Airline Command is aimed at the prospective airline Commander or Captain who will shortly begin either an upgrade course from First Officer or will soon be appointed as Captain by their employer.
Much of the material is targeted at modern civilian airliners, although with suitable modification smaller commuter airliner or charter Commanders can still use the underlying principles. In fact, any Captain, civil or military, of any aircraft can use the basic principles contained here.
While this is the primary group of individuals targeted by this blog, current Commanders can also use the guiding principles to refine and improve their Command skills. Other airline crew members (Second Officers and First Officers who do not have an upcoming upgrade) will also benefit from assimilating the knowledge and beginning to apply the skills in their normal Line Flights. Future Commanders can then observe how their current Captain leads, manages, organises and flies Line Flights – they are then free to choose the best of traits and discard the worst, which they can then start to meld into their own unique style of Command.
Current Trainers (those who train Command Trainees) may also benefit from refreshing themselves with these contents. It may remind them of the stresses and challenges that Trainees will face during Command Training.
Future Commanders should be in no doubt over the vastly increased responsibilities and wide scope of power that Command authorizes them with (legally, practically, technically, ethically and morally). Depending on your employer, a Commander may be described as:
Unlike most modern managerial positions in ground based companies, Aircraft Commanders are charged with the safe and efficient operation of a piece of machinery sometimes worth tens of millions of dollars. In addition he is responsible for the health and safety of the crew and all the passengers (sometimes several hundred), most of which are complete strangers. The aviation environment is constantly changing and the time scales involved for crucial decision making are often measures in the seconds or in extreme cases milli-seconds. Not too many company executives are required to make individual, isolated, multi-million dollar decisions in a split second, which can affect hundreds of people instantly with no chance of conferring with superiors or specialists. As an Aircraft Commander the “Buck (truly) Stops Here”.
Developing your Command qualities and skills should have happened well before you are required to use them. An ineffective Commander can at best barely handle a major disruption and at worst can turn it into a disaster (for himself, his crew, the passengers and the Airline).
Most airline Command Courses, while not implicitly teaching Command skills, focus heavily on those skills displayed by Captains under training. You can be sure that even if you can fly and operate the aircraft to a high standard but cannot effectively lead a crew and passengers and manage the aircraft operation that you will fail any Command Course. This is one of the most common causes of candidates failing airline Command upgrades – lack of Command skills.
Most airlines expect their future Command Trainees to possess these Command skills prior to commencing the Command upgrade Course. While your flying and operating skills of the aircraft as a First Officer are assessed during various regulatory Simulator, Training or Line Check flights, very little emphasis is usually given to Command skills. Most Command Trainees “learn through osmosis” – they learn and absorb Command skills from observing and interacting with all the previous Commanders they have come into contact with.
This blog intends to rectify this paucity of Command skills training by setting out some Command skills building blocks. It also endeavours to not only tell you what to do, but how to do it.
While this information does not guarantee that you will automatically become an effective Commander by reading it, it does have the essential building blocks, which if diligently applied, will certainly increase the probability that you will become an effective Commander. These building blocks of characteristics, skills and traits need to be honed and developed as a First Officer prior to Command upgrade Training. Only then will you have developed your effective and unique Command style to bring into the Command upgrade process.
NOTES:
Throughout this blog the terms Commander and Captain are used interchangeably – they mean the same thing.
Masculine terms in this blog, such as he, him or his also imply the female gender. This is not ment as a slight against the female of the species - it's just that I'm too lazy to type (s)he, him/her...you get the picture.
This information is intended as a guide to individuals developing Command characteristics, skills and traits. Ensure you read the DISCLAIMER.
Much of the material is targeted at modern civilian airliners, although with suitable modification smaller commuter airliner or charter Commanders can still use the underlying principles. In fact, any Captain, civil or military, of any aircraft can use the basic principles contained here.
While this is the primary group of individuals targeted by this blog, current Commanders can also use the guiding principles to refine and improve their Command skills. Other airline crew members (Second Officers and First Officers who do not have an upcoming upgrade) will also benefit from assimilating the knowledge and beginning to apply the skills in their normal Line Flights. Future Commanders can then observe how their current Captain leads, manages, organises and flies Line Flights – they are then free to choose the best of traits and discard the worst, which they can then start to meld into their own unique style of Command.
