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The Captain has absolute authority over flight deck access and can exclude anyone, regardless of rank or position, if safety, security, or operational control could be compromised.
When would an airline captain deny flight deck access? Well, I denied a TWA Line Check Airman access to my flight deck when he wanted to give me a line checkride. Here’s the story.
As a TWA B-747 Captain, I was scheduled to fly TWA 800 from JFK to Paris (CDG). When I reported for my flight at the hangar at JFK, I was greeted by a Check Pilot who told me he was going to give me an unannounced checkride to Paris and back. I told him that was not going to happen—I was not going to allow him into my flight deck.
I was not going to allow “The Wrong Stuff” into my flight deck.
We walked down to the Chief Pilot’s office, where I explained to Captain Schoelzel why I was refusing the unannounced checkride. First off, this Check Pilot had a bad reputation and was nicknamed “The Wrong Stuff.” Second, as Chairman of the ALPA Training and Standards Committee, I had been involved in a hearing with several high-ranking TWA management personnel, including “The Wrong Stuff.” The hearing involved the failure of a TWA pilot to successfully complete Student Captain training. In front of this group, I challenged the testimony of “The Wrong Stuff” and placed the blame for the failure directly on him. I will never forget the hate in his eyes as we looked at each other.
So what happened at the hearing? The Student Captain’s failure was overturned, and he was given another chance to resume training. Unfortunately, he was killed in a light airplane crash before he could continue.
I had a pleasant flight to Paris and back with only the required flight crew in the cockpit. “The Wrong Stuff” stayed in New York. Fortunately, I never saw him again. As a member of the TWA Training Board and Chairman of the ALPA Training and Standards Committee, I am confident I would have passed any checkride from any check airman. I simply did not want “The Wrong Stuff” in my cockpit for safety reasons.
- Captain’s Authority - September 17, 2025
- Airline Pilots Are the Most Scrutinized Profession - February 12, 2025
- The NTSB Got It Wrong on TWA Flight 841 - January 27, 2025
There’s a famous, albeit raunchy, audio tape from Vietnam days that’s titled, “What the Captain meant to say…” You can find it online. It involves a fighter pilot being asked questions about missions in the Vietnam war, however, a public relations officer at the interview interjects after each of the captain’s remarks with, “What the Captain means…” and then goes on to put the statement in a more politically correct phrasing. I would love to hear your story along those lines with a PR manager trying to put the ‘correct’ spin on what you would have to say about having “The Wrong Stuff” in your cockpit!
I served as a Standardization/Evaluation (Stan/Eval) pilot giving my fellow A-10 pilots their annual check flights. I always considered it a time to learn a little more from my peers rather than an opportunity to play ‘Gotcha’!
I was having an unannounced line check on the MD-88. I too was a Check Airman so I knew the rules fairly well. This jerk started basically giving us an oral on the airplane. I let him know that he was there to observe and not speak unless spoken to. He was well known to be the “jerk” check airman that gave all Check Airman a bad name.
I may have been one of your pax on 800. I used to go to Tel Aviv through Paris. I believe it was TWA 800, continuing on 803 for the second leg, with about an hour or two in Paris. I did it twice a year for about five years.
My grandfather, Jay Brandt flew the Connie and 727 for TWA and shared a similar story about denying cockpit access to a notorious line check airman. I wonder if it was “The Wrong Stuff”. He retired in 1973. He didn’t enjoy jets after 25yrs in the Connie.
Greetings kind Sir!
Bravo! Standing ovation to you.
Having been both a line check airman and a flight operations manager – you were absolutely spot on in your decision to expel that knave.
While, perhaps casting boulders his way – all of us who have a few touch n go’s under our belt overtly, and unequivocally visualize what his true intent was.
One of the most important roles that an evaluator plays is that of being, acting and behaving as a true mentor.
Certainly not compromising established standards – yet depositing every single positive-character and acumen building memory – upon those that we interact with.
It’s so easy to teach someone how and when to step on a rudder or type in a waypoint. The real quest – is to set the example of be the very best version of ourselves that we can be.
One last thought for those actively participating in these roles currently
TEACH EVERYONE TO DO YOUR JOB BETTER THAN YOU CAN – WHILE TREATING THEM IN A MANNER SUCH THAT THEY WILL NOT WANT TO LEAVE !
In Naval “terms” BRAVO ZULU to you!
My dad, A.T. Humbles, was also with TWA many years and your story reminds me of something he would have done. Thanks for the fond memory.
That check airman sounds similar to one of the characters in the book Fate is The Hunter.
I was a senior first officer and vice chairman of training at Comair. I was involved in recurrent training scenarios and ground schools meaning I had to endure it twice a year. I attended a sim recurrent with a senior captain and we were subjected to an intense oral and simulator check that looked like nothing I knew of with the Captain getting a bust. We walked outside afterwards and I found out the check airman and Captain had a bad real estate deal. I called the director of training and politely through a fit. In two hour the examiner was out of the training department and returned to the line. Moral is don’t mess with even first officers when you don’t know what they do.
Alternatively if you accepted him onboard, you might teach some ethics.
I had an old friend- before the email and internet time- he used to fly the 747s with TWA captain Goldman, never heard of him
wish he is okay