Originally Posted by Grumble

I stand corrected, you are right. Which even more solidifies the point. If your first act as an FO on the first leg of a pairing is to violate the FOM, then don’t be mad at the repercussions.

As with most rules and regs in aviation, they’re usually founded by safety data if not downright written in blood. Even if the brief is just a BS session it serves a purpose for the two pilots to start building a rapport and for the Captain to set the tone. In the jet when your mind should be focused on the task at hand especially on the first leg is not the time and there is plenty of safety and accident data to back up the FOM mandate. The CAs I flew with who don’t meet in the per the FOM were either SCABS (not welcome down there), problem children…. Or had a valid excuse and coordinated it ahead of time. Habitually starting a trip by setting a tone of willful negligence is not a trait anyone should emulate.

Originally Posted by Mr Rumbold

Micro-managers are the worst; I welcome input (especially when it's prefaced with, "this is just technique, but I find doing this helps...") , but those that tell you what to do for no reason are exasperating.

On long flights, there is no need to fill up 7 hours with non-stop talk. Dead-air is fine.

Honestly as an FO, the biggest thing that drives me nuts is when I'm doing the radios, and they feel the need to tell me what to tell ATC as I'm starting to tell them what I already know to say.
ATC: "flight 123 cross runway 31, taxi via A, do you know your entry point?
Me: "Ok cross runway.....". (CAPT: "TELL HIM WE'RE GOING TO ENTRY POINT 3. AND CONFIRM WE'RE CLEAR TO CROSS 31????" As he's barreling full steam ahead to the cross the runway regardless)
Me: .. loses train of thought , " uhhh, ok clear to cross 31, left on .. Papa?? .. it's entry point 3."
ATC: "flight 123, negative Sir, clear to cross 31, then RIght, RIGHT on ALPHA, to spot 3."
Me.. annoyed and screws up after-landing flows...

Biggest pet-peeve for sure.. most others are just annoyances, sometimes even amusing ones especially when they screw something up and try to cover it up..
Of course, that's really 1% of the people at any airline - most are great although I do notice that CA telling the FO what to say as he's transmitting is bad at many places.

Originally Posted by Margaritaville

United really sounds like a miserble place to work.

Originally Posted by VforVendetta

Also there is our requirement to have a dispatch briefing for a long haul crew. But even that's a leftover of the olden days and unnecessary. I've done long haul flying without dispatch holding my hand and giving me a hug before launch. If there's anything dispatch needs to tell you that's not already in dispatch package or as a crew you need help deciphering it, we've got problems. But of course FOM requires this one so we do it.

Originally Posted by jdavk

It isn’t, unless you actually believe forum trolls.

Originally Posted by JoePatroni

This. COLOSSAL waste of everyone’s time, a simple “call dispatch” in the remarks would suffice if something out of the ordinary is up.

Originally Posted by C11DCA

I disagree.

The flight is a shared responsibility between the dispatcher and the PIC/crew. Given the complexities many of our routes regarding airspace it important that everyone is on the same page regarding the safe operation of the flight and that voice call offers the final opportunity before sign off to adjust or be informed as needed. And depending on the timing, the dispatcher who did the OFP may no longer even be the active dispatcher for the flight.

Is there a difference between doing DUB and TLV or DEL? For sure. But rather then trying to remember which flights need to call dispatch or not, much easier to just make them all mandatory. It's not hard or a waste of time.

Originally Posted by JoePatroni

A routine Atlantic flight to Europe is the same thing 99% of the time, I don’t even remember the last time I heard something in a briefing I didn’t already know about the flight. Listen to the majority of briefings, almost all are on speakerphone, and it’s the same thing over and over. Going to Dubai or Tel Aviv…100% worth a phone call…anywhere in Western Europe on a normal day…waste of time. Just my opinion.

We did it for years without a phone call and a fraction of the available info we have now without a problem, I don’t think it was just dumb luck. If guys don’t want to read NOTAM’s, weather, etc and want it spoon fed…then by all means call.

Originally Posted by Broncofan

I agree with most of what you said. However I don’t mind the whole gate vs FPA thing. The book says FPA unless directed otherwise from the CA so that’s just what I expect. Not a red flag.

Originally Posted by JoePatroni

I like the guys who give a fifteen minute gate PA about a thirty minute flight. Of course, the first five minutes of their PA is their resumé.

Originally Posted by kevin18

I was on reserve deadheading in while a probie and the CA wanted to meet 1:15 prior to push at the FPA. Thankfully my DH didn’t get in in time for that. Big surprise, worst dude I’ve flown with to date….