Does This Training Count?

Open for Discussion! 

"I didn't work, but I deserve to 

be signed off for training!"

I receive calls weekly, sometimes daily, to help pilots. But last week I received three calls in one day. All from the same airline. This is the situation from one of those calls, and I am curious what you think as the argument is deeply concerning. 

A new hire pilot requested religious accommodation for training. He cannot work on Saturdays. The airline gave it to him. But as things happen, pilots drop out, schedules change, he was rescheduled to train on Saturday. He called me for advice. He is adamant that he would never work on his religious day, no matter what. That was non-negotiable. Thus, he is a man of faith, not just faking to get off on Saturday.

His plan was to show up to training, in a fixed base simulator, and tell the instructor that he could not push a button or raise the gear, but he would have the first officer do this for him, and ask the instructor to sign him off.  I said, "Do not ask the instructor to sign you off. That is falsifying records. That will put him on the spot and could cost him his job." Then I said, "What if you did that, and he said no?" 

He said he would sit there with his arms folded. "Do not do that!" I said. "If you get terminated, and this goes to court that will haunt you. Then I explained why. I connected him to my favorite attorney to see if he could write a letter on his behalf. The attorney suggested he show up and explain why he couldn't work. Then if action was taken against this pilot, he could then write that letter.

I said, "Explain the situation, and ask the instructor to give you an incomplete, and ask if he would call the scheduler to reschedule." 

Then, on Mother's Day Sunday, the pilot called to tell me what happened. 

He had asked his sim partner to push the buttons and move the gear. He would sit there. She was okay with that, so he told the instructor the same. He did not ask for the incomplete, and whatever was said, this pilot was signed off. My jaw dropped when I heard this. But then he said that he was pulled out of training the next day (this Sunday) because he was not complete. I said, "Of course you were incomplete." Then we argued that point for more than 30 minutes.

They are rescheduling him. The scheduler asked what days won't work. He told her Friday sunset to Saturday sunset for his faith. I asked if he explained why he needed to be rescheduled. He did not. I assumed transparency might go a long way here, as schedulers would not want this to happen again. 

Now the Questions

I explained that was not legal training. He argued it was and believed he deserved to be signed off.  

I explained that the training syllabus does not say, the first officer will demonstrate "and/or command". This is a procedures trainer. Moving the switches is the lesson, or why not just sit in a classroom and talk about the plane on a panel on the wall and save airlines lots of money? He argued that it was no different if he told the other pilot to do it, or he did it.  

I explained AQP means we train like we fly. He argued that too, as in the plane a captain will command an engine start. 

What do You Think? Was this legal training?

Then I queried that if he got a ride to his place of business, sat in the chair, discussed and told others how to do that business, was paid to be there, and believed that he did the work to be signed off, was that not violation of his belief? He said his Rabbi said it was okay to do all that, as long as he don't touch a switch. 

I believe in accommodation for all. I believe in faith, and conviction, and doing what you believe. But this feels contrived and a workaround. I said, "You can't have it both ways. You don't believe what you did was work, but then you want to be paid and get credit for work you said you did not do?" He argued that too. 

What do You Think? Is this work or not work?

He said that ALPA told him that once he was signed off for training they could not take it away. Is that true? He also has no idea how the company found out. I told him what more than likely occurred. 

What I believe happened, is that this instructor had buyers remorse, and questioned what transpired. Then he asked someone who said, "No way is that legal." This was not legal training, and because the instructor went along with it they are allowing him to do the entire event again. 

I had questioned how he was going to manage an airline career on an International airplane, without working on a Saturday. There are time changes, cancellations, weather and maintenance delays. Is he going to cancel a flight because he finds himself in Europe and can't work on Friday at Sunset? And is that Sunset in his timezone or Europe? 

He said it won't be an issue. After what transpired here, and the ensuing debate on legality, I suspect he could show up to the plane and tell the other pilots he can't push a button or do anything but sit there. The question is, would the pilots allow that behavior if they all want to get home after a delay? Probably, depending upon the situation. 

He should have been accommodated for training. There is no undue hardship to the company for that. But a cancelled flight would be another story. The question is, if this would have been a violation of an FAA approved training program if the pilot sits there and commands procedures instead of doing them? If it's not, and we are required per AQP to train like we fly, then would this behavior be allowed in an airplane? And if the pilot believes it was legitimate enough to be signed off and to be paid for the event, was that not work? 

What Do You Think?

Enjoy the Journey
Dr. Karlene Petitt
PhD. MBA. MHS.
A350, B777, A330, B747-400, B747-200, B767, B757, B737, B727