jetcareers - View Single Post - Engine problems........should we continue?

SteveC · January 15th, 2005, 10:33

One possibility that I see in this situation is that the Captain has actually done some (mental) troubleshooting of the problem, has determined the probable cause of the autofeather (to his satisfaction), confirmed his theory with maintanence, and has not done a good job of communicating the reason for his decision with the FO. If the Captain does a better job of describing his thought process in troubleshooting the cause(s), maybe the FO will feel comfortable with the final decision.

If this is the true circumstance (lots of conjecture on my part here), maybe the FO's response to "Are you all right with that?" is to say "Would you please explain the cause of the autofeather for me again? I'd like to better understand what is happening" or something similar.

It is right to be concerned about "get-home-itis" affecting (effecting?) decision making, but considering that maintenance has apparently concurred with the Captain's decision I would recommend the FO spend some more time trying to get the Captain to verbalize his thought process before disagreeing with the decision. If the FO really understands the Captain's decision making process and still disagrees with it and sees a potential safety problem, then it is time to speak up.

Another possibility is that the Captain may be acting as if the Newbie FO doesn't know anything, or the Captain may be the type that has to "be the boss" and "know all the answers" in the eyes of subordinates, and may feel that his "authority" or "Captainess" will be jepordized by consulting with the FO. This can be a difficult position for the FO and should be handled diplomatically, but always with an eye towards safety. I think that a response of "I'm not comfortable with that decision" could automatically put the Captain on the defensive since it implies that the FO thinks the Captain is making an unsafe decision. The Captain's defensive posture could be exacerbated if he has not fully explained his thought process to the FO. Therefore the better approach is to ask questions from the point of view of trying to learn, not to question his decision (and, by implication, his experience and authority).

Communication is the key.

January 15th, 2005, 10:33	#6
SteveC Ameliorator Join Date: May 2003 Location: GRR Posts: 8,880	Re: Engine problems........should we continue? One possibility that I see in this situation is that the Captain has actually done some (mental) troubleshooting of the problem, has determined the probable cause of the autofeather (to his satisfaction), confirmed his theory with maintanence, and has not done a good job of communicating the reason for his decision with the FO. If the Captain does a better job of describing his thought process in troubleshooting the cause(s), maybe the FO will feel comfortable with the final decision. If this is the true circumstance (lots of conjecture on my part here), maybe the FO's response to "Are you all right with that?" is to say "Would you please explain the cause of the autofeather for me again? I'd like to better understand what is happening" or something similar. It is right to be concerned about "get-home-itis" affecting (effecting?) decision making, but considering that maintenance has apparently concurred with the Captain's decision I would recommend the FO spend some more time trying to get the Captain to verbalize his thought process before disagreeing with the decision. If the FO really understands the Captain's decision making process and still disagrees with it and sees a potential safety problem, then it is time to speak up. Another possibility is that the Captain may be acting as if the Newbie FO doesn't know anything, or the Captain may be the type that has to "be the boss" and "know all the answers" in the eyes of subordinates, and may feel that his "authority" or "Captainess" will be jepordized by consulting with the FO. This can be a difficult position for the FO and should be handled diplomatically, but always with an eye towards safety. I think that a response of "I'm not comfortable with that decision" could automatically put the Captain on the defensive since it implies that the FO thinks the Captain is making an unsafe decision. The Captain's defensive posture could be exacerbated if he has not fully explained his thought process to the FO. Therefore the better approach is to ask questions from the point of view of trying to learn, not to question his decision (and, by implication, his experience and authority). Communication is the key.