1. What is your favorite airport for takeoffs and landings?
2. What is your least favorite airport for takeoffs and landings?
Hmmm, I really don't have a favorite airport for takeoffs and landings. I prefer destinations, so I like Vegas and Reno. Washington National is an interesting arrival. I probably dislike La Guardia and Newark the most and that is only because of all the delays we get into there.
Interesting to hear you say that about the 737. I have always thought (at least in my experience,) that 737 landings are always a little rough. 767s are the same, in fact, it always seems my 767 landings are ones where the ship gets crammed onto the runway. I find 777 and 747 landings are always very smooth. (CRappyJets are by far the worst. I guess Canadians don't believe in shock absorbers? Those things are keeping chiropractors in business!)
driver, I flew SFO-PDX last week with a great UA737 captain named Steve Robinson. Real friendly guy, he invited us to turn on Channel 9 and "listen to his funny Oklahoma accent." We talked flying for a few minutes while he was standing in the F galley before pushback. Real pleasure to fly with, and of course, his 737 landing at PDX was smooth as satin sheets. You have some great colleagues on UA.
I know you might not have experience with this, given that UA operates the 737-300 and -500, but: are the newer 737-700/800/900 any easier on the landings? It's pretty much the same gear, but a slightly higher weight, correct?
Actually, the newer generation 737's with the longer wings and winglets are a little tougher to land. When you start to flare a jet, you enter what is called ground effect, where the heat and air coming up from the runway can actually cause lift off the ground and it makes you float. The larger wing 737's with their longer wings pick up that ground effect and can float and float and float, so it makes it a little tougher, not due to weight.
When keeping the same plane, do you do the walk around before each flight or only the first time you fly it for the day?
You guys are doing great!!
All pilots are required by the FAR's to do a walk-around before every departure. Only SWA has some sort of agreement with the FAA that if it is the same jet and same crew, they only have to do it once (remember that when you fly them, they don't look at their jet anymore after the first flight that day ) All about quick turning a jet with them.
We do a walk-around before EVERY departure for safety purposes. Rain, snow, sleet, hail or sunshine, we're out doing that walk-around. I especially love those Chicago winter ones with it 5 degrees and 60 mph winds
-What is the format of your checklists? tri-fold? In a spiral bound booklet?
-The FAA and all flight schools teach and emphasize the importance of SRM. It's understandable in the private/instrument rating. However, in the commercial/ATP level I would think that teaching CRM would be better. Pilots entering the airlines now have come from training backgrounds where all the work is done by one person into multi-crew environments. Being a pilot who has made this transition, do you think it would have been more beneficial for CRM to be taught when you were getting your licenses as opposed to after you were hired in training?
Our checklists in the jet is a folding card in the cockpit. It has our checklists, some takeoff and landing data we use, and our Quick Reaction Checklist for major emergencies.
CRM is very important in the airline industry. Every airline does it, but United uses what it calls CLR, Command, Leadership and Responsibility. All our simulator rides and enroute checks are based on checking of CLR and how crews work together to fix issues.
I was once on a flight in which we were hit "on the nose" (per the Captain) by lightning. We knew we were hit, but not for sure, until the Captain came on and told us, probably five (looong) minutes later, that we had been hit, they'd run their checks, and all was fine. (I wondered when their vision came back...)
1) What's vulnerable, if anything, in such a situation?
2) I mistakenly thought we'd have to somehow discharge the charge (a la the helicopter line that my Coast Guard brother used for rescues) or there would be consequences. Why didn't we?
Please don't waste time answering this if the Captain's "and everything checked out fine" is all the answer there is.
Thank you.
1) Really depends on the lighting strike. People are safe, since electrical currents tend to follow a path through the metal parts of the cabin and out the jet. Most lightning strikes end up with just a little hole in the plane where the strike came in and then left. We try to avoid situations where we might get a lighting strike, like flying at the freezing level or in the high cirrus blowoff of thunderstorms. If you get a strike, 99 times out of a 100 nothing serious will happen since there are protections on the plane for electrical spikes.
2) Next time on the plane look on the wings, tail and horizontal stabs. You will see little wicks sticking out in the air. Those are static wicks and they help the plane discharge the static electricity that as generated as it flies through the air. They also help disappate any electrical currents a plane may pick up inflight, ie lightning.
