WHAT is the DEAL with...

[killbilly]

WHAT is the DEAL with guys under flight following asking permission to change altitudes? This isn't Soviet Russia, comrade. Descend. Land. You can cancel on the phone.

Actually, I tend to do this, simply as a courtesy, since those guys at Houston Center are really good about giving me traffic advisories.

Of course, if they deny my request then I usually start bellowing over the radio, "Denied?! Do you know who the hell I am?! I'm Bob Freakin' Hoover, you one-balled goat-####er!!!"

Okay, I don't really do that. But now that I think of it, I might try telling them I'm Les Abend and see if that works.

 

[killbilly]

WHAT is the DEAL with guys under flight following asking permission to change altitudes? This isn't Soviet Russia, comrade. Descend. Land. You can cancel on the phone.

Actually, I tend to do this, simply as a courtesy, since those guys at Houston Center are really good about giving me traffic advisories. As a really low-timer, I don't want to upset anyone's apple cart, so asking if they're okay with it is my attempt to be courteous, respectful. Or whatever.

Of course, if they deny my request then I usually start bellowing over the radio, "Denied?! Do you know who the hell I am?! I'm Bob Freakin' Hoover, you one-balled goat-####er!!!"

Okay, I don't really do that. But now that I think of it, I might try telling them I'm Les Abend and see if that works.

 

[ASpilot2be]

FAIL.

I'll have to forward this to the student at my Skool O' Flite that complained about getting a cruise clearance question on his instrument written :banghead:.

The really sad thing is not a single pilot there knew what a cruise clearance was.

 

[Xcaliber]

The really sad thing is not a single pilot there knew what a cruise clearance was.

To be fair, though, a lot of controllers don't know what a cruise clearance is either, or how to use it. The place I work at now, we use them every now and then because it lets us go lower than what center will get us down to for a visual (MOCA is lower than the MVA). A lot of times when we as for one, you get the sense that if you could actually see the controller, they'd just have a blank look on their face. One other time, we were cleared to descend to FL250 then switched to the next sector, who promptly gave us (un-requested) "cruise 10,000". Well, that was great, except we had no legal way of getting from FL250 to 10,000. It kind of defeats the purpose of the clearance if we can't use it.

 

[mjg407]

So. As promised, now that I'm well-lubricated, like any correctly-functioning machine:

WHAT is the DEAL with a couple of Katanas (or whatever they're calling them now) lining up in front of the active runway doing their runups that seem to take 20 minutes? That's what the ramp is for. What, are you adjusting your Ray-Bans and checking the hairspray, Maverick? This dog-doo is high-priority and needs to be there yesterday, damit. I'm burning more gas sitting here than you'll burn the entire 30 minutes in the pattern. Check the mags before you hit the movement area.

WHAT is the DEAL with guys under flight following asking permission to change altitudes? This isn't Soviet Russia, comrade. Descend. Land. You can cancel on the phone.

WHAT is the DEAL with Big Iron drivers on Guard saying "you're on guard" when someone transmits. I swear, someone could be in a flat spin transmitting their coordinates and some guy at FL430 would chime in reminding them that they're on Guard.

WHAT is the DEAL with ATC vectoring a 797 with ten million tourists on board but an approach speed of (apparently) 100 knots in front of me when I'm willing and able to do 250 to the marker such that I wind up practically dying in a burning hole because I can't slow up enough to keep from going up their wazoo without stalling?

More to follow, one trusts.

Lol,
I'm usually to low to hear most of the calls. But to be honest, having had center beatch at me many times when in crowded areas, I routinely let them know that I'm descending for the airport when I'm flying the lil plane. To be honest I would love to see a pirep once in a while that reports cloud tops and not ride conditions....

 

[TFaudree_ERAU]

WHAT is the DEAL with the weekend warriors pulling out of their parking space at the big innurnash'nul airport and totally ignoring the marshaling instructions of the line guy. He's got those big orange wands for a reason, damn it! If he directs you to turn right, then damn it, turn right. Don't turn left because you think thats the quickest way to the runway. That is, unless you'd like 20,000 lbs of Hawker coming through your windscreen; I'm coming in from that direction to drop off my pax at the front door, and I guarantee I'd win that battle.

 

[OhioStatePilot]

WHAT is the DEAL with the weekend warriors pulling out of their parking space at the big innurnash'nul airport and totally ignoring the marshaling instructions of the line guy. He's got those big orange wands for a reason, damn it! If he directs you to turn right, then damn it, turn right. Don't turn left because you think thats the quickest way to the runway. That is, unless you'd like 20,000 lbs of Hawker coming through your windscreen; I'm coming in from that direction to drop off my pax at the front door, and I guarantee I'd win that battle.

Now now... weekend warriors are not the only ones guilty of that faux pas.

 

[PlaneCrazy]

i heard a well known beech 1900 operator get a cruise clearance to their (presumably day-in-day-out) destination. They didn't know what that was. Now, if you're a 300 hour f/o, okay, cool, you get a mulligan. But this atp rated pic has never heard of a cruise clearance? Don't they teach the regs/aim/pilot/controller glossary at the puppymills these days? How about in line training?

