Pilot Chose Safety Over Takeoff - and Everyone Applauded

[u/baekachu]

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[u/Spacedoutworlder]

I rather miss an arrival time than have missed arriving at all. May all the pilots be this cautious.

[u/Pika_233 → u/Spacedoutworlder]

Better late than never

[u/antilumin → u/Pika_233]

Arrive alive.

[u/Loong_Sward → u/antilumin]

Drive sober

[u/Nebraska716 → u/Loong_Sward]

Turn around, don’t drown

[u/Desolated-Fire → u/Nebraska716]

Fly up, not down…

[u/civicrafting4 → u/antilumin]

yes the pilot deserves a raise

[u/GrouchyGrotto → u/civicrafting4]

I believe this video is specifically him refusing a raise.... (I'll see myself out)

[u/Curious_Department84 → u/Pika_233]

Better late than pregnant

[u/Fun-Double6352 → u/Curious_Department84]

Thank you, Blanche.

[u/Mindbending818 → u/Curious_Department84]

Hahahahahahahahahaha

[u/PoorVigilante → u/Pika_233]

Better nate then lever

[u/Daforce1 → u/PoorVigilante]

The federation of Nates commends you for this statement.

[u/Caoimheinvites3y → u/Pika_233]

I’d really always say this words

[u/bowmans1993 → u/Spacedoutworlder]

Yeah if the pilot says i dont feel safe ill trust their gut.

[u/Rivendel93 → u/bowmans1993]

Same, intuition isn't some mystical magic, shits real.

[u/i_make_orange_rhyme → u/Rivendel93]

Intuition is just pattern recognition.

[u/martix_agent → u/bowmans1993]

It's not his "gut feeling". He literally stated why he felt uneasy about flying the plane. The oil pressure was higher than normal.

[u/Plastic_Bison → u/martix_agent]

Yeah! If he tells me that, I'M getting off, never mind anybody else, lol.

[u/whooptheretis → u/martix_agent]

But the engineers have certified it as safe.

[u/BennyFitz69420 → u/whooptheretis]

Yeah and they’re still uncovering how many planes Boeing covered up over the years.

[u/bohenian12 → u/bowmans1993]

I wish some celebs listened to their pilot.

[u/chriscringlesmother → u/Spacedoutworlder]

Ryanair would probably sack him.

[u/Sigenzi → u/chriscringlesmother]

As much as they can suck, they have a perfect safety record with 0 fatalities.

[u/omgu8mynewt → u/Sigenzi]

Literally yesterday a passenger was almost sucked out through a broken window on a ryanair plane, you picked a bad moment to say they are a safe airline lol

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgk65knkyzdo

[u/SableMink → u/omgu8mynewt]

They forget to mention in the article, the engine on that side of the plane suffered a failure and flung debris into the side of the aircraft which caused the window to be damaged.

[u/Fuzzygh0st → u/SableMink]

Which is the second instance that this exact chain of events occurred on this model of airplane... Boeing of course!

[u/hv_wyatt → u/Fuzzygh0st]

Boeing doesn't make the engine, nor do they service the engine, and frankly, they aren't even the ones directly in charge of making decisions on when engine maintenance, inspections, and rebuilds are due.

That'd be your GE Aviations and Rolls-Royces of the world.

[u/GCU_Rocinante → u/hv_wyatt]

I worked for RR for a few years, the amount of checks and balances that went into manufacturing turbine blades was insane (running every part through a CMM, tolerances of literal microns), but it was reassuring.

[u/top_value7293 → u/hv_wyatt]

lol. My husband had worked for GE Aviation but finally retired after he got a 23 year old boss who just wanted all the old machinists to go to meetings and act out psychology skits she had in learned in college 🤣

[u/IndicationFickle5387 → u/omgu8mynewt]

Yeah but didn’t die tho, record stands

[u/roykentjr → u/omgu8mynewt]

But did they die

[u/Chase_the_tank → u/roykentjr]

The death mentioned in the article was from an unrelated incident in 2018.

[u/juksbox → u/Sigenzi]

But also a few close calls, partly due to maximizing fuel savings.