Current Trainers (those who train Command Trainees) may also benefit from refreshing themselves with these contents. It may remind them of the stresses and challenges that Trainees will face during Command Training.
Future Commanders should be in no doubt over the vastly increased responsibilities and wide scope of power that Command authorizes them with (legally, practically, technically, ethically and morally). Depending on your employer, a Commander may be described as:
The person ultimately responsible for the legal, safe and effective operation of the aircraft, crew members, passengers and cargo.Responsibilities include pre-flight planning, unscheduled, rescheduled, delayed and diverted flights, passenger and cargo handling, economical and effective operation of the aircraft and compliance with the relevant laws, regulations and procedures (both the operation of the flight and the crew members and passengers on that flight). It is almost certain that you will lose your Command (if not your job) if you or any of your subordinates seriously compromise any legal aspect or safety of flight and you will certainly be invited “up for a chat” with management if you do not operate a flight effectively.
Unlike most modern managerial positions in ground based companies, Aircraft Commanders are charged with the safe and efficient operation of a piece of machinery sometimes worth tens of millions of dollars. In addition he is responsible for the health and safety of the crew and all the passengers (sometimes several hundred), most of which are complete strangers. The aviation environment is constantly changing and the time scales involved for crucial decision making are often measures in the seconds or in extreme cases milli-seconds. Not too many company executives are required to make individual, isolated, multi-million dollar decisions in a split second, which can affect hundreds of people instantly with no chance of conferring with superiors or specialists. As an Aircraft Commander the “Buck (truly) Stops Here”.
I could be President of Sikorsky for six months before they found me out, but the President would only have my job for six seconds before he'd kill himself. (Walter R. 'Dick' Faull, Test Pilot)For the majority of time as a Commander, Captains are not required to use the full extent of their powers. An effective Commander is able to fulfil his role successfully and appear to be doing little! However, there will come times when the full extent of the responsibilities and powers of Command are required (e.g. major aircraft emergencies, unruly passengers or diversion and unscheduled services with no ground handling agent).
Developing your Command qualities and skills should have happened well before you are required to use them. An ineffective Commander can at best barely handle a major disruption and at worst can turn it into a disaster (for himself, his crew, the passengers and the Airline).
Most airline Command Courses, while not implicitly teaching Command skills, focus heavily on those skills displayed by Captains under training. You can be sure that even if you can fly and operate the aircraft to a high standard but cannot effectively lead a crew and passengers and manage the aircraft operation that you will fail any Command Course. This is one of the most common causes of candidates failing airline Command upgrades – lack of Command skills.
Most airlines expect their future Command Trainees to possess these Command skills prior to commencing the Command upgrade Course. While your flying and operating skills of the aircraft as a First Officer are assessed during various regulatory Simulator, Training or Line Check flights, very little emphasis is usually given to Command skills. Most Command Trainees “learn through osmosis” – they learn and absorb Command skills from observing and interacting with all the previous Commanders they have come into contact with.
This blog intends to rectify this paucity of Command skills training by setting out some Command skills building blocks. It also endeavours to not only tell you what to do, but how to do it.
While this information does not guarantee that you will automatically become an effective Commander by reading it, it does have the essential building blocks, which if diligently applied, will certainly increase the probability that you will become an effective Commander. These building blocks of characteristics, skills and traits need to be honed and developed as a First Officer prior to Command upgrade Training. Only then will you have developed your effective and unique Command style to bring into the Command upgrade process.
NOTES:
Throughout this blog the terms Commander and Captain are used interchangeably – they mean the same thing.
Masculine terms in this blog, such as he, him or his also imply the female gender. This is not ment as a slight against the female of the species - it's just that I'm too lazy to type (s)he, him/her...you get the picture.
This information is intended as a guide to individuals developing Command characteristics, skills and traits. Ensure you read the DISCLAIMER.
Relevant procedures contained in Company Operations Manuals and Documentation, and Statutory and Legal requirements of the country of your Airline or your Pilot’s License have precedence over material in this blog and shall take precedence.
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