While we're on the subject, what is the deal with atc and weather these days? The last two early mornings going atl-mem there have been fairly solid lines in the area. Most of the controllers are clearly old school, but there were a few who certainly didn't sound like they were "suggesting" a heading around the omg-rip-your-wings-off weather that turned out to be heavy precip and a few light bumps. More like mandating. You pretty much have to argue with them to avoid going 300 miles out of your way so as not to get wet. Again, mostly excellent service, but a few bad apples...

What else? What is the deal with various regional operators who keep calling up on center frequencies every morning where center can't hear them to request a clearance. Figure maybe this one time it will work? You've got a telephone, bub. Use it.

Oh, what is the deal with big iron guys checking on, not getting a response, and literally three seconds later checking on again sounding irritated? There are other planes in the sky, sky-admiral, cool it. God forbid you have to level off. (/seinfeld)

ok, i'm going to drink a few beers and come up with more things to be curmudgeonly about. Talk amongst yourselves. remember to call me a big jerk in your responses, it makes me feel warm.

ya big jerk..............................................................................lol..............................................

 

[Bandit_Driver]

Who knows. But the more important questions:

-Didn't they get an EICAS message, or some other annunciation that the cabin was going?

EICAS doesn't exist in a Learjet 20 Series

WHAT is the DEAL with freight pilots these days?????

http://www.natca.org/assets/multimedia/cfs09/5th-archieaward-ngl-zob.wmv

Dude, it's Connie, nothing surprises me with them.

A bit critical are we? That could have happened to any airline out there. Remember the Payne Stewart crash?

Oh, what is the deal with big iron guys checking on, not getting a response, and literally three seconds later checking on again sounding irritated? There are other planes in the sky, sky-admiral, cool it. God forbid you have to level off.

Ditto to what Polar said.

 

[jtrain609]

EICAS doesn't exist in a Learjet 20 Series





A bit critical are we? That could have happened to any airline out there. Remember the Payne Stewart crash?



Ditto to what Polar said.

If you weren't working there, what would you say? I've got some stories for you sometime.

 

[Polar742]

If you weren't working there, what would you say? I've got some stories for you sometime.

I used to think the same thing you do, until I worked with people that made Connie's shop their career until '99 and then they came to Polar. I'm not talking about some dude that did 2 years and left. I'm talking about 10-15 year Captains and check airmen from there.

Let's compare since you want to tear up Conrad's operation.

Neither of us have ever worked there, both of us know people that worked there (I'm assuming you do too, from what you imply)

The guys I know were at Connie's shop for years, and were there when it went under in '99 - after it was bought by Kitty Hawk.

One guy started flying a 310 for Connie when he was 22, and was bounced out of the 747 when it shut down. He's one of the smartest people I know, and a very safe and professional pilot.

The recurring things I hear:
Connie would buy/ferry airplanes that most would scrap. As it grew, Connie hired his buds, who screwed up the operation. If you didn't get fired at least once, you really didn't work for him. He called everyone a "c*sucker" (I don't want to circumvent the software filter, but in regards to accuracy, that is what he called EVERYONE).

Every single person said their paycheck was right and ontime EVERYTIME
They were treated very well on the road (they were on the road alot though)
If they had a problem, Connie was known to send a lear to come get them and take them to their family.

If you want to talk about scumbag operations look up Rich Airways and Buffalo Airways (not the Canadian operation). The stuff I heard about those airlines from the guys that worked their makes your stomach turn.

 

[surreal1221]

WHAT is the DEAL with the weekend warriors pulling out of their parking space at the big innurnash'nul airport and totally ignoring the marshaling instructions of the line guy. He's got those big orange wands for a reason, damn it! If he directs you to turn right, then damn it, turn right. Don't turn left because you think thats the quickest way to the runway. That is, unless you'd like 20,000 lbs of Hawker coming through your windscreen; I'm coming in from that direction to drop off my pax at the front door, and I guarantee I'd win that battle.

User Fees = a form of natural selection.

 

[KLB]

User Fees = a form of natural selection.

Its more like:

User Fees= only the extremely wealthy and military can afford to fly


It would be a better idea to cut down on the amount of RJ's flying around. Put larger jets on shorter routes to fly them less frequently. That would cut down on the amount of low time pilots and create more competition for the coveted airline gig. It would also reduce the amount of traffic in the airspace system and reduce traffic at the large airports. There are too many RJ's!

 

[germb747]

I heard a well known beech 1900 operator get a cruise clearance to their (presumably day-in-day-out) destination. They didn't know what that was. Now, if you're a 300 hour F/O, okay, cool, you get a Mulligan. But this ATP rated PIC has never heard of a cruise clearance? Don't they teach the Regs/AIM/Pilot/Controller glossary at the puppymills these days? How about in line training?

Doesn't surprise me. I hadn't heard of a cruise clearance since I got my Instrument ticket 11 years ago. It wasn't mentioned in any military or Part 121 training I've ever had. Of course we should all review the basics from time to time, but one shouldn't assume a captain knows everything because they're an ATP with 20,000+ hours. Chances are that newly minted 300 hour guy knows a think or two they could teach the old man.

 

[trafficinsight]

Its more like:

User Fees= only the extremely wealthy and military can afford to fly

Didn't you know? All us GA types are rich doctors anyway... we'll be able to afford it.

 

[KLB]

Historically it's always been easier to blame to little guys for all the problems.