Believe it or not, the guy not flying can be busier than the guy flying. He works all the radios, sets up navaids, works the navigational box, puts out flaps, gear, etc...basically does everything so the guy flying can concentrate on just flying. Once the autopilot is on, the pilot flying can do some of his own stuff.
I'll also chime in my appreciation to the pilots taking time to contribute to this thread.
Last year, I sat next to a UA test pilot based out of Indiana. He was commuting to Florida to test fly a 737 before it was returned to duty. He was great to talk to and it turns out he was qualified to fly all the mainline aircraft. I asked him which was his favorite and he said "it's really fun to fly an empty 757".
So my question for you pilots that are qualified in multiple aircraft types, which one is your favorite and why?
I have flown the 727, 737, 757, 767, and A319 and A320 airplanes at United. I'd say the most fun I've had is the airbus. Flying with a little side stick versus a yoke in front of you is a nice change. It is a fly-by-wire jet, so it is like a little video game in a way, point and click. The 757 was a fun jet for the pilots to fly, lots of power available, although I know it isn't the best plane for passengers on a long haul flight. The 737 was fun somewhat, but ours are so old and dirty now, I always felt I needed a tetanus shot
This thread finally shifted me from lurker to actually join! I have a million questions, but I'll start with a few and be happy with any that you answer!
1. Looking at United's route network internationally, where do you think you should fly that you currently don't? Where do you currently fly, but you think is wasting a plane?
2. Does your relationship with STAR / (or Lufthansa in particular) affect you as pilots at all?
3. What, if any, are you doing to reach out to non-senior management to attempt to get a non-traditional ally? I've seen the picketing at the airport(I'm a compensation consultant, and a former client was a private union at a manufacturing company. This was a very effective strategy, as these people often in labor conflicts are essentially forced into siding with senior management as they are the easiest to cut if needed. It becomes a survival game).
4. Which do you prefer, preferential bidding or lines?
5. How do you feel about the retirement age changing? How many pilots at United would have retired but now will stay? How will that affect how many hours you get?
6. How much compensation should I expect when the IFE isn't working? (kidding, had to poke fun at the people I've been lurking over!)
Thanks again! As a 1K who earns 90% of my miles domestically, I thank you for many safe landings! And as the child of a flight attendant - I certainly have a respect for the lifestyle issues you face. Thank you!
JS
WOW, lots of questions and not alot of time, so let me try real quick.
1) Man, we could fly to so many more places that we don't. We have basically no presence in S. Florida. We fly RJ's into Miami only now. Few flights into big places like W. Palm and Ft Lauderdale. If you look at our European flying versus say Delta, we are very light there and should do more.
2) Star Alliance, or Death Star as we call it, affects us greatly. We used to have more planes and pilots to fly our passengers all over the world. Now United uses other airlines to transport their passengers. Buy a ticket on United, you could end up on Lufthansa or some South American airline going to your destination. Star Alliance may be good for passengers in a way, but it was horrible for the pilot career field.
3) United management has always tried to pit the employee groups against each other. It is hard to get everyone on the same page. They will set up one set of goals for say the station management, and another one for the flight ops that aren't exactly the same. When neither group meets their goals, management blames it on the other group and there you go, a fractured employee group. It is what United wants, always has. A totally unified employee group would be dangerous for this management team.
4) I prefer lines. PBS is a computer nightmare, and unless you are very senior in your fleet, you don't get a lot of good things. Also, with lines, the work was shared much more farely. Now, you have senior pilots with lots of time off and fly the minimum, and junior pilots who work 20 days a month up the maximum allowed by the FARs. I don't find that fair.
5) I personally dislike the age 60 change. Besides halting my career progression now for 5 years, I find it disingenous to suddenly disregard the safety aspects of this. Flying a large jet is a mental job, needing quick wits and quick reactions. An over 60 pilot may have "experience", but does he have the quick wits anymore? When I flew the 767, I flew with many senior pilots getting ready to retire and more than once, had a captain that would tell me the same story 2 or 3 times on a 6 hour transcon flight. That is mental capability slipping and that is what I really worry about. But, that is just my opinion.
6) I guess about the same you get from SWA and Airtran??
Just want to add my deepest thanks to all the pilots who are contributing to this (and other) thread, and to FT'ers who are asking great questions!
