With a scowl on his face, Captain Dave turned to our wet-behind-the-ears flight engineer and said, “Call maintenance. The radar is spoking in the video band.”

Staring at the unit, I saw nothing but a green scan sweeping across the display. Hmm. What the heck was a video band? Thinking this seasoned captain could impart some valuable knowledge, I made the biggest mistake of the three-day trip. I asked the question out loud.

Dave’s response was curt and combative: “Look it up.” Despite my diplomatic efforts to explain that my question wasn’t challenging his authority, but rather an innocent attempt at an understanding, the cockpit temperature became icy cold. Various other benign interactions invoked similar results. The flight engineer and I determined it was best to follow the rule of speaking only when spoken to.

One of the layovers on the trip took us to Seattle, where I had the opportunity to visit with a friend who had been hired by Alaska Airlines after we had both been furloughed by now-defunct Wien Air Alaska. My friend became a therapist after I described bits and pieces of the Captain Dave experience. At pickup time, my friend got a glimpse of our boss as he descended to the hotel lobby in the glass elevator. His bright, white uniform shirt was starched with razor-edge creases, hat perfectly straight, and patent leather shoes shined to squint-worthy brightness.

The astonished expression on my friend’s face was confirmation that he understood my pain. He simply said, “No one ever loops a Bausch and Lomb sunglass case through their belt.”

• READ MORE: Kentucky Bourbon Trail Proves Worthy of a Flying Adventure

On the last leg of the trip to New York, our illustrious captain landed long on Runway 13 at LaGuardia (KLGA). Another arrival landed within seconds of our turn off the runway behind us. It was a dark night and, within an instant, I realized that the other arrival was about to exit via a high-speed taxiway, presenting a potential ground collision as we taxied from the opposite direction.

Keying the mic, I asked ground control if it wanted us to hold short of the high-speed taxiway that the other airplane was exiting. Unfortunately, the transmission was blocked. Captain Dave seemed unaware of the pending disaster, so I did my best to “suggest” that he stop the airplane. His wrath emerged, admonishing me for having the audacity to attempt communication with ATC without his approval. I was berated until the brakes were parked at the gate.

When the parking checklist was complete, I promptly picked up my flight bag, said goodbye to the flight engineer, and never spoke a word to Captain Dave as I exited the cockpit. I enjoyed a restless night’s sleep. Still on probation status with the airline, it seemed best to be preemptive and report my insubordinate discretions to our New York chief pilot, guilty or not. Perhaps he would have mercy on my soul.

With patience and a sympathetic ear, my chief pilot listened to the entire story of the trip from hell. I resisted revealing the name of the captain until he compelled me to utter it at the conclusion of my diatribe. After hearing the name, a brief moment of silence followed. My chief said, “Enjoy the rest of your career. Call me anytime.” To this day, the “video band” is still a mystery.

For those of us that began our careers with captains who never heard of the concept of CRM (crew resource management) or dismissed the idea entirely, it wasn’t unusual to fly with a four-striper who wouldn’t exactly be invited to Mom’s dinner table. Despite the pain of surviving a trip with such captains, it was a learning experience. The captain described earlier silently demonstrated some 727 flying techniques with which I wasn’t familiar, so all was not lost.

Or there was Captain Jack, who was genuinely a decent guy, but his people skills were sorely lacking. On almost every trip, he managed to tweak the ire of the ground crew or flight attendants. I was often the buffer between his potential demise at the hands of a fellow employee and survival. Somehow, I remained on his good side, most likely because of my attempts at diplomacy. Except for one night.

After being rebuffed by our No. 1 flight attendant who was busy with passengers, Jack had wanted a face-to-face discussion that involved seat belt strategy in anticipation of turbulence ahead over the Rockies. Even in the darkened Boeing 767 cockpit, I watched his complexion transform toward a deeper shade of red.

• READ MORE: So, You Can Actually Fly to Lunch?

