How to talk to an airline pilot.

[Ed Cesnalis]

There was lots of traffic this morning and I was approaching along with 2 others, one a Q400 Horizon Air flight with a lady pilot on the radio. There was departing traffic too, 2 of us were using niner and 2 landed 27.

 

Horizon's initial call included a 2 minute pause before she informed us that she was on the Rnav, GPS approach maneuvering. I changed the map type on my EFIS so I could see the approach fixes and I realized that I too was on the GPS approach and maneuvering so I reported my position and intentions.

 

All 4 of us were making calls and I knew were everyone was and what they were doing except for Horizon, her calls were all ambiguous. Finally I said 'Horizon, say position, altitude heading and intentions'

 

Do airline pilots get training for landing at uncontrolled fields? What would it consist of? In this case the pilot made 4 calls, 2 relative to an approach she was flying and 2 relative to a lake without naming the lake, with many lakes in the area. None of the 4 calls revealed her position or intentions they were more nonsensical.

 

Decades ago, in my fat ultralight I learned how to hide out in the steep and high terrain on the wrong side of the field to keep safe from faster traffic until I had a spot to fit in. I'm beginning to do the same with my CT.

[Duane Jefts]

CT

 

Airline pilots do get uncontrolled field training but very seldom do it. Horizon is a different outfit - I would count them as a commuter airline which is a whole different level of experience. The experience level at which a minority (girl) can get hired is quiet low. You may have more time in your CT than she has total. Best to do as you suggested, hide out until you see an opening.

[sandpiper]

CT

 

Airline pilots do get uncontrolled field training but very seldom do it. Horizon is a different outfit - I would count them as a commuter airline which is a whole different level of experience. The experience level at which a minority (girl) can get hired is quiet low. You may have more time in your CT than she has total. Best to do as you suggested, hide out until you see an opening.

 

I'm not sure I agree about the girls. I have a daughter who is now on triple 7's for FedEx. I didn't see anything come easy for her nor did I see any hours reduced because she is a girl. If she got hired someplace by getting a leg up because of her sex, she never got any breaks in required hours or experience. Needed the same experience as any male. Came up thru the ranks as instructor, commuter FO, Commuter Captain on CRJ's, then to FedEx. Maybe Horizon is different but i doubt it.

[Duane Jefts]

I'm not sure I agree about the girls. I have a daughter who is now on triple 7's for FedEx. I didn't see anything come easy for her nor did I see any hours reduced because she is a girl. If she got hired someplace by getting a leg up because of her sex, she never got any breaks in required hours or experience. Needed the same experience as any male. Came up thru the ranks as instructor, commuter FO, Commuter Captain on CRJ's, then to FedEx. Maybe Horizon is different but i doubt it.

Let me clarify - didn't mean to step on any toes. I did some hiring with a major air carrier and there were minority quota's encouraged by the government. Some lesser qualified pilots were hired over more qualified ones. Not saying that was right but it did happen.

 

We had a minimum of 3000 hours and a four year degree required. Horizon has a 1500 hour requirement and a two year degree. I was addressing the lessor requirements to be a pilot with Horizon vs say FEDEX or a major, but I don't have any firsthand knowledge of minority preference with Horizon. I'm sure they would not tell you if there were.

 

I tried to get my two daughters to fly airlines but they had no interest. Congratulations on yours flying FEDEX.

[sandpiper]

 

 

I tried to get my two daughters to fly airlines but they had no interest. Congratulations on yours flying FEDEX.

 

Sometimes strange things happen. We always had a plane. Made numerous trips from AK to lower 48. Never once did she show an interest or ask to sit upfront. Mostly slept. Then, one day when she was in college she told us she had decided to fly jets. Where did that come from? We figured it was just a passing thought. The rest is, as they say, history.

[Jim Meade]

Many 135 and 121 pilots who go right up the ladder and get on early, seem to forget what it is like to fly VFR without any approach plates or even low altitude enroute charts. They talk about VOR A approach or SOLAR inbound or such a fix that the VFR pilot who doesn't know has little way to look up. You did right to remind her to refer to landmarks the VFR pilot knows or can understand. It doesn't hurt to say one is on the over the IOW VOR on the VOR A approach, but say it like "7 south of Iowa City over the IOW VOR, inbound VOR-A approach".