Stuck Mic's

[Ragwing]

Southwest Pilot Suspended For Tirade On Frequency

A Southwest pilot who thought he was chatting with his co-pilot was actually talking over the ATC frequency when he made disparaging remarks about flight attendants, lacing his comments with hateful slurs and swearing. A Houston TV station acquired a recording of the March 25 remarks and posted it online this week. On the recording, the pilot said he found 11 out of 12 flight attendants to be unworthy of his dating interest because they were overweight, too old, or gay. At one point, he told his co-pilot, "I don't give a f---. I hate 100 percent of their asses." The conversation, which contained "something to offend almost everyone," according to the KPRC-TV reporter, went on for about two and a half minutes. Southwest has not identified the Houston-based pilot, but said he was suspended without pay and sent to "diversity education," apologized to controllers and co-workers, and has been re-instated.

In a statement issued to the Houston TV station, the FAA said that when the incident occurred, an air-traffic controller in the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center alerted all pilots on the frequency to check for a stuck microphone and said the conversation being broadcast was inappropriate. The FAA sent an audio recording of the conversation to Southwest for further action. The FAA added that it "expects a higher level of professionalism from flight crews." On the full audio excerpt, the controller breaks in to say, "We don't need to hear that." Another pilot pipes in to say, "That was not us!" and added, "And they wonder why airline pilots have a bad reputation."

Tirade available here http://www.click2houston.com/video/28313494/index.html

UGH, diversity training again......
I sure don't want to see how the flight attendants treat this captain..... Even though he deserves it.
Just imaging a stuck mic on the PA system.

[Rooster Cruiser]

Yikes!!!   


You would think that once a fella makes captain on board a 737 he would know which mike position is intercom and which one is transmit!    

RC

[Ragwing]

It is not part of any training that I have seen, but as part of my scan, I always check the transmit light.

[Baradium]

Always gotta assume someone's going to hear that you say.  

Of course, they always try to transmit "stuck mike" on the frequency.  If your mike is stuck, you aren't going to hear a thing on the frequency anyway.


On the plane I fly the radio does show a TX when you are transmitting, but a lot of boeings don't seem to have any indication.

[FlyboyGil]

Yeah bad on his mic and all, but all guys talk like that! We all like the younger hotter women, no matter what occupation you're in! We all talk like that amongst ourselves. We don't want the old bigger ones, we want the younger hotter ones!! The only bad thing is, he said over the open air. And they sent him to Sensitivity Training. If they send him, they should send about 90% of the male population!

[Mike]

It is not part of any training that I have seen, but as part of my scan, I always check the transmit light.

boy, that's good advice Ragwing! I'll make this part of my scan from now on.

Not that I talk like that exactly but like Gilly said, we're guys and we all think the same. I can think of a lot of conversations I had in the cockpit I wouldn't want to transmit on Approach..... 

[Ragwing]

Mike,
It is NOT solely a male problem.
It is just that we are complained about more then we complain about women.
We all hear about men who beat their wives.  I had to help a mail co-worker who's wife beat him.
Most guys would never admit it.

I had a woman on the other side of my cubical (fabric walls between us).

I and Roberta my female engineer could hear some very interesting conversations.
Who is doing who, who is having an affair, female medical issues, etc.
Every so often, Roberta and I would look at each other, feel really embarrassed even looking at each other and concentrate on our computers and not look at each other for the next hour.
Nobody has ever complained to HR about this woman. 

I forwarded the article and recording to an Airframe manufacturer HR woman that I work with (hint, in Seattle, WA)
We have a good relationship Company HR and Engineer Union Official.  If all HR was like her, I would not be needed.
She appreciated the article and will use it as an example for others.
And she let me know that if this pilot was a Company employee, he would not have remained employed.

He is one very lucky pilot.

As to stuck mic's.  I hear stuck mic's at least once a week.
I have not had the luck to listen in to such an exciting conversation.

About 20 years ago, I was on a motorcycle trip with 30 other bikes.
Riders with their wife on the back had a switch that she could use by clamping her knee against the seat switching from intercom to transmit.
On one trip, we all listened in to her ripping him apart for over 30 minutes.....
Nobody ever told her, but it sure was hard to look at her with her showing so soft and sweet that evening.