Frustrated, Jack stabbed a button on his radio panel. Before I realized he had pressed the No. 1 VHF button and not the intended PA button (which is rarely used to summon a flight attendant anyhow), he transmitted on center frequency: “Lisa, come to the cockpit. I need you now!”

I cringed in anticipation of the inevitable. For a long minute, the frequency was alive with stand-up comics. “Lisa, I need you first!” “Lisa, come over here when you’re done!” “Lisa, don’t leave me!” And so on.

Although I was sympathetic to Captain Jack’s blunder, a smirk escaped from my face. To Jack’s credit, he smiled and bowed his head in resignation. He accepted the punishment and bought the first beer on the layover.

The experiences with all types of captain personalities were part of an informal but valuable mentoring process that helped define my own leadership skills. Good or bad, I filed away the best and worst. When it came time for me to add the fourth stripe, a switch in my brain activated that said I was ready, not only because of my level of comfort flying the airplane but because of the leadership traits experienced.

As of April, all Part 121 carriers are required to have in place a leadership and command program in addition to mentor training for captains. Back in the day, my airline offered a program dubbed “charm school.” We all received a leather-bound notebook with our names embossed, a vague idea on how to be a captain, and a lot of airline cheerleading. Most of us had already been flying in the left seat for a year, so it was easy to stick our chests out as “seasoned” captains. That said, charm school was a well-intended program. A version of it still exists.

With the airline industry now upgrading copilots to captains at warp speed, the opportunity for these pilots to experience all types of leadership remains limited. It is my hope that the leadership and command training, alongside the mentoring program, will be a sufficient supplement in filling our cockpits with adept captains.

A well-rounded copilot makes for a well-rounded captain.

This column first appeared in the December 2023/Issue 944 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Like Copilot, Like Captain: The Importance of Left-Seat Mentoring appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The Joby eVTOL flew from the well-known Downtown Heliport (KJRB) in Manhattan, where New York Mayor Eric Adams on Monday announced the city’s plans to electrify the heliport. The move would be a major step toward development of an eVTOL transport network in New York, a city known for a range of mobility challenges.

“By electrifying one of the most famous heliports in the world, New York is demonstrating global leadership in the adoption of electric air travel. We’re grateful for the support of the city, and we’re honored to be working with visionary partners like Delta Air Lines to bring our air taxi service to this market,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Joby’s founder and CEO. “We plan to make quiet, emissions-free flight an affordable, everyday reality for New Yorkers, while significantly reducing the impact of helicopter noise.”

Joby said the demonstration flight followed several days of preparation flights at the HHI Heliport (65NJ) in Kearny, New Jersey. The company previously announced that it expects New York to be one of its early launch markets after receiving certification for its piloted, four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.

• READ MORE: Joby’s Electric Air Taxi Is Now Flying with Pilots on Board

Joby said its aircraft can fly up to 100 sm on a charge and is optimized for rapid, back-to-back flights. It could complete nearly all typical trips across the five New York boroughs. While the notoriously difficult journey from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK) can take more than an hour by car, Joby expects to make the trip in seven minutes by air.

“The Adams administration has been a leader in driving technology innovation and economic growth while simultaneously improving quality of life,” said Andrew Kimball, president and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC). “EDC’s new strategy for the Downtown Manhattan Heliport reflects these priorities while making it an industry leader in the embrace of eVTOLS—a quieter and greener helicopter alternative.”

Joby said it is working with partner Delta Air Lines, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York City EDC as they plan for eVTOL operations. Efforts include development of infrastructure at KJFK and LaGuardia Airport (KLGA). Delta said these plans will build on other recent improvements it has made at its New York hubs.

“Delivering exceptional experiences for our customers is why Delta has invested over $7 billion in New York City, especially at our LaGuardia and JFK hubs,” said Gail Grimmett, senior vice president of sustainability performance and strategic partnerships at Delta. “[Monday’s] announcement demonstrates the great progress that’s been made toward launching clean, quiet, and convenient air taxi services for Delta customers traveling to and from New York, and is a testament to our innovative partners at Joby and the support of Mayor Eric Adams in advancing new and sustainable technologies.”