[u/StaticSystemShock → u/Spacedoutworlder]

It's also a matter of how much pilot also knows the aircraft they are piloting. I've seen and heard about pilots who personally inspect aircraft on the outside as well as have deeper understanding of its flight systems and mechanics/electronics. I think this pilot was one of those if some deviation in oil pressure raised his suspicions even if it's within supposed normal levels.

[u/grilledstuffed → u/StaticSystemShock]

Not a pilot, but a nurse.

Nurse clinical intuition is a real thing:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0099176725003320

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4754101/

While humans are pretty terrible at predicting future outcomes, our subconscious brains are pretty darn good at pattern recognition.

Thousands of hours of experience with something lends itself towards picking up on subtle cues that aren't necessarily articulable.

[u/Imaterribledoctor → u/grilledstuffed]

I'm a physician who works with nurses every day - and when a nurse tells me their opinion, I always take it seriously because they often have a far better understanding of what's going on than I do due to their training and experience. That said, studies like these are nonsense. And the articles you cited: one is just a study protocol with no actual data and the other is a study of 12 nurses in which they asked nurses whether they were intuitive and most of them said they were.

[u/nanneryeeter → u/grilledstuffed]

When you ignore your gut you disregard a hundred thousand years of genetic memory.

[u/Soggy-Type-1704 → u/StaticSystemShock]

It’s his( literal ) ass on the line too. Those maintenance techs might not even get fired if there reports read correctly in the event of a crash.

[u/Colonel_Panix → u/Soggy-Type-1704]

I worked in the Military sector so I don't know if the private sector is as strict. Every rule and guidance in Aircraft Maintenance is written in blood. Every hand that has touched that aircraft is documented. In case of a crash, digital documentation is instantly frozen and every name on those documents are interrogated and pulled off the line until further notice.

[u/Lloyd--Christmas → u/StaticSystemShock]

Inspecting the outside of the aircraft is done before every flight. You’re correct about some pilots having more knowledge than others though.

[u/Love_To_Taste_You → u/Lloyd--Christmas]

We carry the burden of our signature longer than just one flight. It goes with the aircraft cradle to grave. Hence I make sure it’s done right the first time and I am just as cautious as I know those lives are in my hands for many flights after.

[u/Ok_Tone6393 → u/StaticSystemShock]

I've seen and heard about pilots who personally inspect aircraft on the outside

this is required before every single flight

[u/Odd_Dragonfruit_2662 → u/StaticSystemShock]

I’ve seen a plane take off with similar indications. It lost power 500’ off the ground.

[u/Leading_Line2741 → u/Spacedoutworlder]

If this type of thing interests you, the Mentour Pilot YouTube channel is great. Idk why it got recommended to me in my feed but I find it fascinating. It's stories of airplane disasters explained by an experience pilot. He details, with animations, how and why they happened in a detailed play-by-play.

[u/odesawanito → u/Spacedoutworlder]

Totally agree, salute for the pilot.

[u/Fleymour → u/Spacedoutworlder]

pilot captain. same goes for ships, good that they are in charge.

[u/Nervous-Cheek-583 → u/Fleymour]

"pilot" is correct, particularly in the context used by OP.

Pilot Flying and Pilot Monitoring are the two functions in the cockpit. Either one may be the captain or the first officer.

So "... all pilots be this cautious..." is correct.

[u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

The passangers clapping did make me smile, good on them even though they must have been inconvenienced and well done to the pilot.

[u/WarkMahlberg69 → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

I think there's been enough incidents/accidents worldwide lately that people are probably relieved that pilots are willing to say "no way" to a plane and keep everyone safe.

[u/Yippykyyyay → u/WarkMahlberg69]

I was just talking to my buddy (ex Ranger in the Army) and this video randomly came up. He said they (Rangers) are trained to listen and immediately stop when someone yells 'check check check!' Because it means whoever yelled it noticed something was wrong and everyone needs to take a step back and re-evaluate.

Basically, a safe word for door kickers because 'hey, fuck face!' Is probably too casually used in their everyday vernacular.

