1. Who makes the decision to board the plane and wait on the tarmac vs. wait at the gate and board when delays have cleared? Pilot? ATC? Company?
2. During delays, particularly when waiting on the tarmac, some pilots are very forthcoming about what is going on, what they know and don't know, and when to expect updates while others say very little. Does UA issue guidelines to pilots for providing information during delays or is it entirely at the pilot's discretion?
Thanks for the opportunity to ask questions. I think all of us appreciate this new group of pilots adding their perspective to FT.
1) Depends. Sometimes the agent and airport need the plane off the gate to allow another jet arriving to get its passengers off the plane. Sometimes the pilot wants to get off the gate to get in line to takeoff, otherwise you just fall further and further back. It really is situation dependent.
2) Pilot's discretion. United espouses giving passengers good information, some captains are more talkative than others. If you want more info, ask the F/A and she will pass it up to the captain and maybe he will speak more.
Thanks so much to the OP for taking the initiative to start this thread. I think waterfalls123 will be surprised by how many questions we have, even as frequent flyers. I hope that other UA pilots feel free to chime in as well.
Here's my question for now- how do you guys feel about visits to the cockpit before the flight? I know some days you're busier than others, which makes it tough, but what's your general view of a passenger sticking their head in the cockpit to say "hi" before the flight?
My personal opinion is I love it. I always visited the cockpit as a kid, and I caught the flying bug. Always happy to talk with kids or customers as long as we have time.
No, otherwise why would we put up with the days/months away from our families and holidays? Why put up waking up in cities you can't remember where you are? Why deal with all-night flying and multiple time zones, mad passengers and agents. We do it because it is our job, and most of us wanted to do it for a long time. It hasn't turned into the job I always wanted as a kid, but hopefully one day it is a well-paying respected job again.
First a big thank you to all the pilots who have come onto FT. Whatever your perspective, it's great for us regular passengers to hear your points of view. Thank you for opening this channel of communication.
It's obvious many (if not most or even all) pilots would like Tilton & The Pirates out of management. As would most of us passengers.
It's also obvious that UA is looking for airline consolidation, whether by being acquired, acquiring another, or being broken up.
What do the pilots want to happen to UA?
* Stay independent with new management?
* Acquire another airline? If so, which one?
* Be acquired by another airline? If so, which one?
* Be split up?
* None of the above?
Love to hear your perspectives on this. Both in general, and on specific possibilities like the oft-mentioned CO/UA or DL/UA rumors.
What's the preferred scenario for you? Thanks!
My druthers would be to remain independent and become a major force in the airline industry. However, we have the worst management team in the industry and maybe the country, so I would be willing to merge with another airline if we got their management. Mergers are never good and easy, inspite of what the charts say. Look at US Air, their pilot groups are suing each other.
Breaking up United is my worst fear. It destroys the name of a respected worldwide airline, destroys the jobs of over 80,000 employees and many more companies that deal with United.
Are there any differences to you between flying UA mainline and flying TED flights? Does the increased percentage of time consumed by takeoff and landing make it more enjoyable since you get to do something, or does the ability to travel to farther destinations (even if you only see them for a day) trump that?
What is UA's policy on pilot turnaround time? How long do you get to stay at a destination before doing your next flight? Does UA generally hold to these minimum times, or do you get more than minimum layovers on average?
Thanks again!
1) No differences in flying for us between TED and mainline United. I really don't have a preference between the two, same jet same destinations. I like Vegas, so TED only goes there.
2) Layover times vary throughout our trips. One day we'll layover in San Fran for 19 hours, and the next day layover in Orlando for 12 hours. It just varies and we have minimum layover times based on how much we flew that day.
I've heard from my uncle (a retired UA 747 pilot) and others that UA's policy is to climb out 'hot'. After experiencing a few other carriers lately, I've noticed that UA planes seem to get to altitude faster. Can someone explain what the differences are in rate of climb, flight times, and overall operational efficiencies between slower and faster climbs? How much discretion does the FAA give on rate of climb? How much discretion does the individual crew have on rate of climb on UA?
United planes climb out based on the cost index we set in our computers. It depends on the headwinds or tailwinds we may have at takeoff. If a tailwind, we'll climbout at a higher climbrate to get to altitude quicker and take advantage of the winds. If we are going into a headwind, we will climb at a faster airspeed so that we cover more ground during the climb before we get up into the higher headwinds. There is not hard and fast climb speed, depends on weights, temp, winds, stuff like that. Faa doesn't care about our climb rates as long as we give them at least 500 feet per minute climb. Sometimes they want a faster rate due to traffic, and they tell us that.
