Air Wagner..... He’s baaaaackk.

An interesting one, perhaps strangely enough, under-reliance on the electronics. If between all the avionics which could do it, one had the flight plan page open, the 7700' published crossing altitude for CISBI would have been staring them in the face and the 8,000 off-route instruction made absolute sense.
I was only half-joking in my earlier post about being competent before automation. It appears to me that he’s a “gadget guy” who doesn’t get beyond a surface-level understanding of what his gadgets do, and is easily distracted trying to make them work.

What his level of competence without automation would be is anybody’s guess.
 
I was only half-joking in my earlier post about being competent before automation. It appears to me that he’s a “gadget guy” who doesn’t get beyond a surface-level understanding of what his gadgets do, and is easily distracted trying to make them work.

What his level of competence without automation would be is anybody’s guess.
It's not. His older videos are round dial, paper charts, and a handheld GPS.
 
I see the opposite. Looking only at the YouTube personas (since I know neither personally), with Malibu I see a pilot who makes mistakes, but recognizes them, admits them, owns them, accepts criticism gracefully, and works to correct them. With Jerry, I see something very different.

I would absolutely love to see a comment from Jerry along the lines of, "boy, we really messed up misreading two charts in the same flight! I've done that before. Guess it's time to check my procedures and see if I can do better." Instead, even after the two chart screwups we got insistence it was ATCs fault, not his and Mike's.

That's not to say Jerry is immune from learning. I watched the threads which led to his mounted approach checklists to workaround the GTN-autopilot GPS glidepath capture incompatibility issue. But that's a rarity for the Air Wagner persona.

With Malibu, I see a distinct lack of skill and proficiency at handling the airplane. I never see that with Jerry. Leaving the AP on, in IMC, when it is oscillating on an ILS. Floating 1000' past the markers in VMC. Taxiing really fast and nearly causing an incursion. As much as one owns up to that, there's some basic airmanship issues there. I don't want to be in a plane with someone who I see with issues controlling the aircraft.

And you're right, Jerry does learn. The guy used to hate IFR GPS and autopilot as well, but now sees value and augments safety and efficiency doing so. I think some of the perceived recalcitrant views are simply a response to people being jerks.

- lack of a pre departure briefing
- lack of a approach briefing
-- unfamiliarity with 2-pilot cockpit operations
- distraction by conversations not immediately related to the safe conduct of the flight
- distraction by personal electronic devices in the cockpit.

1) He does PDBs on every flight in the 414, and emphasizes checklist usage

2) They weren't actually flying 2 pilot, other than comms.

3) That's on them, no question.

4) How so?

I've seen it - both versions and I agree with what the camera shows. But my point is "the nose cam" means nothing. Neither does the reported RVR. It's all about what the pilot, not a camera sees when he looks up.

I agree with @N1120A on this point: you watch Jerry enough and you develop an implicit bias to view everything he does in the worst possible light. I have it too but I recognize it and try (usually unsuccessfully) to combat it.

Someone on PoA admitting implicit bias exists in anything is refreshing.

SteveO does part 135 in Caravans, and he got a 709 ride.

I know he does/has done 135 in Caravans, but was the issue about a Caravan video? He seems to do more sim stuff in the Caravan videos now, so perhaps that's part of it.

Did he actually get a 709 ride though?

I was only half-joking in my earlier post about being competent before automation. It appears to me that he’s a “gadget guy” who doesn’t get beyond a surface-level understanding of what his gadgets do, and is easily distracted trying to make them work.

What his level of competence without automation would be is anybody’s guess.

His older videos are in a 340, with no working AP, an orange 1980s King RNAV and a 496 on the yoke. Say whatever about him - but you really can't say he's a poor stick.

There are several older videos in the 414 where he's flying with steam gauges, non-WAAS 530s and a non-overhauled Cessna 400 AP as well.
 
His older videos are in a 340, with no working AP, an orange 1980s King RNAV and a 496 on the yoke. Say whatever about him - but you really can't say he's a poor stick.
I’m not saying he’s a poor stick. He just doesn’t seem to apply airmanship to what he does have.
 