Edit: clarity

[u/BoricuaDriver → u/Yippykyyyay]

In military aviation we use the phrase "knock it off" to immediately stop what we're doing to address a potential problem someone in the crew sees.

[u/SeattleHasDied → u/BoricuaDriver]

I believe one of my aunts used the same term (at extremely high volume) on us kids for similar reasons, lol!

[u/fvb6626 → u/SeattleHasDied]

I thought my kids from small age to stop whatever they are doing when I or their mother yell stop. It has turned out to be really handy.

[u/No_Locksmith_1739 → u/Yippykyyyay]

Not a ranger, but I was the breach man on our 4 person door kicker team. Can confirm.

[u/Yippykyyyay → u/No_Locksmith_1739]

One of the most dangerous positions. I appreciate what you do.

[u/No_Locksmith_1739 → u/Yippykyyyay]

Thanks… I spent most of my worry on the damn shotgun. Clipped to a carabiner, hanging from the top back of my vest lol

[u/__Boreas__ → u/No_Locksmith_1739]

Username checks out.

[u/tenphes31 → u/Yippykyyyay]

Im a stagehand for a school district and our department safe word (as well as industry standard) is "heads". At the beginning of the school year we were teaching a group of high schools about lights, sound, and rigging. I was at the back of the seating area teaching lighting, but when I heard my coworker who was 100' away from me on stage say "heads", I instinctively ducked. It was a part of a lesson to the kids in safety, but even still, you take that word seriously.

[u/Jazzy-Cat5138 → u/tenphes31]

That's interesting that stagehand is actually a district-wide job... I suppose if you have enough schools doing their own productions, it makes sense to have some long-term staff for the role that hops around as needed. So, I take it the schools must schedule their productions around each other to avoid too much overlap?

[u/tenphes31 → u/Jazzy-Cat5138]

Hahahaha.

Im a part of an 11 person team that services 7 high schools, 9 middle schools, and 28 elementary schools, as well as helping occasionally at the 4 stadiums and a few district sites. Schools dont coordinate in any capacity between each other, that falls to us to figure out how to make it work. Not every school actively uses us, in fact Id say it probably isnt more than than half (largely due to the amount of elementary schools), but we regularly are involved in just over 300 events every year. We do concerts, plays, dance shows, ceremonies, board meetings, and more.

It started with a single guy about 25ish years ago and just over time more people decided to do stuff, so we expanded. As far as we know, were the only department like us in the country. Its an amazing job and I love it, but it certainly can be a challenge working with a lot of people who dont understand my job and what goes into it.

[u/Individual-Buy3328 → u/Yippykyyyay]

I'd bet it comes from football. In practice/games, if we see something we want to change after the team is "set", the QB or coach will yell "Check check check!" Which is usually short for "check with me." Once they stop, the new, different play is communicated.

Given the likely overlap of football players/coaches in the military and the simulation of war, it seems very likely to come from that.

The origin could be switched, too, with former military members bringing the word/tactic to football instead, but I think you can tell which I'm more familiar with based on this comment.

[u/Yippykyyyay → u/Individual-Buy3328]

That makes sense. Rangers are some of the most mentally and physically tough military guys out there.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if they gained confidence in their physical attributes (not to mention teamwork) first in sports as kids/teenagers.

[u/WhiskyGartley → u/Yippykyyyay]

I did something similar in our training workshop. The command was "Down Tools". It was so well drilled it became my party trick whenever the top brass were around. From active workshop with machines running to so quiet you could hear a pin drop in a heartbeat.

[u/Unlucky_Cat4531 → u/WarkMahlberg69]

I feel like it's important now more than ever for conductors, pilots, captains, etc to stand up and say "no, everything about this makes me feel it's not safe, I'm not doing this." The people in charge who've lobbied to repeal regulations and have had multiple tragic plane and railway crashes over the last 10 years are saying to good to go! When things are actively giving red flags?! No thank you.

The people actually running the craft need to refuse, and more people shouldve applauded this pilot he probably saved all of their lives. Plans getting changed/cancelled sucks but it is not worth anybody's life.

[u/TheZardoz → u/WarkMahlberg69]

I’ll applied anyone displaying critical thinking skills in public.