Joby said it has flown more than 30,000 miles with its full-scale prototype eVTOL aircraft since 2017. The company’s pilot production plant in Marina, California,  recently completed its first aircraft. Joby also delivered an electric air taxi to the U.S. Air Force for testing. Joby expects to begin commercial passenger service in 2025.

The post Joby Performs First eVTOL Test Flights in New York appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The ability to make this type of trip was a big part of the case we made for buying an airplane. Driving from home in northern New Jersey to see our son in Hanover, New Hampshire, typically takes about five hours each way. Flying direct to neighboring Lebanon (KLEB) at 145 to 150 knots true cuts that to an hour and 20 minutes plus a five-minute cab ride. Without rushing, we could complete the mission in a day and be home for dinner.

• READ MORE: A Quiet Place: Flying to New York’s Fishers Island

There is so much more to flying than saving time, however. Making the trip in our own aircraft brought joy in numerous forms, from looking down on slow-moving highway traffic to using some of our region’s best ski mountains as visual waypoints to guide us. Yes, there are GPS options on the panel, but this was an especially rewarding pilotage opportunity. After spotting Stratton, Killington, and Okeemo, we slipped past Mount Ascutney, which meant it was about time to call the tower.

We could hear another aircraft approaching Lebanon—a Cessna 402 from Cape Air, the domestic airline serving mostly New England destinations. We spotted each other shortly after, and the controller had us follow the Cessna, which can be a bonus at an unfamiliar airport.

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Approaching Runway 25, we had the benefit of a 10-knot headwind, resulting in a landing that seemed almost ridiculously short on the nearly 5,500-foot strip. Like many airports developed around the time of World War II, Lebanon was designed with airlines in mind. Northeast Airlines began flying Douglas DC-3s there in the late 1940s. The main runway was lengthened in 1960 to accommodate commercial carriers using Douglas DC-6s and similar airliners. In the early 1970s Delta operated turboprop service to New York’s LaGuardia (KLGA) and Kennedy (KJFK) airports.

As the nature of air travel changed, many airlines stopped using airports like Lebanon, which has more of a GA focus today, though Cape Air still offers connections with partner airlines for longer trips. But we found the greater Lebanon area to be a destination on its own. The following are a few of the attractions for which we plan to return soon.

Lebanon Opera House

Like a number of old opera houses serving small communities, Lebanon’s version, built in 1924, began as a vaudeville theater, was converted to a movie theater, and has survived brushes with death. Today the 800-seat venue hosts a range of performing arts productions. The March schedule includes the musical Anything Goes, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, David Sedaris, and more.

Northern Rail Trail

Rail trails are a great way to explore and learn more about an area’s history. For pilots, they make a strong case for lightweight folding bicycles that fit easily into the baggage compartments of many small aircraft. This trail runs southwest from Lebanon for 58 miles to Boscawen, passing numerous towns and a broad range of scenery along the way.

Dartmouth College/Appalachian Trail

Nearby Hanover is home to Dartmouth’s compact, picturesque, and easily walkable campus that appears to be a postcard model of how a New England college is supposed to look. The area is ideal for outdoor activities, from swimming or kayaking in the adjacent Connecticut River to hiking the Appalachian Trail, which happens to cut through campus.

White River Junction, Vermont

Driving into this town across the river and a few miles south of Lebanon, you will know right away how it got its name. A bunch of railroad tracks converge, many of which are still active. A regional freight train may pass through, followed a few minutes later by an Amtrak passenger train. The rail station doubles as a museum and is part of an interesting historic district that includes a number of hotels, restaurants, shops, and galleries.

Mount Ascutney

Once a bustling ski resort with an impressive network of chair lifts, Ascutney in West Windsor, Vermont, fell on hard times and closed over a decade ago. The surrounding community took over and transformed the place into a hub for backcountry skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts. This new approach to a ski destination had the unexpected result of attracting new residents and businesses to the area.

The post New Hampshire Airport Is a Gateway to Hidden Culture appeared first on FLYING Magazine.