just perfect for the safety of everyone in back. I'm sure you feel the same way.
Sometimes though, people can get so caught up in the seriousness of their job that they forget how to have fun at it. I am one of those people who takes a light-hearted approach to life, always walking with a smile on my face, and always trying to keep everyone laughing and calm. I have found so far in my minimial 100 hours on the line that often in situations of great stress, just laughing can relieve that stress in such a way where it gives you a second wind for difficult situations. Some of the best captains I have flown with are those who make a wise-ass comment when things are stacking up. It lightens the moment, you laugh, relax, and keep plugging along at the job at hand with a new sense of calm.
MD88Pilot above expressed his opinion, and that is totally cool with me. Everyone has an opinion, and it's their right to express it. I do think it was inappropriate to say "this person is not a professional" simply because we have differences of opinion.
Just something to think about. You can take this job seriously, and put forward 110% of yourself to be good at it. But don't let that keep you from laughing once in a while.
Heck, even Al Haynes laughed a minute before United Flight 232 landed in Sioux City. ATC: "United 232, you are cleared to land any runway." Al: "Oh, you want to be specific and make it a runway?"
A lot of people often take their work very seriously. This is definitely a good thing. I take my job VERY seriously, because myself and my crew have many lives in our hands. I suggest you read the book "Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds", and you will see exactly why I care so much about each and every passenger that gets on my airplane. The most important thing to me is doing this job just perfect for the safety of everyone in back. I'm sure you feel the same way.
Sometimes though, people can get so caught up in the seriousness of their job that they forget how to have fun at it. I am one of those people who takes a light-hearted approach to life, always walking with a smile on my face, and always trying to keep everyone laughing and calm. I have found so far in my minimial 100 hours on the line that often in situations of great stress, just laughing can relieve that stress in such a way where it gives you a second wind for difficult situations. Some of the best captains I have flown with are those who make a wise-ass comment when things are stacking up. It lightens the moment, you laugh, relax, and keep plugging along at the job at hand with a new sense of calm.
MD88Pilot above expressed his opinion, and that is totally cool with me. Everyone has an opinion, and it's their right to express it. I do think it was inappropriate to say "this person is not a professional" simply because we have differences of opinion.
Just something to think about. You can take this job seriously, and put forward 110% of yourself to be good at it. But don't let that keep you from laughing once in a while.
Heck, even Al Haynes laughed a minute before United Flight 232 landed in Sioux City. ATC: "United 232, you are cleared to land any runway." Al: "Oh, you want to be specific and make it a runway?"
little_cricket
Well-Known Member
"let it be known that this is NOT the typical behavior of professional pilots"---NOT with you in the cockpit. You must be a peach to fly with, now don't take yourself too serious there. Its not brain surgery...and, I'm sure if the crap does hit the fan the laughter would stop instantly. Just because your laughing doesn't mean your aren't situationally aware and ready for action.
B767Driver
New Member
[ QUOTE ]
I do think it was inappropriate to say "this person is not a professional" simply because we have differences of opinion.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you look at my posts, I never made that quote. I did say that the behavior was unprofessional and that professionals do not behave in such a manner. I'll stand by that. However, gleaned from the tone of the majority of FlyChicaga's posts, he is very diligent in his work; the mark of a true professional.
In regards to some of the other posts. I do think I'm a "real peach" to fly with. At the conclusion of every trip most guys shake my hand and state what a pleasure the trip has been...and that mutually we can't wait to do it again.
I love my job and have more fun doing it than you can possibly imagine. At the appropriate moments I laugh, joke, scheme, show pictures of the family, flirt with the flight attendants, talk politics & religion and do all of the light hearted things that you are allowed to do on the job (and still keep it).
However, once the door is shut and the jetway is pulled, things change for a while. Business starts. This doesn't mean the fun stops...it's a different kind of fun. It's the fun of being part of a disciplined, professional flight crew. The cockpit is not cold and rigid, but casual and businesslike; the fun and games have ceased (at least temporarily...above 10,000MSL things become less critical and I say laugh away).
In ten years of airline flying it has been my observation that most professional flight crews behave in the manner mentioned above. If someone were to laugh unceasingly during the high speed portion of the takeoff...through the initial climb...I would suspect the other crewmember would have doubts as to that person's mental preparedness to handle tasks that may occur in the immediate future. Arguably, the most critical part of every flight, in terms of potential events and the decision making skills requisite of those events, occur from 100 kts on the ground to 1000' above ground. If nothing else, this may be a good time to be composed and mentally prepared for worst. After all, we should be prepared for the worst case scenario before and during every takeoff, right? Some pilots may be good enough to have this level of preparedness while laughing uncontrollably...I know I'm not that good.
Lastly, would you display this type of behavior with the FAA in the jumpseat? How about your OE check airman? Your chief pilot? If your answer is no...then I'd have to question the professionalism of that behavior.
I do think it was inappropriate to say "this person is not a professional" simply because we have differences of opinion.