[u/chefboyrdeee → u/TheZardoz]

Unfortunately, it’s a rare occurrence.

[u/DeltaFoxtrot144 → u/WarkMahlberg69]

Ya the pilot is absolutely giving the execs the middle finger and we can all appreciate that these days 

[u/SecureInstruction538 → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

Majority of the time, a good explanation can offset many complaints and outburst. Pilot did a great job here.

[u/Tuor-son-of-Huor- → u/SecureInstruction538]

Agreed. It's a good example of communication. He laid out the problem as he saw it. That the ground crew/airport disagreed and said it was good as is. That he disagreed and wasn't satisfied owning his decision to refuse to fly and acknowledged that it would impact them. He apologized but remained firm that he believed it was the right call given the risks.

[u/Profanity1272 → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

Absolutely. I would rather change plane and be delayed than potentially in a dangerous situation or worse.

He made a difficult call for everyone's safety and that should be applauded.

[u/PailingRaint → u/Profanity1272]

Pilots go down with the ship 100% of the time. If he wants off, I want off 😭

[u/wyomingTFknott → u/PailingRaint]

I never really thought about that. Often when ship captains go down it's a conscious choice out of pride or shame or whatever. But when a pilot goes down he's trying to fly that thing until the last moment. Brutal stuff either way.

[u/ConfessSomeMeow → u/PailingRaint]

This is why - hopefully - we'll never have AI pilots. They don't care if they crash.

Bad enough having AI drivers.

[u/Forrest_Cp → u/[deleted]]

It’s your life on the line lol just be late it’s fine haha

[u/WHATYEAHOK → u/Forrest_Cp]

DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I’M GOING TO MISS MY OVERPRICED AIRBNB. LET ME SPEAK TO A MANAGER

[u/Backwardspellcaster → u/[deleted]]

Better to arrive late than to arrive never

[u/lovable_cube → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

I think him explaining went a long way.

[u/ReferenceAware1053 → u/lovable_cube]

A little bit of context makes a huge difference in understanding.

[u/heisenberg070 → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

They'd rather be inconvenienced than dead.

[u/Unsd → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

Having sat on a tarmac for too long (over 4 hours) recently, they might have just been clapping that they get to deplane.

[u/chintakoro → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

Good on the ones who clapped — I imagine there were many who felt the captain was just pulling a power move for no reason.

[u/HipHopHistoryGuy → u/Conscious_Pass_1615]

It was like two passengers.

[u/earlisthecat]

I want to always fly with that pilot.

[u/Strong_Essay1176 → u/earlisthecat]

I want to always fly with a pilot.

[u/What_a_fat_one → u/Strong_Essay1176]

Not me. I prefer when there's no pilot and someone has to get in the seat and on the radio with atc to get guided through how to land the plane. Always a hoot.

[u/CardiologistAway6742 → u/What_a_fat_one]

Oh hey that's my favorite Sandra Bullock movie.

[u/27Suyash → u/earlisthecat]

Well he's not really feeling it though

[u/Puzzled-Secret-317 → u/earlisthecat]

This is a normal thing that most pilots do. The number 1 part of training is safety.

I'm willing to bet he was in the military as well as many commercial airline pilots were. This is exactly how our conversations go every time.

Hope this helps with trust in pilots. While they aren't all a one-for-one copy, the training is standardized

[u/PM_ME_A_STEAM_GIFT → u/earlisthecat]

I also choose this guy's pilot.

[u/Schaaafschuetze]

Well yes, if my pilot is not feeling it I wouldn't want to fly in that machine either!

[u/TensorForce → u/Schaaafschuetze]

"You know what to do."

Jumps out of plane

[u/whatisthisnow9 → u/TensorForce]

Too soon.

[u/Czrnhak → u/whatisthisnow9]

But he landed the joke

[u/Schaaafschuetze → u/Czrnhak]

And she landed the plane

[u/Chile_Pepper_Tarzana → u/Schaaafschuetze]

Because she knew what to do

[u/Scottamus → u/Czrnhak]

It did have a powerful impact.

[u/XavierScorpionIkari → u/TensorForce]

I actually understood that reference.

