What do you do when the CFI takes the controls from you, then does something you seriously disagree with?

[Nearly Retired]

There is an apocryphal story making the rounds of a young, up-and-coming pilot who a few years ago joined one of those companies that does firefighting with them big Sikorsky helos. You know the ones, where they put copilots in the SIC seat to keep track of stuff while the real pilot has his head out the bubble window most of the time, and wash the windows after each flight?

 

Anyways, said up-and-coming pilot was riding along doing his thing (calling "on the dip" and "off the dip" on the radio) when one of the tail rotor chip lights began flashing loudly, with a beeping noise like they do in the movies. I don't know whether it was the intermediate or the 90-degree, and it does not matter.

 

The SIC announced to the PIC that according to the CH-54/S-64 POH (yes, he called it that), the EP for this particular malady was to land as soon as you're able, and he suggested that they put 'er down henceforth. Mr. Million-Hour PIC said something along the lines of, "Nothing doing, we're going back to base." SIC was miffed, and suggested more strongly this time that they SET IT DOWN RIGHT NOW. Mind you, they were fighting a forest fire. In the forest. Where there probably aren't a whole lot of places big and level enough to put a Sikorsky Skycrane. Bottom line: They flew back to base and the tail didn't fall off.

 

From there the story gets confusing. All we know is that the SIC obviously did not last long at that company...did not end up becoming a Skycrane PIC.

 

Whaddya gonna do? When you're the PIC you can do whatever you want.

[Joe_P148]

 

No one cares!

I care actually, there's people here other than you.

[r22butters]

I care actually, there's people here other than you.

No there isn't. You're all just a figment of my imagination!