[Mike]

I personally think this thing was maybe in bad taste but rather harmless. I would be angry if he lost his job over it because it has nothing to do with his flying ablilties. It was unprofessional, no doubt.
It's kinda interesting how "freedom of speech" has a lot of limits in this country, huh?!

I would have worded it differently but I often feel the same way about the flight attendants lately. United is the worst as far as I have seen so far when it comes to them being friendly, professional, and some of them even have problems walking down the isle. Makes me wonder if they can get that emergency latch open in time if need to be......

And I hear what you're saying. My ex-wife was a really violent one as well. (hence "ex")
I've got my own experiences there....

I think as far as "reporting" people goes and feeling uncomfortable: I just don't care enough what other people say (like the lady across from your cubicle) and it takes a lot to get me offended at something (might have to do with lots of traveling and meeting all kinds of people) but it seems that the .... let's call them "groups" ... the pilot pointed out may get offended easier than you or I would.   

[Ragwing]

I personally think this thing was maybe in bad taste but rather harmless. I would be angry if he lost his job over it because it has nothing to do with his flying ablilties. It was unprofessional, no doubt.

It's kinda interesting how "freedom of speech" has a lot of limits in this country, huh?!

I don't disagree with you, nor disagree that the laws are really stretched out of reason. 

Your rights stop at the employer's property line because you do not have a constitutional right to a job.
You do not have the right to a lawyer if HR calls you in for disciplinary action.
My employer's blood alcohol maximum is .02.  State law is .08  So, no beers for lunch.
My employer prohibits any components of a weapon on company property.  That empty clip in the trunk is a component.
If you put a picture on your desk of your wife in a bikini... Another woman can say she is uncomfortable and you are in trouble.

I almost forgot...  If I embarrass my employer by stating in the grocery line that my CEO is corrupt.  It is legal to terminate me.
You should have heard what I have said about Harry Stonecipher and Mike Sears.  Formerly of The Boeing Company.

[G-man]

My employer's blood alcohol maximum is .02.  State law is .08  So, no beers for lunch.

Bummer----mines is zero....

[Mike]

I personally think this thing was maybe in bad taste but rather harmless. I would be angry if he lost his job over it because it has nothing to do with his flying ablilties. It was unprofessional, no doubt.

It's kinda interesting how "freedom of speech" has a lot of limits in this country, huh?!

I don't disagree with you, nor disagree that the laws are really stretched out of reason. 

Your rights stop at the employer's property line because you do not have a constitutional right to a job.
You do not have the right to a lawyer if HR calls you in for disciplinary action.
My employer's blood alcohol maximum is .02.  State law is .08  So, no beers for lunch.
My employer prohibits any components of a weapon on company property.  That empty clip in the trunk is a component.
If you put a picture on your desk of your wife in a bikini... Another woman can say she is uncomfortable and you are in trouble.

I almost forgot...  If I embarrass my employer by stating in the grocery line that my CEO is corrupt.  It is legal to terminate me.
You should have heard what I have said about Harry Stonecipher and Mike Sears.  Formerly of The Boeing Company.

I think former communist Russia had more freedom than that!
  Damn!

I am not sure why they are so strickt with their own gun laws. What gives?

[tundra_flier]

I personally think this thing was maybe in bad taste but rather harmless. I would be angry if he lost his job over it because it has nothing to do with his flying ablilties. It was unprofessional, no doubt.
It's kinda interesting how "freedom of speech" has a lot of limits in this country, huh?!

I can easily see the guy being fired over something like this.  Simply because it became public, and gave the company bad press.  The last job I had was with an oil field contractor (I left after a very brief stint for unrelated reasons) and part of the training was a lecture on behavior, on or even off the job, that could get us fired because it gave the company or it's clients a bad image.

Phil

[undatc]

More than anything, this is a safety issue.

When you have a stuck mic, that aircraft most likely is covering most, if not all of the other aircraft in the sector.  Meaning that I cannot get a hold of you to keep you from smacking another tin tube.

Believe me, stuck mics are not fun, not just for potential employer embarrassment, but from a life and death stand point.