From the pilot's perspective, do you prefer having the same plane for the day/trip or is it better to move between aircraft during your shift to lend variety or something else?
Oh that one is easy, prefer the same jet all day if possible. Much easier and quicker to turn the jet not having to walk through a concourse and change planes. Doesn't happen very often at United.
Fresh You mentioned that you have flown 737s, A320s and have trained for the 757/767.
At UA are you ultimately the person who decides what type of aircraft you fly or is that a Company decision? Do you work your way up through the fleet so to speak or choose your preferred aircraft and train on others as you see fit?
Thanks!
It is all based on seniority. If the company has an opening, they post it and those pilots not on a freeze (after you train on a plane, you have a 3 year freeze before you can move again) bid on that equipment. Those senior get the plane and seat they bid. That is why seniority is so important to pilots and why just leaving for someplace else is not usually an option.
I am a window flyer with channel 9. On a few occassions I have notcied what I uncomfortably. ignorantly considered a problem.
Two examples: a 737 taking off from Dallas a few years ago and noticed the flaps and front spoilers (?) were not extended as we began to roll down the runway and know this caused an accident in Detroit 20 years ago. We started down the runway and half way down threw on the brakes. After a return to the runway, the flaps were extended and took off. On a recent flight I happened to notice 4 (of maybe 12) rivets where the engine and wing (skin) attach were missing.
Should the pilot be told in either case or should we passengers assume these are known problems?
Great thread!
If you are an aviation person and notice something amiss, your life is on the line as well. Please ask the question of the FA and she will pass it up to the crew. We have safety precautions to keep something like you mentioned from happening, thus the aborted takeoff. If you see yourself taking the runway without any flaps out, I would ask the question. Some planes may takeoff without flaps down due to a mechanical deferral and this is planned for. No way for you to know.
Pilots, when you get approved for the visual approach, do you still use the ILS if available anyway?
thanks!
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It is United's SOP to use an instrument approach to the planned landing runway to back us up on a visual approach. Thus, you haven't seen us land at the wrong airport or runway ala Continental Airlines.
Ques: Why is it that some pilots land ever so gently while there are also instances of the opposite kind? I've noticed this with the 747s ... some touchdowns are hardly noticeable, while there's no mistaking the impact of the wheels other times!
Cheers!
My landings are always smooth!! Just kidding. It depends on so many variables. Winds, plane weight, runway type, just plane good landing that day.
Some aircraft have different types of trucks (ie wheels). Single wheel types like the airbus or 737 are easier to get smooth touchdowns on. Dual or more trucks like 767 and 777 are harder because the gear hang down at an angle and when you touch down, they kind of go kathump all at once onto the runway.
We may be landing in a 30 knot crosswind in bad weather and thump it down. We're high fiving in the cockpit for the great approach and landing while you are probably thinking what a stinky landing. It is all perspective.
two in the flight deck-1 capt (4 stripes & scrambled eggs) and 1 f/o (3 stripes) and obviously both are f/d certified so either one can fly the a/c.
when a capt comes over the p/a and gives his/her greeting etc but mentions that the f/o is "doing the driving", is the f/o actually in the left seat? in the old days, not all flight decks were equal with instrumentation on both sides so the one driving actually had to sit in the left seat.
also, in line with my question, when is the decision made as to who drives? pre-flight briefing room or right up to sitting down and can you decide at the last minute, "honey i don't feel like driving today so you do it".
so are your fingers tired yet-the way this thread is going, you're gonna be an evangelist before you know it
The captain always sits in the left seat, the F/O in the right seat. When one is "driving", they are just flying that leg. We decide usually on the first leg and switch legs. It can vary depending on how many trips we are doing and to where.
Maybe I don't want to know the answers to these questions, but what is the most dangerous situation to be flying in? I assume take-offs and landing are always a little dicey, but severe turbulence gets my boxers a little less boxy. Similar with high winds on approach. What do I really need to worry about?
Same question related to weather, is snow, ice, rain, wind, or….. more problematic?
Flying in itself is inherently dangerous as they say. That is why flying a safe airline with well trained pilots is a good thing to do. Takeoffs and landings are not dicey if you are well trained and plan for things. We practice in simulators for bad things to happen, so that when they do, we've seen it before. Now, that said, I think anything that happens close to the ground makes it inherently more dangerous, so takeoffs and landings would thus be more dangerous. Turbulence, being further up in the air, would be a lot less dangerous to the aircraft. People might get injured by turbulence, but we don't ever lose aircraft to turbulence. We have limits for winds, snow, ice, thunderstorms, all those nasty things. So again, if well trained pilots should keep you out of situations in which they or the plane are not suited for.
I hope that other UA pilots feel free to chime in as well.
