Pinnacle CA suspended
#121
Banned
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Posts: 8,350
I think all the stud-muffin Chuck Yeagers here who belittle autoflight systems and simultaneously trumpet their hand-flying skills with chest-thumping perfection should join together and petition the FAA to have these embarrassing devices removed. This would allow these new up and coming stallions of the industry to demonstrate their spectacular aeronautical prowess more often, dazzling those pilots they feel inferior and passengers alike to awe-inspiring worship and euphoria.
Maybe they'll get more chicks.....................
Maybe they'll get more chicks.....................
#122
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: Jet Pilot
Posts: 797
I think all the stud-muffin Chuck Yeagers here who belittle autoflight systems and simultaneously trumpet their hand-flying skills with chest-thumping perfection should join together and petition the FAA to have these embarrassing devices removed. This would allow these new up and coming stallions of the industry to demonstrate their spectacular aeronautical prowess more often, dazzling those pilots they feel inferior and passengers alike to awe-inspiring worship and euphoria.
Maybe they'll get more chicks.....................
Maybe they'll get more chicks.....................
The camps seem to be split on whether or not one should accept an aircraft with an inoperative autopilot. As I mentioned earlier, that would depend not only on the individual, but also on the circumstance(s) as well.
If the aircraft is approved to be dispatched with an inoperative autopilot, then it can be operated legally. Is it dangerous to do so? All things being equal, this really should be a non-event for most people.
Now, if the weather is down, the crew has had a long day, and the flight will be operated into very congested airspace, then the PIC must make - and be prepared to defend - his or her decision if the PIC elects not to accept the aircraft. That decision may be based on factors such as fatigue, experience, and proficiency.
Legally, if the aircraft can be dispatched without the autopilot and the weather is such that it does not negatively affect operating within the bounds of that deferral, then the PIC is going to have a tough time defending his decision based solely on the autopilot being deferred. In other words, why is it a safety issue if one must hand fly? That answer depends on the individual and one answer will not suffice for each and every individual.
Some may refuse to accept the aircraft and some may not refuse to accept it. In either case, both may be correct.
#124
Let me ask this, If they were 20 minutes into the flight and the A/P quit should they have continued? Many of you seem to think that Capt's Authority means we can't be held accountable for our actions. If a pilot can't hand fly an aircraft for a couple hours, then they need to rethink the profession they have chosen. How many pilots fly everyday in aircraft with no A/P installed? Are those aircraft considered dangerous because of no autopilot?
But as stated by others, this is not about a pilot being able to fly with an autopilot or not. We do not have all of the information this captain did at the time of his decision. We also do not know how tired the he was, we do not know how competent or fatigued his F/O was. This is about a company trying to erode captains authority. And we should all be appalled at the fact a captain is faced with suspension and forfeiting of pay for exercising his federally granted authority.
#125
I didn't have time to read all 13 pages of this thread, but is the suspension related to the ongoing contract negotiations at Pinnacle? A guy I recently flew with had a conversation with a Pinnacle guy and said something like, "Well, eventually you guys will get sick of it and go down the same road we (ASA) did," and the Pinnacle guy said "Oh no, we couldn't do that, management will suspend us if we start writing stuff up."
I wouldn't be surprised if a management pilot came in and did the flight, but I can't believe they got another line guy to take the plane after it had just been refused. Couldn't he find something else to write up? They can suspend one guy, but they can't suspend every guy. (I'm not insinuating this was some kind of job action by the pilot, but that management could be trying to punish that sort of thing)
I wouldn't be surprised if a management pilot came in and did the flight, but I can't believe they got another line guy to take the plane after it had just been refused. Couldn't he find something else to write up? They can suspend one guy, but they can't suspend every guy. (I'm not insinuating this was some kind of job action by the pilot, but that management could be trying to punish that sort of thing)
#127
#128
#129
he is the captain of the airplane. he refused the airplane. end of story. why all this BS about hand flying and this and that and weather and shoulda/coulda/woulda. HE REFUSED THE AIRPLANE! HIS WORD IS GOLD! HES THE CAPTAIN!
#130
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