Spirit back in chapter 11

DE727UPS said:
Route 2. One of the many mysteries of the FMC I was afraid to explore. I knew just enough about that thing to make it do what I needed. Long live the 727 without such foolishness.
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Story time…

In ‘89 I was a very green fresh faced B757 f/o flying ONT-SDF one night with one of my all time favorite and senior Capt’s. Crusty old Fed, with zero personality, shows up just before closing all the doors and announces he will be riding and line checking us to SDF (f@ck!). After getting him “comfortable” and well briefed we blast off.

Back in those days traffic was very light late at night heading eastbound to Louisville. Center clears us direct Centralia (ENL) out of about FL180 for the arrival gate into SDF. I dutifully typed it into the FMC, saw the magenta line leading us to the ENL (VOR) waypoint, hit enter and the Capt selected LNAV…we were off to the races at .84

Well, apparently, the Fed figured he was gonna harass me a little. Sitting right behind me he taps me on the shoulder and announces, “Where are you guys going?” I said we were cleared direct to ENL VOR. He says, “Yea…I heard that but how are you guys receiving it this far out and you didn’t ask for an initial heading?” Now this guy was well passed his working shelf life and probably started when the airlines were flying DC4’s. Not sure he really understood the new technology of computers, IRS’s, moving maps and FMC data bases let alone LNAV/VNAV. My Capt doesn’t raise an eyebrow and keeps looking out the side window trying not to nod off.

I begin to sweat thinking I’m being setup for a violation. I answered the Fed with a rambling explanation of typing stuff into the FMC scratchpad, nav data bases, magenta lines and pure f#cking black magic. The Fed looked bewildered and also irritated at the same time. He kept repeating we had to identify the VOR and we couldn’t possibly be receiving it this far out blah, blah…. I could literally could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck while he spewed navigational nonsense from the prop era.

Anywho….after letting me sweat and squirm for a several minutes (seemed like hours) the Capt, after occasionally giving me a little side-eye and slightly grinning, finally sat up, spun around, pointed a finger at the Fed and said, “Look, we are flying this aircraft the way *YOU* people certified it. If you have a problem with that I suggest you speak with the Chief Pilot and Boeing when we land in Louisville!”

The Fed leaned back and we didn’t hear another peep from him until we were given pilot’s discretion to a much lower altitude approaching SDF. I dialed the new altitude into the FMC and sat back waiting for it to compute the T/D point after inserting a crossing constraint over ENL. After a couple minutes and still at the current altitude I get another tab on the shoulder from the Fed…”What altitude are y’all supposed to be at?” I say, “FL350 with pilots discretion to 11,000”. He sees 11000 in the MCP and we are still cruising at FL350 about 20 miles from TOD. He then asked gruffly…”When are you gonna start down?” I point to the “T/D” on the moving map and tell him, “right there”. He leans back and doesn’t say anything else the rest of the flight.

I’m pretty sure he probably retired soon after that flight…..
 
A300Capt said:
Story time…

In ‘89 I was a very green fresh faced B757 f/o flying ONT-SDF one night with one of my all time favorite and senior Capt’s. Crusty old Fed, with zero personality, shows up just before closing all the doors and announces he will be riding and line checking us to SDF (f@ck!). After getting him “comfortable” and well briefed we blast off.

Back in those days traffic was very light late at night heading eastbound to Louisville. Center clears us direct Centralia (ENL) out of about FL180 for the arrival gate into SDF. I dutifully typed it into the FMC, saw the magenta line leading us to the ENL (VOR) waypoint, hit enter and the Capt selected LNAV…we were off to the races at .84

Well, apparently, the Fed figured he was gonna harass me a little. Sitting right behind me he taps me on the shoulder and announces, “Where are you guys going?” I said we were cleared direct to ENL VOR. He says, “Yea…I heard that but how are you guys receiving it this far out and you didn’t ask for an initial heading?” Now this guy was well passed his working shelf life and probably started when the airlines were flying DC4’s. Not sure he really understood the new technology of computers, IRS’s, moving maps and FMC data bases let alone LNAV/VNAV. My Capt doesn’t raise an eyebrow and keeps looking out the side window trying not to nod off.

I begin to sweat thinking I’m being setup for a violation. I answered the Fed with a rambling explanation of typing stuff into the FMC scratchpad, nav data bases, magenta lines and pure f#cking black magic. The Fed looked bewildered and also irritated at the same time. He kept repeating we had to identify the VOR and we couldn’t possibly be receiving it this far out blah, blah…. I could literally could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck while he spewed navigational nonsense from the prop era.

Anywho….after letting me sweat and squirm for a several minutes (seemed like hours) the Capt, after occasionally giving me a little side-eye and slightly grinning, finally sat up, spun around, pointed a finger at the Fed and said, “Look, we are flying this aircraft the way *YOU* people certified it. If you have a problem with that I suggest you speak with the Chief Pilot and Boeing when we land in Louisville!”

The Fed leaned back and we didn’t hear another peep from him until we were given pilot’s discretion to a much lower altitude approaching SDF. I dialed the new altitude into the FMC and sat back waiting for it to compute the T/D point after inserting a crossing constraint over ENL. After a couple minutes and still at the current altitude I get another tab on the shoulder from the Fed…”What altitude are y’all supposed to be at?” I say, “FL350 with pilots discretion to 11,000”. He sees 11000 in the MCP and we are still cruising at FL350 about 20 miles from TOD. He then asked gruffly…”When are you gonna start down?” I point to the “T/D” on the moving map and tell him, “right there”. He leans back and doesn’t say anything else the rest of the flight.