I’m not saying he’s a poor stick. He just doesn’t seem to apply airmanship to what he does have.

I mean, the guy just recently posted a video when he went missed at AUN, his other home airport. Despite having LPV, synthetic vision and the rest. He posted the GP overlay of it and the approach was flown in a rock solid, safe manner, both times.

I don't disagree that the videos with Mike tend to be more distracted, in the sort of way teenagers drive worse with friends in the car. I don't think safety of flight has been affected in those, but I understand the arguments you guys are making. Of course, on the video in question, they made the early call to go around when they were too high and the IFR cancellation was a product of simply being about to come back around in the traffic patrern, which is perfectly safe and legal. That's also missing from the dog pile of comments here.

The references to aircraft control and automation reliance were in comparison to another YouTube channel, where I feel there are much more significant concerns as far as safe operation.
 
Yeah, you're still not getting it.
I’m getting that I’d never get in an airplane with Jerry.

I’m getting that anybody who shows concern, no matter how polite, gets “it’s for entertainment purposes only” as the standard response.

I’m getting that he’s not going to change.

I’m getting that there are people who think he’s great, just like any number of “great” pilots who don’t surprise 90% of the pilot world when they auger in.

Whether I’m getting “it” or not doesn’t really matter much.
 
I’m getting that I’d never get in an airplane with Jerry.

I’m getting that anybody who shows concern, no matter how polite, gets “it’s for entertainment purposes only” as the standard response.

I’m getting that he’s not going to change.

I’m getting that there are people who think he’s great, just like any number of “great” pilots who don’t surprise 90% of the pilot world when they auger in.

Whether I’m getting “it” or not doesn’t really matter much.

You aren't getting it. Falling out of the bottom of a cloud on an ILS in a VSI-pegged steep spiral should never, ever happen. Posting it on YouTube and acting like it's just all in a day's work takes the stupidity level hyperbolic.

No, I mean not getting it from the perspective of what the subject of that subthread was.
 
I'm shocked that anyone thinks this guy flies okay, and in a professional, safe manner. That's the most shocking thing of all. I'm not saying that maybe someone else isn't worse, but they shouldn't be flying. Talk about being the poster child of WHAT NOT TO DO!
 
I know he does/has done 135 in Caravans, but was the issue about a Caravan video? He seems to do more sim stuff in the Caravan videos now, so perhaps that's part of it.

Did he actually get a 709 ride though?
Yes and yes.
 
I'm shocked that anyone thinks this guy flies okay, and in a professional, safe manner. That's the most shocking thing of all. I'm not saying that maybe someone else isn't worse, but they shouldn't be flying. Talk about being the poster child of WHAT NOT TO DO!
Jerry "the Pilot Man" Wagner

Screen Shot 2019-11-21 at 1.56.46 PM.png
 
With Malibu, I see a distinct lack of skill and proficiency at handling the airplane. I never see that with Jerry.

I just watched one of Malibu's videos. I am sorry, but I would get into an airplane with him with no problem whatsoever. I wouldn't get into an airplane with Jerry for a 50/50 shot at a billion dollars.
 
I've seen it - both versions and I agree with what the camera shows. But my point is "the nose cam" means nothing. Neither does the reported RVR. It's all about what the pilot, not a camera sees when he looks up.

I agree with @N1120A on this point: you watch Jerry enough and you develop an implicit bias to view everything he does in the worst possible light. I have it too but I recognize it and try (usually unsuccessfully) to combat it.

Ok, we won’t judge visibility by the camera then. let’s go on what the pilot sees. He called the “airport in sight,” which I’m assuming the runway since that’s going to be the next visible thing after approach lights. Based on his 120 kts GS and 7 seconds to cross threshold, that’s 1400 ft. You can clearly see Airport Dr go under the nose when he called the field as well. That’s about 1,400 ft from threshold. His slant range flight visibility ain’t gonna add much to that. His video basically coincides with the 1000-1200 RVR being reported at the field.

