You be the F/O (CFIT ?)

[JediNein]

I recently encountered this interesting interview question, so, what would you do?

Scenario: You're on your first trip out of IOE around Puebla, Mexico (thare be hills here!). Your captain is very senior, been there, done that type. It's daylight, but hazy, about 5 miles visibility, can't see the hills today. You're descending on a published approach segment just about to make a turn when "TERRAIN TERRAIN, PULL UP PULL UP" sounds. Captain - the pilot flying, asks calmly "Verify Nav 1, eh?", and doesn't do anything.

Now what?

 

[Salukipilot4590]

I would have asked the captain to go missed. You cant see the hills in the haze and you as an FO have to do something. If you're wrong you waste a couple hundred LB of fuel, if there IS a hill in front of you and you dont say anything you can die.

What did I win?

 

[neflier]

............

 

[LearLove]

with alittle time in 121 aircraft we all know those things go off and cry wolf from time to time, sometimes more often than not. However, the AA 757 Columbia guys thought they knew where they were and well we all know how that ended.

In GPS/glass cockpit aircraft your stuff could be set up wrong or maybe even some mistake in the database. It may show you on the magenta line but that magenta line may not be where its actually supposed to be.

When your not visual and that thing goes off, go missed or whatever EGPWS escape manuver your company has.

 

[wmuflyguy]

You slam the throttles to the wall and climb like your life depended on it.

 

[Vne]

He's only the Captain until he tries to KILL YOU!

 

[CFI2766]

Just immediately prior to impact, you think to yourself "Man, I really wished I had bid the ATR..."

 

[Flyeys]

Max Thrust, 25 degrees nose up. If that doesnt work, 35 degrees nose up. If that doesnt work fly the shaker. Climb to FL210 over Puebla and figure out what the heck you did wrong.

 

[BoilerUP]

It's daylight, but hazy, about 5 miles visibility, can't see the hills today.

If you can't see (and therefore avoid) the terrain that is made Betty start bitchin', and Cappy ain't doing anything about it, you execute the escape maneuver and pray to God, Budda, Mohammad, FSM or your chosen diety that you survive.

Then when you do land you have a closed-door heart to heart with the captain that just tried to kill you, and the outcome of that conversation decides who you call: Pro Standards or crew scheduling to refuse the outbound leg because of the incident.

At least that's what I'd do...I'm not going to hang somebody out to dry, but no job (mine or his) is worth somebody with a caviler attitude taking unnecessary risk with others lives.

 

[flyer172r]

There are a bunch of people in the back of that airplane counting on the two of you to keep them alive while getting them to their destination. Start yelling at the captain, if he doesn't do anything then respond more forcefully. I'm usually hesitant to grab the controls away from the captain, but in this instance I believe it's warranted.