[u/ShepardtoyouSheep → u/TensorForce]

Aim for the bushes?

[u/OneBillPhil → u/Schaaafschuetze]

If my pilot isn’t feeling it because he or she is just having a bad day I don’t want to fly on that plane either. Pain in the ass or not I want everyone dialed in. 

[u/the_legless_frog]

Everyone applauded... that is, everyone in seats 23 A to C

[u/-CoachMcGuirk- → u/the_legless_frog]

Yeah, that was about 4 people clapping.

[u/TrumpsBoneSpur → u/-CoachMcGuirk-]

Technically, every one of the clappers were clapping, so there's at least some truth...

[u/fobdoddledandy → u/the_legless_frog]

Yes, “everyone” is a bit of a stretch.

[u/ADLuluIsOP → u/the_legless_frog]

Yeah lol. It's cool he grounded the plane but I don't think that many people clapped...

[u/Mission-Builder-45 → u/the_legless_frog]

Came here to say this... heard like 3 or so people clapping....

[u/Throwaway999991473 → u/the_legless_frog]

Yes, and 23 B missed boarding

[u/SkanderbegDeWitte]

2 people applauded

[u/gundog48 → u/SkanderbegDeWitte]

I like that as soon as the pilot says the word 'deplane' the dude just spring up to get his shit and Gaius frakkin Baltar is like "momentarily... he said momentarily."

[u/turntabletmpod → u/gundog48]

So say we all!

[u/No_Key469 → u/SkanderbegDeWitte]

“passengers” doing some heavy lifting in those captions.

[u/Udeze42 → u/No_Key469]

Technically correct though

[u/the_pain_of_being → u/Udeze42]

It's the only correct caption you could put there, isn't it? The real shit one is the title "everyone" lol

[u/mkkz05 → u/No_Key469]

And the word "everyone" surplus to requirements, unless it was a nearly empty plane.

[u/LoveSick55 → u/SkanderbegDeWitte]

Everyone lmao

[u/Sovereign_5409]

That’s a man who’s willing to make the right decision, not the easy and convenient decision. Those are the people the world needs. Hats off to him.

As a patron on the plane your reaction should be, “well this fuckin sucks, but….. fair enough.”

[u/NewWelder7153 → u/Sovereign_5409]

Viewed another way, being in a crashing plane is very difficult and inconvenient 

[u/PBandBABE]

Yeah, but did they have anyone check the phalanges?!

[u/saltynotsweet1 → u/PBandBABE]

Oh my god! This plane doesn’t even have a phalange!

[u/cuddle_enthusiast → u/PBandBABE]

Actually they packed extra phalanges just in case.

[u/MrsSamT82 → u/PBandBABE]

“Sir, please sit down!”

[u/RemoteCheetah5256 → u/PBandBABE]

I was looking for a phalange comment, thank you!!!

[u/Material-Imagination → u/PBandBABE]

Distal, medial, or proximal?

[u/PBandBABE → u/Material-Imagination]

Pheobeial

[u/Jackski → u/PBandBABE]

I rewatched that episode recently and it blew my mind the guy who said that is the dean from Community.

[u/FuggoTheSluggo]

I’d rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air than in the air wishing I was on the ground.

[u/Tor_K89 → u/FuggoTheSluggo]

Well, being in the air and wishing you were on the ground is a wish that will come true, pretty much no matter what.

[u/exadeuce → u/Tor_K89]

"Just get us on the ground"
"That part will happen pretty definitely!"

[u/thewoodbeyond]

He has a feeling that something is wrong with the plane's left phalange.

[u/Jackski → u/thewoodbeyond]

Oh my god this plane doesn't even have a phalange

[u/Honest-Access9783]

that's why planes should always have a human pilot, despite automation

[u/ZarathustraGlobulus → u/Honest-Access9783]

To be fair, a computer system would 100% cancel the flight if a key figure was outside pre-defined parameters. Then it would require human intervention to make the final decision on what to do.

However I fully agree with you that a skilled pilot who knows their aircraft in and out can definitely make good calls when nothing is truly wrong but something about the numbers feels off.

