Aviation Etiquette – Crucial Concepts for Confined Workspaces

Many pilots may not have experienced the joys and sorrows of working in a normal office environment but never the less they need to learn that many of the same manners are needed for successful piloting in a multi-pilot or single pilot space, particularly if passengers are close by.

Did you do most of your flying solo or as single pilot? Working together has many CRM aspects often discussed in flight training, but not much has been said about how to improve or maintain good interpersonal relations with other pilots as well as your passengers. Professional Standards committees at airlines are charged with the duty of advising (or chastising) pilots on how to deal with issues that bare on pilot professionalism. ProStan has the inside track and what you should be doing, but all too often your first contact with them is when you screw up…and likely you don’t even know you what it is you did or when you did it.

Maybe you’re like me and got a splash of cold water at the end of my probationary year as a Second Officer at a major airline. Back then, they had no real orientation for female or non-military pilots, so it was up to each of us to figure out what the protocol was and how to survive in the airline’s very military-like environment. I didn’t realize many things about being the junior-most pilot in the cockpit and how to deal with often-times cranky and eccentric senior captains. It took me a while, for example, to learn that even though I could quietly slip back to the cabin to get a drink or use the lav, it wasn’t a good idea to leave without clearly announcing my departure lest I be needed in an emergency. So I soon adopted the “I’m going back to get a drink; do either of you (pilots) need anything?” line to clearly advise them of my impending departure from the cockpit.

Other unwritten rules dealt with who signs the roster sheet at the hotel for over nights and in what order. Obviously there was some special pecking order that I knew nothing about and when I got my first glaring look for signing the wrong line, I quickly learned to sign last, given my juniority.

As the years rolled by, I learned the ropes, and came to realize that although there are various types of etiquette for different kinds of office environments, in the cockpit, it really boils down to common courtesy and consideration for your fellow pilot.

Starting with the common workplace niceties are your personal hygiene, speech, actions and mannerisms. Many of these are directly transferable to the cockpit or if you’re in a larger cabin class airplane, to both front and rear work areas of the airplane.

Of primary importance is dressing smart, smelling good, and looking professional so you’re welcomed into the group and not shunned by your co workers. One could write volumes about interpersonal relations, but I’ll just mention a few of the non-personality related issues that we can all learn from.

Sweet smelling (or preferably no smell at all) is VERY important in the confined space of the cockpit, regardless of its size. Daily showers, change of shirts, socks, etc. are essential and may have not been brought up in the “how to be a pilot” manual for your C152.

Many years ago while in the beginning stages of flight instructing, I could barely endure the 1 hour lesson, given the odors coming from the left seat. At the end of the session, I had to tell my new student that since the cockpit was a very small confined space, I’d take a shower daily and use a light fragrance (which if he didn’t like he should tell me) and he, in turn, would do the same. Next day he showed up showered and sweet smelling. Whew…now the fact that he never came back for his 3rd lesson…that’s another story.

Normal workplace odors can be greatly magnified in the small confines of a cockpit. From the reeking of French fries that you brought aboard for lunch to smelling of too much perfume worn by unknowing flight attendants or passengers (if you’re in a charter or instructional situation), all can be very unpleasant and hard to dissipate. The best solution is to prevent the problem before it occurs. Finish your fries before you board and keep your perfume/aftershave to a bare minimum.

We all have to eat sometime, but choosing the time carefully and inquiring of the other crewmember if it’s OK with them, often can save you lots of grief. Keep your picnic layout to a minimum and consider the problems associated with eating smelly foods (onions can make the cockpit reek for some time) which might better be consumed at the time of purchase.

It should be obvious the problems that can arise when food or drink is spilled on workplace surfaces in the cockpit. Careful planning will avoid a dangerous situation like the one I had while shooting an approach to LAX. Having spilled just a few drops of water onto the range selector for the FMC (Flight Management Computer) I was horrified to see my glass HSI screen totally filled with every intersection within a 50 mile radius, completely blocking the course information I needed to view and making it impossible to fly the approach. Quickly ‘fessing up, I told the Copilot it was necessary for him to fly the approach and landing, saving the day. Fortunately things were back to normal once we reached the gate where I did confess my sins to maintenance and asked them to check it out. Heat gun in hand, they arrived to fix the problem and thanked me for my honesty. Plain water, they said, can be dried quickly. Sticky substances like soda or sugared coffee are an expensive hassle, mandating to the remove and replace solution.