My question is about co-workers. There was already a mention (by a non-UA pilot, I believe) about how miserable it can be to sit for eight hours in tiny space with a co-worker who hates his job, I wonder how often that happens to you, UA pilots who clearly love your jobs?
And what do you do when it does happen? Do you just make small talk, sit in silence and ignore them or outright tell them "hey, I love *my* job, so stop complaining and bumming me out!"
I have never sat next to anyone who hates their job. Otherwise they would leave. Pilots work too hard to get to this spot in their careers. Many of us have 20 year military careers, or came up through the regional airlines. This was supposed to be our pinnacle which is why we get so frustrated at times.
Pilots may hate management, but who doesn't at United. We talk about management, politics, flying, layovers, what ever, but no one hates their job. Sometimes the frustration does just too big and folks leave for another airline, but rarely do folks just leave to become a teacher or some other career field, although it does happen.
The only person I totally would ignore and not make small talk on a flight is a scab, but other than that I just don't see the cockpit conflicts you are worried about. Hope that makes you feel better.
Last edited by aluminumdriver; Jan 5, 08 at 11:13 am.
I'm also loving this thread for many reasons. First of all, I love all the information. I also love seeing that it IS possible to have strong union ties, and STILL love your job and serve your customers so well. One does not have to preclude the other. But mostly I love that this thread is already 9 pages long, and there is nary an insult...the tone remains respectful and courteous. Is this a record?
And just a little comment about landings... I flew on my first flight in over 30 years (I know, what in the world am I doing on a FREQUENT flier site?) a few years ago, and I was like a kid experiencing my first Christmas. I was seated between two frequent fliers (neither ever heard of ft) and they were sharing some of my enthusiasm for this flight. I loved the ascent, the service, the clouds and sunshine out of the window, channel 9, and I couldn't wait for the descent and landing. When we did touch down, I was surprised at how smooth it was, (wasn't even sure we actually touched down) and I even said so. One of my frequent flier buddies said, "that wasn't smooth for a united piolot. If it was Delta, it would have been considered a perfect landing, but United pilots are usually even smoother than that." I thought that was interesting, and just thought I'd pass that on to you pilots here.
Great to hear and thanks for flying United. That was probably my landing if it was so smooth
If anyone else has a first flight on United, tell the pilots. Sometimes we carry First Flight Certificates that we can fill out and sign for you. Nice momento.
Programs: UA-1k, HH Silver, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & now a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 10,128
again, what a great thread and thanks to the pilots for their wonderful offer .
time for me to be silly again.....(no comments please )
ok, so if my not yet awake eyes have it right, we are honored (so far ) with 2 ua pilots posting: waterfalls123 & aluminumdriver. i've already asked waterfalls123 so this one goes to aluminumdriver:
where are you based?
what do you drive?
have you become one of my tootsie-pop victims yet?
also, i vote again to make this thread a sticky.
__________________
just my humble opinion but i used to try and stop hockey pucks so what do i know . Nighthawks fans are everywhere
again, what a great thread and thanks to the pilots for their wonderful offer .
time for me to be silly again.....(no comments please )
ok, so if my not yet awake eyes have it right, we are honored (so far ) with 2 ua pilots posting: waterfalls123 & aluminumdriver. i've already asked waterfalls123 so this one goes to aluminumdriver:
where are you based?
what do you drive?
have you become one of my tootsie-pop victims yet?
also, i vote again to make this thread a sticky.
Based in Chicago. Airbus 320 driver. Not a tootsie-pop victim yet.
....Some planes may takeoff without flaps down due to a mechanical deferral and this is planned for. No way for you to know.
This is a v interesting statement because a maintenance-deferred no-flap T/O sounds like you are committing in advance to a no-flap landing, which on the majority of the commercial fleet is not ideal. My guess is that you will NOT see a heavy a/c ever take off no-flap, and I would not hesitate to ask if I were ever in a big a/c that took the runway without some flap extension. In the same breath I must say that I do not think pax need to worry about monitoring flap extension as a safety precaution due to the highly professional crews and the back-up warning systems.
The question: which a/c types will UA permit pilots to fly without operational flaps? Thanks!
You have some great colleagues on UA. 
) All about quick turning a jet with them.