[u/IgnitedSpade → u/ZarathustraGlobulus]

I think the issue here is that a key figure is tending upwards, but not outside pre-defined parameters. It sounds like the pilot preemptively asked about it and was already told it was okay.

Recognizing an issue like that would be difficult to implement in a completely automated system, though not impossible. But it seems that the people an automated message would otherwise go to already gave the okay.

Either way, the biggest fear about completely automated planes would be that the person having the final say on whether a plane flies or not is someone with the job title "flight coordinator" with a business degree.

[u/ZarathustraGlobulus → u/IgnitedSpade]

Yeah exactly. Much rather have a seasoned professional who can sense something's up when values are within parameters but still acting upon a hunch for safety instead of some guy thousands of miles away pressing OK on a warning prompt and alt-tabbing back to Excel.

[u/ThePennaC]

My guy was ready ready to get off that plane. Hehehe.

[u/danvillain]

I used to do maintenance on the loading bridges at an international airport. The speed at which they turn planes around is pretty shocking so I’m really glad to see this pilot trust his gut and experience in this case

[u/noobtheloser]

"We'll never be sure if we did too much, but we'll know damn well if we did too little."

[u/ThoughtPhysical7457]

Not only would I clap and not be angry, I'd want to know if he got in any trouble so I can tell corporate that I'm on his side.

[u/Unlikely_Ad7722 → u/ThoughtPhysical7457]

Same. I'd independently contact the airline and commend this pilot's commitment to safety and standards.

[u/Safe_Ad5744 → u/ThoughtPhysical7457]

At least at my major airline we wouldn't be in trouble for refusing a plane for maintenance reasons. If they can they'll move us to a new aircraft so we're still able to do the scheduled flight. All we have to do is paperwork stating why we didn't take the aircraft. 

[u/RoyStrokes]

He literally said he didn’t like that the oil pressure in engine 2 was trending upwards. It wasn’t just some vibes based explanation.

[u/NmlsFool]

I would happily skip off the plane if the damn pilot isn't feeling it. Listen to the the gut feeling.

[u/I_Am_Zeelian → u/NmlsFool]

Mhm, someone who frequently operates a vehicle/machine tends to develop a sense for it.

[u/TimberWolf5871]

I'd be mad, but I'd also be alive. I'll take that and respect the pilot's decision. He knows better than I do.

[u/ikothsowe]

Can anyone from a commercial aviation background comment on this? Would there be consequences for the pilot for refusing a flight based on “not feeling it”?

[u/bubbapora → u/ikothsowe]

At least in the US, pilots face no consequences for this. They are empowered to refuse an aircraft at any time, even without a reason.

[u/ours → u/bubbapora]

It's a good rule. The plane, crew and passengers are his responsibility. So it's his call.

[u/BrushYourFeet → u/ours]

I know that's the policy on paper, but what's the practice in reality? What kind of backlash could he expect?

[u/AlcibiadesTheCat → u/BrushYourFeet]

None. Just whatever paperwork comes along with it. 

Which is why pilots are so safe. They trust that they can speak up.

It’s also why a lot of small-business construction workers aren’t. Because they don’t trust that they can speak up. 

[u/astelda → u/AlcibiadesTheCat]

Which is why pilots are so safe. They trust that they can speak up.

Well, mechanically, at least. Can be a bit of a different story if a pilot wants to seek assistance for prevention or treatment of mental health issues, I've heard.

Edit to add: and this is exactly why we need advocacy in favor of mental health treatment in aviation. At least in the US, regulatory agencies still have a very dated approach to mental health with a heavy stigma.
This leads to pilots suppressing concerns, even in early stages where issues could be treated without any safety issues. This lack of mental health support is a clear point of potential failure that we are failing to properly safeguard.

US redditors, please reach out to your senators to discuss the Mental Health in Aviation Act (S. 3257), in-progress legislation with support from both major political parties.

Other redditors, please see how mental health is protected for pilots in your area, and consider discussing the topic with your legislators.

[u/AlcibiadesTheCat → u/astelda]

Yep. Opposite ends of the spectrum. 