Also curious how the TAF was forecasting visibility in tenths. Is 8/10s a reportable value?
 
1) He does PDBs on every flight in the 414, and emphasizes checklist usage

In this video he is punching radio frequencies into the navigator while they are 'on the roll', he mis-read both the departure procedure and the approach and it never shows either of them consulting a checklist. On the 'ILS into Oakland' vid, he must have edited his approach briefing out and he is seen punching the minimums into his PFD after he is established on the glideslope.

I guess I'll have to take your word for it that he is is diligent about briefings and checklist usage.

2) They weren't actually flying 2 pilot, other than comms.

He reached over and raised the gear and gave all kinds of 'pilot monitoring' type prompts. While they were definitely not flying a 2-pilot cockpit, he was sure trying hard to make it appear that way.

3) That's on them, no question.

Without 'Jerry the chatterbox' in the right seat, the left seater is probably a competent pilot.

4) How so?

Not sure what all those extra screens in the cockpit were used for, it doesn't look like they had anything to do with the flight. For most of the second part, the tablet on the copilot yoke diplayed a gigantic airport sympol at 10000x zoom.
 
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So, anything to pick apart here, cause it looks pretty excellent to me.
 

So, anything to pick apart here, cause it looks pretty excellent to me.

He flew an instrument approach without crashing. Should we pat him on the back for doing what’s expected out of every instrument rated pilot?
 
He flew an instrument approach without crashing. Should we pat him on the back for doing what’s expected out of every instrument rated pilot?

He flew the ones people complained about without crashing too. Would you admit this was well flown?
 
He flew the ones people complained about without crashing too. Would you admit this was well flown?

I thought it was average. He had some pretty good pitch excursions there starting off. At 700ft he descended at 1,000 FPM and probably went below GS. He then leveled off around 500 ft for a few seconds (too long). Then he descended again at 1,000 FPM to try and get on GS. Popped of left of course and made a play for the runway. Nothing to write home about.
 
I thought it was average. He had some pretty good pitch excursions there starting off. At 700ft he descended at 1,000 FPM and probably went below GS. He then leveled off around 500 ft for a few seconds (too long). Then he descended again at 1,000 FPM to try and get on GS. Popped of left of course and made a play for the runway. Nothing to write home about.

Were you watching the same HSI I was? Also, he's Category B, so he going to have a higher vertical speed.
 

So, anything to pick apart here, cause it looks pretty excellent to me.
One can always find something to pick at but none of us is perfect.

It would be great if Jerry flew every instrument procedure with that level of focus, preparation, stability, and lack of self-induced distraction.

Best line and lesson in the video was Jerry saying he wasn't going to narrate as much as usual because he needed to focus on what he was doing.
 
I fly category C&D aircraft. Sink rates above 900fpm are only required for glide path angles greater than 3.0. No reason to be doing 1000fpm in a B

He was complaining of being high before heading into the clouds, so there is that. I've been forced into 1000'+ sink rates by poor vectoring several times.
 

So, anything to pick apart here, cause it looks pretty excellent to me.
You’re attempting to prove he hasn’t posted and defended poorly flown, even dangerous flights with bad ADM by posting one good one?
 
You’re attempting to prove he hasn’t posted and defended poorly flown, even dangerous flights with bad ADM by posting one good one?

No, I'm attempting to prove that people will complain about anything he does.
 
No, I'm attempting to prove that people will complain about anything he does.
You are right. When one watches someone consistently do something in a certain way, especially a bad way, an expectation bias sets in. The result is you look for the bad and since we are not perfect, find it. and even build it out of proportion.

But, so far your "attempt to prove" experiment here resulted in the worst comment being "it was average." And that was after you specifically solicited negative comments.
 
My only comment is he scales up the approach plate so much because I think he uses that for horizontal guidance, that’s why he was off the glideslope, the HSI is secondary?



Tom
 
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