minimwage4

Uhhhhhhhh our performance is atrocious...

Uhhhhhhhh we need everyone to do their best...

Uhhhhhhhhhh we need to raise our performance numbers so they would buy our product...

Uhhhhhhhhh we're looking for more flying.

Ughhhh anyone have anything to add?

Ughhh ok thanks for joining us today.

turbinepic

I can only comment on what I've seen since I've been with TSA. (orginal 121 new-hire, Aug. 2007) (oh, and btw... NOT ex-Comair :-)
Now that I'm an FO again, I find myself sitting in the cockpit, nearly every single flight, waiting for something to do. I have done everything I can do without paperwork. Funny thing is, only CA can print paperwork at TSA. What a stoopid policy! What a waste of time! I worked for a Delta carrier prior to TSA. Every time we pulled up to a gate the gate agent was there, waiting for us with paperwork in hand. I thought it was SOP, but looking back, it saved soooooo much time! Now I twiddle my fingers in the cockpit while I wait for CA to go find a working printer and come back with paperwork so I can finish my pre-flight duties. Really? On a 24 minute turn we're gonna send the CA on a paperwork printer goose chase? The other thing I've noticed is that, at TSA, the last thing the CA wants to do is close the door. All passengers boarded? Check. Paperwork in hand? Check. "OMG, DON'T CLOSE THE FREAKIN' DOOR!!!!!!" Why not? What are we waiting for? Do we really need to wait to plug everything into the FMS before we close and drop the brake? Really? Why? So many times I've heard, "Oh well, looks like we're gonna be late again." I'm sorry to say it, (because I know I'll get chit) but Delta instilled an environment of, "On-time Airline." No one at TSA cares about on-time performance. PAX boarded with paperwork in hand? Close the freakin' door!!!!! Drop the brake and get this show on the road. The 5% of the time we have to open again and kick someone off is insignificant. But the on-time performance will increase drastically. Frustrated...

RodJohnson

^^^^^^ 100% right!

FlyingKat

Paperwork issue is a United thing. Their management feels printing out the paperwork will overload the gate agents (no kidding). Most of the Captains I've worked with are very time conscious so I don't know what you're talking about there. There are a few who don't but then everybody has their 15%.....

ArcherDvr

AviHaters

You don't want to be super eager closing the door for a few reasons. One is the constant battle with W&B and forward CG. Load up 50 or 50+jumpseat and you could easily need ballast with light bag load. And some stations are low, and even out of ballast. Explain your on-time, out of compliance brake drop when you have to kick a pax off.

There's nothing preventing the FO from getting paperwork. I have done in multiple times if I had to go inside for some reason. Just tell the CA.

FlyingKat

Well said...

CBreezy

TSA has ACARS, right? You've got 90% of the things you need right there. PDC will have at least the SID and first 3 fixes on all and, on some, the whole route. You can fill out all but Pax and bags for weight and balance. Really, when you do eventually get your release, all you should have to do is finish entering the flight plan(maybe) and winds aloft.

As was said earlier, those 50-seaters can be weight restricted. Ever been somewhere and have a gate agent fill you up and ignore the restriction? I have. If you're closed up with the brake dropped, you're going to have a fun time explaining why you returned to the gate to kick off 2 pax and an even harder time getting a gate agent to come down to do it. If you don't let them leave until w/b is verified, you have far fewer problems.

TBucket

This pretty much covers it. If you've ever had any dealings with the STL FSDO, you know how much they would LOVE to talk to you about you closing the door and dropping the brake before you knew the airplane was within balance/weight limitations.

DENpilot

Please. Point to the reg that says exactly that. If such a regulation existed, most airlines would be out of compliance on almost every flight. United gets their W+B on taxi out.