Keeping your workplace neat and leaving it orderly for the next crew is important. Consideration of those sitting behind you, or luggage stored in tight spaces is also important. Clear handwriting for ATIS or clearance copying as well as paper shuffling in the manner approved by the captain rather than something you have invented. Crumpling up all your Jeppesen revisions and throwing them into a limited size communal cockpit trashbag can quickly fill it to capacity, while stacking old pages neatly, returning them to the revision envelope for a neat, low profile disposal works much better and keeps annoyances to a minimum.

Much of what I’m describing should be obvious, common sense interpersonal skills, but then I’m also guilty of not knowing when I started my multi-pilot career some specific points of the protocol that seems to have developed with multi-crew flying.

Many of us make mistakes we don’t even now we’re making…and that many others won’t tell you…unless you ask. Asking is hard, so better to learn about what’s proper and what will get you a “see me” from the chief pilot, or a place on the “do not fly with” list.

Aviation full of traditions from cutting of shirt tails for newly soloing students, to strict sign-in procedures for crew members checking into hotels for a layover. Learning how it’s done is akin to developing a new set of rules of the road. If you’re not sure, ask how it’s done or whether the other pilot(s) have a preference. Best show your ignorance and demonstrate your willingness to learn, rather than put your foot in your mouth or make a soon-to-be-regretted mistake that will earn you the wrath of pilots for years to come.

Preparation, preparation, preparation

Preparation is the most crucial ingredient of being successful in aviation. Be your goal passing a check ride or landing that first flying job, preparation is fundamental to your ability to succeed. Indeed, from flight instructors to hiring managers, I’ve heard their laments that students and job applicants alike are arriving at their training or appointed interview sessions woefully unprepared. Why is good preparation so important? Your goal, as a student or job applicant, is to find someone to help you succeed in aviation. Those pilots, instructors, and hiring managers who subscribe to the “pay it forward” theory are looking to help those who have demonstrated that they are prepared, highly value their foothold in aviation and will work hard to move upwards. For me, as a general aviation pilot, Master CFI, and Airline Captain, preparation provides me with the confidence I need to safely and effectively get the job done, be a sim session or live airline flight. So whether you’re enroute to your goal or at the pinnacle of your career, remember that preparation is the key to your continued success. Here are some simple steps I take to ensure I am well prepared: • Review all material to be covered as well as consult any other resources to give you the big picture • Practice “chair flying” all maneuvers to be covered • Write down your questions as you review the material • Preview subsequent material to help you understand current subjects What are your concerns when it comes to preparation? • How do you make sure you are well-prepared for each lesson? • What are your three biggest hurtles to being well prepared? • Does anyone have a story about flying and being prepared (or not?) • What resources do you use to help you prepare for your flying? I’d like to hear from you and hope you’ll write me at captainkarenkahn@cox.net .

Backseat iPilot Tests iEFB

Recently I had a chance to do some back-seat flying…as a passenger enroute to pick up my airplane after its annual inspection. The hour’s flight to Madera, CA gave me a good opportunity to play with my new iPad2 and the iEFB App for the iPad v 4.1. www.flightguide.com

Since I’m a basic “fly direct” person (that’s all I ever do with my older Trimble GPS), I was interested to see how easily I could modify a basic flight plan which had been previously entered in the program’s memory. Although I may enter a flight plan to give me that “line on the chart” (which I see as a basic security blanket, left over from my Private Pilot cross country days) I usually end up asking my nav equipment, whatever it may be (an old King KNS80 RNAV that came with my airplane when I bought it in 1994, to a Trimble TNL2000 VFR only GPS which I still have) to take me from point A to B.

If I get off course, due to winds, traffic or weather, I’d like to proceed from my present position direct to Point B. So this was my goal in testing the new iEFB (v. 4.1) from Flight Guide. After some practice (I’ll admit I printed out the instruction guide and kept it handy as my backseat journey progressed) I found the “go there from here” to be easier as I got used to pressing my finger on the appropriate spot, adding that fix (be it navaid, fix, airport or just a lat/long) and changing my course (that lovely magenta line) to go there, poste haste.

What really delighted me was a feature I’ve always wanted, ever since I became a CFII and tried to demystify the IFR world for VFR pilots. Reading an IFR approach chart is one skill, but being able to visualize where those fixes actually are, where that intersection is with reference to the ground beneath you (assuming a VFR day) was, I thought, the key, to helping an IFR student make sense of the cloudy world of airways, fixes, radials, courses, terminal routes, intersections, etc.