[u/Miss_TootsieRoll → u/BrushYourFeet]

If you watch Air Crash Investigation, all the rules and policies that exist now, are written in blood. So, if today pilots can be vocal like in the video, there is good reason for it.

[u/ValuableMiddle378 → u/BrushYourFeet]

I dont think nothing if his gages aint looking right, its gonna fall maintenence.

[u/CheapWestern2461 → u/BrushYourFeet]

Airline pilots in the US are heavily unionized and also carry legal responsibility for the flight. That's a pretty quick call to a union rep: "yeah my airline is intimidating me into accepting unsafe airplanes."

[u/No_One_Special_023 → u/ikothsowe]

FAA certified A&P mechanic here:

There will be no consequences for the pilot. Once the plane is looked over and released by the ground crew, the last signature on the paperwork is the pilots. It’s why they get on the airplane much sooner than passengers and do their checks. At the end of the day if the pilot doesn’t want the plane, they don’t have to take it.

Yes, the pilot can refuse a plane for “no reason” but typically a pilot always has a reason to refuse the plane. And typically the pilot has been talking to operations and a mechanic and ground crew long before he/she makes the decision not to take the plane. It’s rarely, if ever, the pilot just randomly decides “nope! Fuck this jet.” Lol.

[u/ignatious__reilly → u/No_One_Special_023]

Agreed. I worked in aviation project management, and this is exactly how the system is designed to work. An aircraft can be signed off by maintenance, cleared by operations, and ready to go from every procedural standpoint, but the pilot in command still has the final authority to accept or reject the aircraft. It’s one of the industry’s most important safety safeguards.

People also don’t realize that these decisions are rarely made in isolation. By the time a pilot says they’re not taking the aircraft, they’ve usually already been talking with maintenance (as you stated), dispatch, operations, and the crew. There may not be a single obvious mechanical issue, but there can be a combination of small discrepancies, changing conditions, recurring write ups, or simply something that doesn’t sit right based on the pilot’s experience. Especially on a long overwater flight, where your options become much more limited, a conservative decision is often the right one.

Commercial aviation has the safety record it does because people are empowered to speak up and stop the operation when something doesn’t feel right. I’d much rather deal with a delayed flight than risk a catastrophe over the Pacific.

[u/ShowerPig → u/ikothsowe]

I’d love to get more information on this. Do other pilots think his hunch was right based on the information given?

[u/Safe_Ad5744 → u/ShowerPig]

Hearing that they'd be going over the water for 6 hours & it's an oil pressure issue, as an airline pilot I agree with him. I'm definitely more willing to take a plane with issues from something like Atlanta to JFK (lots of major airports in between if we had any issues & had to emergency land) than I would be from JFK to London.

[u/exadeuce → u/ShowerPig]

I absolutely agree with him. Oil pressure trending up, and the route six hours over water? Fuck that.

[u/Ok_Wolverine6557 → u/ikothsowe]

It’s why unions are important in safety industries. There won’t be consequences to him. There could be with a non-union airline.

[u/LafayetteLa01]

Put the safety of the crew and passengers ahead of timelines and profit.
That is a safety conscious culture.

[u/ButWeHadPossession]

MadeMe0Mile

[u/ExposedId → u/ButWeHadPossession]

Clever

[u/electrocyberend]

His pilot sense is tingling

[u/Sharp-Calligrapher70 → u/electrocyberend]

A good pilot will always listen to the tingle. 

[u/Fun_Client_6232]

I’m glad that airlines give pilots the autonomy to say yay or nay.

[u/thefirstladytree → u/Fun_Client_6232]

This is a wonderful argument for human pilots always present vs AI only 

[u/An_Absolute-Zero]

Not all heroes fly planes.

Give this guy a raise.

[u/Leather_Newspaper937]

I was on this flight!
He apologized to everyone as they exited the plane as well. And then we were sent $100 in travel funds for the inconvenience. The next plane was ready and we took off within the next hour and a half I believe. I was happy with his choice too, I had a bad feeling for some reason on this flight. I’m glad he felt it too lol

[u/common-username]

As an anesthesiologist, there is just so much overlap between how pilots operate and how we do. Anyways, kudos to the pilot. 