[/ QUOTE ]
If you look at my posts, I never made that quote. I did say that the behavior was unprofessional and that professionals do not behave in such a manner. I'll stand by that. However, gleaned from the tone of the majority of FlyChicaga's posts, he is very diligent in his work; the mark of a true professional.
In regards to some of the other posts. I do think I'm a "real peach" to fly with. At the conclusion of every trip most guys shake my hand and state what a pleasure the trip has been...and that mutually we can't wait to do it again.
I love my job and have more fun doing it than you can possibly imagine. At the appropriate moments I laugh, joke, scheme, show pictures of the family, flirt with the flight attendants, talk politics & religion and do all of the light hearted things that you are allowed to do on the job (and still keep it).
However, once the door is shut and the jetway is pulled, things change for a while. Business starts. This doesn't mean the fun stops...it's a different kind of fun. It's the fun of being part of a disciplined, professional flight crew. The cockpit is not cold and rigid, but casual and businesslike; the fun and games have ceased (at least temporarily...above 10,000MSL things become less critical and I say laugh away).
In ten years of airline flying it has been my observation that most professional flight crews behave in the manner mentioned above. If someone were to laugh unceasingly during the high speed portion of the takeoff...through the initial climb...I would suspect the other crewmember would have doubts as to that person's mental preparedness to handle tasks that may occur in the immediate future. Arguably, the most critical part of every flight, in terms of potential events and the decision making skills requisite of those events, occur from 100 kts on the ground to 1000' above ground. If nothing else, this may be a good time to be composed and mentally prepared for worst. After all, we should be prepared for the worst case scenario before and during every takeoff, right? Some pilots may be good enough to have this level of preparedness while laughing uncontrollably...I know I'm not that good.
Lastly, would you display this type of behavior with the FAA in the jumpseat? How about your OE check airman? Your chief pilot? If your answer is no...then I'd have to question the professionalism of that behavior.
I_Money
Moderator
I think the thing is what could have quite easily been a smile, could end up on this board sounding like he was laughing so hard he was using the yoke to keep him from falling on the floor. MD88Pilot has a ton of experience behind him, and no one can really argue with what he has said on this thread - but in this thread we might all be adding 2 and 2 and getting 22.
I know when I was in the jumpseat of the A340 it was a very relaxed flight deck, with jokes, and just a light feeling throughout t/o and climb. Even though this was the tone - there was no doubt if anything had happened on that flight they would be more serious then my old science master (and that is saying something).
I have a ton of respect for FlyChicaga and MD88Pilot I admire them both professionally and I am sure they are great aviators, and know how to conduct themselves in a professional manner while on the flight deck.
I know when I was in the jumpseat of the A340 it was a very relaxed flight deck, with jokes, and just a light feeling throughout t/o and climb. Even though this was the tone - there was no doubt if anything had happened on that flight they would be more serious then my old science master (and that is saying something).
I have a ton of respect for FlyChicaga and MD88Pilot I admire them both professionally and I am sure they are great aviators, and know how to conduct themselves in a professional manner while on the flight deck.
mtsu_av8er
Well-Known Member
[quoteIf someone were to laugh unceasingly during the high speed portion of the takeoff...
If nothing else, this may be a good time to be composed and mentally prepared for worst.
[/ QUOTE ]
Now, I've never been a fighter pilot, but I've been in some pretty serious, dangerous situations in a former life. But does laughing make you less prepared for the worst than sitting with your lips closed square?
I'm not sure if I buy off on that one...but I could be wrong! That's why I'm asking!!
If nothing else, this may be a good time to be composed and mentally prepared for worst.
[/ QUOTE ]
Now, I've never been a fighter pilot, but I've been in some pretty serious, dangerous situations in a former life. But does laughing make you less prepared for the worst than sitting with your lips closed square?
I'm not sure if I buy off on that one...but I could be wrong! That's why I'm asking!!
Cleared_ILS_RWY_9L
New Member
I'm with Chicago on this one. I flew with a Check Captain and a new Captain getting checked out, and there were times to be serious, but sometimes we were laughing so hard I thought I'd split a gut.
giants_fan
New Member
I'd say takeoff, from the go-nogo point (Takeoff Safety Speed) also known as V1, up until about 1000'
You are low and slow and your options are extremely limited. There was a guy at MAPD who used to teach "Red, Yellow, Green" for every Multi takeoff:
Red Zone - you can stop straight ahead if anything happens
Yellow - your going, but will immediately feather a bad engine
above 1000' AGL you are in the Green zone and can take time to read a checklist.
I say Red Yellow Green before every take off now
You are low and slow and your options are extremely limited. There was a guy at MAPD who used to teach "Red, Yellow, Green" for every Multi takeoff:
Red Zone - you can stop straight ahead if anything happens
Yellow - your going, but will immediately feather a bad engine
above 1000' AGL you are in the Green zone and can take time to read a checklist.
I say Red Yellow Green before every take off now