Now the iEFB chart overlay feature, which allows you to display an IFR chart directly on top of a current sectional is truly amazing. The semi-transparency of the chart allows you to clearly see the terrain beneath those fixes and suddenly, that IFR chart takes on a real-world understanding!

This “back seat” flight in a 1972 V34B Bonanza was piloted by an experienced IFR pilot with a new Private Pilot (who was working on her instrument rating) in the right seat. Both of them were as excited as I was to see the display of the two chart regimes, IFR and VFR, combined to give one excellent picture of where we were and where we were going…and it was geo-referenced, to boot!

The experienced IFR PIC was delighted to see a combined presentation that saved him from jumping back and forth from Sectionals to Approach charts, while the eyes of the new pilot lit up with understanding as she “saw” the fixes come to life on a sectional chart. It gave new meaning to the “plan ahead” warnings issued by all instructors who fear their student’s tunnel vision will completely overcome their situational awareness.

Now, with iEFB chart overlays, you can have instant positional awareness and plan/fly accordingly. Shuffling pages/charts becomes a thing of the past as you “see” your IFR approach plate on the seamless sectional and immediately sequence your IFR duties according to what you see as you watch your airplane progress toward your destination. Way cool, IMHO!

Travel Product Reviews Coming Soon

Hello everybody, I hope the new year is going well!

I'm getting some great new travel products to review. Right now, I'm also looking for good travel blankets, now that most airlines don't supply them. Any samples out there which you'd like tested? Let me know.

12 Tips for Avoiding Unnecessary Holiday Stress

As we head toward the holidays, I am sure thousands, if not millions, of people nationwide are beginning to stress about their holiday travel plans. Air travel can be daunting. No matter how much experience you have had with it, the hassle and worry associated with navigating a bustling airport and enduring a long flight tends to weigh heavy on travelers’ minds.

From the unwanted elbows and comments from tightly packed neighbors to the numerous check-in, security and boarding lines, stress is a constant for most people flying during the holiday season. As a frequent traveler myself, I am here to tell you with a little planning, air travel can be enjoyable, even relaxing.

The key to avoiding travel stress is organization. Do yourself a favor, follow my 12 tips and you will fly with peace of mind and avoid more grief than you can imagine

What to bring with you

Your choice of gear can make the difference between a relaxing getaway in the sky, and a seemingly endless stay in a sardine can.

1) Carry a comfortable neck pillow (I like Talus' HedBed) to use as either a low back or neck support. Label it with your name and cell phone number, just in case you mislay it.

2) Carry soft foam earplugs (or use my favorite Clarity Aloft noise cancelling headset which combines the foam earplugs with a high quality headset) to eliminate noisy seatmates.

3) When flying, wear slip-on shoes (for easy security removal) that have room for your feet to swell in-flight.

4) Carry an empty water bottle, which you can fill inside of security and save the cost of buying expensive airport bottled water.

5) Take snacks (dried fruit, protein bars, jerky) in individual plastic bags. Any excess should be carried in the original unopened packaging if travelling to a foreign country where sealed packages for personal use are usually allowed.

6) Take reading material you can discard along the way to lighten your load. Magazines and must-read paperwork that you do not have to return home are good candidates for travel reading.

Security

What should be as simple as taking off one’s shoes has the ability to cause more stress and wasted time than any other step in the flying process. Don’t be afraid of the security line – plan ahead!

7) Plan your travel togs to exclude any large metal buckles, bracelets, necklaces or pins to keep metal detector gymnastics to a minimum

8) Place your bags on the x-ray conveyor belt in the order you want to reattach (stack) them. That's suitcase first, then briefcase, then computer inside the security bin, then shoes and jacket/purse in the last bin.

Don’t Forget
Before you leave your house, know where all of your important paperwork is. Stay organized and you will minimize your worries.

9) When you make your reservation; keep a list of alternative flights, just in case your flight is late or cancels.

10) When flying internationally or when you have more than one connecting flight, be sure you have on-going boarding passes for the second leg of your journey. Know your connecting gate and recheck the monitors at your intermediate stop to be sure the gate has not changed.

11) Always check for your passport, wallet, tickets, purse, and identification before you move from any long-seated location (boarding area, airplane seat, car, bus, etc.).

Once You’re in the Air

12) After takeoff, remove your carry-on bag from under the seat in front of you and place it behind your legs. Now you can stretch out and relax.

Following these tips will help you ensure a smoother, more carefree journey and leave you free to worry about more important issues.

Have a safe and enjoyable trip!