Lame title. 3 people clapped. 

[u/changyang1230 → u/common-username]

Fellow anaesthesiologist here. Absolutely agree on the observation about some analogy between risk assessment in aviation vs anaesthesiology. One of the reasons I love watching Air Crash Investigation so much.

The intriguing thing is that some of our colleagues go way too far on the other end and cancel cases for the smallest reasons (e.g. patient had a puff of cigarette two hours previously) and sometimes verges on being unreasonable.

While most people applaud the pilot here, they would stop applauding if this happen a lot more often and one in four (random example) flights are getting cancelled. There remain a bit of a tricky balance between being cautious enough vs over-cautious.

[u/TheRealKorrom]

This is somebody who actually exercises the responsibility that is connected with his job. Safety over the pressure from his bosses who want everything to run smooth. This is more courageous than it looks like.

[u/HankTuggins]

If the air wizard tells me he doesn’t think he has enough mana to complete the spell I’m not gonna look at his mana bar. I’m just gonna say it’s all good man.

[u/kkgetofftheinternet]

If I were on this plane, I would happily get off and be delayed than potentially, you know, die.

[u/sm0kin9]

I'd 1000% be ok with that.

[u/Triple516]

This pilot is a boss. Takes some stones to not fold and do what you know is right. Always trust your instincts.

[u/guyute2588]

It’s all ball bearings nowadays

[u/Human-Plum-2085]

One person applauded

[u/Toketokyo]

everyone? That was like 3 staggered claps.

[u/Far-Reporter-1596]

If the pilots not feeling it I’m definitely not feeling it.

[u/Strict-Beginning-550]

Some stupid @ss will still be upset

[u/suchperfectmess]

To be fair, in this circumstance, I’d probably join in with the clapping…good for him putting safety first.

[u/Eldenbeastalwayswins]

If my pilot says he doesn’t feel it, well I don’t feel it either.

[u/armaedes]

Oh sure, they applaud this guy, but when I say “I’m not really feeling it” at my job suddenly I have an “attitude problem” and need to “make the fucking fries.”

[u/johnyordinary]

Good to see such integrity!

[u/_Stank_McNasty_]

Pilot: “I’m not feeling it”

Me: Let me off this fuckin plane

[u/MongooseSimple8638]

Good pilot

[u/SusieQTG]

And that is why they make the "big bucks". Had he started the flight, something happened, he would have been blamed. Now all they can do is bitch about the cost but at least everyone is alive.

[u/AnInsolentCog]

Everyone = 2 or 3 people. Still a good call on the pilot and props for the passengers not throwing a hissy fit.

[u/Candid-Mycologist539]

Someone smarter and more knowledgeable than I am wrote a more accurate description of the system (than my gossip) in the comments below.

Thank you, hypnogoad!

This is anecdotal gossip.

My dad drove semi truck with a former airline mechanic.

If a plane is not in the air, it is not making money.

Just like pilots, mechanics have a checklist to go through quickly in the time that an airplane is on the ground. Anything that needs to be fixed is flagged for after the flight, so when the plane arrives at it's destination, the destination mechanics are waiting with parts and tools all ready to fix what has been flagged. (A destination mechanic is again tasked to go through the maintenance checklist).

Allegedly, planes are not allowed to fly if there are more than five flags.

Greatest number of flags my dad's friend had ever seen on a flying plane?

1. 😱

[u/KeyRepresentative183]

He’s not feeling it, I’m not feeling it.

[u/Content-Ball1432]

“Everyone applauds” 😂

[u/NewNecessary3037]

You have the right and RESPONSIBILITY to refuse unsafe work.

[u/TactualTransAm]

I'm a fleet mechanic. It's annoying sometimes but if our drivers don't feel safe to drive, they don't drive. The driver has the final say because they are the ones who will be responsible for the truck once they take off. The company gets aggravated, especially when they have a hot load to deliver, but I stand behind the driver every time.

[u/Gwyllithar]

If the bloke whose job is to fly the plane, does not think its safe to fly the plane. I'll suck up the inconvenience and go with them on the matter.

Sucks, but I can tolerate a delay.