I’m pretty sure he probably retired soon after that flight…..
Click to expand...


That’s a real old man who’s decided he’s seen enough to know his time has passed. He was probably proud on the inside, knowing how awesome it was you could do all those things.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Made it to airport 3.5 hrs from departure. Check in terminal 2 for bags, 1 hr right there. Leave terminal 2, walk to terminal 1 for security. Then after security, walk to terminal 2 to then take a bus to the international MSC gates. Got there 50 minutes before the flight.

Initially oversold by 5 with 5 nonrevs. In the end, I got a big front seat 1F, as the gate agent stated there were so many people still missing. Yeah no crap, I’d say anyone getting to the airport 2.5 hrs or less missed their flight.

I’m rooting for Spirit. But their LAX operation right now is a complete dumpster fire.
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As far as I'm aware we didn't choose to go to that remote terminal. We got the boot out of terminal 5, along with everyone else that was there, because they're tearing it down. I agree our current setup is less than ideal; but again, don't believe we had a choice in the matter (could easily be wrong though).

Out of curiosity, what's your suggestion for improving the situation in LAX? I ask that as I sit in the long-stay in Long Beach after my LAX arrival earlier today.
 
A300Capt said:
Story time…

In ‘89 I was a very green fresh faced B757 f/o flying ONT-SDF one night with one of my all time favorite and senior Capt’s. Crusty old Fed, with zero personality, shows up just before closing all the doors and announces he will be riding and line checking us to SDF (f@ck!). After getting him “comfortable” and well briefed we blast off.

Back in those days traffic was very light late at night heading eastbound to Louisville. Center clears us direct Centralia (ENL) out of about FL180 for the arrival gate into SDF. I dutifully typed it into the FMC, saw the magenta line leading us to the ENL (VOR) waypoint, hit enter and the Capt selected LNAV…we were off to the races at .84

Well, apparently, the Fed figured he was gonna harass me a little. Sitting right behind me he taps me on the shoulder and announces, “Where are you guys going?” I said we were cleared direct to ENL VOR. He says, “Yea…I heard that but how are you guys receiving it this far out and you didn’t ask for an initial heading?” Now this guy was well passed his working shelf life and probably started when the airlines were flying DC4’s. Not sure he really understood the new technology of computers, IRS’s, moving maps and FMC data bases let alone LNAV/VNAV. My Capt doesn’t raise an eyebrow and keeps looking out the side window trying not to nod off.

I begin to sweat thinking I’m being setup for a violation. I answered the Fed with a rambling explanation of typing stuff into the FMC scratchpad, nav data bases, magenta lines and pure f#cking black magic. The Fed looked bewildered and also irritated at the same time. He kept repeating we had to identify the VOR and we couldn’t possibly be receiving it this far out blah, blah…. I could literally could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck while he spewed navigational nonsense from the prop era.

Anywho….after letting me sweat and squirm for a several minutes (seemed like hours) the Capt, after occasionally giving me a little side-eye and slightly grinning, finally sat up, spun around, pointed a finger at the Fed and said, “Look, we are flying this aircraft the way *YOU* people certified it. If you have a problem with that I suggest you speak with the Chief Pilot and Boeing when we land in Louisville!”

The Fed leaned back and we didn’t hear another peep from him until we were given pilot’s discretion to a much lower altitude approaching SDF. I dialed the new altitude into the FMC and sat back waiting for it to compute the T/D point after inserting a crossing constraint over ENL. After a couple minutes and still at the current altitude I get another tab on the shoulder from the Fed…”What altitude are y’all supposed to be at?” I say, “FL350 with pilots discretion to 11,000”. He sees 11000 in the MCP and we are still cruising at FL350 about 20 miles from TOD. He then asked gruffly…”When are you gonna start down?” I point to the “T/D” on the moving map and tell him, “right there”. He leans back and doesn’t say anything else the rest of the flight.

I’m pretty sure he probably retired soon after that flight…..
Click to expand...
“tuned and identified with PFM”
 
Cruise said:
As far as I'm aware we didn't choose to go to that remote terminal. We got the boot out of terminal 5, along with everyone else that was there, because they're tearing it down. I agree our current setup is less than ideal; but again, don't believe we had a choice in the matter (could easily be wrong though).

Out of curiosity, what's your suggestion for improving the situation in LAX? I ask that as I sit in the long-stay in Long Beach after my LAX arrival earlier today.
Click to expand...

The only thing Spirit can control… the automated bag machine that sends your bags off. Zero human contact . It’s how terminal 5 was set up. Scan your DL, barcode for boarding pass, throw bag on belt, scans, and takes it away. And then you walk away. We wasted over one hour for a manual person checkin just for the bag drop. A bag drop should be a true bag drop. We are already checked in. Just need to get the bag onto the belt.


And man they were strict on the 60 minute cutoff for bag checkin at LAX. Turned plenty of EWR redeye folks away for showing up less than 60 minutes (most ran and were there 50-60 minutes before). They were all screwed. Rules are rules, but I still felt bad for them. It’s like, these people are literally keeping your door open. Take the bag, throw it on the belt, and tell them to run for security and the gate. Best case, bag makes it. Worse case, it gets rerouted and arrives later that same day.
 
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